Back to basics: Success is built on simplicity and order

We live in an age of constant noise in which we are flooded daily with information and endless decisions.

- By Mornay Verster, Le Roc Brangus

At times, it feels as if we are drowning in busyness. That's why it helps to step back, focus on what truly matters, and bring order to our lives. Even with financial management, filters are essential: remove what is unnecessary and uncontrollable, and concentrate only on what you can manage.

Lessons from France

Ten years ago, my family invested in a restaurant - and later a hotel - in France. The French are known for their gourmet standards, quick tempers, and fiery tongues (not to mention their reluctance to speak English). Despite this, we were able to successfully manage Restaurant La Calanque on the southern coast of France for five years, guided by a few simple principles. These same principles can be applied to both farming and finances.

In our first year, we operated the restaurant with its full staff complement, despite having no prior experience. At the same time, we purchased the 16-room Hotel La Calanque, situated between the castle and yacht harbour of Mandelieu La Napoule. Our plan was to transform it from a low-end property into a boutique hotel, using profits from the restaurant to settle the loan as quickly as possible.

Trust and adaptability

Being foreigners, we were unable to secure financing in France, so I turned to my South African bank. Using my farms as collateral, I submitted a detailed, well-researched business plan. Having banked with them for 30 years, I had built a solid relationship of trust, and that is the first lesson: Build long-term trust with your banker, because relationships matter.

The bank understood our vision and approved the loan because our projected cashflow supported its repayment. It also helped that this was our second project in France. The first, though smaller, was already halfway settled and had quadrupled in value.