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As an influencer my team and I create content or co-create content to support brands, endorse product and services with the intent to increase brand awareness and drive sales. Marketing & NetworkingGrant AdlamGrant Adlam has had over 35 years in the communication sector. Much of this time has been involved in promoting the businesses, brands and people of the province of KwaZulu-Natal. He is the CEO of KZN Top Business and the driving force behind KZN Top business Portfolio, KZN leaders, KZN Brand DNA, KZN Women in Business and KZN Business Sense. Up Up Marketing & Networking Price No Cost Duration 30 minutes Assessment < Back EXPLORE FURTHER The overall vision is to network successful people with successful people and ultimately encouraging other people to become successful through their stories. Learning about some of the various factors that have motivated these men and women, and driven their careers, has been a very rewarding undertaking. Your Business Guru Grant Adlam As an influencer my team and I create content or co-create content to support brands, endorse product and services with the intent to increase brand awareness and drive sales. Grant's News Blog & Articles “a brilliant read” Grant Adlam's Articles

Ashok Sewnarain is the owner of South Africa’s first privately owned safe deposit vaults, IBV International Bank Vaults which is located in Durban’s Gateway Mall and in Sandton, Johannesburg. Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Ashok Sewnarain Ashok Sewnarain is the owner of South Africa’s first privately owned safe deposit vaults, IBV International Bank Vaults which is located in Durban’s Gateway Mall and in Sandton, Johannesburg. “Humbleness takes you everywhere. Arrogance will take you nowhere.” Ashok Sewnarain is the owner of South Africa's first privately owned safe deposit vaults, IBV International Bank Vaults which is located in Durban's Gateway Mall and in Sandton, Johannesburg. Sewnarain was born in Mayville, an Indian designated area in apartheid South Africa. His father ran a small, often struggling, estate agency and taught his son to never give up. When Sewnarain took over the family business, he injected new ideas into it, expanding into the hotel and hospitality industry as the barriers put up by apartheid were dismantled. "It was around 2004 when I overheard a bank teller saying that there is a long waiting list of people who wanted to put their valuables in the bank's vault. I jokingly said that I will open my own vault," Sewnarain says with a wry smile. Sewnarain began to seriously think about opening a vault. He did extensive research, which took him to other countries to look at how the vaults are constructed, the finance involved, security features and a host of other things. He found that there is substantial demand for such sophisticated facilities. In May 2005, Sewnarain opened the first private vault, in Umhlanga's Gateway Mall. "We choose the best malls and prime spots for our vaults. Our first site was selected because of its proximity to significant business and residential developments in KwaZulu-Natal. Also, the layout of the Gateway complex facilitates International Bank Vaults' strict security standards." "It's a risk to have a safe at home because many people have access to your home. We offer a solution, and peace of mind. We add value to the country in a sense that people can safely keep their gold and other assets in the country instead of sending them offshore." International Bank Vaults offers safety deposit boxes in modern-day fortresses. The vaults are built to international standards and specifications, complete with steel-reinforced concrete and protected by a sophisticated, multitiered security system. They are monitored by trained professionals and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Sewnarain subscribes to the philosophy that says one should persevere and be determined to pursue his dreams in whatever business that one chooses. He says, "Business is full of risk and challenges that we must confront on a daily basis." He added that he had had many failures in his business career, but all had made him more knowledgeable and humble. However, Sewnarain says, "You must be bold and have courage to launch business ventures with honesty and respect for staff, customers, suppliers and service providers." " Life is about dreaming big. Dream to make a million dollars, rather than a million rand. The most successful people in the world dream big. It's free. It has no boundaries and borders," he explained. International Bank Vaults' customers have special, reserved parking close to the facilities and many of them drive exotic cars. The IBV Supercar Club has spun off from the vault business; has a membership of more than 700 super-rich car owners and is recognised as one of the world's leading supercar clubs. Sewnarain is its founder, leading patron and chairman. The members of the club often raise funds for charity. In 2014, they won the Guinness world record for raising R1 million for Child Welfare of South Africa in record time. The club has also partnered with the United Nations Children's Fund Unicef in raising money for charity. Sewnarain commented that he tries to create a balance between good business and profit through providing community and social support. This balance is achieved by promoting a spirit of social entrepreneurship, which he believes is an important aspect that every business leader should adopt in their own enterprises. He concluded, "The more that you give the more that you get."

