Business mentor and author Brennan Williams has clinched the Signs of Peace Award. The Premio Nazionale Segni di Pace (National Signs of Peace Award) is an initiative by the Assisi-based Cattedra della Pace (Chair of Peace) and is officially supported by the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

The award honours “bridge builders” professionals dedicated to cultivating “positive peace.”

This concept defines peace not merely as the absence of war, but as the establishment of the economic stability and structures necessary for a society to flourish.

Williams was nominated by a former mentee, Connie Zungu, a traditional African beadwork artisan. The 2026 awards involved over 50 organisations from 71 countries, showcasing stories of how individuals can foster global stability.

Williams received the accolade for developing EFactor-Pro 2.0, a behavioural assessment app.

“The app focuses on competency and behaviour. If you understand your skills, weaknesses, strengths, and how you behave, you can identify the business that best suits you,” said Williams.

He noted that many struggle with entrepreneurship simply because they lack direction. The app is designed to provide users with self-awareness and a clear entrepreneurial path.

Williams has incorporated AI into the app to help users understand themselves, build business models, and set goals.

“When you are good at something, you enjoy it. When you enjoy it, others engage,” he said.

He believes South Africa is missing out on potential enterprises due to a flawed development system and a fear of failure.

“We believe in our ideas and our capabilities, but we are often scared to step forward. This app addresses that fear. When you know yourself better, you gain the confidence to enter entrepreneurship with a higher chance of success,” said Williams.

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He said your life can change when you know the value you can bring to the world. EFactor-Pro 2.0 is a free app; users only need to register with an email address.

For more information, visit https://efactor-pro-61dc25f2.base44.app.

Background
Williams worked as a local journalist in the Secunda and Bethal area in the 1980s before founding a construction business that he ran until 2004. He later moved to the UK to work on company turnarounds before returning to South Africa in 2010 as a full-time small-business mentor.

He has authored several books and worked with various organisations, including Fetola, UNISA, and the Shanduka Group. The core of his mentoring strategy is built on the research of Professor David Gibson OBE, who was honoured for his pioneering work in entrepreneurial competencies.

In 2017, Prof. Gibson appointed Williams as one of only 100 Global Country Founders for his Global Enterprise Academy. Together, they aim to democratise business success by making proven, research-backed entrepreneurial processes accessible to everyone.

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