NIKITA PILLAY attributes her success to a powerful cocktail of positive peer pressure, perseverance and a lucky break. She grew up in a large, loud and happy family, with three sisters and a brother, but there was no chance of a tertiary education after schoolNikita PillayNIKITA PILLAY attributes her success to a powerful cocktail of positive peer pressure, perseverance and a lucky break. She grew up in a large, loud and happy family, with three sisters and a brother, but there was no chance of a tertiary education after schoolNIKITA PILLAY attributes her success to a powerful cocktail of positive peer pressure, perseverance and a lucky break. She grew up in a large, loud and happy family, with three sisters and a brother, but there was no chance of a tertiary education after school. Determined to get a good education - and to live up to the achievements of her two older siblings - she knew she had to study part-time to get ahead. Nikita recognises that both men and women need perseverance and resilience to earn their success, but also points out that in some ways, woman may have an added advantage. "Yes, women are sometimes seen as weaker than men, but they are often stronger than they realise. Also, women are often at an advantage when it comes to emotional intelligence and soft skills - and these are certainly factors that have helped me." After several years of paying her dues in general administration jobs, Nikita got her first human resources (HR) job 15 years ago, doing payroll for a major fast food company. And at last, she'd found her niche. Committed to her career growth, she continued her studies and worked her way up to HR manager for the company, before joining DRG Outsourcing. Part of the leadership team As head of Legal and Compliance at DRG Outsourcing, Nikita is part of the leadership team, for DRG Outsourcing, DRG Siyaya and BusinessFit. She assists client companies in aligning their HR strategies with their business strategies. It's a multi-faceted role, and no two days are the same, with a variety for responsibilities from assisting companies to develop policies and procedures, to remuneration strategies and chairing Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) hearings, to consulting on wage negotiations. The company believes that all its staff are all leaders. "We are part of a team and we each have specialised skills. We just feed into each other and on projects each person is able to fill in those gaps, according to clients' needs," says Nikita. She's also involved in the training and mentoring of young emerging entrepreneurs. This is a role that's particularly close to her heart as she knows how the input and mentorship of experienced colleagues has contributed to her own growth. Nikita highlights the role that David White, CEO of DRG Outsourcing, has played in her career. "Over the last seven years David has continually challenged me and exposed me to new opportunities. He's encouraged me and motivated me to always look for new opportunities. In short, he's always believed in me and supported me - and this has helped me grow in confidence and inspired me to strive to become a more rounded HR professional and a leader in our organisation." A vital part of life Asked about her work-life balance, Nikita just laughed. Underplaying her hard work and dedication, she points that when you love what you do, your work is a vital part of your life - not separate from life itself. "Yes, there are stresses that come with this job, because our decisions impact on people's lives. And it's important to deliver for our clients. We go the extra mile in helping customers have long term relationships with DRG. But my job is also something that gives me great satisfaction, and I look forward to coming to work every day." Looking back on her career, Nikita is justifiably proud of her achievements but doesn't see herself as anywhere close to the finish line. "I'm happy - thus far! But there's a lot more I want to do." Never one to rest on her laurels, Nikita continues to study and has just achieved international recognition as a Personal Development Analysis (PDA) analyst - making her one of only 5600 worldwide. "I also have initiatives planned, and new services that are in development to give clients more value-add for their businesses. And happily, this means growth for DRG as well." Even bad decisions bring value It's easy to focus on the good, but Nikita acknow-ledges that she's made some bad decisions along the way too. "If I could offer my younger self some advice, it would be don't be so hard on yourself. Even bad decisions are stepping-stones to growth, so there's no point in agonising over mistakes. Life is never completely plain sailing, and the little hurdles that trip you up are part of your journey. Face your challenges and you'll be fine in the end - they'll make you stronger and more appreciative of your achievements later on." 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. Back

