Cadence
Board skeleton
The Board skeleton card keeps your owner-managed board moving, even in Middelburg load-shedding or Makhanda school holidays.
Ask about cadences
When to use this rhythm card
Keep this card handy for your monthly or quarterly board or exco meetings. It suits small businesses up to twenty staff, especially those without a company secretary riding herd. If you’re running a Makhanda bakery like Butter Brickhouse or a Middelburg interiors supply such as Tiyani’s Decor, this cadence is for you. Use it to stay honest with each other, tick off compliance (think VAT201 and UIF), and keep momentum without dragging meetings past load-shedding slot three. Print, mark up, tape to the fridge, or pop in your meeting folder.
If you’re new to owner meetings, our starter FAQs are a helpful read beforehand. Most board cadences bend with business chaos, so expect to shuffle timing for things like public holidays or Eskom’s whims. It’s better to show up, even if you can only squeeze 20 minutes between the school run and supplier deliveries.
Monthly board rhythm outline
Here’s a classic rhythm set for SA owner-managed outfits. The rhythm blocks are designed for a 70-minute board catch-up with no hired minute-taker, just the owners and maybe a manager or your outside accountant. Adjust the slots and order to fit your business reality, not someone’s theoretical best practice.
- 5 min, Arrival, quick personal check-in (Owner, e.g. Nox)
- 10 min, Review last meeting’s notes and actions (Any owner)
- 15 min, Finance snapshot: cash, sales, VAT201/EMP201, debtors (Owner or accountant, e.g. Sizwe)
- 10 min, Operations and main projects (Ops manager, e.g. Tasha)
- 10 min, Supplier or customer issues (Owner, e.g. Nox again)
- 10 min, Compliance highlights: UIF, CIPC annual, FICA, B-BBEE (Accountant or owner)
- 10 min, Risks and anything lurking: e.g. load-shedding, new rules, staff health, storms (Any owner or manager)
Remember, an accountant or registered tax practitioner has to prepare and sign off on statutory items, but you still need to review them together.
How to flex for chaos
Move meetings if Stage 6 hits, or split the agenda if you lose power halfway. If a public holiday lands on your usual board day (like 27 April or 16 June), reschedule to the next working day, don’t skip. For school holidays, push to early mornings before the chaos of family. If you run close to month-end or the 25th payday, keep the finance slot tight and table anything that can wait. Oops, alot of owners forget to check municipal trading permit renewals in these shorter meetings. Use the ops routines page to check what else should come up.
In towns like Middelburg and Makhanda, weather or road closures can knock out attendance. If someone can’t join in person, WhatsApp voice notes or a quick Teams dial-in works. Always keep the filled-in card handy for reference.
Example: Butter Brickhouse Bakery, Makhanda
Butter Brickhouse runs this card on the first Monday after month-end, 08:30 sharp before the ovens get too busy. Nox handles check-ins and supplier issues (especially since their flour supplier in East London is late when it rains). Sizwe, owner-manager, reports on cash and sales, and Tasha brings quick updates from the shop floor. Their outside accountant emails the VAT201 quick-look but joins via WhatsApp for compliance questions.
Last meeting, load-shedding kicked in halfway through. They skipped risk review and picked it up after lunch. Their filled-in card hangs on a nail by the bakery’s back door. For more templates and rhythm cards, browse all our cadence cards or see starter packs.
Where to get help and tips
You’ll find more printables and owner-rhythm ideas under resources. If you want supplier lists or monthly ops routines for your area, drop us a mail at magic@bizmagic.co.za. We’re in Observatory, with supplier hubs in Pretoria, Stellenbosch, Durban and Sandton, appointment only, no walk-ins. Remember, no legal advice or tax sign-offs here. For complex queries, ring your local attorney or accountant.
