Business & Money R19
Budgeting in 15 Minutes
Make a simple monthly budget, split your money into needs, wants and savings, start an emergency fund and stay away from debt traps — in about 15 minutes on WhatsApp.
15 min · beginner · certificate
Business & Money beginner
Starting a Small Business
Go from idea to first sale the smart way: test your idea, write a one-page plan, choose sole proprietor or company, understand CIPC and SARS registration, price for profit and keep records.
By the end, you can
test a business idea, write a one-page plan, choose how to register and set prices that cover your costs.
This MicroQuest isn't available right now. It may be being updated. See other Business & Money MicroQuests.
MicroQuests are paused for a moment. Please check back shortly.
Free preview
Read the first lesson
This is exactly how Starting a Small Business starts, in your browser or on WhatsApp. Short messages, real examples, one step at a time.
Carry on from here →skillSYMS LearnChat
Starting a Small Business
QUEST START-A-BUSINESS
Before you spend a cent
Many people start a business by spending: stock, branding, equipment, a logo. Then they find out that not enough people want to buy.
This MicroQuest follows a safer order:
1. Test the idea
2. Write a simple plan
3. Choose how to register
4. Sort out tax
5. Separate your money
6. Price properly
7. Keep records
It takes about 30 minutes. Have a pen or notes app ready.
Reply NEXT to continue ▸
What you'll cover
- 1 Before you spend a centfree preview above
- 2 Step 1: Test your idea
- 3 Step 2: A one-page plan
- 4 Step 3: Sole proprietor or company?
- 5 Registering a company with CIPC
- 6 Step 4: Tax with SARS
- 7 Step 5: Separate your money
- 8 Step 6: Price to cover your costs
- 9 Step 7: Keep records
- 10 🧠 Final challenge
- 11 What to remember
Your certificate
Pass the challenge and it arrives straight away as a PDF. Add it to your CV or LinkedIn, and anyone can check it's real.
Certificate of completion
Your name here
has completed the MicroQuest
Starting a Small Business
LCA-2026-••••••••
Verify at skillsyms.com/verify
You might also like
Business & Money R29
Cash Flow Essentials
Learn why a profitable business can still run out of cash, build a simple 3-month cash-flow forecast, get paid faster and keep stock and credit under control.
20 min · beginner · certificate
Business & Money R29
Understanding Your Payslip
Read your payslip with confidence: gross vs net pay, PAYE, UIF, medical aid and retirement deductions, what to check every month, how to query a mistake and what an IRP5 is.
20 min · beginner · certificate
QCTO Accreditation R29
Legal Entity and Institutional Readiness
Get the organisational foundation right — registration, tax, levies, governance, financial standing and the right to occupy your site.
13 min · beginner · certificate
Know someone who needs this?
Send it to a colleague, a friend or your class group.
For employers, schools and training providers
Train a whole team, one short step at a time
Toolbox talks, inductions, refreshers and revision that people finish, because each one fits in a tea break and runs on the phone they already carry.
Need a topic we don't have? Request it. The topics people ask for most are the ones we write next.
-
Give MicroQuests or credits
Your people get a WhatsApp message or an email link and learn on their own phones. No logins to manage.
-
Pin a QR poster
Print an A4 poster for the canteen, staffroom or site office. A scan opens the MicroQuest.
-
Verifiable certificates
Every completion has a numbered certificate you can check online, which is useful for toolbox talks and inductions.
-
Your own MicroQuests
skillSYMS clients publish their own MicroQuests (policies, site rules, product knowledge) for their own people.
Starting a Small Business: questions
How long does Starting a Small Business take?
About 30 minutes: 11 short lessons, 3 quick checks and a 5-question final challenge. Your progress is saved after every step, so you can stop and carry on later.
How much does Starting a Small Business cost?
R49, paid securely online, or 49 learning credits from your wallet. You pay once: if you don’t pass the challenge, you try again at no extra cost.
What do I need to pass?
4 out of 5 on the final challenge (80%). The quick checks along the way help you learn and do not count towards your mark.
Is the certificate accredited?
No. A MicroQuest is informal learning. Your certificate proves you completed it and has a number and QR code anyone can verify, but it is not an accredited qualification or SETA/QCTO credits, and it says so.
Can I do it on my phone?
Yes. Tap Start to learn in your phone’s browser, or send QUEST START-A-BUSINESS to 076 263 6000 on WhatsApp. It is the same MicroQuest and the same certificate either way.
Starting a Small Business
R49 · 30 min · certificate