< Back Daisy White Next DAISY WHITE is the executive director of Magic Moments Trust, which has been established to teach rural people to discover and develop their creativity through learning fabric painting skills. Her aim is to enhance the lives of people, especially women, who are unemployed and from rural areas. DAISY WHITE is the executive director of Magic Moments Trust, which has been established to teach rural people to discover and develop their creativity through learning fabric painting skills. Her aim is to enhance the lives of people, especially women, who are unemployed and from rural areas. Daisy and her mother started the company twenty years ago with the slogan "Teaching the World to Paint". In this time she has taught thousands of people to paint. About six years ago, Daisy started teaching people in rural areas. Says Daisy, "My passion for this project comes from my love of art and I really enjoy working with people in rural areas. There are a lot of 'hidden gems'; people with real talent. By teaching people fabric painting skills, we have created a means to earn an income." "The fabric painting workshops help people develop confidence in their painting abilities, and provide them with purpose and a passion, and, as an outcome, to feel that they are worthy and contributing towards an inclusive society." Practicing new skills Daisy designs the ever-expanding range of unique artwork. The designs are printed onto fabric and are sewn into articles, which include bags, cushion covers, placemats and tablecloths, and prepared for painting. Artists meet weekly for about six-hour painting sessions. At each lesson, they are taught fabric painting techniques and given a chance to practice their new skills. The artists each receive a product to paint and are paid instantly for the work they complete in the class. They also receive refreshments and money for transport. "I really enjoy seeing their confidence grow and the joy on their faces at what they can accomplish in the painting classes," explains Daisy. A constant flow of income The artists are encouraged to be entrepreneurs and are given another product, including paint and brushes, to take home to paint. They can either keep or sell the work they complete to tourist shops or in their communities. Painters are also encouraged to share their new-found artistic skills with family members and others. Consequently, these lessons create the opportunity for people to be equipped with new skills that have the potential to provide themselves with a constant flow of income. Some of the artists have gone on to receive orders from people within their communities to paint bags, cushion covers and tablecloths. "These orders fill the recipients with pride and dignity knowing that people appreciate their skills and are buying their painted products," says Daisy. "We also teach people with disabilities, which is really amazing. When they are sitting around the table, they are just like everybody else. To become part of the economy and earn an income gives them a sense of achievement." The success of the Magic Moments Trust painting programme is evident in that creations have been sold in the Embocraft Training Centre Craft shop, and the 1000 Hills Community Centre shop that sell to tourists and local visitors. In addition, the Centre has received orders from as far afield as Australia and Scotland. The Durban International Conference Centre ordered 400 painted bags in 2017 to give to delegates for a conference in 2018. Such orders provide extra earning opportunities for the painters. The Magic Moments Trust is passionate about helping their artists to become self-sustaining and hopes to continue multiplying the volume of products painted. Expansion into the United Kingdom In line with this drive, the Trust is creating an opportunity for these entrepreneurs to sell their painted goods in London. Mike Miller, the London based founder of SAPRO, a leading importer of South African products into the United Kingdom (UK), has identified with the project. As a result, he is willing to help Magic Moments Trust distribute these products in the UK via his established network through his company's website. In addition, the South Africa High Commissioner to the UK, Thembi Tambo is passionate about what Magic Moments Trust does. "She has invited us to travel to the UK next year to a South African week in order to give painting workshops to people from London, which is very exciting," said Daisy. An expansion into the United Kingdom market, with its strong currency, has significant potential to produce fresh income flows to benefit impoverished rural communities whose members want to 'do it for themselves'. Socio-economic development Through the Magic Moments Trust, companies are offered the opportunity to contribute to this unique and empowering programme. Opportunities exist to enhance a company's B-BBEE status through optimising points allocated to Socio-Economic Development. "We are also working towards a zero-percentage funding model, where we buy the paintings back from the students and then we sell them in the UK. When that money comes back into the Trust, we are able to train more students. In this way we don't have to rely on funding," said Daisy. Magic Moments Trust is also looking for more outlets to distribute these products locally. Says Daisy, "My aim is to help these budding artists grow their dreams and reach new goals as an example to other members of their community. My aspiration is to continue to create sustainable employment for people from rural areas." Previous Next