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NASHIKTA AUTHAR ANGADH is a Partner in KPMG and heads up the Business Resilience and Continuity Services unit of South AfricaNashikta Authar AngadhNASHIKTA AUTHAR ANGADH is a Partner in KPMG and heads up the Business Resilience and Continuity Services unit of South AfricaNASHIKTA AUTHAR ANGADH is a Partner in KPMG and heads up the Business Resilience and Continuity Services unit of South Africa. Her function can be summarised as preparing clients for planned and unplanned disasters. She involves herself with organisations at a deep level to understand their critical processes and the potential risks they face to develop a "fit for purpose recovery strategy" to be used in the event of a disaster. When Nashikta was thrown into the deep end to take the reins in leading Business Resilience for KPMG she began by "rolling up her sleeves, embracing the books, and soaking up and entrenching herself in the information". Along the way, she gained critical insights into client practices. A mentor, "her North Star" offered valuable support and advice. She also learned from her team that supported her. Ultimately, things came together, and she became recognised as a leading expert in her field, progressing in the firm to where she is today. An inspiration Nashikta finds inspiration in books, videos and in various people, including her selfless and elegant mom. Her dad is, however, her main source of inspiration. He did not finish school and his limited financial means made starting a business difficult. Additionally, he had serious health issues, but he overcame the odds and made a success of life. "Looking past his business success, he is an amazing soul," she says, one who changed many people's lives. His belief, "service to man is service to God" became her belief too, allowing her to balance her accomplishments with remembering who she is and where she comes from. Deal with internal barriers To demonstrate the difference between men and women in business, Nashikta uses a recent event. She was in a boardroom with "powerful men and women from across SA". The tea lady walked in and placed a tea tray on the table between a gentleman and a lady. The lady glared at the tray in a way that suggested she thought serving tea would reduce her power in the room. However, the gentleman got up and cheerfully served the tea. This incident made Nashikta realise that: "as women, we need to deal with the internal barriers we create for ourselves that prevent us from being what we can be and doing what we need to do. Women need to be bold enough to make the tea without worrying what everyone thinks and what their opinions are." Historically, there were many challenges between men and women, however businesses have progressed and created numerous platforms for women, which should be embraced. A work-life balance requires structure Nashikta has an excellent support structure which contributes hugely to her work-life balance; both her mother and mother-in-law look after her son when she is travelling, allowing her to focus on work. The KPMG work environment is very flexible, making it easier to get things done anywhere and at any time. She makes sure not to diddle-daddle and focuses on business during business hours, so work in her personal time is unnecessary. Nashikta is grateful for her wonderful husband who takes charge with chores around the house and is a hands on Dad. He has been her pillar of strength and encourages her to grab on to opportunities, even if it results in added pressure on himself. She quips, "If all else fails, just pray for energy, tolerance, patience, and guidance to be a good parent, because that is the most important aspect of a work-life balance." Practical spirituality Her spiritual background is very important to Nashikta. She belongs to the Sri Sathya Sai organisation which is based on five human values: "truth, love, nonviolence, right conduct, and peace". She tries to live by these in everything she does. Nashikta sustained serious injuries in a vehicle accident during 2013. Spinal surgery prevented permanent paralysis, but she was confined to her bed for three months and had to learn to regain movement and walk during a long, difficult recovery. She says her spirituality carried her during this tough time and made her appreciate life. When KPMG experienced difficulties in recent years she felt alarmed but did not leave and tried to demonstrate the five values as a leader. She believes leadership is tested during challenging circumstances, not when everything seems good. Authentic self She is happy with what she has achieved and proud of winning the Business Continuity Institute's 2019 award for "Business Continuity Institute, Africa, Resilience and Continuity Specialist". She is hoping for further success in the global category. Being involved in developing continuity strategies for businesses and government departments, Nashikta says the "philanthropist in her" wants to take this a step further and develop a strategy for South Africa. She explains: "If the country is faced with something similar to a 9/11 attack or escalated xenophobic attacks, SA has to be ready and I want to make sure that we are." The advice Nashikta would give her younger self is not to shy away from shining and be confident in her strengths. Being diligent and assiduous, she stood out at primary school, making her unpopular with some kids. She then held back to avoid attracting attention during high school. But at university and with her career, Nashikta says, "I decided to just be my authentic self. This allowed me to excel and get to where I am." 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

