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

Morar says of his career, “As an emerging black entrepreneur, there were many doors that remained closed. I remained focused and determined to change this. Taking calculated risks, hard work and being determined to achieve success, has driven my career. Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Roshan Morar (RIP) Morar says of his career, “As an emerging black entrepreneur, there were many doors that remained closed. I remained focused and determined to change this. Taking calculated risks, hard work and being determined to achieve success, has driven my career. I wish to make a difference at all levels; to create a legacy that would stand tall and be recognised as having made a difference ROSHAN MORAR is a well-respected financial professional committed to making a difference at multiple levels in South Africa's economy. In 1995, Roshan Morar opened his own accountancy firm in a small office in Church Street, Pietermaritzburg. Morar Incorporated now operates from ten offices and employs in excess of 180 staff. With its head office in Pietermaritzburg, and offices in Umhlanga, Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Mbombela, Kimberley, Rustenburg, Cape Town and Centurion, the firm is positioned to service a national and diverse network of clients. Morar has obtained substantial experience in all aspects of the corporate environment, more especially in property investments and finance, risk management and private equity transactions. He has also been involved in an advisory capacity to various successful start-up businesses, including black economic empowerment management buyouts, among others. Driven by the motto "no client is too small", the firm initially geared itself towards servicing black-owned businesses, many of which were small and medium sized family-owned businesses. The first family to take its business to Morar are still clients of the firm today. Many such businesses remain an important focus of the auditing and tax services work provided by the firm. However, clients now cover a wide spectrum of business and industry, ranging from the sole-proprietor to large national based corporations. In line with Morar's aim to provide value added services, he and the firm's employees pride themselves on building relationships with clients and it is this personalised approach that has been a consistent hallmark of the practice. In addition, confidentiality and the quality of service provided are critical aspects to superior service delivery. Morar says of his career, "As an emerging black entrepreneur, there were many doors that remained closed. I remained focused and determined to change this. Taking calculated risks, hard work and being determined to achieve success, has driven my career. In addition, balancing time and planning is key." It is clear that his journey is far from finished. Morar's success is evident in the many high-profile board positions and board committees on which he currently serves. Morar is the chairman of the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) to which he was appointed in March 2015. In addition, he is the chairman of the Ithala Group Board. The various committees that he serves on range from acquisitions, to commercial, audit and risk, human resources, to remuneration and nominations. Of his various directorships, Morar says, "The board appointments have enhanced my personal and professional growth. The experience and exposure which I have acquired as a board member has helped build my business acumen." The growth in Morar's business acumen is apparent in his plans for his firm. Not only is there a strategy in hand to further reinforce the company's presence in South Africa, he has his sights set on growing the practice beyond the national borders to establish the firm as a fully-fledged African firm. The capacity to analyse complex financial issues and to understand the spectrum of risk a company could be facing is essential in today's business. Morar is strongly of the opinion that South African businesses need to be prepared for a cross section of business risk as with the economic pressure in today's world, the potential for fraud was high. "It is imperative for every business to undertake a risk assessment process to determine the potential impact as a result of interruptions to time sensitive or critical business processes. Our internal audit division has now acquired the relevant CURA Risk Management software to document risks identified and assist with managing these risks to ensure business continuity," noted Morar. Morar Incorporated consult for all three spheres of government and conduct external audits on behalf of the auditor general of South Africa, of which the firm is an accredited service provider. It also makes Morar Incorporated the preferred service provider for international companies wanting to start trading in South Africa. Morar Incorporated has recently affiliated with IECnet, an international association of audit, accounting and tax professionals. "'We are delighted to be a member of this prestigious organisation. Our involvement with IECnet offers us a global platform to interface with leading international businesses and be at the forefront in providing world class business solutions to our clients," Morar added. Under the business guidance of Morar you are in good hands. He is well on his way to making a positive impact on South Africa's growth and development. Morar says of his personal vision: "I wish to make a difference at all levels; to create a legacy that would stand tall and be recognised as having made a difference. All we leave behind are our names and reputation."

