New Features. New Events.

We’re shaking things up at Heavy Chef.

It’s apt that our June community event is focusing on Design Thinking. We’re doing a lot of that over the next few weeks. We are iterating some platform changes, focused primarily on providing more community engagement and value for members. ?

Expect to see a drip-feed of new stuff. New features. New events. New courses.

Then, our newly appointed Head of Partnerships, Zola Thekiso , is working hard on signing up more benefits for members. We will shortly be announcing a host of amazing discounts, rewards, and incentives for our member base.

We will also be sending out an exclusive mailer on Thursdays to members only, listing new partner benefits each week.

If you’ve not yet signed up to the Heavy Chef member platform, go here. Check out the benefits and get involved. ?

It’s worth it. There is lots to look forward to, including:

• New Heavy Chef recipe book launching soon (in collaboration with Payfast by Network ).
• Rerelease of our Financial Management book (in collaboration with Xero ). ?
• Free copies of E-Commerce Marketing (in collaboration with xneelo (Pty) Ltd ). ?
• New Entrepreneur Research Centre (in collaboration with Workshop17 ).
• New entrepreneur events, all the way to December. ? ?
• Our new ‘Live Recipes’ feature, where paid members can meet the Chefs and mentors on their learning journeys.
• New entrepreneur programmes, high touch mentor-driven 10-week intensive courses. More recipes with more world-class Chefs, focusing on tech, leadership and technology.
• And much more… woop! ?

Speaking of design thinking, we are applying the principles directly to Heavy Chef.

Together with world-renowned design agency Now Boarding we will be evolving the entrepreneur user-experience over the next phase. All the changes will be made in a data-analysis feedback loop, empathising with you - our community member.

With that in mind, I welcome any feedback or suggestions you may have (feel free to contact me directly). ?

Design thinking is something close to my heart. I made a pilgrimage to IDEO Labs in San Francisco a few years ago. The famed problem-solving visual format originated there. Design thinking (empathize, define, ideate, prototype and test) aligns closely with the Lean Startup methodology that is espoused by entrepreneur ecosystems globally. It is super relevant to our work at Heavy Chef.

On 22 June we are hosting Doc Carla Enslin (Co-founder Vega) and Richard Perez (Founding Director Hasso Plattner d-school) in Cape Town. We will unpack how entrepreneurs can use design thinking to solve problems, supercharge growth, improve customer engagement and build brand affinity. ?

We are partnering with UCT d-school at their super fancy new venue in Cape Town. It’s free for members and it’s gonna be awesome. ?

I’m MC and will be digging deep into how we can all use design thinking to boost our own businesses. There are still seats left. If you want tickets, book here or simply email us. We’ll sort you out, simple.

Aaaaaaand, speaking of events, there are three new sessions ready for booking: ?

• LinkedIn For Startups (CPT)
• Building An App (JHB)
• AI For Startups (CPT)

Also, coming soon: Advertising For Startups (JHB) and Cloud Accounting (JHB). Plus new events in new regions (more on that soon). All events free for members, courtesy of our long-term partnerships with Xero , Workshop17 , Payfast by Network , xneelo (Pty) Ltd , Backsberg Family Wines , Sally-Ann Creed, Sir Fruit and Whipping the Cat (Pty) Ltd .

So much stuff going on. ?

I know. Awesome, right?

What’s that? You’ve STILL not signed up yet?

DAYAM… go here dagnammit.

Done?

Done.

Hellz to the yes.

See you in a few weeks time.

Peace -

Fred Roed

CEO, Heavy Chef ?

p.s. Our friends over at Insaka eCommerce Academy are running a Five Day E-Commerce Challenge. You’ll have a site up n’ running in five days (sjoe!). I can personally vouch for Warrick and his team, they’re friggen awesome. Interested? Check it out here.