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Shamla is an experienced lawyer who has been in practice for 22 years. Her practice provides a wide range of legal services, with a team to back up the firm's various divisions, with its focus being commercial and civil litigationShamla PatherShamla is an experienced lawyer who has been in practice for 22 years. Her practice provides a wide range of legal services, with a team to back up the firm's various divisions, with its focus being commercial and civil litigationSHAMLA PATHER is an attorney, and the sole owner of her practice, Shamla Pather Attorneys, which is based in Umhlanga Rocks. Shamla is an experienced lawyer who has been in practice for 22 years. Her practice provides a wide range of legal services, with a team to back up the firm's various divisions, with its focus being commercial and civil litigation. Shamla also has experience with family law, a sphere which she specialises in, this work is on a referred based, where she is solicited for her niche expertise. Shamla practices all over the country and also has a variety of international clients. Shamla's upbringing and family life was simple and humble, and this set the tone for her to want to succeed. Whist she has done well as an attorney, her humility and simplicity are obvious traits she possesses. She has not forgotten her days of living in Chatsworth, where she grew up as the youngest of four children. With three older brothers she learnt to play rugby and soccer at a young age and became a football fanatic. Her dad, a manufacturing jeweller was a weekly wage earner, Shamla found that he was still paying off her brother's university fees, although he had been seven years ahead of her, when she completed matric. This was a turning point in her life as she knew that to succeed, hard work and commitment was required. An amazing woman Shamla attributes her success and hard work to her late mum. She is emphatic that her mother remains the most amazing individual she has encountered. Her mum passed away during Shamla's final year at university, which was very traumatic. Her father's death followed just four years later, whilst she assumed the role of mum at home. She says, "Every accolade, every milestone achieved, I dedicate to my mother. She still inspires me to be the best that I can be." Shamla adds that her mother was not formally educated but she taught her values and doing things the right way irrespective of fear or incrimination. The attitude that athletes have inspires Shamla daily. She was an athlete at school and an athlete's focus gives Shamla strength and exhilaration. "Anything can be achieved with hard work, determination, and dedication". The start of any problem is like a race and you must focus on what the last 50 metres will bring. If you have done your preparation and you are confident, natural endurance will take over and you will succeed. Uplifting others In evaluating what she has accomplished so far, Shamla says that she is content but looks at achieving more in the social environment. Having come from a disadvantaged background, she is a champion of women's and children's rights. It is a most rewarding feeling when you have made a difference in someone's life. Shamla does not believe women should approach business differently to men and she suggests that women adapt to their environment. "Gone are the days that this is a man's world. It is definitely your world, whatever your gender. With the number of opportunities that women have, instead of competing against men, you should just get out there and do what you do. There is no reason to be in their shadow, there is no reason to complain. Being a woman should not be looked upon as a handicap but rather a compliment. When I went for my first interview for articles of clerkship, I was offered a secretarial position with more salary, as I was told that I looked the part of a secretary, more than that of a lawyer. I was not deterred." And now Shamla confidently says that she has won many matters against that firm. Shamla is the patron of several organisations and she makes it her duty to assist where she can. She contributes to the upliftment of the society by doing pro bono work, team building, and fund-raising. She is happy to get her hands dirty and says to have accomplished something for your community means you are leaving behind a legacy. Shamla achieves a healthy work-life balance and she credits her husband for this. "Despite him being a busy medical doctor, he is helpful and stands by my side, allowing me to do the things that need to be done." He is her biggest admirer and has encouraged Shamla to break boundaries and not to be afraid. That's rare and she appreciates his unselfish commitment. Family time is family time She has a good support system but thinks that her background of becoming a mum at an early age to her siblings allows her to juggle work and home. Her family, including her daughter Jayde, has adapted to a schedule that works for everyone. Jayde is the light of Shamla's life and to date her biggest and best achievement. Jayde is adoring of her mother and equally proud of her. Jayde says, "Whatever needs to be done, mum makes a plan". If she had to go back to her younger self, Shamla would have told the person she was in her thirties: "Have another child. Children make life fun, keep you younger". Shamla and Dan are blessed to have Jayde, their only child and the reality that she goes away from home to university is a lonely thought. Shamla feels she was selfish to Jayde in not having another child, as the beauty and bonds of siblings is priceless. 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