In order to handle change and deal with expectations, Martins regards constant personal development, as a must. This is particularly relevant to keep up with the latest trends in her field of speciality in order to achieve success. Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Prof Ana Martins In order to handle change and deal with expectations, Martins regards constant personal development, as a must. This is particularly relevant to keep up with the latest trends in her field of speciality in order to achieve success. I embrace the motto of lifelong learning whole-heartedly in order to keep abreast with the changes that are constantly evident PROF ANA MARTINS is the acting dean and head of the Graduate School of Business and Leadership at UKZN, which she believes is the current highlight of her professional career. Martins' professional journey has encompassed a mosaic of experiences. She has been fortunate to have worked for over two decades in higher education institutions located in a range of countries with diverse cultures across the globalised world. Her academic career has followed a traditional model where she started on the career ladder as a part-time tutor, moving to junior lecturer, senior lecturer and associate professor with a multiple collection of roles, ranging from lecturer, researcher, personal tutor, to academic leader. In order to handle change and deal with expectations, Martins regards constant personal development, as a must. This is particularly relevant to keep up with the latest trends in her field of speciality in order to achieve success. "I embrace the motto of lifelong learning wholeheartedly in order to keep abreast with the changes that are constantly evident in the academia and industry. Moreover, I have my unique skill set, which is embraced by my interests and values," Martins explains. Her strengths encompass a strong work ethic, being enthusiastic, persistent and conscientious and being open to experience. "I'm very organised and pay attention to detail as well as being reflexive. I focus on encouraging harmony and work to achieve the common good of all." In addition, she explains that it is important to know the purpose of the organisation in order to stay focused on its values and roots. Martins has a strong focus on humanising leadership, which is centred on both people and values. She believes that emotional awareness contributes to agile leadership principles and competencies. "I focus on doing away with the disconnect that prevails in business schools wherein leaders are detached from their fellow academics and students, perpetrating a defensive dehumanising commercial focused mindset." "Moreover, learning as becoming relies on nurturing a leadership style wherein colleagues and students endeavour to ask and answer existential questions; namely, 'Who am I?', 'What do I care about?', 'What does success look like?' as well as 'What does it take to lead well?'" By keeping the human touch and embracing a student-centric approach, such conversations provide a valuable tone on the standpoint of the organisation. In addition, Martins holds to the necessity to innovate in ways that meet the changing needs of students. Some challenges that Martins has experienced in the past and which have provided her with a rich learning curve, include (un)conscious bias; lack of support and cooperation; lack of organisational and flexibility and mindfulness; lack of encouragement to take the first step on embarking on journey towards a senior management role. With this learning, Martins has experienced growth in that she has had to learn how to define success and has experimented with her career by taking several risks. "I am appreciative of the authentic vision for inclusion and diversity in the workplace which has played a fundamental unbiased role in reaching the current position I hold," Martins explains. The uncertainties associated with the academic career have arisen due to the paradigm shift from elite to mass higher education. This shift is evident in the perception of academic careers which have moved from the ladder to more recent academic career maps, wherein transdisciplinary themes dominate, allowing one's area of expertise to be supported by a range of subject areas. In the future, Martins would like to write a book narrating how the various countries she has lived in have shaped her experiences on learning and teaching. In her free time, Martins is a musicophile and cinephile. "I'm passionate about cooking and sumptuous baking, and I try my hand in painting thus indulging my creativity."