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

Growing up in Phoenix, Serena knew people mattered and she needed a career where she could help others. She decided she wanted something in the medical field and settled on radiography and chose to study in Pretoria and it was in patient care that she really excelledSerena JagadasanGrowing up in Phoenix, Serena knew people mattered and she needed a career where she could help others. She decided she wanted something in the medical field and settled on radiography and chose to study in Pretoria and it was in patient care that she really excelledWhen Serena Jagadasan qualified as a radiographer, she never dreamed she'd become the managing director of a retailing group with a staff of a 1000 people. Growing up in Phoenix, Serena knew people mattered and she needed a career where she could help others. She decided she wanted something in the medical field and settled on radiography and chose to study in Pretoria and it was in patient care that she really excelled. She loved her work, and the knowledge that she could make a difference for her patients. However, it wasn't long before she returned to Durban, married Ravi Jagadasan, and began her retail journey. Although neither of them had any retail experience, Ravi had been approached by Spar to open a store in Phoenix, an opportunity they couldn't pass up, and together they set out to grow the business. Now managing director of Starwood Investments and the Star Retailers Group, Serena leads her 'dream team' of 60 managers and a staff of 1000 people across nine business units: seven world-class Spar and Superspar stores, a wholesale bakery and an accredited training academy. She credits her husband with introducing her to the retail world, and describes him as her business partner and mentor. "He really is an exemplary person and an inspiration. I strive to emulate him," she says. She describes her shift from radiography to retailing as simple. "It's all about people. People matter. In radiography, my strength was patient care. In retail, my strength is still caring for people. But now it's my staff and my customers that I care for." The power of emotional intelligence Describing herself as a highly emotional, Serena certainly doesn't see this as a negative. "Women do behave differently in business, because we are emotional beings. And if you have high emotional intelligence (EQ), this is a real attribute. Successful leaders need a high EQ to understand behaviour and motivation, and as an emotionally intelligent leader you can generate greater loyalty and commitment in your staff, and motivate them to give of their best." When Serena talks about her staff her commitment is clear. "I strongly believe that human capital is our most valuable asset and I focus on that. I'm passionate about the people. I care, I show I care, and that's why our business is successful." Apart from the obvious demands of her role as managing director of a successful business, Serena also manages her roles as wife and mother to three boys under the age of nine with assurance. She is confident she has a good balance between work and the rest of her life. "It takes a good deal of planning, time management and self-management, but it's important to get it right and I make it a priority." Serena's an early riser and keeps a regular schedule. She hits the gym first thing in the morning before heading to work. "I'm strict about office hours and work from 9am to 3pm, so I have plenty of time with my boys." She also puts aside time for her husband, and says that spending time together on shared interests makes it easier to maintain their close bond and keep the spark alive. "We both love ballroom dancing so we do that twice a week, and we play golf too." Find your purpose Asked what advice she'd give her younger self, Serena doesn't hesitate. "Find your purpose as soon as possible," she says. "To live a fulfilled, contented, happy life, you need a purpose. Develop a clear understanding of who you are, find your purpose and you can be the highest version of yourself." And Serena certainly knows herself and her purpose. She attributes much of her success to her willpower. "I have the courage to take on challenges, the self-belief to stay the course when things get tough, and a heart strong enough to accept constructive criticism. I have a positive attitude to life and to business, and I accept that even when things don't go my way, I can learn and grow from the experience." Empowerment through education Serena is grateful for her accomplishments, and is clearly enjoying her journey, but she still has two major goals she's determined to achieve: "Firstly, I have a big goal for 2020. I completed a postgraduate diploma in business management a couple of years ago, but now I want to take it further, and I'm embarking on an MBA next year. Secondly, I want to see our employees grow too. Most of our staff have no tertiary education but empowering people is central to their growth, and education is a key part of that empowerment. So it was a clear strategic intent to introduce our Raising the Bar training academy. It is my goal to see that each one of our employees achieves at least an NQF2 qualification, and our academy is a vital part of achieving that goal." 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

Accounting, providing precise financial information and reporting to business leaders.Heather FlackHeather Flack is the impassioned business leader of Flair Accounting, a boutique accounting practice Up Up Accounting, providing precise financial information and reporting to business leaders. Price No Cost Duration 30 minutes Assessment < Back EXPLORE FURTHER Your Business Guru Heather Flack “a brilliant read”