< Back Cosmetic Laser $20.50 15 minutes Book Now About This is placeholder text. To change this content, double-click on the element and click Change Content. Want to view and manage all your collections? Click on the Content Manager button in the Add panel on the left. Here, you can make changes to your content, add new fields, create dynamic pages and more. Previous Next

< Back Cathie Lewis Next "Yes, I do sometimes take minutes," she smiles, "but it's so much more than that." It's Cathie's job to make sure that the board meets their legal and regulatory obligations, but she also has wide-ranging responsibilities. In effect, she is part of the company's conscience when it comes to ensuring corporate integrity matters more than short-term profits. s group company secretary at Grindrod Limited, Cathie heads up governance, which she explains as helping make sure the company does what it's supposed to do, and jokes that her job is to try and save the world. After completing her legal degree, Cathie lectured in law which she loved, but after five years she decided there had to be something more out there. She went into private practice, and started her articles. "The timing wasn't great," she remembers, "my daughter was only two months old." Nevertheless, she completed her articles and qualified as an attorney and conveyancer, going on to start her own firm. Undaunted by change, Cathie's next move was into the corporate world, working as head of legal services at a steel company before moving to Durban to join Grindrod. "I have a wonderful job," she says. "It's a great company and I get to influence the agenda and make sure things work. And I meet wonderful people every day." "Yes, I do sometimes take minutes," she smiles, "but it's so much more than that." It's Cathie's job to make sure that the board meets their legal and regulatory obligations, but she also has wide-ranging responsibilities. In effect, she is part of the company's conscience when it comes to ensuring corporate integrity matters more than short-term profits. Looking at business holistically "I've always had an understanding that we need to do better; both as individuals and organisations," she says. "I love my corporate governance role, but sustainability is my greatest motivation." Explaining that while traditionally we have always evaluated business in financial terms, we need to look at any organisation holistically, whether a business, a church organisation, or even your personal life. "You need to consider how you are positioned in the bigger scheme of things," she points out. "How do you impact on your community, your social environ-ment and certainly your natural environment?" "When you look at business through a sustainability lens, your thought processes, decisions and actions change." Using the example of buying a business, Cathie argues that instead of considering the financial ratios, businesses should consider the value creation in a wider context. "We have a significant unemployment problem in South Africa, and should be considering whether buying that new business has the potential for real social impact, like job creation or opportunities for upskilling staff." For Cathie, it's not just about your employees or business partners; she strongly advocates considering the impact of decisions on wider communities. "As corporate citizens, we need to acknowledge that no man is an island, and everything in life is about relationships. We need healthy relationships to prosper. And this extends to the natural environment too. We have a responsibility, not just to limit negative impact, but to go further and create a positive impact. And there are companies getting this right. Our planet has finite resources, so we can't just create a production and consumption economy, we have to use what we have with better impact. Growth in value is not just financial, value needs to be relative to society, people and the environment too." Cathie says she's inspired by many people, but highlights Angela Merkel as "uber-cool". "She's shown remarkable leadership, faced difficult challenges, and dealt with difficult people, calmly and tenaciously. She's been instrumental in fundamental shifts in the way people think and understand the value of caring for people. She believes that everyone is entitled to a piece of the sun; that you don't discriminate against people just because they look different or speak a different language." Asked whether she believes women need to act differently to men to succeed in business, she points out that we are inherently different, and need to be true to ourselves. "Don't try to be something you're not. But nothing is impossible just because you're a woman. Yes, sometimes physical strength can be a limitation, but use the strengths you have. I'm encouraged to see the rise of women in traditionally male roles. And here at Grindrod we actively encourage women to follow the path they want, and we do have women boiler makers and truck drivers." Build resilience Cathie is very grateful for what she's achieved so far. "But I know we are all the sum total of the graces of other people. I've had a charmed life, with a happy, secure