NextGen Founders

KZN FOUNDERS 18-35 🚨

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FUND Round 5 is open!

Get funding to start/grow your business.
Forms: www.kznonline.gov.za or your Municipal Office

Need help with your application?
AccessNext got you. DM "YEF" 👊

📢 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗚 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗨𝗥𝗦!

Are you aged 18–35 and looking to start or grow your business? The KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier invites you to attend the Youth Empowerment Fund Information Session and learn more about the 5th roll-out of the fund.

📅 Date: 13 October 2026
📍 Venue: KwaPata Hall, Ward 10
⏰ Time: 09:00

📝 Application forms are available at 𝘄𝘄𝘄.𝗸𝘇𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲.𝗴𝗼𝘃.𝘇𝗮 and Local or District Municipal Offices. Completed forms must be submitted to your nearest Local or District Municipal Office. Email submissions will not be accepted.

𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀! 🚀

Are you Proud to Serve?

The National Youth Service Programme (NYS) is a government initiative that empowers young South Africans to make a real difference in their communities while building valuable skills for their future.

Through NYS, young people are given the opportunity to:

• Strengthen service delivery

• Promote nation-building

• Foster social cohesion

• Build patriotism

Learn more here: https://zurl.co/h95En

🚨 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR KZN YOUTH 18-35 🚨
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT FUND - OFFICE OF THE PREMIER

NEXTGEN Founders 👇 This door might be for you.

The KZN Office of the Premier is calling youth entrepreneurs to apply for funding.
“I have placed before you an OPEN DOOR that no one can shut”Rev 3:8

WHO CAN APPLY:
Youth 18-35 in KZN with a business or business idea in:
Agriculture, Manufacturing, Tourism, Tech, Transport, Retail, Creative Economy & more.

FUNDING THRESHOLDS:
1. Start-up: R1,000 - R100,000 | Min 2 jobs to be created
2. Emerging: R100,001 - R500,000 | Min 4 jobs to be created
3. Growth: R500,001 - R2,000,000 | Min 10 jobs to be created

Women and Youth with Disabilities are ENCOURAGED to apply

HOW TO APPLY:
1. Get forms: http://www.kznonline.gov.za or Local/District Municipal Offices
2. Submit to nearest Local/District Municipality
3. NO EMAILED APPLICATIONS

NEED HELP?
This is where NEXTGEN FOUNDERS + ACCESSNEXT comes in 👊
We help you:
✅ Get Bankable - Business Plan + Company Profile
✅ Complete the application properly
✅ Package your idea so funders say YES

Don’t let "little strength" stop you. Let’s walk through this open door together.

DM "FUND" to 076 567 5796 and let’s start your application.

🚨 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR SPAZA SHOP OWNERS 🚨

If you run a spaza shop in the township or rural area, this is for you.

Government has opened the Spaza Shop Support Fund with up to R100,000 in support to help you stock, grow and formalise your business.

And yes — even if you're 35+, you can apply.

We at NextGen Founders are sharing this because township economy is youth economy. Let's get this funding where it needs to go.

Details below 👇

💰 WHAT IS TAXABLE INCOME FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

One thing every entrepreneur eventually has to understand is that your business turnover is not automatically the same as your taxable income.

For a typical South African company, taxable income is broadly determined by looking at the business income and then applying the tax rules to allowable deductions and other required adjustments.

For example, if a business has:

R200,000 income
− R120,000 allowable business deductions
= R80,000 taxable income

The tax calculation is then based on the applicable tax rules and the business's tax status.

But here's where tax planning becomes important. 👇🏾

Good entrepreneurs don't wait until tax season to think about SARS.

They keep proper records throughout the year and understand:

📌 What income the business is generating
📌 Which expenses are genuinely business-related
📌 What records need to be kept
📌 Which tax obligations apply to the business
📌 Whether the business qualifies for a particular tax regime or incentive
📌 When returns and payments are due

South Africa also has different tax arrangements for qualifying businesses, including Small Business Corporation (SBC) provisions and Turnover Tax for qualifying micro businesses.

But remember:

Small business ≠ automatically tax-exempt.

And tax planning does not mean finding ways to avoid paying tax.

It means:

«Understand the rules. Keep proper records. Claim what you're legitimately entitled to. Use available incentives where you genuinely qualify. And plan ahead.»

At NextGen Founders, we're passionate about helping young entrepreneurs build businesses that aren't just exciting ideas, but businesses that understand their numbers, compliance and responsibilities.

💡 Your business plan should include more than the idea. Know the numbers behind the business too.

Learn. Build. Comply. Grow.

4 Common Business Planning Mistakes Young Entrepreneurs Should Watch Out For 🚨

Business planning isn't a once-off activity. It involves setting goals, tracking progress and making corrections.

For young entrepreneurs and small businesses, good planning helps you use limited time, money and resources wisely.

1️⃣ Trying to do everything at once

You may focus on exciting tasks like branding while ignoring pricing, cash flow or customer research.

👉 Suggestion: Break the plan into smaller tasks and work through them step by step.

2️⃣ Having too many priorities

When everything feels urgent, nothing is truly a priority.

👉 Suggestion: Ask: “What is the ONE thing that would make the biggest difference right now?”

Focus first. Expand later.

3️⃣ Overvaluing the business idea 💡

An idea isn't valuable simply because you like it. Test it before investing too much time or money.

Talk to potential customers, understand their problems and ask:

“Would you actually pay for this?”

Let the market challenge your assumptions.

4️⃣ Making unrealistic forecasts 📊

Avoid unsupported predictions like “I’ll get 1,000 customers in three months.”

Base forecasts on realistic assumptions about your market, reach, conversion rate, customer spending and costs.

Create conservative, realistic and optimistic scenarios.

Your business plan shouldn't be a wish list. It should be a working map.

Set goals, take action, measure results, learn and adjust.

That's what planning looks like in the real world. 🚀

FUNDING ALERT for SA Youth 📢

Are you 18-35 and building a business?

The Youth Challenge Fund is open and offering:
1. R2 Million for Start-ups and SMEs
2. R15 Million for Technology & Innovation businesses

This is real capital to start, grow, or scale.
They’re looking for serious young entrepreneurs ready to build.

Apply and check if you qualify https://www.onesedfa.org/za-en/za/funding/youth-fund

Share this with your network. Someone’s business is waiting for this opportunity.