< Back Lenore Goss Matjie

Trevor Clark Next Previous ActionCOACH Business Coaching Trevor Clark, ActionCOACH Business Coaching, is not just a business coach – he is a mission-driven entrepreneur helping others build profitable, sustainable enterprises. ActionCOACH, a global business coaching and training franchise, has been operating for 32 years. Trevor has been part of this movement for 16 years, based in Durban and working with businesses across South Africa and Mauritius. Trevor operates on two key pillars: business coaching and executive coaching. “On the executive coaching side, we work with corporate clients, including CEOs, branch managers and leadership teams, helping with strategy, leadership development, and team training. On the business coaching side, we focus on scaling owner-managed businesses.” Trevor emphasises that many entrepreneurial businesses hit a “glass ceiling” and seek him out when ready to break through. “We get business owners looking at their operations from an outsider’s perspective, identify what’s working, what’s not, and create an action plan. We upskill them on how to better run a business.” He adds, “Part of that process is helping owners build legacy businesses – profitable operations that work without the owner and are ultimately ready to sell or scale.” FROM PIZZA HUT TO THE ORIENT EXPRESS Trevor’s story is one of exploration, persistence and purpose. Born in Durban and raised in Johannesburg, he began his career humbly. “One of my first jobs was selling slices at Pizza Hut,” he laughs. During a stint in Europe as a teenager, he took on various labouring jobs – including a memorable cleaning job on the Orient Express – sadly not while the train was travelling the glamorous route from Paris to Istanbul, but while it was in Zurich for repairs. Trevor studied marketing and general management in Johannesburg while working full-time and attending night school. “My first corporate job was in banking with ABSA, initially United Bank.” But the desire for entrepreneurship kept tugging at him. “I always wanted my own business.” That drive eventually led him to the Middle East on a two-year contract that turned into a decadelong journey. “I ended up as managing director and shareholder of a corporate communications consultancy. We lived on airplanes and in hotels, working with banks, blue-chips and investment companies.” One of his proudest achievements was building the Dubai branch of his former company. “We grew it bigger than the Bahrain head office, closed the London office and moved everything to Dubai.” RETURNING HOME But South Africa called him home. “My daughter had been born, my son was on the way, and I knew I wanted them to grow up as South Africans. We breed good humans here,” he smiles. Trevor discovered ActionCOACH just after it launched locally in 2008. “They were looking for early coaches to help launch the franchise in South Africa. I fell in love with the business.” The global vision statement, ‘World abundance through business re-education’, resonated deeply with him. He sold his shares in the Dubai firm, completed certification training in the United States, and officially launched his coaching business in December 2009. THE CHALLENGES OF PIONEERING “I thought we’d have a queue of potential clients out the door,” Trevor recalls. “But the reality was that nobody had heard of business coaching.” The first two years were incredibly tough. “We were launching an unheard-of brand and concept. I’d sunk my life savings into the business. I was the sole breadwinner with two small kids.” He and his team hustled – cold calling, door knocking, relentless telemarketing. “It paid off. Once we got our first clients and results showed, word of mouth kicked in. Now we’re a known entity.” That perseverance is something he brings to his clients too. “It’s incredible. You can work with businesses and in the first couple of months, start seeing results – in time, team and/or money. We have case studies of businesses that tripled profits in the first year of coaching.” But beyond the numbers, he’s proudest of the personal impact. “Sometimes the biggest wins are seeing business owners simply get out of their own way. Stop playing too small. Back yourself.” BUILDING COMMUNITIES For Trevor, coaching is as much about education and focus as it is about metrics. “A 10 million Rand mindset will never grow a 100 million Rand business,” he says. “We work a lot on vision, values and congruency – practising what we preach.” He notes that many entrepreneurs struggle alone. “They don’t know who to talk to. They suffer in silence or ask the wrong people for advice. We provide a safe space – a sounding board, accountability partner, and community of likeminded business owners.” His motivation is deeply personal. “My family inspires me, and my parents especially. But I’m also inspired by all business owners. These are people who left the ‘safety’ of a job to chase a dream. Many are struggling, working harder and earning less than they were in corporate, but they keep going.” LOOKING FORWARD Trevor’s vision is rooted in an economic shift. “I want to see more KZN businesses become sellable, legacy businesses. That requires business owners to start thinking bigger. Too many are shellshocked. I want to remind them of the success stories, South African and global, many of which started right here in KZN.” LIVING THE CHANGE Asked if he has a motto, Trevor doesn’t hesitate. “‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ – Gandhi’s quote. It’s about walking the talk. Too many coaches and consultants give advice they don’t follow. For us, it’s about congruency – improving ourselves as we help others improve.” It’s not about being perfect, he insists. “We’re human. Our businesses aren’t perfect. But we’re always trying to be better.” And that is the heart of Trevor Clark’s coaching ethos: not perfection, but purpose-driven progress. Step by step, one business transformation at a time. Previous Next