childhood, wonderful parents and very few concerns, but I do warn my children that life is tough. We need to build their resilience so they can cope when they have to face life's challenges." And while grateful, she's certainly not satisfied. "We're messing up the environment at such a scale that I suffer from climate change angst. (It's a real thing!) It's messing up people's lives, with a huge impact on agriculture and health, and I aim to make a real contribution. But despite my climate change angst, I'm a positive happy person, and I have a good work-life balance. I love my job and I love to work. But I love to spend time with family and friends, play with my dogs, and swim in the sea too. Or just waste time on the couch." Try your best If Cathie could give her younger self advice it would be this: "Don't take yourself too seriously and keep your sense of humour. Relax. If things aren't perfect don't lose sleep; just try your best and if you fail, try again." Previous Next

Raksha Laghari Next Previous Raksha Laghari is the founder and CEO of AML Distributions Raksha Laghari is the dynamic founder and CEO of AML Distributions. After completing her schooling, Raksha went on to complete an undergraduate law degree at the University of Natal. Following university, and after much debate, Raksha decided to relocate to Dublin, Ireland, where she attended various legal institutions until qualifying as a lawyer. Raksha explained, “Like most young people, when I finished university, I wanted to progress, but I didn’t know how and after much deliberation, I decided to follow a legal career path in Ireland which was the best growth experience for me. My first job was for the most amazing soul called Angela Farrell at Farrell Solicitors, Dublin, which was definitely my formative career experience.” CHANGING STREAMS However, the world recession in 2008 meant that Raksha found herself in a situation where she needed to return to South Africa. “I realised that at the age of 30, I was going to have to start all over again, which meant changing streams from lawyer to doing trading.” A conversation with her father about the cement shortage that South Africa was facing because of the 2010 World Cup allowed Raksha to recognise an opportunity. “Even though I knew nothing about cement or where it came from, or how to get it, suddenly I had a real business concept and idea with which to work. Shortly afterwards, my husband and I imported our first seven containers of cement into South Africa. When we finally stopped importing cement, we were importing around 500 containers a month between three ports – Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.” AML Distributions then shifted their focus to local suppliers, specifically the marketing, selling and distribution of Afrisam cement. When their cement trade was well established, Raksha realised that although they had a large customer base, they were only selling them one item. They then looked at local manufacturers of roofing, bricks, gypsum board and other fast moving hardware materials and helped to find competitive ways to get these products into the retail sector. A UNIQUE POSITION At that stage AML found themselves in a unique position where they were a leading distributor of locally produced fast moving hardware products. With this distribution activity, came the necessity to have their own logistics fleet. AML is proud to own and operate a fleet of over fifty long distance trucks, which has lent reliability to the business and helped it grow. A further opportunity arose when a local cement producer disposed of their aggregate and ready mix operations. AML successfully bid for these two oper ations, which are based in Newcastle and Ladysmith. Raksha commented that entering the mining sector is the accomplishment that makes her proudest. “It’s something that I jumped into without any real previous knowledge, but I was fully with the programme. The issues to understand the mining charter, how operations function on a day-to-day level, massive machinery, production operations and the load and haul etc. were all very complicated.” Raksha’s success in this sector speaks to her efforts. “I am enjoying the growth path that the company is experiencing now that we’ve gotten all the hard work out of the way. My purpose is to keep us on the same trajectory and to see us constantly evolve and realise our full potential.” Her vision for AML over the next ten years is to move from being a predominantly trading company to one that is more wealth creation driven by venturing into the property and development sector. FINDING OPPORTUNITIES Speaking on her company’s growth, Raksha com mented, “The best advice that I have ever received, and I’ve repeated it countless times to people that I have come into contact with, because I found it profound, is very simple. It’s that opportunities lie all around us and that you can’t create an opportunity; you need to identify and work with the opportunities that are around you now.” The biggest challenge that Raksha has faced is achieving a balance between a happy business life, a happy home, and a happy personal life, so that she is in the best place mentally and physically to be able to accomplish what she needs to do every day. Raksha prides herself on motivating her team by keeping things real and is available to them as much as possible. “We have regular