The School of Entrepreneurship
Bursary Programme
We are excited to announce that bursary applications for our 4LIFE Entrepreneurship Programme™ are now open, and we invite all aspiring and current entrepreneurs to apply.
A bursary covers 90% of the enrolment fee for qualifying students. Plus, students can win up to R100,000 in products, services, and cash to support their businesses upon completing the programme.
Ready to unlock your entrepreneurial potential under the expert guidance of accomplished entrepreneurs? Apply for a bursary today!
What you get with a bursary
4LIFE Entrepreneurship Programme™
At the School of Entrepreneurship, you learn under the guidance of accomplished entrepreneurs who coach you and thereby avoid many of the typical struggles entrepreneurs face.
Our 4LIFE Entrepreneurship Programme™ provides the online coaching, blueprint, and tools needed to start, scale, and sustain a business for the rest of your life. Unlike any other programme, you get lifetime access, which includes future content upgrades, monthly mentoring and support, and our exclusive entrepreneur community.
Statistically, you have a less than 50% chance of succeeding if you try and do something on your own. However, if you do it with a partner, you have a 60% chance of success. And if you do it in a like-minded community, you have a greater than 70% chance of success.
Secure your bursary to join our entrepreneur community and boost your chances of building a profitable and sustainable business!
Start Your Business
- Duration: 3 Months
- Schedule: Full-time (daily sessions) or Part-time (weekly sessions)
- Starts: On-demand
- Programme Orientation
- Philosophy of Entrepreneurship (1)
- Philosophy of Entrepreneurship (2)
- Time Mastery & Accountability
- Business Ideation
- Developing Startup Ideas & Deeper Insights
- Business Idea Research & Validation
- Vison, Goals & Objectives
- What Product Are You Selling & Your Exclusive Product
- Craft Your Offer
- What Problems Do You Solve & Problem Analysis
- What is the Value Proposition
- What Determines the Force of a Value Proposition
- How to Craft Your Value Proposition
- How to Apply Your Value Proposition
- Who is Your Prospect & Their Needs & Wants
- The Psychology of Pricing & Pricing Strategies
- The Fundamentals of Branding & Your Profile
- Partner Platforms & What To Measure
- Persuasion (1)
- Persuasion (2)
- Marketing Channels (Free & Paid)
- Business Model Canvas
- Preparation for The Landing Page Builder
- Tour of The Landing Page Builder
- Building your 1st Landing Page
- Finance & Tax
- Legal & Regulations
- Blueprint
Scale Your Business
- Duration: 6 Months
- Schedule: Full-time (daily sessions) or Part-time (on demand)
- Starts: On-demand
- Introduction to the Enneagram
- Debriefing of Types 1 to 5
- Debriefing of Types 6 to 9
- Enneagram Q & A
- Personal Accountability – What & Why?
- Understanding and Applying Integrity
- The Mind
- How the Mind Works
- Self Talk Cycle
- Inner and Outer World
- Six Laws of the Mind
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Mentorship and Purpose
- Module 1: Effective opportunity selection
- Module 2: Small things initiate the innovation mindset
- Why creativity matters and understanding your mindset
- Understanding Your Thinking Style
- Traditional thinking and the effect of stress on creativity
- The way forward – a thinking framework for strategic thinking
- Lateral Thinking – a tool for enhanced creative thinking
- The Importance of sales, critical sales issues to be managed
- Time management practical application, templates and support tools
- The Sales Cylce: Prospecting and Referrals
- The Sales Cycle: Setting the app, Surveys and Needs Analysis
- The Sales Cycle: Presentation, Closing Techniques
- The Sales Cycle: Handling and Overcoming Objections
- Problem Identifier and Review
- (is )Mindset Rebellion (creepnig in?…) and How to Overcome Imposter syndrome
- Whats’ Your Story
- Finding your URPs to start your business
- Applying the URP to grow your business
- Your Financial Goals & Money Style, Budgeting
- Knowing Your Numbers (1)
- Good Customer Service Is Not Enough
- Using CX To Build A Business That Lasts
- Knowing Your Numbers (2)
- Cashflow Management
- Types of financing
- Public Relations – Activities & Tools
- PR in the Marketing Mix
- Branding – Trust, Relationships, Image (shortened by 1 day)
- Starting a Business – Legal Entities, Auditors, Naming, Compliance and Acts
- Accounts, Taxes, Structuring a Business
- Specific Contracts and Acts
- Contracts – Overview and Pointers
- Intellectual Property
- Confidence. Clarity. Certainty.