CINDY NORCOTT is the owner of Pro Appointments and Pro Talent, which are recruitment agencies that she has had for the past 25 years. She is the founder and chairperson of the Robin Hood Foundation, a charity that was formed in 2005. Cindy is also a motivational speaker, business coach and the author of the best-selling book, "How to be Unstoppable".Cindy NorcottCINDY NORCOTT is the owner of Pro Appointments and Pro Talent, which are recruitment agencies that she has had for the past 25 years. She is the founder and chairperson of the Robin Hood Foundation, a charity that was formed in 2005. Cindy is also a motivational speaker, business coach and the author of the best-selling book, "How to be Unstoppable".CINDY NORCOTT is the owner of Pro Appointments and Pro Talent, which are recruitment agencies that she has had for the past 25 years. She is the founder and chairperson of the Robin Hood Foundation, a charity that was formed in 2005. Cindy is also a motivational speaker, business coach and the author of the best-selling book, "How to be Unstoppable". She launched her first company in a spare room of her parents' home with an old desk, a couple of chairs, a telephone, fax machine and typewriter. "I started my business at 23 with R2 500 in my bank account, and I have never had to touch that money. I have never applied for a loan and I have been blessed to have been able to increase my profits year on year," said Cindy. Surrounded by amazing people Cindy attributes her success to hard work, being exceptionally disciplined and surrounding herself with "amazing" people. She thinks that having free office space at her parents' home and having their emotional support helped. Failure she says was never an option. Although her business was from home, she would wake up, get dressed and start work at the same time every day. I loved what I was doing, and I was having fun." Cindy reflects that she was also inspired by many of her friends in business who are all very different but who share common values and character traits. These include courage under pressure, resilient spirits, positive outlooks, massive energy reserves, servant hearts and when things are down, they have a sense of humour to rely on. Building a business was not easy and, Cindy points out, with success came growth and she had to learn new skills. "I lacked general business and accounting skills when I started, and I had a very steep learning curve to get my head around the figures. Two years into the business, I obtained the services of a business mentor, Andrew, who helped me for about three years with advice and business strategy." Cindy has always been fortunate in having good staff in her company and says that they have been instrumental in the success of her business. Making a difference Apart from her energy-charged motivational and inspirational speaking engagements and appear-ances, she is most proud about the contribution she is making to the community through her non-profit organisation, the Robin Hood Foundation. The Robin Hood Foundation which was launched 14 years ago runs projects such as Love the Babies, Bless a Granny and Grandpa, Hope Breakfasts and Gogo Bags. "We host entrepreneurial conferences and parties for schools with children with special needs. We run more than 100 projects per year and our focus is helping people in need. As the name suggests, we take from the rich and we give to the poor. Through our work, individuals and organisations are making a difference," said Cindy. The Foundation is managed by a paid coordinator, Kim Griffith Jones, who is dedicated, highly organ-ised, passionate and multi-talented. Her skills are combined with an enthusiastic team of volunteers and a committee who work tirelessly for free. All of this makes the charity work smoothly and seamlessly. Work-life integration Speaking on gender differences in business, Cindy says that she does not advocate separating the world into men and women. "I think that business people need to create an approach that works for them. They need to work it out according to their circumstances and be prepared to be flexible and adapt. Sometimes, women tend to have the lion's share of household responsibility, so they have to juggle responsibilities a lot more and often have less time to work on their businesses due to family commitments. I do not however, think that this necessarily applies to all women." In her day to day business life Cindy prefers to think of achieving a work-life balance as work-life integration. "Sometimes, at work, I make personal calls and do some personal tasks and often at home, I am working. I plan my working day around my daughter's school schedule so that I can fetch her most days of the week. I don't think I have the balance right, but I am consciously working on my wheel of life, trying to achieve in all areas. It is a constant struggle for me," she commented. Think bigger Her struggle to achieve is reflected in her desire to believe in herself and think bigger as she knows she has what it takes to be a success. The advice that she would give her younger self is to have more fun along the way. "I would also tell myself to set better boundaries as I often say yes to too many requests for my time and energy. I would tell myself to be more assertive and not worry too much about other people's opinions." While Cindy is very happy with her achievements to date, she continues to strive for more success. "I think it is engrained in my DNA to want to out strip last year's self, so I always set goals for each new year that take the previous year's achievements to the next level. I would like to publish my second business book next year and I would like to grow my international and national speaking business." 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