informal meetings with all sectors of our business, and I try to be supportive to everybody. I share more of my challenges with them than they share with me. And the reason I do so is for them to understand that I face the same challenges on a personal level. We’re all in this business together, we’re all in it to survive.” The person that inspired Raksha the most was her second employer, Neil Sharon, a solicitor in Dublin, who she worked under for six years. He taught her how to work under pressure, how to work on her own and how to grow her skills. “He taught me to never second guess my decisions. He taught me how to be an amazing employer; how to keep my team inspired. He kept me inspired and motivated to keep improving, and our practice grew. I learned first-hand that if I wanted to grow, I needed to allow everyone around me to grow as well.” In conclusion, says Raksha, “My motto is one I won’t live by rather than a motto that I will live by. I personally loathe the motto, ‘don’t work hard, work smart’, because I believe that if you are smart, you will know that without hard work you cannot progress. Hard work has got to be your number one priority. In time, hard work makes life easier. Being an entrepreneur is hard work. It will never get easier. It will always remain challenging, but that’s why you’re chosen to do what you do. Previous Next

Mayor: Cllr PMS Ngubane KZN Top Business Subscribe uMzinyathi District Municipality The uMzinyathi District Municipality is in the northern central area of KwaZulu-Natal. The district lies between the main N3 corridor from Durban to Gauteng and the coastal corridor, running along the east coast Substantial Agricultural Activity The uMzinyathi District Municipality is in the northern central area of KwaZulu-Natal. The district lies between the main N3 corridor from Durban to Gauteng and the coastal corridor, running along the east coast. uMzinyathi consists of the local municipalities of Endumeni, Msinga, Nquthu and Umvoti. In conjunction with its north western neighbour, Amajuba District Municipality, uMzinyathi is branded as the ‘Custodian of the Battlefields’ region of the Zulu Kingdom. The battlefields form a vital role in the spatial economy of the province from a tourism perspective. Other tourist sites include private game reserves and one 18 000 ha proclaimed conservation area. There are two natural heritage sites: Fugitives Drift and Hlathikulu at Wasbank. Most of the industry in the area is associated with agriculture or handwork (carpets, beadwork) by trained artisans. The municipal area has extensive grasslands in the north, supporting the primary agricultural sector based on cattle ranching for beef, small scale sheep and mixed farming and maize cultivation. In the southern areas substantial forestry is prevalent. Sugar cane and smaller scale fruit farming such as avocado and kiwi fruit cultivation also occur. The area has high potential for growth in agricultural crop production (maize, soybean and sugar cane). Endumeni Municipality is a key administrative, education and economic centre for northern KwaZuluNatal. Endumeni, with the smallest population, but the largest economy of the district, comprises the towns of Dundee, Glencoe and Wasbank as well as several farms. Dundee is the administrative seat of Umzinyathi and can be viewed as a strong regional centre. This municipality is unique; its population is predominantly urbanised or based on commercial farms and unlike the other local municipalities there is no tribal authority land. Endumeni’s diversified economy includes commercial cattle farming, dairy production, and tourism. Dundee and Glencoe form part of the Coal Rim of KwaZulu-Natal, that have over the past decade been negatively affected by a substantial decline in the coal mining sector, which previously formed the economic base of the areas. The Umvoti Municipality comprises urban areas, commercial agricultural areas, and tribal authority areas, all of which exhibit typical characteristics associated with these settlement types. The main town is Greytown, which is the agricultural centre of the district and contributes substantially to the economic viability of the region. Nquthu Municipality is located along the north eastern boundary of the district, with expansive rural settlements being one of the major features. Nquthu Town is a small urban area that has established itself as the primary commercial, administrative, and service centre for the municipality. Msinga Municipality is largely located in deep gorges of the Tugela and Buffalo Rivers, isolated from the immediate surrounding municipal areas. The population dynamics result in a growing rural area and a declining urban area in Msinga, contrary to other areas in the country. Although the area has its challenges, there are historic sites, beautiful scenery, and interesting topography in some parts, suitable for cultural and eco-tourism. CONTACT DETAILS Physical Address: 39 Victoria Street, 1st Floor, Princess Magogo Building, Dundee, 3000 Postal Address: P.O. Box 1965, Dundee, 3000 Tel: +27 (0)34 219 1500 Website: www.umzinyathi.gov.za Back