Heartstrings, explains Paula, is essentially about uplifting communities, empowering people and connecting hearts. The definition of a 'heartstring' is a vein where blood flows from and returns to the heart, giving life; connecting people's hearts provides a two-way flow of life - those that offer blessing find that they are blessed in turnPaula StrydomHeartstrings, explains Paula, is essentially about uplifting communities, empowering people and connecting hearts. The definition of a 'heartstring' is a vein where blood flows from and returns to the heart, giving life; connecting people's hearts provides a two-way flow of life - those that offer blessing find that they are blessed in turnPAULA STRYDOM is the creative director who, with husband Mike, is the big heart behind Heartstrings Community Project. They seek to cultivate a spirit of belonging and community that they envisage will grow South Africa from strength to strength. Based in Crestholme, the initiatives include Heartstrings Trading Co, Calico Heart Clothing, and Livingstone Nursery where people come together to maintain and grow plants which are sold to fund some of Heartstrings' projects in Crestholme and surrounds. At Pilgrims Rest tea garden, tea and coffee are freely available for all, bringing people from all walks of life together. On Saturdays, cake is sold to cover costs and share the beautiful space with visitors. At the Heartstrings community kitchen, meals are prepared for people in need, including children attending the nearby creche and inner-city people who live on the margins of society - sex workers, addicts, homeless people and those living in shelters. After providing a meal, the Frontier Church ministry, led by Paula and Mike, spend time caring for their emotional needs, as there is often no one in their lives who will hug them and listen to their stories. A bridge between communities Heartstrings, explains Paula, is essentially about uplifting communities, empowering people and connecting hearts. The definition of a 'heartstring' is a vein where blood flows from and returns to the heart, giving life; connecting people's hearts provides a two-way flow of life - those that offer blessing find that they are blessed in turn. Paula's motivation behind the community project is to be a heartstring, in essence a bridge between communities where people feel they're outcast, either shunned or marginalised. Dreaming of building a hall, Paula points to a tent outside and laughs, "That will be a community hall if we can get funds, for people to come together. Sometimes, we just have to start and trust that it will happen; it's an opportunity for someone to put their hand to something and feel that they're doing something for this country, because that's what we're really passionate about." Paula explains that while Mike was working and they were doing well, they weren't drawn to fancy places, but rather to out of town locations. Moved by the difficult times they witnessed, Paula recounted saying, "you know, somebody should do something", which was the catalyst for answering voices from within that said, "Tag, you're it, do something!" And they did. After praying about it, they felt this calling getting stronger and their focus beginning to shift. They realised that while they were telling everyone, "live your best life and dream", they needed to be part of making those dreams possible. And so they started, with the insight that they should begin with what was at hand. They took stock and knew the time was right; they had a bowl of small change that they'd dropped coins into over time, and a gardener who needed change in his life so, with what amounted to exactly R1000 of small change and the commitment of a certain gardener, they took a leap of faith and began. Their inspiration was to 'take something that was rubbish' and from it create something that was beautiful and teach others how to do that too. After raiding dumpsters, and purchasing a few items that fitted their décor design, they went home to begin the process of recycling and repurposing. Paula perceives the overall value as far greater than that of the product itself, as it was symbolic of a changing life. From small beginnings seven years ago, they have many initiatives gaining momentum. Integrity, dignity and respect Paula describes their success as a result of combining their strengths. "I feel it's the respect of men and women working together hand in hand that actually leads to success." She feels they shouldn't worry about chasing success, but rather worry about what their influence is and what their calling is - if they're authentically themselves, and work within the framework of integrity, dignity and respect, at a level of excellence and hard work, success will follow. A work-life balance is integral to Paula's family life-style. "Each day is completely unique, it's quite like it is rest. One day we might be doing something administrative, the next something completely creative, so... we're playing at the same time as working. Our balance is in work hard and play hard; we do it all with the passion of our calling and that is our balance, it's how we've done this for seven years." I would tell my younger self to listen to your intuition... there's a voice inside you that wants to lead and guide you, get to know yourself well, be all that you love and that you're passionate about, and it'll grow and develop from there. Listen to the voice inside of you, and don't be scared to make mistakes. Try things; mistakes are only mistakes when you give up and you don't learn something from them. Every part of who I am today is because there was a young woman who wasn't afraid to try different things. Even if it seems so incredibly diverse, you never know what that's all going to accumulate into. When I look back at all the different things that we were involved in - I feel they are now coming into fruition. 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

