‘I slept in toilets’ Durban Gen actress Nelisiwe Sibiya ‘Dr Mbali’ opens up about living in poverty
Nelisiwe Sibiya, the talented actress from Durban Gen, recently unveiled her remarkable journey from rags to riches. She’s not the first celeb to spill the beans on their humble beginnings, but her story is truly inspiring.
Back in the day, before the glitz and glamour, Nelisiwe hustled to put herself through college. After finishing Matric, she hit the streets as a promoter to scrape together university fees. Early mornings, dark taxis, and even snoozing in restrooms while waiting for her shift – that was her daily grind.
Nelisiwe’s path was never easy, but with determination, she earned a Degree in Musical Studies and kickstarted her music career. She even composed the theme song for Lockdown. Then, in 2020, she skyrocketed to stardom as Dr. Mbali in Durban Gen, winning the Best Actress Award at Zikomo Awards. Now in the limelight, she encourages others to chase their dreams, no matter the odds.
Business Software Buyers Want More AI Features, Less ROI Time
Positive Outlook Amid Economic Challenges
Research and software marketplace firm G2 in June released its annual software buyer behavior report, “The Value-Driven Buyer,” finding that despite doom and gloom predictions around tech markets and budgets, businesses see a positive outlook among global companies buying software this year.
AI’s Influence on Software Landscape
Artificial intelligence is reshaping the entire software landscape as buyers turn to AI to extract more value from their software purchases. It will drive legal teams to be increasingly involved in software purchases.
Key Insights from G2’s Global Survey
The global survey by G2 reveals the latest insights and trends based on responses from over 1,700 B2B software decision-makers. One of the key findings is that even in the face of today’s economic challenges, companies are continuing to invest in technology to grow their businesses.
InfoSec Teams Excluded from Purchasing Processes
Notably, businesses facing pressures to show results within six months are urging vendors not just to tell them how their offerings can drive value but to show them. A key finding is that 86% of buyers leave InfoSec teams out of the purchasing processes citing pressure to deliver results quickly.
Steady Software Spending Outlook
This latest software buying report shows little change in buyers’ spending outlook from last year despite the economic environment. The outlook for software spending in 2024 is even brighter. But sellers face challenges as buyer expectations and scrutiny grow.
Top 3 Software Buying Trends 2023-2024
In current conditions marked by economic unpredictability, pressure on vendors, evolving buyer expectations, and a growing emphasis on AI, these trends emerge among software buyers:
Increased Software and Technology Spending
Buyers predict increased software and technology spending despite an uncertain economic environment. Nearly half (49%) of buyers predicted spending would increase this year. Only 9% said it would decrease.
Bright Outlook for 2024
The outlook for software spending in 2024 is even brighter. More than half (55%) said spending will increase, and just 6% say it will decrease next year.
Trust in AI Tech
Software buyers trust AI tech and prioritize its functionality in their software purchases. A large majority (81%) of respondents said it is important or very important that the software they purchase moving forward has AI functionality.
AI Becoming Foundational
Researchers say the hype around generative AI has spurred a genuine frenzy of businesses looking to secure a competitive advantage. Buyers trust AI-powered solutions, giving a competitive advantage to any AI-powered product.
Rapid Growth in AI Software Products
The report made clear that software buyers intend to increase their AI spending by 60% next year, with 72% of software buyers involved in AI purchases over $100,000.
Unsanctioned Software Purchases on the Rise
With AI cemented as the new software selling point, legal teams will increasingly be involved in business software purchases.
Growth of Unofficial IT Practices
Unofficial IT practices will happen as well. Software buyers stick to business processes. But the pressure to deliver results causes shadow IT.
Software Buying Priorities by Business Size
Value, scalability, and ease are top considerations for software buyers. However, priorities shift based on company size.
Small Business Prioritizes Ease
Small businesses tend to prioritize ease of use and ease of implementation.
Medium and Enterprise Focus on Scalability
Enterprise and medium-sized companies focus on solutions that will keep up with their growth and rank scalability as the third most important criterion when selecting new software.
Integration Key for All
Solutions to work together without added complexity are key. Ease of integration is being prioritized over the cost of software.
Vendor Challenges and 6-Month Results Window
Business value is at the heart of software buyer decisions, according to Voce. The survey of global software buyers confirmed that buyers are still opening their budgets for software investments that they feel can help create value for their businesses.
