Search Results

< Back Boni Mchunu Next BONI MCHUNU, managing director at East Coast Radio (ECR) - KZN's No.1 Hit Music Station, is passionate about KwaZulu-Natal and its people. Boni was born and educated in Pietermaritzburg. She is the youngest of five sisters and after her mother died when she was 10 years old, Boni was brought up by a single dad, who she calls her 'Rockstar'. BONI MCHUNU, managing director at East Coast Radio (ECR) - KZN's No.1 Hit Music Station, is passionate about KwaZulu-Natal and its people. Boni was born and educated in Pietermaritzburg. She is the youngest of five sisters and after her mother died when she was 10 years old, Boni was brought up by a single dad, who she calls her 'Rockstar'. Boni credits her success to her father who encouraged her and her four sisters to take their education seriously. "Growing up poor in Pietermaritzburg, my father taught me that I could only improve my life through education. A statement he made had a profound impact on her as a young girl and has stuck with her ever since - 'The decisions you make about education today, must be the decisions you are happy to live with tomorrow'. This statement, she said, encouraged her to do well in school. The best marketing experience After matriculating in 1997, Boni enrolled at the University of South Africa to study marketing. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing, a diploma in business management and diploma in project management. Recently, Boni attended the international executive leadership development programme at Wits and London business schools. Her first job was with ABSA and her responsibilities related to marketing the financial services of ABSA. This was followed by working for another corporate giant, Unilever. Of her time there, she says, "I believe it was some of the best marketing experience anyone can get, as I worked in different categories from home, personal care to foods." Before joining ECR, Boni was part of the executive team at Tourism KZN. The opportunity to work for the provincial tourism authority, representing KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa, she says was one of the highlights of her professional career. Notably, she got to travel to more than 72 countries around the world and in her own words, "The experience cemented the fact that South Africa is the best country in the world and solidified my pride in being proudly South African." Influencing people's lives Now as, Boni says that she absolutely loves that East Coast Radio has so much influence in the lives of the people living in the province. "I consider this opportunity as a privilege that I will cherish for as long as I live." "ECR gives us the platform to make a difference in people's lives by influencing and connecting KZN to the world, and we bring the world to South Africa, particularly to KZN. We are proudly KZN as we are a brand that considers ourselves as a fabric of KZN that binds people together. KZN's social matters, matter to us, whether funny, sad, social, or lifestyle, are all important to us." "Growing the station's brand awareness is my career highlight. The ECR brand awareness is above 90% across all demographics in KZN. I am glad that the work I've put into making it more diverse, in terms of listenership, has paid off. This is evident in the growth of our audience, largely due to our brand's association with all things related to KZN. I look forward to continue growing the brand even further." Business is business Apart from being a successful businesswoman, Boni is also a superwoman to three kids of her own, and a wife to her loving husband. Boni says that that despite the usual everyday challenges at home, at work and in the community, the greatest challenge that she has faced has been seeing people judging her based on her gender and race. She does not let this get to her and her biggest career highlight is that she has been able to move from different industries with ease. "The experience gained from all these industries has been enormous for me, but most importantly, the experience has taught me that business is business, regardless of the different industries." As a woman in business. Boni says, 'I learnt early on that prospective employers care about whether you've got the ability, willingness and right mindset to do the job at hand." "As women, we all need to believe unconditionally that our passion can create the life we really want. We have the in-built ability to do whatever we put our minds to and need not wait for things to fall into our laps. Opportunities exist and we need to seize those opportunities and make things happen for ourselves, rather than waiting for society's approval." Remain true to yourself However, Boni says that discipline is a bridge between her goals and achieving them, "In everything I do, I believe focus, attitude and discipline has brought me this far." She adds, "I believe in simplicity, authenticity, straight talk and sustainability in everything that I do. Sustainability for me refers to putting systems in place that will build myself and companies that will compete for the future, with or without me. You must remain true to yourself, find mentors for every area of your life and don't waste time on negativity." In reflecting on her future goals Boni says, "One thing I would like to do in this lifetime, is to create a Boni Mchunu Foundation that will assist the underprivileged kids, especially from the township I grew up in, Imbali Township." Boni's motto in life and in business is that failure is merely incomplete success, to be persistent and be grateful for what you have, so good things can manifest. "I believe in positive reinforcement, not letting your past or present situation in life define your future." Previous Next

< Back Honey Mamabolo Next Honey serves on the Drakensberg Boys Choir School board and until June 2019, she also served on the boards of Sekelo Oil Trading and Thebe Solar Energy Holdings. Honey is a member of the Durban Chemical Cluster Executive Committee and chairs the Skills and Transformation Desk. She is a member of the Gauteng Innovation Hub Management Company's Investment Committee HONEY MAMABOLO is the chief executive officer of Thebe Unico (Unico), an automotive and industrial chemical manufacturer and a 100% black owned subsidiary of Thebe Investment Corporation (TIC) with a 54-year history of manu-facturing quality chemicals for the automotive and other industries. Unico is a leading manufacturer and supplier of engine coolant and brake fluid for the Original Equipment Manufacturers and after market, including oil majors. Honey serves on the Drakensberg Boys Choir School board and until June 2019, she also served on the boards of Sekelo Oil Trading and Thebe Solar Energy Holdings. Honey is a member of the Durban Chemical Cluster Executive Committee and chairs the Skills and Transformation Desk. She is a member of the Gauteng Innovation Hub Management Company's