An operator, not an academic.
Aspigon 209 is led by Pierre Brand. The advice here comes from having run the operations, carried the risk, signed the contracts and dealt with the consequences, in South African conditions.
A long career spent fixing operations, not describing them
My background runs across operations, logistics, risk management and executive leadership, in ICT, distribution, security and workforce management environments. That means I have sat on both sides of the table: managing the teams that deliver, and answering to the owners and boards who carry the cost when delivery fails.
That career was built on practical experience rather than formal degrees, and I make no apology for it. What it gives you is a consultant who has done the work: costed the job, chased the debtor, restructured the shift, defended the contract, closed the compliance gap, then rebuilt the process so it would not happen again.
Where I work from
Boksburg, Gauteng. On site across Gauteng, and online nationally. Most consulting work runs well over video, with site visits where they are genuinely needed.
Who I work with
- Owner-run businesses turning over roughly R1m to R50m
- Trades, services, distribution, security, light manufacturing
- Founders who are the bottleneck and know it
- Businesses that have grown past their systems
How I charge
Fixed scope and fixed fee wherever possible, agreed in writing before we start. Retainers are monthly and cancellable. You will never get an open-ended hourly invoice from me.
Four principles that shape every engagement
Cash before growth
A business that cannot forecast its cash for the next ninety days has no business chasing a bigger contract. We fix the cash discipline first, every time.
Compliance is a commercial weapon
SARS, COID, UIF and B-BBEE get treated as admin until a tender or a large client asks for the paperwork. Handled properly, compliance wins you work your competitors cannot take.
A process that is not written down does not exist
If it only lives in your head, it fails the moment you are unavailable. We write it down, then build the system that enforces it.
No advice I would not act on myself
You get a straight answer, including when the honest answer is that the business model itself is the problem. Sugar-coating costs you money.
I wrote the method down so you can start without me
Surviving and Winning in South African Business sets out the full framework I use with clients. It covers cash flow discipline under late payment, labour and compliance in practice, structuring a business that does not depend on the founder, and growing without breaking what already works.
The case studies are South African, because imported advice written for other economies gets owners here into trouble. Read it and apply it yourself. If you would rather have it done with you, that is what the consulting is for.
Start with the honest assessment
Ten minutes, no cost, no sales call attached. The Health Check will tell you which of the five pillars is costing you the most right now.