A Durban girl through and through, Tarryn has travelled the world sourcing products for South African consumers. After four years working at an antique shop, she joined a merchandising company where she worked with buyers who sourced product for Game and DionTarryn TaitA Durban girl through and through, Tarryn has travelled the world sourcing products for South African consumers. After four years working at an antique shop, she joined a merchandising company where she worked with buyers who sourced product for Game and DionTARRYN TAIT imports homeware and furniture from China, India, Malaysia and Brazil, supplying national retail clients and selling online direct to consumers. A Durban girl through and through, Tarryn has travelled the world sourcing products for South African consumers. After four years working at an antique shop, she joined a merchandising company where she worked with buyers who sourced product for Game and Dion. When one of these buyers started her own business, she head-hunted Tarryn to join her, and sent her off on her first trip to China to source homeware items. Two years later, the Coventry Group of Companies decided to open a new homeware division and approached Tarryn to set it up. Initially apprehensive because of her lack of experience in running a business, she soon realised it was a great career opportunity. They'd also offered her shares, making it even more enticing. And, as her husband pointed out, if she didn't like it she could always find something else. Keeping a principled perspective, Tarryn was careful to ensure there was no overlap with her previous company and joined the Coventry Group in 2008, setting up Colindale Trading, focusing on office furniture and securing Makro as their major client. Realising the risks inherent in over-reliance on one client, Tarryn soon branched out and began supplying other customers, including Game and Woolworths. Focused on growth, It wasn't long before Tarryn identified the potential of online shopping, and introduced an online store that rapidly proved successful, and now accounts for approximately 45% of turnover. After almost a decade, Tarryn realised that she wanted complete control of the business. The Paruk family, owners of the Coventry Group of Companies, had supported her throughout, but in real terms she was running the business with minimal input and wanted to do it on her own. After lengthy negotiations, the sale of the business was finalised and Tarryn took over Colindale Trading in 2018. It's all about people "People are my thing," says Tarryn, "and if I know one thing for sure, it's the people I've met along the way that have made the difference in my success. Yes, I work hard and I'm an over-achiever, but I couldn't have done this on my own." And with each career move, she's maintained relationships with previous colleagues and been able to move on and up without jeopardising those who have supported her and created opportunities for her. Which is probably why she's stayed in the same premises, renting from the Coventry Group. And her staff is equally loyal to her - her right hand woman has been with her for eleven years - and she maintains friendships going back to her school days. Focus on the positive At the age of 21, Tarryn was involved in a hit and run accident that almost left her crippled. She and another lady stopped to help victims of an accident, and a car, perhaps mistaking the accident scene for a roadblock and trying to evade it, mowed into her. Told she would be unable to walk for two years, she remarks that she surprised herself - and everyone else - by how well she coped. Downplaying the permanent damage and pain, she chose to focus on the positive. "I could have died, so learning to walk again wasn't such a big deal. It was merely an obstacle to be overcome." Happily married, with two children, Tarryn says her children inspire her to be a better person every day. "I think about the values I want them to learn, and I realise I need to live those values to teach them." But while family life is integral to her happiness, she admits that she doesn't have a good work-life balance. "I'm a people-pleaser and an over-achiever, so I take on too much." She's joined the Durban Entrepreneurs Organisation and says she's getting better at balancing her life. "We hold each other accountable. I can't meet every month complaining about my lack of balance; they won't let me get away with that - they'll demand to know what I'm doing about it!" Tarryn's happy about what she's achieved so far. "But there's a lot more I want to do. Specially in terms of contributing to and improving the lives of others. I haven't even scratched the surface yet." She says there's a lot of advice she wished she'd been told when she was younger. "Most importantly, don't be so hard on yourself when you fail. Learn the lesson and move on. If I'd learnt to do that sooner, I'd have saved myself a whole lot of stress." 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

As Wealth Head for Standard Bank Group in KwaZulu-Natal, Mano Singh is accountable for four business units that contribute over R600 million to the provincial revenueMano SinghAs Wealth Head for Standard Bank Group in KwaZulu-Natal, Mano Singh is accountable for four business units that contribute over R600 million to the provincial revenueAs Wealth Head for Standard Bank Group in KwaZulu-Natal, Mano Singh is accountable for four business units that contribute over R600 million to the provincial revenue. "When I started out, the corporate culture was steeped in race," she recalls. "And I had to work hard to get permission to even participate, where you were consciously and deliberately side-lined even if you were the best candidate. I quickly learned that if I were to grow and succeed in that environment, formal education was key to validating me as a person firstly, while also keeping my mind focused on the future. Education gave me the confidence that I could take on new challenges as they arose. It also allowed me to quickly walk away from any situation that questioned my self-worth." Looking to beacons of hope Mano has always been inspired by the people who were beacons of hope. "There were so many people who were simply born in the wrong era and forced into serving when they really should have been leading." Her father was a big influence on her life, and she learnt from a young age that education was vital. "He taught me that education was the golden key to unlocking any door, and as long as I kept my mind active and learning, that would be the gift that would give me the hope and courage I'd need on my journey in the workspace." But education alone was not enough. He also taught her the value of humility and respect for all, and that when it came to integrity there was no room for compromise. Her mother was also a driving force in her life, bringing another dimension. "My mother was bold, audacious and confident and she made sure I learned that I should never give up, no matter the circumstances." Mano is also very grateful for the support she gets from her husband, and he too has helped define her