Investment Committee. It takes a village Speaking of her life journey, Honey commented, "It takes a village to bring up a child - my journey started in Lebowakgomo, a township 55km outside Polokwane. My parents were passionate about education and made a lot of sacrifices to ensure that I got a good education. In addition, I was inspired along the way by teachers, both in primary and secondary school." "The greatest impact on my life was at university - where I will single out our Head of Chemical Engineering Professor Uys Grimsehl and the late Prof Tolmay - who were relentless in ensuring that we delivered excellent work." Consequently, the environment at the university ensured that she thrived. Honey qualified in 2000 as one of three first black female chemical engineers from the University of Pretoria. Diversity, agility and the ability to connect However, her early career was spent in the retail banking sector where she worked for seven years as business process engineer, business analyst and project manager. Following which, Honey served as a senior energy consultant and director of operations for Energy Solutions Africa, focusing mainly on energy policy design, implementation, transaction advisory, donor fund management, and market transformation. This background led to Honey's role as a development financier at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). She managed two renewable and energy efficiency funds with a combined fund value of R 1 billion and participated in corporate and project finance deals. Prior to being seconded to Unico as CEO, she served as senior manager corporate finance and business development at TIC. Honey believes that in today's complex business environment - diversity, agility and the ability to connect and leverage others to form long lasting and sustainable partnerships are key to one's success. She is passionate about education, people development, emerging markets, development finance and entrepreneurship. Her mantra is "Hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard" and "Never look down on someone unless you are helping them up". Embrace Life with its Challenges When asked who or what inspires her, Honey said, "My mother, who came from humble beginnings and is a retired Educational Psychologist, who achieved a PhD in Early Childhood Development whilst on pension is my motivator and role model." Honey added, "I am Inspired by people who embrace life with its challenges and who are able to thrive in the face of adversity. People who against all odds rise to unimaginable heights." Reflecting on whether women have a different approach to business than men to get to be successful, honey is unequivocal in her answer. "Most definitely, there is power in diversity. Women have the ability to remain calm in the face of storms and are collaborative in nature and are able to pull people together. Women can achieve the 'impossible' when they believe in their ability to achieve the same goals as their male counterparts." She urges young women not to be afraid of new challenges and to realise their full potential. "I have learnt that challenges and failures are part of the journey to success. In every challenging situation, I always tell myself that this too shall pass." We Rise by Lifting Others Honey is happy with what she has accomplished in her life and she is grateful to God for bringing her this far. She reflects that her current leadership role brings her much satisfaction as she knows that she can have a positive impact on the lives of many people. "I am an industry leader responsible for the prosperity of our organisation, impacting many families through the provision of employment and mostly providing support to the industry through our products while contributing to the economy." However, she says that there is always more to be achieved. "I am at a stage of life where transformational and inspirational leadership is critical, and I am looking to develop more leaders and empower others through my influence, networks and example. I believe strongly that we rise by lifting others." A Welcome Respite Honey strives to ensure that she achieves a work-life balance. "Outside of work, I am an avid golfer and runner (road and trail). I also dabble in antique furniture remodelling and painting. I find that these activities provide me with a welcome respite from the pressure and stress that comes with the role. I also spend my spare time with my husband, teens and extended family just relaxing. I have a strong cheerleader in my husband and my helper of 15 years - without whom I would not be able to fulfil my executive role." If Honey could give advice to her younger self, she would say that it is necessary to embrace failure as an intricate part of success. In addition, says Honey, "To have more faith than fear and mostly to be compassionate and kinder to self." Previous Next

< Back Burgette Yarlett Next BURGETTE YARLETT is the founder and owner of Beyond Visible Belief. She is a Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner, life coach and motivational speaker providing one-on-one coaching, couples coaching and group workshop facilitation BURGETTE YARLETT is the founder and owner of Beyond Visible Belief. She is a Master Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner, life coach and motivational speaker providing one-on-one coaching, couples coaching and group workshop facilitation. Her business is her calling to positively transform people's lives and make a positive impact on the world. "I inspire and empower people by equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in life," says Burgette. "I get people to go within and realise they already have all the resources they need inside of them, they are sometimes just disconnected from them." From Broken Bones To Breaking Barriers To get where she is today has been quite a journey. She says it could be summarised as "coming from broken bones to breaking barriers." At the age of 21 she had a successful modelling career. Unfortunately, she had a horrific car accident which she miraculously survived, but was left disfigured, "almost without a face". She had a gaping hole where her nose used to be, one eye socket and her cheekbones were crushed, her jaw broken and palate split in half. Burgette does not dwell on the physical rehabilitation process, which included major reconstructive surgery. She admits times were daunting after the accident, having lost her career, confidence and self-belief. She felt depressed but realised she would stay stuck unless she changed herself. She made a decision not to be beaten by the accident and pulled herself out of a dark hole. She studied, read self-help books, and started to learn to dig into her inner strength, potential, and power. She embarked on a career in the corporate world and was successful, but felt unfulfilled. She says, "I lacked direction, I self-sabotaged relationships, and never felt quite good enough. I