< Back Yogas Nair Next Yogas joined Independent Media 18 years ago as a freelance journalist with the Post newspaper. In 2014, after 13 years in the industry, she was appointed as the editor of the Post newspaper YOGAS NAIR describe herself as a small girl from Tongaat living a big dream. She is the KwaZulu-Natal regional executive editor for the Independent Media Group, and editor of The Mercury newspaper. Yogas serves as the group public advocate for the group's internal ombudsman office. She is also the chair of the board of the Mercury Hibberdene Children's Home. Hard work and determination and a bucket list full of goals have shaped her career and enabled her to fulfil her dream of becoming an editor of a major newspaper. "You set your goals and you go after them," explained Yogas. She grew up in Tongaat in what she describes as a sugarcane farming community away from the bright lights of Durban, the big city. Yogas is proud to say that she still lives in Tongaat. She says, "I was a big dreamer in my younger days. Growing up as an Indian child, you are meant to live out your parents' dreams." Her father wanted her to study for a profession and become a lawyer or teacher. Although it meant that she would have to work and pay for her own studies, Yogas followed her dream and studied journalism at the ML Sultan Technikon. "It was tough, I had to take taxis and trains from Tongaat to Durban daily, but I persevered, and I did it. Each individual is unique Yogas joined Independent Media 18 years ago as a freelance journalist with the Post newspaper. In 2014, after 13 years in the industry, she was appointed as the editor of the Post newspaper. This was a ground-breaking event for women in journalism, as she was the first female editor in the 60-year history of the publication. She broke further ground for women when she became the second female editor of The Mercury in November 2016. The Mercury, KwaZulu-Natal's leading morning news-paper, reaches 250 000 people a day. Yogas ensures that 168-year-old publication is relevant and viable in a rapidly changing world, which she says is accomplished with a dynamic team of staff. According to Yogas, the executive chairman of the Independent Media Group, Doctor Iqbal Surve, believes in gender empowerment and has given his support to achieve this goal in their industry. Women do not need to have a different approach to business than men to be successful, says Yogas. She believes that her confidence and ability to lead has allowed her to be successful in business. "I think that each individual is unique in their own stead, whether you are male or female, so it is about what drives you, and to just be you, to be your original self, irrespective of whether you are male or female." She credits Dr Surve for being a great help on the way to getting to where she is. She says he has taken an interest in her career and believes in her ability as a leader. "When someone believes in you, it grows your confidence and motivates you and that has made me grow in leaps and bounds over the years." He has provided her with constant mentorship, which helped her to meet challenges to climb the ladder of success, quickly and relatively effortlessly. Yogas is happy with what she has achieved thus far and believes that in terms of work accomplishments that she has ticked the right boxes. "I have lived my dream of becoming a journalist and writing a number of headline stories and now I live my dream of being an editor. Journalism is what makes me thrive." Something that she enjoys doing in her role now is mentorship. She says, "I understand how difficult it is for someone coming straight from university or a community newspaper to get into mainstream, I think I have a role to play in mentoring and developing young journalists. That will be my focal point in coming months." Work-life balance Achieving a work-life balance is something Yogas admits that she is 'quite hopeless at' as she has a very demanding career in an unpredictable industry. "I try to strike a balance and try be fair on everybody, to be a good wife, mother and employee all at the same time, but I sometimes fail in an area." However, her children are growing up and are becoming more independent, which has lessened the demands on her time. In addition, her husband, Pat, and her two children, Kimeshan (20) and Mayuri (17), serve as a great inspiration for Yogas. She says, "They are my daily inspiration to live my best life and be the best that I can be. I think that having the support of your family helps you grow personally and professionally. They allow me to be who I am and do what I need to do without expectation, and I consider them a great blessing in my life." Never doubt yourself Although Yogas had big dreams as a child, there have been times when she has doubted herself. If she could give advice to her younger self at this moment, it would be, "Never doubt yourself, you can achieve. You learn along the way that you have to push yourself through the crowd, you have to get to the front, you have to believe in yourself." Now that she can live her dream, she would also tell her younger self, as she has told her children, to: "dare to dream". "Sometimes success does not come quickly, but if you persist and believe in yourself, you will eventually succeed. Dreams do come true," she concluded. Previous Next

< Back Nikita Pillay Next 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 school 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 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." Previous Next

