Margaret HirschMARGARET HIRSCH has become a leading example to businesswomen in southern Africa. Although from a humble background, she has participated in co-founding and running the multi million-rand appliance and electronic retail organisation, Hirsch'sMARGARET HIRSCH has become a leading example to businesswomen in southern Africa. Although from a humble background, she has participated in co-founding and running the multi million-rand appliance and electronic retail organisation, Hirsch's. Margaret started work washing hair in a salon at the age of twelve. She started her first formal job working for an attorney on the day she left school and has worked ever since. Margaret met Allan Hirsch, a fridge mechanic, in 1971. They married in 1972, while she was working as a secretary with JBS and she then worked for a shipping company in Durban. When she fell pregnant with Richard in 1976, she was fired from her job. Their daughter, Luci, was born in 1978. In 1979, the Hirsch's opened their first shop in Umhlanga Rocks Drive, Durban North. An inspiration to others Today, as chief operations executive of Hirsch's, Margaret has been integrally involved with all aspects of the business. This includes selling, invoicing, demonstrating, being a delivery person on the trucks, installing and demonstrating in customers' homes. Over the last 40 years, the Hirsch's have opened twelve Hirsch Homestore branches throughout KZN, Gauteng and Cape Town and five concept stores (Samsung and Sony stores in KZN and Gauteng and a bedroom boutique and lighting shop in Cape Town). "We have built Hirsch's from a tiny store to a billion-rand company and I hope that I will be an inspiration to others and help them believe that they can live their dreams as well," she says. She points out that it is only through hard work and a love for what the individual is involved in, that businesses will thrive. Putting it simply she says, "You can work for a boss and make a living - or you can work for yourself and earn a fortune, but you have to be passionate about what you do." Hands on service Customer loyalty is what has made Hirsch's a house-hold name. What amazes people is that Margaret does not have an office in any of the branches. She sits at a desk on the floor and helps deal with customer complaints and queries. Margaret explains. "Keeping our customers happy and providing them with a unique, hands on service has helped our business grow and we are continuously finding ways to improve on our service to them. Without customers, we would not have a company. I have been looking after our customers, their children and now their grandchildren." In addition, the company prides itself on being transparent. "Our staff knows exactly what is going on all the time, which makes them feel comfortable with us and makes them feel part of the family. The values of honesty, loyalty and integrity form the basis of all our interactions," explains Margaret. All Hirsch's staff members are encouraged to better themselves and are taught that by uplifting themselves they will ultimately uplift those around them. A child of the universe In reflecting on the challenges that she has faced as a woman in business, Margaret says, "I don't really think of myself as a woman, but more a child of the universe, I think we all have similar challenges, but our self-esteem and our sense of self-worth separate the winners from the losers." She believes that women can balance work-life demands but it's not easy. "When my children were small, I worked from home. Later, when they went to school, they would come and spend the afternoons in the shop, which I wasn't sure was good at the time, but in the end, it was the best thing that could have happened. They learnt the business from when they were tiny and today they are both extremely successful in their own right." Margaret has helped to publicise the plight of young girls throughout South Africa who do not attend school in the months they are menstruating, with the Girls with Dignity Project. She regularly visits schoolgirls to tell them about the project, initiated by Sue Barnes in KZN. She tells them that in life they will always have a choice, they can choose to stay at home or choose to go to school and eventually be successful in life. Margaret hands out panty packs to the girls; each pack contains one panty and three reusable sanitary pads which will last them their entire high school career. "The average school attendance has now increased from 40% to 80%, and their marks have improved dramatically including the - better attendance, better self-esteem, better marks," Margaret said. Empowering women Margaret has received many awards, including two Lifetime Achievement Awards in business and entrepreneurship to acknowledge her contribution to the business world in South Africa. She established the Margaret Hirsch Women in Business Achiever of the Year Award competition after she saw how well her business did and how winning awards gave her an edge over her competitors. She also works closely with other women's groups including the Lionesses of Africa, which empowers 850 000 women entrepreneurs across the continent. "It's an honour to help these women to grow their businesses from start-up to sustainable business venture. There's a growing number of women helping women, which this organisation embodies - 'our motto is empowered women empower women'. The advice that she would give others is to "Know that you are enough. You are perfect as you are. And your job is to make the best of your life." I think we all have similar challenges, but our self-esteem and our sense of self-worth separate the winners from the losers

Cheryl Govender

CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft.

Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth."

One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'.

Be clear about what must be achieved

Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed.

Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day.
This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day.
Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career.

After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart".

Focus on one thing and do it well

Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased.

A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack.

Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day.

Business skills are unrelated to gender

In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce.

Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance.

Brand ambassador

Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers.

While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level.

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