started to slip back into depression." Nevertheless, she continued to do research and became fascinated by the possibilities of rewiring and reprogramming the brain. Things came into alignment when she met an NLP coach and trainer. Discovering NLP changed her world. Thanks to the trainer and NLP, Burgette had a personal breakthrough and realised helping others though NLP was her calling. She adds, "I started to understand that everything I had gone through was necessary to get where I am today - inspiring, encouraging, helping and empowering others is what I always wanted to do." She studied to become a certified NLP coach and trainer. This was costly, but worth every cent she says. Burgette says every person she coaches inspires her because they have decided to take action and make positive changes. Her mom, who had Burgette when she was just 17, was her first inspiration. She says the beautiful thing about her mom is her amazing tenacity and strength to find joy and positivity in any situation. Self- Belief Is Key According to Burgette, women don't need a different approach to business to men. She believes it just comes down to the individual's self-belief; it does not matter what age or gender you are. When you believe in yourself, you can tap into your potential, take big actions and create big results. Then results lead to more self-belief and more results. Burgette says that she is very happy with what she has accomplished and where she is. She says we can measure success by the amount of joy we get every day. She has so much joy in her life she sometimes thinks she needs to pinch herself. She is very grateful for her amazing husband and other people that support her. "We cause good and bad things in our lives. There is a principle that there is no failure in life, only feedback on how to do things better next time. It is about learning, growing, and doing it better. If you think about how much there is to be grateful for, you can experience joy every day and do amazing things." The growth of her business has been a blessing, and she is excited about what she will still accomplish and where the business will go into the future. She would like to do more work in schools, instilling better thinking and more empowering thoughts in young people. Burgette remarks that life and work balance comes easy for her. Quality time with her husband, friends and family is important, but she also makes time for herself. She does modern dancing, plays the guitar, and makes sure she finds joy in whatever she does. She says it feels wonderful to do her work. After working and seeing people grow and transform, she feels energised as her work is an extension of who she is. The advice Burgette would give her younger self is simply to believe in herself. She says there are no unresourceful people, only unresourceful states of mind. She says she used to be a people pleaser, and she would tell her younger self to open her eyes to who she really is. Burgette says her journey was phenomenal, but she'd do it all over again. It enabled her to do what she loves, "transforming lives and making a positive impact on the world". Previous Next

< Back Busi Gumede Next BUSI GUMEDE is the founder and CEO of Goodlife Foods. The company provides natural kefir products, which offer probiotic and other health benefits, under the 'KePro' brand. Busi oversees the overall functioning of the company, formulates its products, manages production and marketing, and looks after customers BUSI GUMEDE is the founder and CEO of Goodlife Foods. The company provides natural kefir products, which offer probiotic and other health benefits, under the 'KePro' brand. Busi oversees the overall functioning of the company, formulates its products, manages production and marketing, and looks after customers. Busi was raised by her grandparents and "practically grew up in their trading store near Bulwer". Her biological mother was too young to take care of her and became like an older sister, whilst her grandmother became her mother and role model. "I tried to walk like she walked and to work as hard as she did," Busi says. Her family expected her to become a doctor, but she loathed working with blood and studied for a BTech, Food Science degree instead. After her studies, Busi moved to Cape Town and became a food selector for Woolworths and then a quality assurance manager for the Oceania group. On returning to Durban, she took over the family's traditional trading stores, transforming these into convenience supermarkets. However, changing shopping patterns, brought about by people in the townships buying goods elsewhere and criminal activities affected the business. After being shot at, hijacked, robbed and brutally assaulted, she closed the stores and lost almost everything she owned. Providing engineering services A marketing agreement with the advertising agency Ogilvy and a joint venture with Ikusasa Communi-cations followed. Busi offered marketing services to Eskom, but an opportunity to consult and help with their electrification drive followed instead. She had enough drive and vision, but no qualifications or staff. Fortune favoured her, however, as suitable people became available following Eskom staff retrenchments. Busi formed a company, Global Pact Consulting, recruited staff and commenced transmission and distribution work two months later. She acquired an understanding of engineering, and the business became successful, employing 450 people nationally. The future seemed bright until 2009 when, as Busi puts it, "the giant fell, taking us with it". Eskom failed to make payments for eight months, and banks turned on her company due to its Eskom link. Retrenchments became inevitable and the company downsized in 2012 focusing on smaller contracts. Feeling good Consequently, Busi became stressed and very sick. She had surgery, but realised she had to heal herself. On a friend's recommendation she tried kefir, which led to her amazing healing. Kefir which translates as 'feeling good' was however only available in limited quantities from health shops. Busi, perceiving a commercial opportunity; 'cheekily' contacted the Danish Dairy Board since Denmark is a world leading supplier. The board hosted her, and she learnt about the production, distribution and difficulties of growing kefir. This resulted in Busi founding Goodlife Foods and formulating products beyond what Denmark offered. She is proud of making breakthroughs in her own kitchen including developing unique spoon kefir, which is eaten like a yogurt. New processes were developed for the product that is now registered as a new dairy segment in South Africa and spelling changed to Kephir. The products are available on a small scale in KwaZulu-Natal, but a production facility is being built near Lions River to produce Goodlife Food's products on a large scale for national distribution. Biggest inspiration Busi ascribes her achievements to hard work and to grabbing available