Andrew Barnes Next Previous Andrew Barnes is the owner of Barnes Properties Andrew Barnes, the owner of Barnes Properties, specialises in residential and retail property development in and around the Pietermaritzburg area in KwaZulu-Natal. Andrew was schooled in Pietermaritzburg and initially followed in his parents’ footsteps into conservation. His first job, at 18 years old, involved running an anti-poaching unit, but Andrew quickly realised that his passion lay elsewhere. “Animals don’t speak back, and I enjoy working with people,” he reflected. This marked the beginning of his journey into the property industry, a field he entered “by absolute default” over 30 years ago. His early mentors played a crucial role in his development, particularly his parents, who were government employees. One of his first employees was his mother, a situation that added some pressure to his early career. “If I didn’t pay her salary, she’d probably kick me out!” he quipped. SPORT AS A FOUNDATION Andrew’s passion for sport has influenced his business approach. Over the years, he has participated in numerous events, including half a dozen Duzi canoe races, nonstop Duzis, the Comrades Marathon, mountain bike races, and has climbed some of the highest mountains in the world. “Things that I’ve learned from sport are probably some of the greatest lessons that I’ve learned outside of the business world,” he said. “Things like tenacity and making a plan; because to a large degree, as with sport, the business environment requires absolute zest and a need to come out on top. That doesn’t mean you need to get one over anybody else. It means that you’ve got to work with people.” This belief extends to his leadership style. Andrew emphasises the importance of leading by example and fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and motivated. “You’ve got to constantly look for a balance between big decisions and careful thought,” he noted. His approach recognises that people are motivated by a variety of factors, and that as a leader, you must be willing to take risks, make difficult decisions, and remain humble in the process. “Working hard and being prepared to do anything that you ask people to do creates a strong foundation for trust and respect,” he explained. NAVIGATING CHALLENGES Andrew’s involvement in the community extends beyond property. When his children started school, he became involved in education, initially serving on the board of Cowan House, a local independent school, and later the regional committee of South Africa’s Independent Schools’ Association. A challenge Andrew faced was during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The first confirmed case of the virus in South Africa was linked to Hilton, a neighbouring town, and the infected individual’s children attended Cowan House. This situation placed Andrew at the centre of a crisis that required action. “Engaging with various ministers, the community, and the media was probably one of the most trying times in my life,” he recalled. “I think I navigated the crisis well for my community of people. A lot of my upbringing has been one of engaging with people and sorting out problems off the front foot, and that’s what I’ve tried to do constantly.” Andrew’s believes that success is not just about personal achievements but about contributing positively to society. “My why is that I think that you owe it to society and to yourself to be the very best at whatever you do every minute of the day,” he explained. “I deliver on my mandate, for all those people that I work with.” His approach to business and life is shaped by a genuine love for people. “I believe that I have the ability to deal with a plethora of people from different backgrounds, from captains of industry to bricklayers and plasterers, who need to be heard and understood,” he said. “The best advice I’ve ever received is to face things head on... And in life, you need to love people for where they are at and laugh. I think that’s incredibly important. These three things have helped keep me real, kept me grounded and enabled me to work with different people constantly.” A CRITICAL SKILL Andrew’s leadership style is also characterised by his emphasis on listening. He believes that truly hearing what others are saying, as well as what they are not saying, is a critical skill. “The ability to listen is probably the greatest, most undervalued skill,” he emphasized. “It’s something I’ve learned and I don’t always get right, but I work at it every day.” In the challenging environment of first-generation property development in South Africa, Andrew has faced significant obstacles, particularly when competing with larger, more established players. “There’s a lot of really deep pockets, and you are often on the outside looking in,” he admitted. “But the best way to combat that is to work hard, work honestly, and face challenges head-on.” Andrew works at keeping up his team’s morale by understanding that you need to be human because people don’t follow robots. “That means you need to be humble, caring, conscientious and genuine. If you apply those traits, the right people will follow you. And people will put themselves on the line for you.” Andrew is inspired by people who have built businesses from the ground up. “Anybody can buy an asset; not everybody can create one,” he stated. He holds a deep respect for simple, hardworking individuals who often must overcome significant life challenges. “You can learn an exceptional amount from simple people,” he says. Looking ahead, Andrew is optimistic about the future of business in Pietermaritzburg and the Midlands, which he believes has significant potential for growth, especially with the rise of the middle class over the past few decades. He sees opportunities for those willing to work hard and collaborate with others. “You’ve got to decide whether you’re a half-empty glass or half-full glass kind of person,” he said. “And I’d like to think that I’m the latter.” Andrew’s motto, “Pitch up at the start line and put your ears back,” captures his approach to life and business. He advocates giving your best effort in every situation, regardless of the competition. Previous Next