< Back Yogas Nair

< Back Barbara Njapha

Up Home Up Nureshka Viranna Nureshka Viranna is the young, dynamic and vibrant co-operative-founder and director of a company called Shopli. Shopli is an e-commerce and web design agency, that, in this age of digital information technology, helps to take businesses online and become more visible in this space. Nureshka and her team, measure their business achievements by their clients and the success their client experience through the work Shopli has done for them. Nureshka adds, “Our biggest achievements are our clients. I think that our clients speak for themselves. We are ecstatic when clients share how their leads have increased or how they have increased their sales.” FOCUSING ON YOUR VISION When it comes to accolades, Nureshka has been recognised and featured by Forbes as being in the Top 30 Under 30, for the strides she has made in technology, which is a huge achievement for a young, female-driven technology company. “Our mission and our vision have always been about our customers. It has always been customers first and how do we help them grow their business. That’s how we started, and this is our why,” explains Nureshka. The core function at Shopli is that together with their production team, they design and develop websites and online stores for clients. As Nureshka expands on this, “We have an approach where we make it our business to understand what your company does, to understand what makes your company different, what sets you apart, and only then do we create a website to showcase your products or services, so that you are more credible, you can get more business, and create brand awareness. When it comes to an online store, we help take your products online to ensure they are easily accessible to the consumer, so that this becomes another income stream.” Reflecting on her journey in this predominantly male-orientated technological environment, Nureshka shares that her biggest inspiration has been her business partner, Avilash Aniruth, who has operated his marketing agency for the past 20 years. This agency is also the sister company to Shopli. As Nureshka enthuses, “Avilash has inspired me in what he has achieved and how he has achieved his goals.” She has also been greatly inspired by women in technology, such as Sheryl Sandberg who was a big force in growing Facebook. “You don’t get many women success stories in tech,” says Nureshka, “so for me she is very inspiring and encouraging.” KNOWING YOUR VALUE In reflecting on the challenges, she has encountered along her career path, Nureshka says that the biggest challenge was that of being a woman in tech. “Tech is a very male dominated industry, so clients wouldn’t necessarily take me as seriously, and you are initially seen more as a sales rep going into a meeting. They didn’t see me as the expert in my field. However, once I showed businesses I knew exactly what I was talking about, and what we had achieved with other clients, my success spoke for itself. So, for me personally, overcoming that preconceived perception and proving to clients that I was just as good as any male in tech (without being sexist), was a huge accomplishment,” says Nureshka. She encourages women to know their value and the expertise they bring to the business. EXPANDING OUR FOOTPRINT With an existing national and international footprint, Nureshka’s future goals for Shopli are to grow this expansion into other provinces as well as internationally, to give the company a stronger foothold. On giving advice to women, or men for that matter, following this industry or following in her path, her recommendation is to never give up. “There are always going to be challenges, so you need to take everything in your stride and keep on trying,” she says. “The thing is that if there is a challenge you are facing, you should never give up, chances are you are closest to reaching a breakthrough to something great. So, don’t give up. I believe that if you are passionate about what you want to achieve, you will never go wrong.” KEEPING GROUNDED To relax and unwind, Nureshka spends a lot of time with family and friends who, by being in their company, keep her grounded. “Your business can consume you in the sense that it becomes you and you forget about life itself, so ‘my people’ are a big part of keeping that in perspective,” she says. She also enjoys sport and being active, as well as reading. Nureshka believes everyone needs to learn how to have a balanced life. “I am still learning to live a harmonious life, but I think it’s amazing to do what you love, be passionate about what you do, wake up in the morning and love going to work,” she says. Nureshka firmly believes it’s important to recognise your support systems. “I have amazing parents; my late dad was a huge support to me. Then I’ve got my team who are the core of my business, they help run my business, so I’m extremely grateful to them.” acknowledges Nureshka. “It’s been an honour to be recognised as a Top 30 Under 30 by Forbes because it’s opened a lot of doors and it’s helped me meet amazing people throughout Africa.”