character. "I'm blessed to be married to a wonderful man who inspires me to remain patient and calm, even when storms are brewing, and he has inspired me to take the lead and fulfil my life's ambition." Declaring work-life balance to be a myth, Mano admits that her journey has not always been easy. "I've had to juggle, trying to balance family and work responsibilities. I've also studied almost continually my whole life while climbing the ladder. I've relocated to further my career and often been pushed out of my comfort zone." Her willingness to take on challenges has been part of her growth, but it hasn't fostered balance. Women should invest in their networks Taking a somewhat controversial stand, she says that women have much to learn from men. "I'm not saying we need to do business in the same way as men," she says. "But leadership can be lonely, and I admire the tenacity with which men form networks that create a structure to carry them through their journey. This helps them maximise their success. As women we're not that good at investing in our networks. But this takes time, and there's no doubt we have greater demands on our time." Being driven and a perfectionist, Mano still looks to the future. "I have so much I still want to achieve," she says, "and I still have a lot to contribute. On a daily basis I see people struggling to navigate their life journey and career path, struggling to make decisions about the way forward, and the trade-offs they may need to make to achieve the success they want." Mano wants to make a contribution here and mentions that altruism gives one purpose in life. And as she relishes the opportunity to mentor a new generation of leaders, she thinks back on her early career. Asked what advice she would give her younger self, Mano is succinct: Be assertive. It's not always easy to stand up for your rights, but don't walk away from challenging situations. Never sacrifice your personal principles; be true to yourself and you will earn respect. Mano points out that when she was starting out, society schooled people to be submissive to partisan bosses. "But had I been more assertive, particularly when I felt that I was deliberately overlooked for senior positions, my journey would have been catalysed in different conditions." Knowledge and education are self-empowering "When I started, I was hungry to learn about leadership and strategy, and I read voraciously. I would buy a leadership book every single month when I was paid. Later on, while I was doing my MBA, I realised that everything I was searching for was encapsulated in my MBA syllabus. I just wish someone had taken me aside early on and pointed me in the right direction - it might have made a big difference in my choices and the trajectory of my career." She acknowledges that each adversity she faced prepared her for her personal journey, and takes pride in never compromising her principles and the respect she has earned in the industry. "And when times were tough, I studied harder. My father's voice in my head kept reminding me that the reward of knowledge and education is self-empowering." 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

Melinda's major role is to drive the business forward and to ensure that standards and customer service continues to be fulfilled and exceeded. "We view ourselves as the experts in our field. We align ourselves with our clients' staffing needs, tailoring our services offerings to meet their diverse operational requirementsMelinda CooksonMelinda's major role is to drive the business forward and to ensure that standards and customer service continues to be fulfilled and exceeded. "We view ourselves as the experts in our field. We align ourselves with our clients' staffing needs, tailoring our services offerings to meet their diverse operational requirementsMELINDA COOKSON, the CEO of Futurelink, a national staffing solutions company, is unwaveringly passionate about the diverse industry she works in. In 1995, Melinda entered the staffing industry as a business development manager for a national staffing company. Five years later, armed with fantastic training and work experience, she took a huge leap of faith and started her own recruitment agency. "I started without any capital, however I was filled with loads of passion and tenacity to see this dream realised. I was fortunate to be given a small corner in a business friend's office to work from. I put my head down and worked very hard. All my planning took place at night and during the day I made sure that every productive minute was spent sitting in front of the right clients." Since those humble beginnings, Futurelink has grown to have a footprint in most of the major regions in South Africa. Experts in our field Melinda's major role is to drive the business forward and to ensure that standards and customer service continues to be fulfilled and exceeded. "We view ourselves as the experts in our field. We align ourselves with our clients' staffing needs, tailoring our services offerings to meet their diverse operational requirements." Futurelink places skilled people in various positions across a range of industries. "Our Flexible Staffing Division allows our clients to operate their businesses profitably through the peaks and troughs of their production cycles by allowing us to place bulk temps throughout these seasons." Futurelink enjoys a buoyant and well-staffed Industrial Relations (IR) Division wherein they have access to over 30 IR consultants as well as labour lawyers and attorneys around the country to assist clients with matters that may end up at the CCMA or Labour Court. Their Cleaning and Hygiene Division boasts well trained staff to ensure they keep their clients premises and factories spotlessly clean and hygienic. Futurelink's Payroll Division offers an efficient and accurate payroll service to their clients. "Futurelink's success to date has been based on service. As a business owner, I have made it my priority to ensure that exceptional staff are interacting with and supporting our clients. I remain passionate about the industry I operate in and my hands on approach to ensuring that my staff go over and beyond to ensure client satisfaction