Up Home Up Natalie Keegan Natalie Keegan is an experienced public relations and communications professional with more than 25 years in the corporate space. In January 2021 Natalie redirected her career and says that she can now proudly say that she is a businesswoman. This move is has seen her partner with Everest Strategic Communications KwaZulu-Natal and BKT Logistics. A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT Natalie has a healthy reputation and contact base in the northern KwaZulu-Natal area which has enabled her to assist the founder and CEO of Everest Strategic Communications, Zama Luthuli, to be onboarded as a service provider at several corporates in the Richards Bay area. Everest Strategic Communications is 100% black woman owned PR and communications company for which Natalie consults as regional director KwaZulu-Natal. “Importantly,” says Natalie, “I would like to thank Zama for offering me the opportunity to partner with her in KwaZulu-Natal. It is a huge achievement to be able to quote and tender on jobs at these large corporates within our first six months of opening a branch in KwaZulu-Natal.” Throughout her career and now as an entrepreneur, Natalie’s community involvement has been and is to uplift and empower the youth and elderly. Natalie was a committee member and later voted in as the chairperson of Empangeni Child and Family Care for several years. “I decided I could do more and be involved in more projects in my personal capacity, which is what I have continued to do throughout Covid and currently. In the past I wanted to help as many families as I could, but I now focus on helping one needy family at a time.” Last December Natalie assisted a family with electricity in their home and for 2022 she has assisted with monthly groceries to support one family of six and she will continue to do so until they are in a better position financially. In addition, Natalie has been a board director of the Zululand Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as Uthungulu Community Foundation for the past five years. FELT A CONNECTION Speaking of people who inspire her, Natalie says that Carina Smith-Allin (Mint PR), although she had never met her personally but followed on LinkedIn was someone whom she admired. “I felt a connection to her through what she shared in the public domain and when I was at my lowest, I reached out to her and asked her if she would be prepared to have a virtual meeting with me… She did and her perspective around the challenges I was facing put my journey back on track. It says a great deal about her willingness to engage with a stranger although we are in the same line of work. I continue to follow her and watch her grow in business.” Natalie’s mother passed away when she was seven and she was raised by her father and her “gogo” - Busisiwe Mthembu who she loved dearly. Natalie commented, “She taught me to love and be kind to people from all walks of life. She took care of me for many years, and I returned this love until she passed away in 2018.” Her sister, Sylvia Cozens, also played a role in raising Natalie after her mother passed away. “She has stood by me when I had my boys and through my challenges and is the person who constantly reminds me that I can be successful. I am that strong, capable woman and I will be successful.” PATIENCE AND RESILIENCE Natalie has been faced with daily challenges in her new world of business, but she says patience and resilience are what it has taken for her to move forward and get her foot in the door. She explains, “I fortunately did not burn any bridges over my 25-year career, and this has been my strength in 2022.” “I have strong relationships with business and industry leaders who have given me guidance and support which in turn has given me the confidence to stay strong, patient and believe in my capabilities to be successful in business. We all want to find that stability and pay cheque from the word go, but it doesn’t come that easy.” FUTURE GOALS Natalie’s goals are to champion the way women and business can transform the communications industry and society at large. She believes that she has a part to play in this process. “Influence is dynamic, so I believe it is imperative that I collaborate and partner with leaders within the PR and communication industry. I would like to be that person that gives other women the strength to believe that anything is possible if you keep trying. Giving up should never be considered.” In addition, Natalie intends to build and nurture current and future relationships with industry professionals that have made a success of their careers and businesses.