- The Leader’s Capacity for the Future
- Understanding Your Team, Teamwork & Collaboration
- Managing Change
- Being the Visioning Leader
- Loosing motivation & overcoming apathy
- Overcoming Fear /create excitement to kickstart
- Structuring a presentation so that you don’t need notes.
- The art of story telling
- The science of speech writing
- The value of great communication skills
- Impromptu speaking
- The fundamentals of Social Media
- The importance of Clarity
- Creating engaging content
- Beating the algorithm
- Building your email list
- Facebook Business Manager Setup
- Creating Audiences & Targeting
- Anatomy of an Ad Campaign
- Creating a Winning Ad
- Setting Up Your Ad Campaign
- (More) Strategies To Accelerate Your Entrepreneurial Journey
- How to create a video and podcast
- Using video & podcasts in your marketing
- Being a Leader on LinkedIn
- The Art of Making New Connections
- The Captivating One-Liner
- Secret LinkedIn Tricks
- The Most NB LinkedIn Skill to Master: Direct Messaging
- How to utilise Sales Funnels
- Use email to create a customer journey
- Useful Social Media tools
- What is CRM (Customer Relationship Marketing)
- Improve Productivity and Management of your Business
- Important Concepts & Big Picture Overview
- Campaign Preparation – Part A
- Campaign Preparation – Part B
- Campaign Setup
- SEO and Storytelling
- Optimization in Practice
- The Top 3 ASSET Incomes that will set you up for a WIN in this POST Covid 19 Economy
- How to Get Your B-BBEE Certificate and tap into Corporate BEE/Development Funds
- Key Factors in Financial Planning for a Business:
- The Four Dimensions of Resillience (Physical, Mental, Emotional, Purpose)
Sustain Your Business
Become part of our entrepreneur community for life and get ongoing access to new training, mentoring and accountability sessions, networking events, and more.
- Duration: Lifetime
Programme info
What to expect
Available on-demand
Daily sessions on-demand for full-time students and weekly sessions on-demand for part-time students
Recorded and available to watch online without limits
Accompanied by assignments, exercises, and case studies
Personalised guidance from an accountability coach
Interactive with Q&A at the end of each session
Application process
How to apply
Step 1
Understand the requirements
You need to meet specific criteria to receive a bursary. We will ask you a few questions to determine if you are eligible. Once we have reviewed your answers, you will be informed whether or not your application was successful. If you are eligible and decide to enrol, you will be required to pay the 10% balance of the fees which is R1995.
As mentioned, the bursary is for 90% of the full fee and the reason for this is we believe whole-heartedly that you need to have ‘some skin’ in the game which is your financial commitment because there is no value in anything for free.
Step 2
Apply for a bursary
Enter your details below to start the bursary application process:
FAQs
Your questions answered
No, all sessions will be available online so you can attend the programme from the comfort of your home.
To attend the sessions you need a laptop or a phone and a wifi connection as well.
Success Stories
Success stories of our students.
Thabo
Kasi 2 Kasi Plumbers Association
Before starting the programme Thabo made on average R 2000 profit per month. Currently his profits are between R 35 000 – R 80 000 per month.
Thabo is 54 years old and started his business in 2017. He joined the programme in 2023 and during the process, changed the whole focus and strategy of his business.
He operates in Diepsloot Soweto and extended his business to a plumbing association with 3 categories:
- Helping aspiring plumbers in townships to get certified
- Assist existing plumbers (3+years) to become certified and register with ARPL
- Assist qualified plumbers with access to the market and expand their profits.
He partnered with SETA Jhb and also works with Harmony Gold Mine.
His goal for 2024 is to upskill 3000 plumbers to get them certified and registered with the relevant
bodies.
With the knowledge he gained from the entrepreneurship programme he:
- Revisited and changed his strategies
- Changed his business management and focussed on what he does best
- Upskilled his marketing – especially improving his social media marketing
Nikho
Imbokodo Courier Services
During and after the programme she increased her profits with 75 % per month.
- she changed my whole business concept to specialize in a specific area
- she learnt and understand the importance of consistency now
- and to never give up, but rather to find solutions to every challenge she encountered
Velaphi
Gemini Engineering Solutions
His annual turnover before the programme: +/- R 250 000
His annual turnover after the programme: +/- R1.1 million
Velaphi is 40 years and started his business in 2015. He is an Engineering Consultant, based in Durban.
He self-funded using his payout after resigning from his job in 2015. Since the programme, he received a R100 000 grant from a Sasol Development Fund and as part of the Sasol Programme can get up to R10 Million interest-free loan for capital expenditure required for any specific customer project.
He has grown from being a subcontractor to being the main contractor on projects.
He sustains himself and 5 employees, with about a dozen contract workers.
