Abstract
M.Ed.
The willingness to learn is the first step for an entrepreneur in realising his or her dream to start his or her own business. The desire for success can be achieved through dedication, tolerance and hard work; along with a positive attitude and the ability to use talents, skills and knowledge. Success is within the reach of an entrepreneur able both to acknowledge his or her weak points and to do something about them. Confidence in one's own ability; creativity and yet practicality in the search for business ideas contribute to the likelihood of success. It is vital for an entrepreneur to thoroughly research both the business idea and the market to ensure profitability and relevance to the community. The needs and wants of the community are of great importance in this exercise. The following issues, which led to the investigation of the similarities and differences in self-help community projects in the Vosloorus area, are the central core around which the research was formulated: the involvement and need analysis of the community in project development;
the training of employees in project development; the support given by professionals and his family to an entrepreneur; the marketing of products; and the motivation of employees by project leaders. Research has been conducted by means of questionnaires; as well as by observation and interviews, mixing with the community socially and establishing
their points of view in these ways. The data thus collected proved extremely valuable in obtaining different views on project development. It also proved extremely difficult to deduce general principles of entrepreneurial behaviour.