JONATHAN NAIDOO is an economics graduate with post-graduate specialisation in research methods, political and economic geography. He was previously COO of Trade and Investment KZN and holds certificates in imports and exports, project financing for public-private partnerships, conflict management, program management, financial modelling. he also holds an estate agents' diploma and an education degree specialising in mathematics Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Jonathan Naidoo JONATHAN NAIDOO is an economics graduate with post-graduate specialisation in research methods, political and economic geography. He was previously COO of Trade and Investment KZN and holds certificates in imports and exports, project financing for public-private partnerships, conflict management, program management, financial modelling. he also holds an estate agents' diploma and an education degree specialising in mathematics Jonathan Naidoo - "Always maintain a visionary outlook JONATHAN NAIDOO i s a n economics graduate with post-graduate specialisation in research methods, political and economic geography. He was previously COO of Trade and Investment KZN and holds certificates in imports and exports, project financing for public-private partnerships, conflict management, program management, financial modelling. he also holds an estate agents' diploma and an education degree specialising in mathematics. Jonathan has extensive experience in trade and investment-related activities, having led and accompanied a number of outward and inward business missions. Jonathan's business experiences, coupled with his connectivity, both domestically and internationally has earned him the reputation of an astute "deal maker". As the CEO of SmartXchange, he is passionate about the work that the business incubator is doing to promote the development of entrepreneurs in the MICTe sector. He is focused on what he wishes the organisation to achieve and always maintains a visionary outlook. This approach is necessary in order to remain relevant in the innovation space. Naidoo maintains that the ongoing exposure to the vibey and fantastic ideas of these young entrepreneurs is very exciting and provides momentum to the management of the day to day business. Jonathan's entrepreneurial passion resulted in a number of start-ups: Excellent Signs (1985), a 180 seater a la carte restaurant, and a take away and ice cream parlour at the Port Shepstone beachfront (1989), and Excellent Furniture (1992). In 1998 he established a property development company, Jorano Investments. In 2000, Jonathan sold off his three businesses to focus exclusively on property development. Jonathan is currently appointed onto the Ray Nkonyeni Mayoral Economic Advisory Committee and serves as a Council Member of the KwaZulu-Natal Human Resource Development Council as the lead champion for the ICT sector. Naidoo says that SmartXchange's success has been made possible through three key elements. Firstly, he has the backing of motivated staff, patrons and a highly supportive board. Secondly, SmartXchange has developed powerful strategic partnerships with government and the private sector. Third is the commitment and dedication of SMMEs which is essential. "If they don't give us good," results then we don't look good, commented Naidoo. Naidoo's vision would be to see SMMEs moving from business support and reselling to the innovation of great products, which results in high growth companies. SMMEs also need to ensure that they have a broad client base in order to avoid being a high-risk company in the event of the loss of key clients. This is especially apparent when companies are over-dependent on government contracts, which are at times not renewed at the end of the service delivery agreements. In the future, Naidoo would like to see the SmartXchange model being duplicated as it has the potential to be adopted as a national model. Another of Naidoo's passions is for innovation to contribute to the development of 'Smart African Cities'. He said that South Africa has the potential to be a leader and to have a global footprint. However, innovations in technology are only one aspect of the solution. "We also require people to develop smart attitudes. We need smart minded people who are able to deliver the 'wow' factor. We need those people who are able to give me bad news with a smile and who are able to go the extra mile and make me feel good even if there are challenges.". In conclusion, said Naidoo, "Incubated SMMEs are a formula for success with guaranteed results on condition that they work hard, have a little bit of luck and faith in God," When not at work, Naidoo enjoys the outdoors, including hiking, gardening, golfing and fishing. He says, "Gardening is my therapy. As you would nurture a garden, similarly with entrepreneurs. you would do the same. You plant the seeds, nurture and care for them and watch them grow, blossom and flourish into successful sustainable businesses for all of us to enjoy the fruits of our labour."

