Welcome to the House of Louis Business Academy
House of Louis (houselouis.com) is a family enterprise, primarily operating in Africa, Europe and Asia, with its roots of trusting God and nurturing its entrepreneurial spirit since 1914.
With this deep history, the business focus of the House of Louis is to "pass on experience and knowledge gained" to positively impact and equip the marketplace. The result was the Business Academy which was launched in 2003.
Since its establishment, the Academy has grown over the years. To date, in excess of 5,000 applications have been received and over 1,600 students have graduated.
At the outset we stress that the marketplace does not need a business that is validated as “spiritual” (which is certainly not attained by us). Neither does the marketplace seek evidence of Christians making money by applying God’s laws. What we believe will assist the marketplace are Christians with the insight and experience (albeit with many flaws) to educate with a biblical worldview, and to do so with absolute devotion to the timeless truths contained in the Bible.
The Academy teaches that the Bible, Jesus Christ, has riches beyond the count of math, the measurement of reason, and the height of dreams - that which the Apostle Paul terms in Ephesians 3:8 as “the unsearchable riches of Christ.”
Alan Louis, the Academy founder & architect, awarded a PhD in Commerce, has personally experienced the rigours and successes of international commerce for more than 3 decades. He has only held 1 job his entire career, which was to manage the family business (his father never had other options for him).
Colia Louis, the Group’s Chairman and after having served the Company for +60 years, was awarded by the University of Stellenbosch as South Africa’s social entrepreneur for the Group’s efforts with the Business Academy.
The focus of the Academy is to encourage South Africans to enter the marketplace with enthusiasm and to venture - as was inspired by the late US President, Theodore Roosevelt:
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
The Academy has achieved consistently high approval ratings from those students who have participated, which is a reflection of the quality of the course and the perceived value received by the students. The average student approval rating was between 89% - 92%.
The Foundational teachings of the Academy are : “The Christian Bible as it applies to the Marketplace”, "Learning through Discovery" and "Paying it Forward" – in essence it is a knowledge forum for equipping individuals to succeed in the marketplace.
FOUNDATIONAL PRINCIPLES
The Christian Bible applies to the Marketplace
The Academy is guided by and framed within the Christian biblical view of the marketplace. As such, the principles taught, the lessons expressed and the examples given come from a Christian worldview.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine [which means teaching], for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God [which also includes the business person] may be complete [armed with intelligence], thoroughly equipped for every good work [equipped to be a success].”
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Observe the order of mention in this Verse, that the Bible is profitable first for “doctrine” (teaching). If the soul is unestablished in Bible doctrine, then there can be no firm foundation for faith to rest upon, or intelligence cultivated.
Too many institutions today teach the philosophy that "ignorance is the mother of devotion" (keep people ignorant and the wealthy get wealthier). According to the teaching of Scripture, "Ignorance is the mother of error".
Learning Through Discovery
It is a well-known fact that people remember more if they participate in discovering the answers to the questions posed to them. We therefore supplement the lecture and tutorial elements of the course with activities, case studies and role-plays where the tutors are engaged in the learning process together with the students.
Where Universities teach academic theory, our Academy focuses on real life issues and practicalities. The relationship between theory and practice will always be reciprocal, opposite sides of the same coin.
Paying it Forward
The Hollywood movie, Pay It Forward, made the principle of paying it forward famous. This principle is, in fact, a very old one that asks the recipient of a good deed to repay it to others instead of to the original benefactor. The concept was aptly described by then US politician Benjamin Franklin in a letter to Benjamin Web:
"I do not pretend to give such a deed; I only lend it to you. When you meet with another honest man in similar distress, you must pay me by lending this sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and all meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a knave that will stop its progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money."
The Academy is sincere and benevolent in its offering and does not promote any commercial product. Neither does the Academy take any course fee, it is purely a programme for advanced knowledge and practical application of biblical truth within our postmodern world.
