Allon Raiz
South Africa
Allon Raiz was born in Johannesburg in 1967 to entrepreneurial parents.
Professional Information
Professional Areas:
Business
Working primarily in:
South Africa
Description of Work:
Allon Raiz was schooled in Durban and completed his B.Comm and
B.Comm honours degree in Marketing at the University of Natal
Pietermaritzburg. Allon is studying toward his Doctorate in Innovation
and Entrepreneurship.
Allon started his
career working at his parents factory. During his time there he was
moved around, spending time in the different departments to learn all
the facets of running a big business. He finally landed up running the
factory floor with over 200 factory workers under his responsibility at
the age of 22.
Biographical Information
Allon Raiz
(At a Glance)
Interests: Economie, Education, Sport, Art
Place of Origin: South Africa
In 1991 Allon decided that he wanted to develop
experience in the retail sector and approached a friend for a job in
his ailing retail clothing chain. It was here that Allon truly found
his niche, as he redesigned the stores, restocked the shelves and
started running innovative promotions. The stores began to boom. The
local press did an article on one of the whacky promotions. As fait
would have it, this article was read by a local multi billionaire
businessman.
In late 1991 Allon was
approached by this businessman to start any business of his choosing.
The New York Sausage Factory was established in early 1992 as the
first retail hotdog chain in South Africa. A year later the business
was sold and Allon was injected into an ailing vehicle security company
as Marketing Director.
Within one year the
company had grown 10 times its size. Allon spent the next 7 years at
this company before leaving to set up Raizcorp. During his time at the
vehicle security company, Allon managed to turn around two other small
companies which would become the two pioneering companies within
Raizcorp (A private incubator company). Today Allon is involved in over
30 different businesses.
Raizcorp is one of the only privately held profitable business incubators on the African continent.
Allon spends his spare time mentoring and lecturing young South Africans on his true love , entrepreneurship.
Some Achievements:
- Allon is studying his PHD in Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- In March 2004, Allon was appointed to the pioneering Exco of SABTIA (South African Incubator Association).
- In 2004 Allon was nominated for the Jonnie Walker Entrepreneur of the year.
- In
2005 Allon was asked to speak in London, at the SA High Commission, on
Entrepreneurship for the Homecoming Revolution and was voted best
speaker.
- Allon is a key note speaker around South Africa for the SME survey.
- Allon mentors for the ABSA incubation fund, and runs Entrepreneurial workshops for Momentum.
- Allon runs a weekly national radio show on the subject of entrepreneurship called Raizen Entrepreneurs
- In
August 2005, he was invited by the SA Government department of Trade
and Industry to talk on the subject of entrepreneurship at a womans
day conference in Capetown.
- Allon is a strong proponent of Female Entrepreneurship and also speaks for the womans organisation HIRS.
- In
October 2005 Allon was invited to speak in 6 cities in India, Dubai,
Nepal and Pakistan on the subject of entrepreneurship and has been
invited by over 40 cities around the world to do the same.
- Oprah Magazine have a regular feature every month with Allon as the Entrepreneurial Coach.
- Allon is a founding member of the international YEO (Young Entrepreneurs Organisation) in South Africa.
- In 2005 Allon authored the Entrepreneurs Inspiration pack (11,000 units sold)
- In
2006 Allon authored The Young Entrepreneurs Inspiration Pack and
Female Entrepreneurs Inspiration pack (8000 units sold)
- In 2006 Allon co-authored Sharing the Passion Conversations with Coaches
- In 2006 Allon was invited by the World Bank to speak on Incubation and Entrepreneurship in Ghana at the World Conference.
- Allon is an Adjudicator for the TWIB (Technology for Woman in Business) awards(DTI) and in 2006 was the main sponsor.
- Allon is a Judge for the prestigious Ernst and Young Emerging Entrepreneur Awards 2006.
- Allon
is a regular contributor for the Magazine Whizz Kids, writing on the
links between Attention Deficit Disorder and Entrepreneurship.
- In 2007 Allon will be hosting a Prime Time reality show called Rize Mzansi (source allonraiz.co.za)