22 March 2012 19h30 – location The Docklands Hotel where esteemed guests gathered in eager anticipation for the launch of the Durban’s Silver Lining Network.  Restless at the prospect of an introduction to what was very aptly described by one of the guests as “the youth version of the Durban Chamber of Commerce.”

A journey that started of as informal “business networking amongst friends” has evolved into a vision that is firmly grounded in making a contribution to South Africa through the ambit of entrepreneurship. Many of the initial discussions were centered around the latent frustration and disillusionment  associated at not being able to realise the potential of inspirational ideas because of  more talk than action and not having a supportive ecosystem. Understanding that execution is a key pillar to the success of any entrepreneurship venture  a question that was asked is “How do we as young entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses using the collective experience of a network that houses a diverse skill set?”  The first reaslisation that surfaced  was that a formal structure was needed.  Secondly as young entrepreneurs the founding members realised that the ecosystem would need to facilitate interaction, mentorship, between new entrants to the entrepreneurship arena and established players.  At this point an action-orientated committee was formed under the banner Durban’s Silver Lining.  A renewed sense of motivation was beginning to emerge and so began a tireless 8-month journey…

A vision at this point was at best a periphery to getting the discussion going but as the committee engaged wit the entrepreneurship community in Durban the vision started to take shape.  This vision is clearly articulated on the platform that will be central to the functioning of the network [click here to review.]  The power of word-of-mouth became the driving force behind the growth in initial membership. Given the culture of startups as a result of technology the network felt that a healthy balance needed to be struck between conventional business practices and new ways of doing businesses. At this point a joint decision was taken to hold a launch event that would showcase the platform and show the support that had been gained from stalwarts of the entrepreneurship community. As much as the need for innovation being the primary motivation for group,the network wanted to demonstrate that they respected and valued the support and guidance of previous generational pioneers. Pioneers that volunteered support included: Counsellor Logie Naidoo (Speaker of the House)  Donald, ‘Don’ Mkhwanazi (Chair:  SA Freight, Mossgas, Durban Investment Promotions Agency), Madam Justice  Mohini Murugasen (Judge), Selvan Pillay (CEO: CPG Chartered Accountants), Mike Maziya (CEO: Izaka), Junaid Ahmed (CEO: Fineline Productions), Colin Sher (MD: Broll Propoerties KZN), A.B. Moosa (CEO: The Avalon Cinema Group), Siva Govender (CEO: HiTec Graphics), Akash Singh (CEO: Sigma International), Thato Tautse (President: Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Vinod Harie (CEO: Spice Emporium), to mention but a few.

In attendance and as the keynote speaker Mr Mkhwanazi highlighted the importnat role that entrepreneurship plays in the development of the South African economy stating ”whatever you do, you have to be profound – profound meaning that you must leave an impact on society.”  To the DSL Network this represents a challenge that they are willing to take on through leveraging the power of networks.  The chairman of the DSL network made a specific note of this in his speech stating “I believe that entrepreneurs should broaden their understanding of what constitute a network.” going on further to say that ” A network is more than just a pool of potential clients.  It is a vehicle that enables the growth of a supportive ecosystem, to create profound change.” Briefly this represented the extent of the formalities of the evening which allowed ample time for aspiring members and members to network.

The atmosphere in the venue was palpable and in a sense could be described as savouring a dessert prepared by a michelin starred chef.  Needless to say that the post reviews were very positive. A follow up will be conducted to establish the feedback from those who attended and we will publish this in the days to follow.