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

CANDICE PADAYACHEE is the forensic director for KPMG. She maintains primary responsibility and oversight of the Forensic Division in the Durban region, leading a multi-disciplinary team and engaging the firm's key clients.Candice PadayacheeCANDICE PADAYACHEE is the forensic director for KPMG. She maintains primary responsibility and oversight of the Forensic Division in the Durban region, leading a multi-disciplinary team and engaging the firm's key clients.CANDICE PADAYACHEE is the forensic director for KPMG. She maintains primary responsibility and oversight of the Forensic Division in the Durban region, leading a multi-disciplinary team and engaging the firm's key clients. Candice is an admitted attorney of the High Court, and holds a master's degree in Advanced Labour Law (Cum Laude) from the University of KwaZulu- Natal (Pietermaritzburg). She was raised in Pietermaritzburg and began her career as an associate at a leading KwaZulu-Natal law firm, but was soon drawn to forensics. This interest was fuelled primarily by her passion for seeking justice and ensuring that as a country and as a community, ethics and right practice remain in place. Her view is that "fraud, bribery and corruption severely impact peoples' lives." She added, "It is so rewarding that the work KPMG Forensic does, actively infiltrates these economic crimes." Candice particularly specialises in fraud risk management, forensic investigations, compliance management, and litigation support. "I am fully competent in the investigation process throughout the phases of preliminary considerations, planning, and gathering of information, analysis, reporting and closing. This includes the concept of embedding forensic technology in investigations." She provides holistic management solutions to clients in the public and private sectors. Candice has a proven track record with business development and an established client portfolio, having assisted various organisations in a manner consistent with regulatory requirements and the organisation's business needs. A passion for seeking the truth Getting to where Candice is in her career involved a combination of things inside as well as outside her control. She remarks, "Clichéd as it may sound, my career required lots of hard work and sacrifices, both on my part and that of my family." Candice says that she has benefitted from the support of people around her, especially from her husband and two children, her parents, wider family and friends who have been the biggest supporters in her career progression. She adds that 'tremendous colleagues and mentors at KPMG' encouraged her to pursue her dreams, and they also gave her the feedback she needed to develop her strengths and focus on the things that are important to her. Candice recognises the contribution of her team in achieving positive results. She believes that success in forensic requires a passion for seeking the truth and an objective mind to get the relevant facts. An inspired leader Candice feels inspired by many people. Firstly, her grandmother, a professional nurse who made many personal sacrifices to assist those around her. She illustrated that, in the end, there was great reward in one's dedication to willingly assist others. This encouraged Candice's passion and desire to study further and in her wanting to assist people for the greater good. Secondly, Candice is inspired by her female professional colleagues, especially the former director of Forensic at KPMG, who became her mentor. She demonstrated the place and need for a strong female leader, according to Candice. "She could lead with strength and fierceness, but also with kindness and compassion. She was dedicated to the growth of young leaders." And this, in turn, inspires Candice to help develop young leaders. She says that women often need a different approach to men to be successful in business, as they have different dynamics and relations to deal with. "As a woman you need to work hard, focus on the contribution you bring to the table, make sure you raise your voice when you need to be heard. Being a woman, being a mother and being a wife bring different challenges in business." Work-life balance requires structures Achieving a work-life balance is interesting for Candice. "It has become a buzz word in a busy world, yet means different things to different people", she remarks. For her, to achieve such balance requires a conscientious focus on structure. Together with her husband, they have set boundaries for family time. Her two young children require her attention after her workday and have a full homework schedule. She says it is important to set hours aside for her family and make sure that she is fully present during that time. Family holidays are important and help create good memories that are essential for the children to have. Candice is proud that her children know