< Back Kim Atkins

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Up Home Up Nondumiso Mthwa NONDUMISO MTHWA married her childhood sweetheart when she was 19 and started her family two years later – and nobody really expected her to have a career, let alone a significant business. Twenty-two years later, she’s the founder and CEO of Idwala Property Group, a certified estate agent and a master practitioner in real estate. She also holds a BCom Degree in Business Management and has served as a board member of the Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa (KZN and Coastal Region). Nondumiso has received numerous awards and accolades, has been featured in magazine articles and appeared on television. She is also a sought-after public speaker. Nondumiso has been awarded the Standard Bank Top Women in Property Award 2022. LEARN ALONG THE WAY Nondumiso describes her career progression with a sense of conviction. She joined a multi-level marketing organisation and discovered her natural ability for sales. She joined the real estate sector as an employed estate agent and worked her way up, growing her skills and knowledge along the way. “It’s not all about numbers,” says Nondumiso, “It’s about the people and helping them get what they need.” Moving into the property sector gave Nondumiso the opportunity to take this approach into a new area but she had to educate herself in the industry. “I started from ground level and worked hard to get exposure to every aspect of the real estate business and get the right qualifications. I’m particularly proud of my BCom. I registered in 2019 and I’ve just graduated – and it’s not easy to study when you have a husband, two children and a business to run!” But studying late did have one advantage – she often studied together with her sons! “We’re a close family, and we’ve gone through everything together,” Nondumiso laughs. Nondumiso’s philosophy is that you have to grab every opportunity with both hands. She became the top agent in the business, and when the agency principal told her he was moving on to something new and offered to sell her the franchise, she plucked up her courage and agreed. But life isn’t always easy. She bought a going concern with an office, a reputation, and experienced staff. But when they heard the owner had left the business, everyone else left too. There she was, with rent to pay and a big debt – and no-one but herself to make the sales! It didn’t take her long to come up with a plan. Nondumiso recruited a colleague from her multi-level marketing days. He had great selling skills, and she knew she could train him in the property sector. She convinced him to take a leap of faith and re-started the business. But Nondumiso soon discovered that there’s an immense difference between being an employee and running the business. Between dealing with managing staff, dealing with service providers, and controlling the finances, she had almost no time for herself or her family. Undeterred, Nondumiso learnt along the way, and today the Idwala Property Group has three offices with 22 staff, and the business includes residential sales, commercial letting, off-plan marketing of property developments, property valuations and in-house bond origination. She’s come a long way from that stress-fuelled time when all the staff walked out when she bought the business. THERE IS NO PLAN B Nondumiso says she had no option but to be resilient. “I had to succeed. I had nothing to fall back on, so I didn’t have a choice” Her philosophy? “Believe in whatever you do and give it your all. Show up and do the hard work.” PART OF A GREATER COMMUNITY Nondumiso also has a strong heart for her community. In 2018 she introduced an internship programme, taking 39 graduates on board to introduce them to the industry. Her company also sponsors several community empowerment and outreach programmes. “These have made a mark on society,” she points out, “but I’ve also grown personally through these projects.” INSPIRED BY GOD AND FAMILY Growing up in a happy, loving home, Nondumiso has been blessed with a supportive family of her own. My husband and my two sons are my biggest cheerleaders,” she says, “And my late mother was a force to be reckoned with. She didn’t have much but she did everything with determination and commitment. And I want to make them proud.” A VISION FOR THE FUTURE Nondumiso aspires to be recognised as a thought leader in the property industry. “I want to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves and inspire those who want to join this industry.” She points out that it’s a complicated business with rigorous compliance requirements and lots of red tape. “But I can be a signpost for the possibilities, so others can aim high too.” Idwala Property Group is currently a KZN business, with its stronghold in the Durban area, but Nondumiso has a vision to take the business national. “If it’s dreamable, it’s probably doable,” she points out. “And once we’re national, the next step is to go into the rest of Africa.” OPEN YOUR PIPES Nondumiso wants young businesswomen to fly. “Don’t be afraid to take a chance on yourself. Open your pipes and see how far you can go. If there’s something you want, go after it. See how far you can go and go beyond your fears. We all have fears. Do it anyway. You’ll learn as you go and discover who you really are. Have faith in what God has made you and you’ll be surprised by what you can do.” GRATITUDE IS YOUR SUPERPOWER “Whatever you do in life, be grateful. Live a life of faith and positivity and remember, your journey is not the same as your neighbour’s. So don’t compare and walk your own path with gratitude.” When she’s not working or inspiring her staff, her clients and the people around her, Nondumiso relaxes with feel-good movies, walks on the beach, and listens to other inspirational leaders.