will remain an integral part of Futurelink's ethos." Inspired by ordinary people Melinda says that she is inspired by ordinary people who have faced adversity and have overcome challenges. These are the people we should be applauding. "Helping my clients, inspires and motivates me by offering workable and profitable solutions to sustain their businesses. For many of our clients, we have contributed to their success by placing good, productive people in their businesses. We have watched companies transition through all sorts of changes in the economy and are now running very successful and profitable businesses." Manage people upwards In addition, Melinda recognises that her company's success can be attributed to the great team with whom she has surrounded herself. "A business is only as good as the people it employs. Over time I have built an atmosphere of mutual respect amongst my staff, all of whom operate in an environment of integrity. I manage people upwards to make sure that they are doing their jobs properly and really encourage my staff to take ownership of their responsibilities, get involved and make the right decisions." A level of excellence Reflecting on the role of women, Melinda says that she does not believe that women should have a different approach to business to men. "I deal with a lot of men in business and I have never felt inferior or that they are treating me differently because I am a woman. I have always enjoyed a mutually respectful and professional relationship with my male clients. That said, make sure you deliver regardless of the gender of your client or customer." "We operate at a level of excellence that sets us apart in the marketplace. I am steadfast when it comes to following procedures and 'doing things properly', and nothing is too much trouble for our clients. The staffing industry is highly competitive, and you need to out-perform your competitors at every opportunity. We have done this time and time again. I am happy and grateful for what I have accomplished but there is still a lot I have to do." Uplifting others Melinda believes that it is essential for businesses to get involved and give back to communities. She was an active member of the Ukuthula Trust, which is an NPO based in Chesterville near Durban. She has also since formed the Futurelink Empowerment Trust which focuses on developing young people through educational support and career guidance. Melinda says that her family is a huge part of her life and in her leisure time she enjoys the outdoors and wildlife. "To my younger self I would say trust and enjoy your journey in this life. All the ups and downs, failures and successes, bad and good times. These all help to develop you, to teach you, to build great tenacity within you which will equip you for great things." she concluded. 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

"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.Cathie Lewis"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." 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

MELANIE VENESS has been the CEO of the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business, now the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business (PMCB),since February 2011. She is the treasurer of the KwaZulu-Natal Business Chambers Council and serves on the KZN Economic Council. Previously, Melanie was the director of Pietermaritzburg Tourism.Melanie VenessMELANIE VENESS has been the CEO of the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business, now the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business (PMCB),since February 2011. She is the treasurer of the KwaZulu-Natal Business Chambers Council and serves on the KZN Economic Council. Previously, Melanie was the director of Pietermaritzburg Tourism.MELANIE VENESS has been the CEO of the Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business, now the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Business (PMCB),since February 2011. She is the treasurer of the KwaZulu-Natal Business Chambers Council and serves on the KZN Economic Council. Previously, Melanie was the director of Pietermaritzburg Tourism. Melanie is exceedingly passionate about South Africa, which she describes as, "her beautiful country that she will defend to the last". She thinks this passion comes from being the daughter of a game ranger at Hluhluwe and growing up close to nature. Melanie says she is cause-driven rather than profit-driven, which is possibly due to her Irish upbringing. Unsure about what career to follow, Melanie worked for the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for a while before going to university. She loves the theatre, but her parents persuaded her not to follow acting as a career. Melanie explained that while numbers make sense to her, people fascinate her. She became the director of Pietermaritzburg Tourism after gaining experience in the finance world where she worked for ten years. Melanie was persuaded to apply for the Pietermaritzburg Chamber CEO position which, "has just been a fantastic fit". She guesses that a range of opportunities, networking, and engaging with people, contributed to her landing where she is now. As part of her quest to grow, learn and better understand, Melanie has recently graduated with B Comm in Industrial & Organisational Psychology. "Which just goes to show that you are never too old to learn!" she commented. Advocate for business Melanie is a team player with plenty of passion, vision, and energy. She is a creative, hands-on organiser, with a flair for marketing and a 'can-do' attitude. She ensures that the PMCB is an effective voice of business addressing all issues, including those that businesses find hard to raise. "My job is to advocate for business and to help develop an easier business environment." PCMB offers networking and training opportunities, and Melanie is directly involved with skills deve-lopment. The development of business is key in alleviating poverty and addressing unemployment; in her capacity as CEO she plays an important role in this area. Leave the world a better place Currently, Moeletsi Mbeki who she considers a friend and mentor serves as a source