opportunities. Busi says her grandmother has been her biggest inspiration. "Her strength, wisdom, and achievements without formal education are amazing." "People who have achieved something although they started with nothing and came from nowhere impress me. There are numerous women out of the limelight who are doing the most for people." However, Oprah Winfrey inspires her with the way she has overcome several obstacles and created a prosperous global brand. And says Busi, my children are a true litmus test, I am in awe of them! "My children do inspiring things daily." According to Busi, women need a different approach to business than men. "When I started my business as a young person I was often viewed as a child, not a capable businessperson. I have found that women need to prove themselves repeatedly and work harder to get the same results as men." Busi is content and grateful for what she has accomplished so far. She would, however, like to do and achieve more. "When you start in business it is about what you can do for yourself, but as you grow as a person, doing things to change people's lives for the better becomes important." She finds that achieving a work-life balance is difficult if you try to do everything yourself, especially as a single mother of two children. "Achieving a balance is about allocating enough time for business and my children whilst leaving some for myself." Busi would advise her younger self, the person she was at about 20, to marry after first studying and travelling, and to get more exposure to the world before starting her own business. "Such advice could have saved me lots of money and pain." Busi says she does not care about money anymore, it is more important to do something for people, especially young women needing help to get their businesses off the ground. "This has become a passion and I am in the process of starting a fund to support people to get their businesses going." Previous Next

< Back Victoria Ngwenya Next As head of Retail and Business Banking in KwaZulu-Natal, Victoria is responsible for overseeing operations across the personal and business banking segments including the bank's extensive branch network, ATMs, private banking suites and small and medium enterprises VICTORIA NGWENYA credits her father for his role in her success. "From an early age, my father instilled in me an appreciation of the value of a great education and a strong work ethic. I wouldn't be where I am today without having either of these and, of course, lots of luck." As head of Retail and Business Banking in KwaZulu-Natal, Victoria is responsible for overseeing operations across the personal and business banking segments including the bank's extensive branch network, ATMs, private banking suites and small and medium enterprises. It's been a journey, and she's had to work hard to earn her stripes in the corporate world, but she's had some impressive role models. "Admittedly, it's been a great help and source of inspiration to have phenomenal leadership in banking today." Changing the narrative "Financial services is a tough industry," she says, "and one that, in the past, marginalised a lot of black people, particularly women. But there's a wave of incredible executives, both women and men, that are deliberate about and committed to changing the narrative. I draw lot of inspiration and courage from these leaders for their resoluteness." "Our very own, Sim Tshabalala CEO of Standard Bank, is an absolute icon, and Funeka Montjane, our Chief Executive of Personal and Business Banking, is a remarkable visionary and leader. She started out in banking very young and has had a long impressive career." Victoria also singles out Raisibe Morathi, CFO of Nedbank. "Raisibe has played a critical role in my personal growth and in my career development. She's been very instrumental as a mentor and has taken a keen interest in me and selflessly guided me up the corporate ladder." Since joining Standard Bank, Victoria says she's also very fortunate to work with a very inspiring leader, Imraan Noorbhai. "He's taken a very hands-on approach to immerse me in the retail business. My previous experience is in corporate and investment banking, and retail banking is quite different - this is a people business and it is driven by volume. It's fantastic and a great privilege to work with Imraan who has a wealth of knowledge in this business." Invest in yourself and your career A firm believer in continually investing in yourself and your career, Victoria is inspired by phenomenal women. "Women have always been marginalised, and we need to work a lot harder to earn our place at the table than men do. That's the reality of the corporate journey. It has certainly changed somewhat over the last few years," she concedes, "but we still have to do ten times more than men to succeed. We need a stronger work ethic and more flexibility than men." There's still a lot to be done Victoria considers herself fortunate to work for an organisation that appreciates, supports and promotes talent, especially black female talent, but she points out that young male black talent is often sidelined as well. "The talent that young black women bring to the boardroom table is all too often undermined," says Victoria, "and corporate South Africa is missing out on what they have to offer. I'm proud of what I've accomplished. I've come a long way as a woman executive in banking. But the road remains hard and long, and there's a lot more that needs to be done; women are still under-represented at executive level in most corporates globally. We need to lift each other up and be deliberate about getting more women into executive seats. That's how we'll make the biggest change." When asked about work-life balance, Victoria shakes her head. "That's the biggest myth ever for a woman." But she also points out that she's extremely lucky to have a supportive partner whose also her biggest cheerleader and a very active and involved parent. "Without him, I wouldn't be able to work the long hours and do all the travelling my job requires of me." Victoria is also fortunate to have a great support structure in the form of family and friends who are always ready to step in when they're needed. "So no, I don't have a great work-life balance, but I prioritise. It's important for me to have time for myself, doing things that refuel me - be it gym or meditation. Equally important is time with my family and friends. And I also find time to plan how I want to give back to other young women. It can't just be about me; true success for me is about the power of the collective." Victoria points out that women tend to be very hard on themselves, and if she could give one piece of advice to her younger self it would be this: "Be kind to yourself. Spend more time discovering your purpose, your passions and what makes you happy. Own your interests and make time for them while you're young." Previous Next

