The Stick Fighting Video!

The stick fighting companyTrust

Today Vuyisile is coming to my office with the names of 3 trustees to set up a Trust which is a type of company. A Trust is often a good way to start a company as it involves at least 3 people ( minimum) and is essentially a non-ownership company. A Trust can make money and this money is placed back into the business which is a really good thing for a fledgling business. Many times I have seen small businesses start and all the income is drawn to pay off debt or purchase unnecessary items. A trust also helps start a business because there is no shareholding. This means that there is less paperwork and all are equal. I also like the fact that Vuyisile has co-opted a few of his judges and organisers to become trustees based on their hard work and dedication. This is real BEE, and these are the guys who will promote the business on the ground.
Its amazing how the concept is coming together. A massive interest is being shown on the ground for the product as a tournamnet spectacle, and possibly a TV show, a new company is being born with great management, and a myriad of business opportunities are being discussed with a host of role-players.
Business opportunities such as a T-shirts, a photo-novel, a TV docuemntary and reality TV show, tournaments, sticks and rule books, fighting fitness routines, clubs for young men. I am sure there are more angles.
Once we have registered the company all of this will come together. I already have an offer from the provincial government department for funding for the tournaments and social clubs.
I will post the You Tube video later today!

day 3 an amazing tournament

Wow, wow, and more wow! The stick-fighting tournament in Mfuleni was amazing, exciting, dangerous, exhilirating! There were 4 of us who took the drive. As we turned the corner, I said to the guys, "im not sure where were going, but just look for the crowds, there's always crowds at these tournaments. And there they were. Overlooking a dusty patch of earth near a block of flats were about 400 gregarious spectators. We stopped the car moving quickly toward the crowd and toward Vuyisile. The fight started just then and the men hit, blocked, moved, the crowd got more excited. Nick my photographer friend jumped in and started taking pictures ( which I will show you tomorrow). There was an injured guy being looked after by the genteel medic. Fight after fight brought the crowd to raptous joy. They clapped the winners and the event went very smoothly with the judges and organisers doing a great job. One guy got his head split open and lost the bout. I asked Vuyisile to give him a helmet which we had offered to all fighters. He declined and so did all the other fighters. The crowd went ballistic went when we offered the helmets baying for a real fight. We all left feeling like we were on a complete high. The event had everything that a sponsor would be interested in, but most importantly it had the support of the masses.

day 2 organising the stick fighting tournament

So the stick fighting tournament is this Sunday in Mfuleni ( one of Cape Town's townships). The venue is an open piece of land on the left hand side of the main road that leads into the township. You are all welcome to attend, i promise it will be breathtaking. I have my man on the inside helping me called Vuyisile. He is fantastic. He is a small waif of a rasta who doesnt eat any meat. We have arranged for a medical practitioner ( in case there is blood...there will be some blood!) We have arranged protective helmets for the one's who want it. We have cut the sticks ( aliens I might add!) and we have placed posters. Vuyisile has taken most of the responsibilities and my hope is he will take this on as his business as i instill the passion and the viability of the business in him. This is my model and it has never failed before. V has also organised judges and referees. Every fighter will receive R30 and the winner R1000 cash. Let the games begin!

the stick fighting company, the first business

This is day 1 of my challenge to start 12 businesses in 12 months. I have chosen my first business to start, namely "The Stick fighting Company". You may be asking what kind of business is that? Let me explain. I teach innovation once a week and one of the students saw in the newspapers a picture of people protesting (or toy toying as we say in South Africa). He looked at the sticks the men were carrying and thought about a new business opportunity. Why not start stick fighting tournaments? Stick fighting is a traditional fighting technique practiced around the world, usually by young men during their initiations. However in many parts of the world this tradition is dying.
So back to the Stick Fighting Company. What I aim to do is the following. Hold weekly stick fighting tournaments in townships ( slums), entrance will be free, and i will seek sponsorship from major corporates. One winner will win it all! At the same time I will be choosing the best fighters and train them to hold corporate workshops for a fee. Whenever a corporate holds a workshop or event they can hold a fun stick fighting lesson and tournament at work ( with padding). Because we will be holding tournaments every week i hope to set up clubs across the country. Once this happens i hope to have a national competition that is televised. I will publish a book on stick fighting and maybe even a movie. I will also sell T-shirts and sticks will be packaged for sale with all the rules of stickfighting. The tournament will happen on Sunday and i will paste pictures and a UTUBE insert on monday.

I Charles Maisel, world famous social entrepreneur have set myself the challenge starting today to start 12 new businesses in 12 months to inspire all young entrepreneurs to follow my journey and to be inspired to do the same.