Up Home Up Reshma Maharaj RESHMA MAHARAJ is the founder of a group of companies. GR Extra Space offers low-cost affordable mobile solutions including log cabins, classrooms, offices as well as manufactures jungle gyms. Heartbeat Training Academy is fully accredited and offers health and safety training, including First Aid – Level 1,2 and 3, basic firefighting, risk assessment safety officer, and health and safety SHE Rep training. The third company that Reshma manages and operates, Enspired Women Magazine, is her passion. This platform inspires ordinary women and youth to become financially stable. Reshma explains, “On this platform, we educate, promote, inspire. We take women through different levels of mentorship and coaching where they use their skills to generate an income. Most of the time, this includes women that have been abused or women who have struggled through their journeys. We hope that by using their new skills, they can have some financial stability.” Currently, Reshma says that her greatest achievement has been having her business operations still open during the erratic business times of the Covid pandemic. Other achievements have been the many national, regional, and international awards that the group of companies has taken, which is a great achievement in their portfolio. Rehma commented, “It took years to build the brand, especially our core business and for us, this recognition shows business growth. We do create a lot of direct and indirect jobs through the different companies that we manage and operate.” “Another achievement was being the speaker at the World Women Conference, where I took a standing ovation for building the ordinary women and youth around you,” added Reshma. Reshma’s biggest inspiration she would say is her late dad. “I was always inspired by his business tenacity. He was always business minded. We sat and talked about shop. He was always encouraging us not to give up. He taught us how to swim through the recession periods over the years and one thing that stood out was that he reminded us that your workplace is not your comfort zone. You’ve got to give it that effort, you’ve got to work hard and make sure that you achieve your goals and be successful.” There are two brilliant women that Reshma is grateful to – her mentor, Vani Moodley and Fatima Sarigat from SmartXchange. “These women would drive you to see your capabilities, because sometimes you are so confined behind that desk, you don’t see beyond that space,” she commented. Reshma explained that Vani has taken her from a confined space and thrown her into the deep end. Without her mentorship and coaching, she does not think that she would have taken the manufacturing business to the lengths that she has taken it to. “I’m an entrepreneur, but sometimes you need that little push and guidance along the way,” said Reshma. The company started manufacturing storage unit and is now building and manufacturing mobile classrooms, site offices, container conversions, and clinics. Some of Reshma’s biggest challenges faced were during Covid and she said that her late dad’s words stuck with her. “He taught me how to swim through these challenges and for me it is not putting my signature on everything I need. I have to understand, is it a need or is it a want. Covid has taught us lots of lessons and I’m grateful for his advice. Now that I sit here, I’m ready to take the business to new levels.” One of Reshma’s future goals is to see her brand expand, especially on the Heartbeat and Enspired sides. She would love to see them reach a global level. With technology, she said, now everything is possible, and you can sit in your own space and be training and facilitating at an international level. In advising younger women, Reshma says that they need to love what they do. “They need to have confidence in themselves, they need to be passionate about what they are doing, and they need to understand that life is a journey, it’s not a competition. If you are going to think of life as a competition, you are going to focus on competition instead of the journey. Every day is a new step for you to start something new. Women need to be brave, bold and be confident and be passionate in what they are doing.” Reshma is a wife and has been married for 25 years. She is a mom of two, and has a 22-year-old daughter, who is completing her last module in civil engineering this year, and a fourteen-year-old son. To relax, Reshma loves cooking for her family, and just being with them, because as she says life has become so busy. “I enjoy weekends, cooking and dabbling with flavours. I enjoy those long calls to my sister or to my sisters-in-law, I’m very family orientated, so for me, I look forward to the weekends to relax with my family.” FINAL THOUGHTS “Life in the last two years, I think has been really challenging for every woman, for every business and family. Given the opportunity to see a new day is the biggest blessing that anybody can ask for in life. If you are given another chance in life, get up and try again. Here’s your chance to make it work again.”