of inspiration for her. Mbeki has helped her understand South Africa's history and where the country's people came from. She admires him for his willingness to debate any issue and question things held as truths. Something Mbeki said that she remembers is, "when entering a potentially explosive situation, be 100% prepared to be convinced of the other person's point of view. If after really listening and considering you are not convinced, then prepare yourself to convince". While Melanie has been nominated for several awards, there is much she still wants to achieve. "I am driven to make a difference in my country; leave the world a better place, starting in my city. I want to see real difference on the ground; greater equality. The inequality in the country is inexcusable." One of her dreams is greater access to decent schooling and more opportunities for everyone. She wants the diversity of the country to be acknowledged and the value thereof recognised. "I'm not capable of solving all those problems, but I can make a difference and try to bring people to make contributions around issues that are as meaningful as possible." Women bring a different heart to the table As a woman, Melanie can't state if men and women experience business differently but admits that perhaps women need to work harder to get the same credit. She believes that the perspectives of men and women are different, the one not necessarily better than the other. However, their diverse perspectives are needed for a 360-degree view. "Women bring a different heart to the table," she says. Research confirms women are good at things like networking, business relationships and negotiations. The advice she would give her younger self is to question her truths; not take anything as a given. "When your truths are faulty, your behaviour is not appropriate. Form your own opinions, develop your own view of the world. Don't just talk to like-minded people, talk to divergent people to get as many different perspectives as possible." Finding space for everything and everyone For Melanie, achieving a work-life balance involves fulfilling different roles and finding space for everything and everyone. She grew into her career and was there for her children during their foundational phases. Working made her children confident, capable, and independent, making Melanie proud of the people they have become. She adds that in some spheres of one's life you belong to others as someone's mother or wife, but it is important to grow in a space that belongs to yourself, filled with meaningful things. This makes you a better person for yourself and others. Melanie is grateful for the way things worked out for her. She concludes, "It is not only important to balance your work needs with your family needs, but you must also do things that are important to you, you have one life, you may as well enjoy the journey." For her, there is no end to her journey. "There is a vision and a dream so it will hopefully always be a process of continuous improvement for me." 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

KIRSTY FONZARI heads the marketing team for Expand a Sign International and Uzwelo Bags as well as ExpandaBrand USA and supports several Expand a Sign agencies globally in marketing. Kirsty's energy is never ending, and she will be opening a 360 turnkey agency called The Buro next year. There was a gap in the market to help Expand a Sign customers with various marketing disciplinesKirsty FonzariKIRSTY FONZARI heads the marketing team for Expand a Sign International and Uzwelo Bags as well as ExpandaBrand USA and supports several Expand a Sign agencies globally in marketing. Kirsty's energy is never ending, and she will be opening a 360 turnkey agency called The Buro next year. There was a gap in the market to help Expand a Sign customers with various marketing disciplinesKIRSTY FONZARI heads the marketing team for Expand a Sign International and Uzwelo Bags as well as ExpandaBrand USA and supports several Expand a Sign agencies globally in marketing. Kirsty's energy is never ending, and she will be opening a 360 turnkey agency called The Buro next year. There was a gap in the market to help Expand a Sign customers with various marketing disciplines. Kirsty has founded a networking group called brand Cult that has been successfully running for three years. "I think one of the biggest gifts in business is being able to share knowledge and encourage collaborative partnerships," she said. She also has a passion for coaching young women in business. "I want to share what I've achieved with others and to remind women that business models are changing. They need to be open minded and explore all avenues of creativity to follow their dreams and to continue to challenge the norm." Kirsty is all about understanding customers and their needs and believes if you focus on your intention and you are specific with your communication amazing things happen. She admits to climbing the corporate ladder quickly, working her way up from operations manager of various restaurant management groups to director of operations for a group of healthy restaurant's in the United Kingdom (UK). Kirsty has successfully opened over 40 bars and restaurants in the UK and won the London "Time Out Bar of the Year", as well as Best Concept and Best Design, before returning to South Africa. Learning from mistakes She attributes her success to two things: making mistakes - "You can only progress by making mistakes and learning from those mistakes," she laughs; and her work ethic. "I'm not afraid to work hard with my team, communicate the vision clearly and get stuck in and get my hands dirty - that's a big part of the reason I am where I am today." Kirsty's inspiration has been Anna Wintour, chief editor of Vogue in the US. "What I really love about her is that she says: Don't be apologetic about decisions that you make. Make your decisions and know they're the right decisions. Hold your head up high, and just go with it." That resonates with Kirsty who describes herself as a risktaker. "Rules are meant to be broken", she jokes, and then more seriously, "I'd rather be a leader, than someone who follows", something she believes