her as a working mother, and she hopes that her example will help them believe that they can aspire to be anything that they are passionate about. Live to fulfil a purpose If she could, Candice would advise her younger self to believe more in her own abilities and "tune out the self-doubt". She would also assure herself that, "You already have everything you need in you", and that God is with her and ready to take her on journeys she could not even imagine. Candice is pleased by her accomplishments but admits that she looks back with some disbelief at times. She wants to continue to live in a motivated way that fulfils her purpose in life. At a personal level she wants to grow her leadership abilities, grow in the firm, and grow as a person in every way. "I feel that I am still young, that most of my journey still lies ahead and there are exciting things to come," 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

Niresh Bechan, Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre's hospital manager, says "Even with the most careful planning, the road of life is unpredictable. The upside of unpredictability is that you may surpass any goals you set yourself." Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Niresh Bechan Niresh Bechan, Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre's hospital manager, says "Even with the most careful planning, the road of life is unpredictable. The upside of unpredictability is that you may surpass any goals you set yourself." It matters deeply to me that we do our very best always NIRESH BECHAN, Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre's hospital manager, says "Even with the most careful planning, the road of life is unpredictable. The upside of unpredictability is that you may surpass any goals you set yourself." Bechan, a chartered accountant who completed his BCom degree at University of Durban-Westville (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal), accepted a job as a management accountant for a hospital. His first job was working in a small, independent hospital, but after gaining some experience, he joined a major South African hospital group and moved into the corporate world. Bechan began to take an interest in the clinical side of the business and rapidly moved into general management within the group. When the Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre opened eleven years ago, Bechan was recruited as general manager. During his leadership, Bechan managed to revive this facility that was then on the brink of ceasing operations. A leader passionate about people and numbers, provided Bechan with the insight to swiftly turn this business around. The Lenmed Health Group became the majority shareholders of the hospital in 2017. As the head of the hospital, Bechan's responsibilities range from the pharmacy to facilities management, and from patient care to finance. According to Bechan, every day is unlike any other. "We are in the business of care; therefore, it matters deeply to me that we do our very best always." He relishes every challenge. The Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre is highly specialised with a top-notch clinical team across a range of specialties. The hospital's numerous accolades include being a paediatric and adult heart, stroke, and renal dialysis centre of excellence. "Many of our patients are critically ill, and this drives what we do, and how we do it. They could be suffering from anything from cardiac failure to a deep vein thrombosis, and our patients often need urgent, specialised care." Feeling blessed to be leading a world class facility and being part of the hospital's phenomenal growth, Bechan says that patient care, clinical governance and training are imperative to managing a successful facility. "Our doctors are handpicked, and our nursing staff is highly specialised. We have strict protocols to measure clinical outcomes. Our goal is for every patient to leave this hospital healed and satisfied." Management tracks each patient's satisfaction and quality of care, from their initial visit to the doctor, through the admission process right through to discharge from the hospital. Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre was voted as one of KZN's top five and SA's top 20 hospitals by Discovery Health patients for 'Best Patient Experience of Hospital Care' in the large hospital category. Running a hospital can be extremely stressful, but Bechan is calm and collected under pressure. "Our patients and their families are under enormous strain, and if we can help relieve their anxieties with compassion and care, with sophisticated technology that gives them the best chance of a positive clinical outcome, and with doctors and specialists with impeccable skills, that will go a long way to helping them deal with their personal circumstances," said Bechan. He attributes the success of the hospital to a strong team, and state of the art clinical facilities. When asked about his management philosophy, he replied that people need to be given the opportunity to grow and he has a keen interest in mentoring those who are committed to hospital management. In his free time, Bechan is a keen jogger. He also enjoys golf, which helps him clear his mind, strategise and network. He says that managing his time is a vital part of his approach, and he regularly spends a couple of hours meditating at his ashram on a Sunday evening, to revitalise, recharge and prepare for the week ahead. "Balance is key... Once you have that, life is such a pleasure!"