Up Home Up Samantha Croft SAMANTHA CROFT is the Director of Operations for Southern Sun for the KZN region, and she also looks after the resorts in South Africa. “I’ve been with Southern Sun pretty much all of my career,” says Sam. “I trained with Protea Hotels; I had a sabbatical and went to Sun International at Sun City for eighteen months and came back to Southern Sun, so I’ve worked my way up through the ranks.” The position Samantha had before this one, was as the general manager of Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani. Her big project there was to join the two hotels and create one big iconic hotel, which was launched in 2012. In 2018 Samantha was promoted to regional director of operations. DAILY CHALLENGES Samantha spends her days working with people – both guests and employees – so she says her day comprises of people. Her daily challenges are then related to guests or sorting out service delivery issues and sometimes staff. She says, “My big thing is to try and create an environment in which people can grow. I feel that if you have that environment, people can prosper, they are happier and are automatically more motivated, therefore, they deliver on your service promise.” In addition, currently a major challenge that the hospitality industry is facing is that, traditionally, they’ve had to deal with matters within their control and matters within their building. Samantha explains, “For example your delivery of eggs doesn’t arrive. Now we are finding that we are dealing with external factors; like the sewerage issue, the beaches closing, and the rioting. I find that this is quite a challenge because there’s not much influence you have over those things. You’ve just got to try and get your team to work around those obstacles as best as they can.” Samantha is also the chairlady of the Tourism Forum of the Durban Chamber of Business and Commerce. She was requested to join the organisation by the CEO Palesa Phili. Samantha said, “I am very excited for this journey and to see how the Durban Chamber has grown and started using relationships and collaborations to get things going in this city.” INSPIRATION FOR THE JOURNEY Speaking of who inspires her, Samanatha says that because she meets so many different people, there are various people that have motivated her and inspired her on her journey. Early on in her career, she was influenced by a lady who back in those days, when there were very few female managers, or senior managers, was probably the first person in such a role. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her cry, and yet she is a softy. So, it’s not about being this hard-iron lady, it is about being able to portray the strength that you have. And not being one of those ladies that turn to tears and hopefully someone will feel sorry for you and that’s how you get your way. But over time I’ve also dealt with many managers along the way from whom you can also learn how not to be. Sometimes people have quite bad traits in their leadership style and when you go through the journey you kind of remind yourself that’s how you shouldn’t be. It’s not always taking the best out of people, but also ensuring that if you think there is something wrong, that you try and focus on not incorporating that into your leadership style.” Samantha commented that she finds that the youngsters of today, the millennials and Generation-X, are into instant gratification. As such the youth of today, feel that when they have their degrees, they should become managers straight away. Her advice is that your degree on paper means that you have the knowledge, it doesn’t mean you know how to implement it yet and you need to do your time in the trenches. She commented, “It helps you along the way because sometimes you may have staffing issues where staff can’t come to work because of taxis that are not running etc. Your operations still need to work and if you don’t learn how to do the menial tasks like checking in a guest or cleaning out of rooms, you’re not going to know what to do. Whereas if you learn along the way, this knowledge clicks in automatically. We have a saying that you need to do your10 000 hours and those really are your building blocks. I always say to people be patient and in time your turn will come.” DAILY EXERCISE In order to unwind Samantha exercises every day. She lives in Ballito and drives to Durban quite early in the morning because she goes to gym. She says, “Four days a week I run and one day a week I have a personal trainer, I also have a running partner.” Samantha has just recently learnt to body board and is overcoming her fear of the ocean. She has a huge respect for the ocean but loves spending time on the beach. ‘I was always nervous of the sea and now I’m starting to learn something new,” Samantha said. In conclusion said Samantha, “This initiative is a great opportunity for women in KZN and I say KZN because I think we have had a tough time over the last couple of years. We were joking the one day saying that all we haven’t had was the plague. Every time you think you are overcoming something, another hurdle lands in your lap and I think that KZN has overcome these. I think we have tenacity, so I think this initiative will really help motivate women in our province.”

KZN Top Brand | KZN Top Business KZN Top Business Awards 2026 Profy Countdown Timer Click on 'Add Countdown Timer' and choose a banner Vote For Your KZN Top Brand 2026 Please take a moment to fill out the form and vote for your KZN Top Brand One vote per email First Name Last Name Email Cellphone number Your vote goes to (business name): Data Privacy Consent I acknowledge that my personal information is important and will be processed by Standard Bank and necessary third parties in line with the applicable data protection laws and the Privacy Statement. I have read and understood the contents of the Privacy Statement View terms of use Marketing Consent I agree or decline to have my personal information used for marketing purposes as follows: 1. Data sharing within our Group 2. Data sharing with Third Parties 3. Data sharing across borders within our Group 4. Telesales 5. Email Marketing 6. SMS Marketing I have read and understood the contents of the Marketing Consent Consent & Rights I understand that I have the right to update or withdraw my consent at any time by: Visiting a Standard Bank branch. Contacting my Relationship Manager. Calling 0860 123 000. Emailing information@standardbank.co.za. Logging into the Standard Bank online channels. I understand that I have the right to update or withdraw my consent at any time VOTE Thank you for your vote.

< Back Lisa Forster Next 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 clients 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 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." Previous Next

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

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

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

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

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