CURRICULUM INSIGHTS
The Academy is guided by the following key insights:
- Faith in Jesus Christ and thinking biblically about the marketplace are crucial ingredients to business success and stress-free living.
- You are not the problem in your business, but you certainly will experience many other problems.
- Everything is not what it seems.
- Prioritize the important issues, entomb all anxiety.
- You need a strategy to deal with the CD’s (‘commerce destroyers’), who will not always cause your problems but who will certainly magnify them.
- The rise of cryptocurrencies & blockchain is substantial, you need to equip yourselves with this new technology.
- Cashflow and a proper understanding of basic accounting principles is essential to commerce - irrespective of whether you are an employer or employee.
- There exists a highly successful group of business enterprises who have succeeded to ‘unshackle’ themselves from the slavery and oppression of the tripartite monopolies (certain banks & certain auditing firms & certain legal firms) whose key strategy is to implement a tripartite strategy to enslave and oppress for financial gain.
- Good relationships are key to financial prosperity.
- Truth, generosity and care pay the highest dividends.
- Do not believe the negative sentiment about South Africa, or Africa, the propaganda machine is geared to steer you away from the gold mine.
SELECTION CRITERIA
What is the Pass Mark?
Students do participate in group programmes, a multiple-choice questionnaire, and will be required to submit an individual paper.
Students who fail to attend 3 sessions will be ruled out of the programme.
Course Mark Allocations?
30% - Participation in many Group Projects
25% - Attendance
20% - Individual Project
15% - Social Media Participation
10% - Questionnaire
Does the Academy apply to me?
Yes, if you are an Entrepreneur
Yes, if you are a Professional
Yes, if you are an Employee
Definitely, if you are Unemployed
Maybe, for the School Leaver or Student, but the practicalities may be difficult to grasp
Certainly, if you are willing to gain knowledge of the marketplace.
VENUE, TIMES & TRANSPORT
Venue
High intensity classes provided at the Devon Valley Hotel in Stellenbosch – www.devonvalleyhotel.com
Low intensity classes provided at the Economic Centre in Kayamandi
Times (for both Stellenbosch & Kayamandi)
Courses over 10 consecutive weeks, plus Registration Day & Graduation Day
Every Saturday from 9am to 12:30 (2 x 1H20m lectures plus 1 coffee break)
February 2020 class complete & November 2020 class nearing completion
The February 2021 class commences Saturday 27 Feb 2021
Transport
For those students who will have difficulty with transport, you are required to tick on the registration box that "transport help is required". If your application is successful, we will then try to assist with transport (but this is not guaranteed).
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
- The Academy and its representatives (“We”) will consider applications in its sole discretion.
- Those Applicants who are successful, must be proficient to read and write in English (“Students”).
- We reserve the sole discretion to deny an application or to rule out a student.
- We will only address challenges facing the student, not those of third parties or family members.
- Students who fail to attend 4 sessions will be ruled out of the programme. Such unsuccessful students are not prevented from applying for future programmes but a penalty fee will be levied against such student for the sum of R2,500.
- In the event that a student’s application is accepted, and he/she subsequently wishes to withdraw, but does not notify us of this withdrawal within 14 days of acceptance, such student will be liable to a penalty fee of R2,500.
- The Academy is based on the premise of “what it means to be kind.” If any derogatory criticism of a student is communicated on social media (during the course period), then we reserve the right to rule out such critic. Criticism (positive or negative) of the Academy is permitted, as we support free speech and the role that critics can play in spearheading growth.
- Students can only communicate with the Academy via email (and not telephonically or otherwise), after obtaining a unique Password.
- Students must wear their name badges at all times.
- If a successful applicant does not attend at least 2 of the first 3 sessions, then such student’s admission will be cancelled.
- Students will be required to complete an online application providing information relevant to the application.
- The Academy does not guarantee success from its knowledge base.
- The Academy aims to provide knowledge only, with a practical application element.
- We treat the identity and information of the Student (and his/her progress) as strictly confidential.
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