What is an Innovative Business?
Business innovation is when companies implement new processes, ideas, services, or products to boost the bottom line.
Innovative Business Ideas In South Africa
Best Innovative Business Ideas:
1. Airbnb
More and more, in recent years, we are seeing a growing interest in townships from visitors coming from abroad. Kasi tourism is on the rise and a great way to take advantage of this is by opening your door to hosting on Airbnb.
Register on Airbnb and make your home a safe, comfortable place for any potential visitors to rest their heads after a long day of exploring the Kasi. And here’s a sneaky little tip from us: When you do have visitors in your home, spend the night with your neighbors or with a family member, and give them a share of the profits.
2. Shuttle Service/Tour Operator
You can provide a shuttle service for anyone coming in and out of your Kasi. Your services could include picking them up from the city, driving them around to show them the Kasi, and ensuring safe passage back to their homes.
3. Bookings
Ever wondered how tourists know exactly where to go, and when? Well, you could be that reason. Start your booking service and connect incoming tourists to the goods and services they are looking for. You could help with accommodation bookings and transportation allocations and offer advice on where to shop within your Kasi.
You could extend this service and connect your fellow locals to whatever they may need in the city.
4. Shopping Tourism
People visiting South Africa almost always want that ‘authentic African experience’. Well, give the people what they want by selling traditional African attire and other memorabilia. You could set up a store at a market, have your own space at a shopping center, or even build relationships with restaurants and other business owners who will help promote you and your products.
5. Catering Services
One way of gaining reach within your community and greater outlying areas is by providing a catering service.
All you need is a kitchen and you could provide meals for birthdays, weddings, and funerals and even supply businesses with daily lunch items. As a bonus, those tourists would love to try your traditional African cuisine.
6. Food Market
Whereas a catering service would be a private service, opening a stall at a food market would be more commercial.
Visitors can walk by your store and pick what they would like to eat from your unique menu. Alternatively, you could set up your food market and invite other vendors to sell their yummy treats within your designated area. For a fee, of course.
7. Bakery
Few things build up an appetite like the smell of freshly baked bread. You can freshly baked goods and even put your own spin on traditional South African favorites like koeksisters and magenta (vetkoek).
8. Babysitting/Nanny Agency
One way of earning good money in the Kasi is by babysitting. Parents often arrive home late after long workdays in the city. Bridge the gap by babysitting the children who otherwise would be home alone for hours after school.
Similarly, you could start your nanny agency that exclusively looks after the kids in your Kasi. Recruit Matric scholars and young university students to be the nannies. In doing so, by paying them a portion of the fee, you will help them support their families while giving them a constructive way to spend their free time.
9. Photography
If you have an eye for photography, then this one is for you. You can take pictures of your unique Kasi and sell them to tourists and lifestyle publications. You could also be the go-to photographer for celebrations and events in your area, as well as offering tourists a beautiful reminder of their time in your Kasi.
10. Pet Care Services
As people become more comfortable with the idea of living their lives in the Kasi, pet ownership is on the rise. Offer to train and groom pets in your area and name your price for watching pets when their owners are away.
You can also take your services on the road, commuting to nearby urban areas to watch over the pets whose owners are otherwise indisposed.