< Back Thabisa Nkanzela Next As Head of Finance for the KZN Retail and Business Banking division in Standard Bank, Thabisa Nkanzela is part of the provincial executive leadership team and is directly responsible for providing financial management support at a strategic and operational level As Head of Finance for the KZN Retail and Business Banking division in Standard Bank, Thabisa Nkanzela is part of the provincial executive leadership team and is directly responsible for providing financial management support at a strategic and operational level. This means that Thabisa and her finance team have a responsibility to ensure that the business operates within budget parameters and adheres to financial and governance requirements. Embrace every opportunity Thabisa attributes her career success thus far, firstly to the grace of God and secondly, to a combination of opportunity and hard work. Throughout the various stages of her career, she has been blessed to have been afforded opportunities to show up. "We all need both exposure and opportunity so we can demonstrate what we're really capable of," she says, "and I've constantly challenged myself to give of my best in every task or project allocated to me and embrace every opportunity." But Thabisa is also adamant about the importance of having a dream and working hard to pursue it. "I'm blessed to be entrusted with various positions of influence in the community and at work today. But I grew up in a rural village near Flagstaff and as a young girl, I always had big dreams about myself and my surroundings. I am only realising now that the environment around me was neither conducive nor enabling for these dreams to become a reality, but I dreamt anyway." "Your dreams, aspirations and imagination keep you open to opportunities and to something bigger than yourself. You can only do the best you can with what you have, but if you have a dream, you have something to work towards." Inspired to make an impact As she grew up, Thabisa began to see more potential for her future, and says that she's inspired to make an impact. "We can all make a difference wherever we are, and I always strive to leave things in better shape than I found them. This forces me to bring my A - game, and to be the best possible version of myself wherever I am." Thabisa points out that women naturally have a different approach to business than men, and that contributes to their success. "Ability and skills can be taught, but we women have an innate ability to bring our whole selves to everything that we do, and that can be very powerful in business. However, most importantly we are all unique beings offering diverse thinking, perspectives and abilities, and each person should be recognised for what they have to offer, regardless of their gender." Thabisa is extremely grateful and humbled by her journey and accomplishments to date. But she also points out that she still has a lot to offer - not just on the work front, but also to her family, her community and her generation at large. "I was raised by a strong and highly accomplished mother, who continues to positively influence her family and her community at large through the various leadership roles that she assumes. It is through observing her that I know how important it is to use whatever influence and success you may achieve for the enrichment of those around you." "I also consider myself to be a highly teachable person, so I'm always open to learning new things. Continuous development has been one of the biggest and most important contributors to my progress thus far, both on a personal and professional level, and I strive to continue with that journey of growth." Build a strong support system When asked whether she manages to achieve a work-life balance, Thabisa answers that she always tries to live life to the fullest in every way, including pursuing a rewarding professional career. "But it's not easy,' she points out, "and it certainly requires a lot of trade-offs, but it is possible. For me, it means identifying what I'm passionate about outside of work, then being deliberate about investing time in those things." Thabisa points out that you can't do it all on your own. Building a strong support system around yourself makes all the difference. Thabisa also has some advice for her younger self, and for other young businesspeople setting out to make their mark on the world. "Ask more questions. It's okay to ask, and you gain greater insights. You don't always have to figure everything out for yourself. Secondly, you have a lot to learn, but equally so you have a lot to offer this world. In everything you do, strive to learn and to create at the same time, then you'll find fulfilment. Lastly, and very importantly, don't define yourself by what you have today. Circumstances around you may seem limiting right now, but keep dreaming, keep imagining. Never close yourself off to opportunities." Previous Next

< Back Laiela Paruk Dorasamy Next LAIELA PARUK DORASAMY is the owner of Ahavah Consulting, a Level 1 B-BBEE company which was established in May 2018. The core focus of Ahavah Consulting is to supply companies with items that require a personal touch LAIELA PARUK DORASAMY is the owner of Ahavah Consulting, a Level 1 B-BBEE company which was established in May 2018. The core focus of Ahavah Consulting is to supply companies with items that require a personal touch. This includes branded stationery, bespoke gifting, promotional giveaways, corporate gifts, conference packs, goody bags, prizes, point of sale, branded corporate and promotional attire. "Helping my clients to find the most appropriate gift to present to their customers, is what I am most passionate about," she says. "Ahavah is a verb as well as a noun; the Hebrew word means "To give" and "To love". Love is giving. The actual process of giving should develop the connection between the giver and the receiver." This intentional act of doing is central to the way that Laiela runs her business and she will always go the extra mile to ensure that her clients are happy. She has had 15 years of experience in the public relations and marketing sector, specifically in event management, project management and below the line marketing campaigns which include: in store activations, trade shows, school activations and brand ambassador programmes. Laiela has a keen insight and a vast network of suppliers, enabling her to offer astute service, tailored to your specific needs. She says that she is dedicated to getting the job done, in excellence, on time and within budget! All things work together Laiela says that everything that she has done in life and everything that she has learnt, including all the people that she has encountered, both positive and negative, all contribute to where she is today. As a committed Christian, Laiela believes strongly in Romans 8:28, that, "All things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose." She added, "Hard work and prayer to me are