Skills learnt particularly from the programme:
- Marketing strategies and following up with prospects
- Accountability (focus, motivation, goal setting)
- Branding (clarity and tools to use to save costs)
Jack
Chillas Zone
In the beginning, his business was small with low profits. Doing this programme contributed hugely to increasing his turnover and profits in his business.
Jack is 32 years old and based in Nkambako Village, Tzaneen, Limpopo.
His business was running for 18 months when he joined the programme in March 2023.
Valuable knowledge he gained from the programme:
- how to handle his finances better,
- improved his marketing strategy,
- the importance of time management (which he was lacking)
- understanding goal setting and the importance of it better
- problem analysis
He sees this programme as a “power tool” of knowledge and
guidance that he will continue to use to grow his business.
Preciah
Maxin Clothing
Doing the programme contributed hugely to increasing her turnover and profits.
Preciah is the Principal of Westvalia Day Care Centre. She lives in Khujwana Village and her business is based in Tzaneen, Limpopo.
She started her business as a hobby in October 2022, and was running for 4 months when she joined the programme in March 2023.
She employed a manager when she opened her 1st shop, in December 2023 she employed an assistant for her second shop.
She got a partner in 2023 and opened a second outlet in December 2023. She gained valuable knowledge regarding:
- pricing structures,
- understand the finances better and how to manage it,
- a better understanding of her business concept,
- gained much through proper marketing research as learnt from the programme,
- goal setting,
- corrected many mistakes she made in the beginning because she had little knowledge of how to run a business and
- motivation to never give up at times when she felt she wanted to give up.
Silas
Ultra Intellects Gardening and Cleaning
He was making less than R2000 per month and now he is making an average of R6000 per month.
Silas was one of the Bursary Students in 2023 when he was 36 years old. He has developed self mastery, sales skills, business compliance and his big ‘why’ as to why he is in business.”
Tasneem
E-commerce
She had no income prior and currently makes R3000 per month.
Tasneem was 20 years old when she attended the programme in 2022. She is based in Durban and started her online business after commencing the programme.
“The area of the course that had the greatest impact on me and my business was the mindset and personal development area. It taught me to be patient and consistent even if I wasn’t seeing results immediately”
Luyanda
Agricultural Business
At the start of the programme she was making R1000 per week and currently she is making R3500 per week.
Luyanda was 18 years old when she attended the programme in 2022, and also started her business during the same time (in 2022).
She is based in Pietermaritzburg, KZN, and one of the most important aspects she learnt from the programme is: “Know your customer”.
Video Testimonials
See what our happy students are saying
Written Testimonials
Read what our happy students are saying
Valentine Lunga
Class of 2023
“Coach Leon, you are the best!! thank you for a platform that educates and equips me to start and scale my business. The school of entrepreneurship has become part of my life. I have mixed emotions as i finish with my course, I am happy that i have learnt so much, have built amazing friendships with the other students and have been taught by the best but i will miss you and all the other coaches. Thank you so much !! I will go out there and implement all that i have been taught, cant’t wait.”
★★★★★
Thomas Antoine-Williams
Class of 2023
★★★★★
Sue Lorraine
Class of 2023
“Words are not enough to thank you Coach Leon for giving me this life-changing opportunity. When l was chosen for this program and started the journey l knew that my life would not be the same again .l learned so much from you and all the coaches you brought for us on this program. l have improved as a person and an entrepreneur. The program was more than l expected..l can say it was rich in every way. I thank you for the opportunity to meet great and inspiring colleagues in this program. God bless you richly for giving me this opportunity to be part of this awesome community and for all you have taught me. “
★★★★★
Nobuhle Zondi
Class of 2023
“I truly appreciated this journey. The school has provided me with invaluable resources and guidance to help me on my entrepreneurial journey.
The courses I have taken have given me the knowledge and tools to build a solid foundation for my business. I now have a better understanding of the business landscape and how to position my company for success. I have also learned about the importance of creating a strong brand and marketing strategy, which has helped me to attract and retain customers. Thank you so much.”
★★★★★
Students Who Are Starting a Business
Students who are starting a business after completing the programme
The Team
Who we are
Meet the Founder & head coach
Leon Lategan
Leon Lategan is the School of Entrepreneurship’s Founder and Head Coach. He has coached, trained and spoken to over +50 000 entrepreneurs, business owners and corporates in South Africa and in 21 cities globally in countries such as Egypt, Qatar, Jordan, Mauritius, Bahrain, Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The School of Entrepreneurship exists to create entrepreneurs because they possess the ability to spur economic growth and improve living standards for all. We aim to develop 10,000 new entrepreneurs in the next 5 years who are capable of starting sustainable and profitable businesses that create jobs and reduce unemployment.