is evident in her marketing plan for Expand a Sign. Kirsty is confident that women have a different approach than men do in achieving success in business. "Women are edgy and risk takers who know how to get a lot of things done in one go." Kirsty is driven to giving women wings. Owning her achievements, Kirsty is happy with what she's accomplished in business. "My whole life has been around business...I'm into achieving things, I'm really pleased with where I am today, but I'd be a fool to think I'm just going to stop here; there's so much more I want to achieve." Kirsty's insights into achieving a work-life balance are that there can be costs too, attached to success. "For me, it's one of the most difficult things to achieve - if it's about a project, everything about that project will consume me, and I learned a really difficult lesson where I had to slow down a bit... it's something I have to continuously work on, something I have to remind myself of. I also know from experience that when you're exhausted, you're no good to anybody, so it's important to have those times when you can just sit back and relax and take in the view." Kirsty's advice to her younger self, knowing that women put themselves under pressure to be perfect because of our inherently critical society, is: "Don't take other people's opinions on board...it's okay to make mistakes and don't sweat the small stuff. Just enjoy life, because tomorrow's going to be another day." An Incredible Journey Talking about her background, Kirsty admits that where she is today comes with a story around her use and abuse of alcohol and drugs while designing bars and restaurants in London. She talks of juggling two balls, 'the addict alcoholic' and 'the work person', until it all came crashing down around her. "My addiction could potentially have crippled me...there were a few occasions when I could have been dead today." "And so," she concludes, "my journey has been that I want to start adding value. I've been clean and sober for quite a few years now... I have the freedom to be myself; to carry a message of hope, courage and strength; to not be ashamed of who I am as a woman today. I have the freedom to talk to people openly about it...It's been an incredible journey and so, in order to be completely authentic, I need to be able to share my story, and so that's kind of where I am today." 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

As head of the Wealth and Investment Division for Standard Bank KZN, Lisa Forster leads a team of relationship managers and wealth managers, focusing on holistic solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. She and her team ensure service excellence in delivering holistic solutions, both domestically and off shore, for their clientsLisa ForsterAs head of the Wealth and Investment Division for Standard Bank KZN, Lisa Forster leads a team of relationship managers and wealth managers, focusing on holistic solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. She and her team ensure service excellence in delivering holistic solutions, both domestically and off shore, for their clientsAs head of the Wealth and Investment Division for Standard Bank KZN, Lisa Forster leads a team of relationship managers and wealth managers, focusing on holistic solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. She and her team ensure service excellence in delivering holistic solutions, both domestically and off shore, for their clients. "I joined Standard Bank in the most junior position possible," she laughs. "I was 17 and straight out of school. Financially, university just wasn't an option and I was just happy to get a job." Lisa points out that she didn't mind starting at the bottom, and says it defined her. "I had to learn, work hard and create opportunities, and I still strive to do this today." Many different roles Lisa has had many different roles in the business, and that's stood her in good stead to progress through the ranks. "I've worked really hard to develop myself professionally and put up my hand for every opportunity. I've never really been guided by my job description and I still stand by that today. Being willing to take on added responsibilities and do whatever is needed has opened up opportunities for me. And I try every day to be better than the day before." She has a simple philosophy: If you can do your job with your eyes closed, it's time to regroup and look for new self-development opportunities. And happily, she's been able to do this with Standard Bank. "If your job allows you to integrate your values with the company values, then that's a great platform for commitment and for career growth, and I'm very grateful to Standard Bank and way they've supported me through my career, in my studies and with executive development programmes." Right now, Lisa sees a role for herself to contribute to a new generation of leaders coming up the ranks within Standard Bank. "I want to support them in the same way, and if they can benefit from my knowledge and my experience, then I'm making a difference." Show up every day Asked who inspires her, Lisa notes that typically, people look to those in positions of leadership or in the public domain for inspiration. "But for me it's the people who come to work despite the challenges and adversities they face on a daily basis; who show up every day with a great attitude, give of their best and really deliver for the business. They remind me on a daily basis to appreciate what I have and all the opportunities Standard Bank has afforded me over the past 30 years." But career success doesn't come without some compromise. "I don't believe you can ever really achieve work life balance," she says. "I think it's more important to be present in what you are doing at any particular time, whether at work or at home, and you have to be quite deliberate about it to achieve your goals." Focus is a big part of her success both in her career and her personal life. Right now, she's training for the Chicago Marathon. "I start my day at 4am to get the training in. That's being deliberate! But I also believe in the link between a healthy body, and a healthy mind, and my running is good for productivity." Business is about people Given a time-machine, she'd advise her younger self that you don't need a leadership title to be a leader in your environment; that no matter how talented you are, you can't always move up without earning your stripes; that's it's not always clear what you're learning from an experience, but if you do your best it might turn out to be a defining opportunity. "Take every opportunity; it's not a waste of time, it's clearing a path for you. And remember that each challenging day might be teaching you something. So learn from it - your future self may thank you." Lisa would also remind herself to protect her reputation and her credibility. "They speak for you when you're not in the room." And lastly, she'd point out the need to build solid relationships. "So much of your career success depends on your relationships, because business is about people." 