the ultimate combination for success." In reflecting on her personal journey, Laiela said that her father had owned a jewellery and gift store in Newcastle, where she grew up. "I worked alongside him from a very early age, where I gained many valuable lessons, amongst them, customer relationships, consistency and discipline." Laiela says that she is someone who finds inspiration all around her every day. "Since the inception of my business, I have really drawn inspiration from the amazing women I have had the privilege to meet, mostly through networking. Their stories and journeys are really inspiring and have really kept me motivated and encouraged, not because they are strong women, but because they are real women, with all their challenges, hurdles and different backgrounds, all holding each other up, like mighty Sequoia trees." In addition, she says that Pastor Vernon Jacob, who leads The Embassy Church, where she is a member, also inspires her with his relevant and encouraging messages that he shares with the congregation including teachings on process, transition and dis-couragement, all of which are effective in helping her navigate through life on a daily basis. Laiela explains further, "He is a man of excellence and embodies love, two qualities that I believe every human should aspire to." The Best Person for the Job In responding to the question of whether she feels women have to have a different approach to business than men to get to be successful, Laiela says that she does not like to differentiate between men and women in terms of roles or abilities. She commented, "Generally when it comes to doing anything, to me it's about the best person for the job, irrespective of race, gender, culture or any other stereotype we tend to impose." "I believe that if you love what you do, if you give it your best, and are willing to learn and work hard, then you are unlikely to fail." Laiela is happy with what she has accomplished so far but has an ambition to see Ahavah Consulting grow further. "To be where I am after a relatively short period of time, is more than I could have hoped or imagined, that said, there is always so much more that can be achieved. I would love to see my business grow, to employ and empower people and make an impact on their future as well as their future generations. If we all set out to change a few lives, we can contribute to a significant overall change, without waiting for someone else to do something." Achieving a work-life balance As Laiela's husband runs a safety and corporate wear company, which complements her offering in many ways, they get to work together often and even share office space. This synergy, says Laiela, does help immensely with work-life balance as their children are their combined priority. "Our children are very passionate about helping us in our businesses, they love packing goody bags and tying bows and ribbons, anything they can assist us with in fact. My family is core to all that I am and all that I do and will always remain my priority." If Laiela could have given advice to her younger self, she would have said let her be who she is and has always been. "Let her be a dreamer who always wore her heart on her sleeve, the eternal optimist, always looking for the best in others and believing that life is about seizing every opportunity and living it to the fullest." Previous Next

< Back Mpume Langa Next Being an accomplished business executive, Mpume has had over 20 years' experience in strategy, leadership and portfolio management in the financial services industry. She holds several qualifications in finance, marketing and executive leadership from various universities in South Africa, China and United Kingdom MPUME LANGA lives by the motto "Life is Beautiful" which is that of living life free from fear and doubt. Being an accomplished business executive, Mpume has had over 20 years' experience in strategy, leadership and portfolio management in the financial services industry. She holds several qualifications in finance, marketing and executive leadership from various universities in South Africa, China and United Kingdom. Looking back to see how far she has come, Mpume said that she set her heart on becoming a bank manager after she got into United Bank on a learnership programme. After several junior roles, Mpume has filled management roles in a number of different banks. She was the first African woman to be appointed head of ABSA Private Bank KZN and more recently was regional executive of Bidvest Bank, KZN. Mpume is a member of The Institute of Directors SA and holds non-executive directorship positions on several boards in South Africa. She sits as the chairperson of Women in Business at the Durban Chamber of Commerce and is the former regional chairperson of the Businesswomen's Association of South Africa. Her passion for business transformation is evident in the successful implementation of turnaround strategies for various businesses at start-up and corporate levels. Mpume has developed several leadership development programmes for local and multinational organisations in line with their business growth and talent retention strategies. She is also an active driver of woman and youth empowerment. Her advice to young people is "be clear on a goal you want to achieve and implement a plan that you will follow." Storytelling moments Mpume says that her inspiration to succeed has come from her mother whom she lost over 20 years ago. "She raised three daughters on her own during the most trying times in South Africa. My mother always shared her dream and life lessons with us during storytelling moments. Her dreams somehow became my dreams onto which I built my future." "My mother's passion to serve her community and her village in Watersmeet with the very little that she had, instilled in me that there is always something to share with your neighbours to make their life a little better than what it was yesterday. My mother supported many other families just to give them a chance of a better life, if not for themselves, then for their children. I continue to live my life under her influence and hope to be able to share a bit of me with those who can benefit from it." In order to help make her life and her mother's life better, Mpume started working from an early age. Her first business was selling sweets and ice lollies. Mpume learnt to speak English and how to operate a computer in her teens; was runner up in a beauty pageant and won a modelling course. "Modelling made me think I was not good enough. This allowed self-doubt to get in the way - and fear. I reached a really low point in my life and almost ended it, but I was helped out of this pit of despair by the man who was to become my husband," she explained. Mpume attended school from the age of four, but had to walk for miles, and take a bus, to get there. "Once when I got lost, an old lady of 80 helped me find my way home. There have always been people in my life who have helped me to overcome my fears and find my way home." In commenting on women's approach to business Mpume says that human beings are born to live their purpose, which is often displayed through their choices and behaviours. "When the purpose is starved, the soul will live in destruction. Women tend to be more in touch with their emotional side, which is where the soul sits, leading to them living more aligned to their purpose. People with purpose make fair, ethical and dedicated leaders, which is what the world has come to realise. Based on this premise, women look at success and business in a more sustainable way, which is how they tend to approach business and social activism." Seeking solutions Mpume says that looking from where she has come from, she is happy with her accomplishments, and still looks forward to more to come. "I would really like to be more involved in areas that influence the social structures of Africa to seek solutions to move Africa to be an economically thriving continent. The potential in Africa needs to be realised sooner rather than later. It is a big ambition and hope that I will be able to make it a reality. I believe that the future leaders required to make this happen are feminine." Mpume is married to Ndabo Langa, and they have two children, an eleven-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son. "I love life and count at least one blessing every day. I have been blessed with good children, family and friends in a beautiful country. When I am not working, I am in nature, with family and friends - on a hike, a road trip or somewhere I have not been before. There is so much I still need to see and discover in life, and my spare time is spent seeking those adventures." If Mpume could advise her younger self, she would say: "You are enough as you are, your past will not define your future. The future is as good as you will choose it to be for yourself." Previous Next

< Back Eleni Kwinana Next ELENI KWINANA has notched up an admirable list of top positions. She began climbing the corporate ladder as an 18-year-old student who, after walking into CNA to request a job, within three months was tasked with taking up her first management role. A few years later, she was requested to draft a business plan - without a template, or previous exposure to such a big responsibility - overnight! It gained her boss the new store he wanted, and wet her appetite for bigger and better things in business. ELENI KWINANA has notched up an admirable list of top positions. She began climbing the corporate ladder as an 18-year-old student who, after walking into CNA to request a job, within three months was tasked with taking up her first management role. A few years later, she was requested to draft a business plan - without a template, or previous exposure to such a big responsibility - overnight! It gained her boss the new store he wanted, and wet her appetite for bigger and better things in business. Eleni's career includes positions at the Spar Group, Clicks, Musica and Dimension Data among others. These diverse experiences have enabled her to provide on-point business advice in a range of fields. As well as running the business units of Vodacom enterprises, she is on the board of SmartXchange, Durban, which nurtures entrepreneurs and incubates businesses to achieve success. Achieving growth through technology Eleni describes her role in Vodacom as enabling start-ups and SMMEs to thrive in the 4IR digital era, achieving growth through technology. The pride Eleni feels in providing a supportive role is apparent when she describes her business venture, Pure Pharmacy, which supports small pharmacies in rural areas and mining towns to withstand the threat posed by corporate pharmacy groups, thus ensuring their sustainability. Eleni is happy with her accomplishments saying, "not many can tick all the boxes at my age". Adding that she's realised that "Either I would die young, having done everything, or I would live to give back to others." Eleni looks at people who have great ideas, but lack skills and experience, and can't wait to start imparting her learning to fast track their success. She's enthusiastic about being their cheerleader and "seeing them grow to be a billionaire one day!". She attributes her success to her formal education, and the support of others. She graduated with a psychology degree after transferring from medicine. "It was the right decision as now, in the 4IR, doctors could be replaced with robots capable of making diagnoses while my focus on emotional intelligence makes me less likely to become redundant." Eleni disagrees that women need a different approach from men to achieve success in business and stresses the importance of being yourself. "There's nothing more precious than being authentic," she maintains. Being an inspiration Her greatest support has been her mom who, as a domestic worker being paid less than the minimum wage, was able to leverage a network of people who assisted to support Eleni. While she stayed with a friend to get to and from school each day, her mom subsidised her studies by waking at three each morning to cook and sell 'magwinya' (vetkoek). "So", Eleni adds, "every woman I see who works in her tuckshop, or sews traditional dresses, is my 'Shero', and that's what inspires me... A lot of people have big stars as their inspiration; for me it's the millions of women sitting in rural areas and townships with children, who come up with great entrepreneurial ideas to sustain themselves and their children, and one day go to a graduation for their children, going into whatever field it may be, from nothing." Eleni herself feels under pressure to be an inspiration. "Because I was the first one to have a car, a degree, all my cousins look up to me; failing or dropping out is not an option. I cannot fail, because otherwise I will give them a reason to fail... I push myself to inspire them to be able to grow as well." Being fully present On maintaining a work-life balance, Eleni admits that the boundaries are blurred, "Because I love what I do... it doesn't feel like work," she smiles. Concerned she was spending too much time working, her daughter's affirmation was welcome, "Mom, I want to be like you... You do so many things, love what you do, and give us the best of everything." The trick, Eleni feels, is being fully present in whatever she does. Eleni's approach to life has been coloured by her life experiences. Although born into apartheid SA, she shuns the label 'previously disadvantaged'. "That's not the way I see it," she says, although she describes the dichotomy of never being quite enough of one thing or another to fit in, always feeling something of a misfit. After graduating, Eleni married, raising her two children while struggling to survive a violently abusive marriage. When she decided to leave the marriage, she was empowered by the fact that she had the financial independence to set up her own home. Eleni's advice to her younger self, who stressed a lot and wondered 'why me?', would be to enjoy every step of the journey; when having fun, have GOOD fun, and know that everything you go through is going to make sense one day. Rather than being bitter about challenges she's faced, Eleni is gracious and pragmatic about how they've enabled her to strengthen her connection with others. Partnerships are important to Eleni. As a business leader, Eleni loves her team; she never talks only about KPAs, but connects instead with the person inside, assisting them to reach their personal goals. She enjoys the warmth of KZN, and the opportunities to partner with government leaders and businesses to achieve pockets of excellence. Eleni urges people to stop exporting their skills: "Keep them here and make do with what you have because we are sitting on a pot of gold... That's how I got here". She pauses momentarily, then adds, "and because of my Mom... my biggest champion". Previous Next