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

NANDI NGWENYA is the CEO and principal operator of Siba Management, a KFC Franchise Group in the fast-food industry, which operates 17 stores in KwaZulu-NatalNandi NgwenyaNANDI NGWENYA is the CEO and principal operator of Siba Management, a KFC Franchise Group in the fast-food industry, which operates 17 stores in KwaZulu-NatalNANDI NGWENYA is the CEO and principal operator of Siba Management, a KFC Franchise Group in the fast-food industry, which operates 17 stores in KwaZulu-Natal. Nandi says that she has been on 'a life long business journey'. Siba Management is a family-owned business that was started by her mother. As she was growing up, conversations around the dinner table often revolved around the business and how the family saw Nandi's career to be in the group. "My family practically moulded me into the person I am today. My family life and business life have been very much intertwined, and I have grown organically into the position as CEO." Whilst Nandi was still at school, she would work in the stores during the holidays, performing all the tasks, from serving over the counter to working in the kitchen. Over time, when she had become fully acquainted with the stores and their functioning, she moved to the head office. Once there, she moved from department to department, learning about the different issues that must be dealt with, including internal as well as external KFC requirements until she understood the whole business operation. When all directors concerned felt comfortable about her knowledge of the business and her ability to take control, she took over as the CEO. Knowing all the facets of the business now enables her to give direction to the group. Her daily tasks involve meeting with the management team to discuss reports and key performance areas in the group. Nandi also does regular store visits to motivate the teams, and to see if there are opportunities to be aware of or problems to address. A major part of her role is to make sure that all the stores are brand compliant, and that their customers are happy. Nandi says that her mother has played a major role in mentoring her progress in the business environment and in her general development. Being in a franchise business, she has also benefitted from relevant training and development programmes associated with a franchise. "The KFC franchisor looking after Siba Management has helped immensely as he had not only given direction and advice on how the stores should be managed, but also on how the business should be led, and how things should be done successfully in general." She has met many people along the way who have inspired her. "The success achieved by other people gives me the confidence and inspiration to succeed and improve. People who have been able to grow a mom and pop type store into a corporate business are also an inspiration for me." Be bold in business Nandi does not believe that women need to approach business fundamentally differently from men. However, she says that men and women could learn different aspects of approaching business from each other. "I think that women could take a page from the men's book and be bolder in the way that they do business. Women tend to be more cautious and concerned about small things. They tend to feel the need to prove themselves to themselves and others before tackling something in business. Men are often more prepared to take the risks involved in grabbing an opportunity. They are less worried about being perfect to do business." Focus on what needs to be done For Nandi, achieving a work-life balance simply comes down to prioritising what has to be done. She says, "If there is a work issue for me to deal with, I give it my 100% focus until it's done. That leaves me with time for my family." Similarly, she says, "If there is a family issue that needs attention, I just put my blinkers on and focus on addressing it." "Whatever needs your focus, just do it," added Nandi. Sometimes her family and work demand her time and attention simultaneously, in which case she tries "to package them together". For example, she is fortunate that the way she engages in the business allows her to take her baby and nanny to work and can therefore deal with family and work matters at the same time. If you follow your passion, the money will follow you If she could go back in time she would make sure to encourage her younger self to explore more avenues, including those that, on face value, don't look like they can make money. She has come to believe that, "If you follow your passion, the money will follow you." She says she would certainly advise her younger self to be bold and follow her passion. Nandi is happy about what she has accomplished so far and where she is in business. "I have come to learn and understand the retail industry very well and feel confident in the space that I work in. I have much to offer to my team." Looking back, she realises that there have been missed opportunities over the years and that she could have acted more dynamically in certain areas and explored more avenues. "There are still many opportunities for me to take and I can keep on learning, improving and growing in business and as a person," she concludes. 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