< Back Aldine Dallas Next Her passion and determination is unmistakable. "So many people are wounded or completely broken; perhaps from physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or being dismissed as worthless or unimportant, often from as far back as childhood ALDINE DALLAS is living her best life. Three months shy of 50, she has risen above adversity to achieve significant success, and is devoted to helping others transform their lives from the inside out, her motto: Turning hearts not heads. Her passion and determination is unmistakable. "So many people are wounded or completely broken; perhaps from physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or being dismissed as worthless or unimportant, often from as far back as childhood. They don't recognise their value and find it hard to have a positive view of themselves or their lives, bringing negativity into their personal and professional relationships. It's my vision to help these people heal their lives and build wholesome, happy and respectful connections. And it starts with building a healthy relationship with themselves." From the outside Aldine's life looked amazing. By the time she'd finished primary school she was a seasoned television performer, having danced on a show for eight years and starred in numerous commercials and had generated an income from modelling from the age of six. She was also an academic, head prefect and a top sports achiever. She studied public relations and found a great job in advertising straight out of college. Her career blossomed across operations and new business development and she landed her first directorship and shareholding at 28. "But I was an over-achiever and had never dealt with my childhood brokenness, and I had taken on too much too quickly." With life and work pressure escalating, depression set in. Her marriage ended after only two years and a downward spiral ensued. After 10 years and many poor judgement calls, she found herself stuck in a violent relationship and hit rock bottom. But she didn't give up. She walked away from her career, moved to Durban from Johannesburg and went into a rehabilitation facility to start the inward journey of healing, and began a new chapter of her life. The best you Aldine explains: "I finally built a healthy, nurturing relationship with myself. Through self-exploration, learning from counsellors and coaches and connecting with God, my transformation was dramatic. I realised I could make a difference and in 2008 my journey to help others began. My vision was to take what I'd learnt about brokenness; the importance of forgiveness and being accountable, to encourage people who are hurting to stand up with boldness and courage and step into healing and wholeness." One of her projects was a workshop for female inmates at Westville Prison. "I have a special passion for broken women, as I can identify easily with them." Aldine points out that there are many reasons that women end up in prison, but that childhood trauma, a lack of self-respect and unhealthy relationships like co-dependency are often a common thread. Aldine has run her digital marketing agency for many years and is also a qualified life coach. "I help clients become their best selves, and my deep desire was to do this on a bigger scale." She launched her production company and developed, Over 40 and Fabulous, a reality TV show as a platform to help others nationally and potentially, even globally. "My vision for Over 40 and Fabulous is to neutralise gender, cultural and racial tension. Our commitment is to turn hearts, not heads. We have a team of experts to help our participants holistically to overcome issues that have held them back. We'll guide them into wholeness and help them establish a strong identity, and an authenticity in how they present themselves, so they can pursue healthy relationships. And if they're single we'll even help match them with potential partners, who will be coached as well. I want to uplift and change South Africa one person at a time!" Inspired by Oprah Winfrey and Steve Harvey, Aldine describes how they overcame poverty and childhood abuse and chose not to buy into negativity. "They rose above adversity and went on to become two of the most powerful people in the media world. They have given a voice to the broken and underprivileged, investing emotionally, spiritually and financially into the lives of others. My mission is to invest love and time, and whatever resources I can amass, into the lives of South Africans." Finding the balance Unconvinced by the concept of work-life balance, Aldine points out that work is an important part of life, not a separate entity. "You need to find a balance in your life, and for me that includes attending to my digital marketing clients, consulting with my lifecoaching mentees, working on the production of Over 40 and Fabulous, exercising, salsa dancing, writing books and relaxing with friends and family. Balance is important, but I don't compartmentalise my life, I prefer to take a holistic approach." She mentions her 2007 book. "I highlighted that if life is a rocket ship, then every engine has to be equally and consistently fuelled." Referring to areas such as finance, health and fitness, family and parenting, nutrition, emotions, personal character, spirituality, love, career, intellect and education, social, quality of life and life vision, she advises, "Focus energy in each of these areas and your rocket ship will soar to incredible heights!" Hang in there Asked what advice she'd give her younger self, Aldine is positive. "Well done on hanging in so magnificently. You got up each time you were knocked down and I am so incredibly proud of you. Never be ashamed of your past - there's way more to you than that, you are defined by who you have become. Be resilient and always remember that adversity doesn't have to hold you back, in fact it strengthens and propels you onward and upward." Previous Next