Rasheed Amod is a serial entrepreneur who has accomplished much success in his very varied business journey. His business interests have ranged from running a traditional convenience store, to building brands and to large scale construction projects Amod explains that he was driven to achieve by his father who was his role model in life and who had died while he was still at school. Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Rasheed Amod Rasheed Amod is a serial entrepreneur who has accomplished much success in his very varied business journey. His business interests have ranged from running a traditional convenience store, to building brands and to large scale construction projects Amod explains that he was driven to achieve by his father who was his role model in life and who had died while he was still at school. I am a positive minded person, it is the way that you face challenges that matters RASHEED AMOD is a serial entrepreneur who has accomplished much success in his very varied business journey. His business interests have ranged from running a traditional convenience store, to building brands and to large scale construction projects. Amod explains that he was driven to achieve by his father who was his role model in life and who had died while he was still at school. "My dad was my hero; in his day he was in the top 100 Indian businessmen in South Africa. Although I came from a wealthy background, I wanted to achieve business success for myself. My dad had inspired me to take on challenges and to be independent," explains Amod. Consequently, Amod has always had a vision in mind and has been single minded in his approach. "I am firm in my decision making and I have a strong business mind." From an early age, Amod earned money pushing wheelbarrows at the Etna Lane market in Durban, earning 50 cents on a Friday afternoon and 60 cents on Saturdays. This money he said, took him a long way. After Amod completed his schooling he studied accounting. His first job was as a bookkeeper for Peerless Cycles in Durban. He moved to a different firm when offered a better salary. From there Amod saw an opportunity to further his career in a hardware and supply chain selling lighting and cables (Natal Cables, Malbak and Durity Alpha). Within six months he was appointed manager of the group, which afforded him much business acumen. With this experience Amod ventured out on his own and opened a convenience supermarket in Dalton Road, Durban. He says. "I worked long hours; opening the shop at 4.30 am in the morning and closing at 7.30 pm. During that time, I got married, which was very tough on my wife, who has always been my pillar of strength. However, we were blessed to have five children who are all academics and have qualified in various professions including dentistry, medicine, law and accounting." The next stage of his journey saw him opening his own Cut, Make and Trim (CMT) enterprise. Here he supplied knitwear to chain stores such as Woolworths and Edcon. When political changes made for a volatile marketplace, Amod sold his business to join Pierre Cardin as the group financial manager. Amod says, "I became the first non-white director to hold the keys for the building." While working for Pierre Cardin, Amod travelled extensively and made contact with many international business role players. This interaction resulted in him entering the construction business through a joint venture at a later stage in his life. A further career opening allowed him to join one of the five largest advertising and marketing companies in the world, where he acquired much experience in brand building for companies such as BMW, Continental Tyres, Steers and Audi. He retired from there as financial director in the African Chapter. As a sub-contractor he was responsible for the piling at all except two stadiums built in South Africa for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This resulted in his participation in other major contracts, including the Sasol gas pipeline form Durban to Germiston, the Gautrain tunnel between Rosebank and Sandton and an international project in Ghana. He worked closely with companies such as Murray & Roberts, WBHO and Group Five. Amod believes that he has been provided with many good opportunities, which have allowed him to succeed. He says that now that his children are all educated and independent, he does not need to work as hard and is semi-retired. However, Amod takes great pride in managing his son's Fareed 24 hour dentistry practice. He also spends time in community upliftment projects from which he derives much satisfaction. He explains, "I work where I see that I can add value and am respected." When possible, he enjoys playing squash with his wife, which he says keeps them both fit.

Kerri Adlam Art and Creative Director

A Durban girl through and through, Tarryn has travelled the world sourcing products for South African consumers. After four years working at an antique shop, she joined a merchandising company where she worked with buyers who sourced product for Game and DionTarryn TaitA Durban girl through and through, Tarryn has travelled the world sourcing products for South African consumers. After four years working at an antique shop, she joined a merchandising company where she worked with buyers who sourced product for Game and DionTARRYN TAIT imports homeware and furniture from China, India, Malaysia and Brazil, supplying national retail clients and selling online direct to consumers. A Durban girl through and through, Tarryn has travelled the world sourcing products for South African consumers. After four years working at an antique shop, she joined a merchandising company where she worked with buyers who sourced product for Game and Dion. When one of these buyers started her own business, she head-hunted Tarryn to join her, and sent her off on her first trip to China to source homeware items. Two years later, the Coventry Group of Companies decided to open a new homeware division and approached Tarryn to set it up. Initially apprehensive because of her lack of experience in running a business, she soon realised it was a great career opportunity. They'd also offered her shares, making it even more enticing. And, as her husband pointed out, if she didn't like it she could always find something else. Keeping a principled perspective, Tarryn was careful to ensure there was no overlap with her previous company and joined the Coventry Group in 2008, setting up Colindale Trading, focusing on office furniture and securing Makro as their major client. Realising the risks inherent in over-reliance on one client, Tarryn soon branched out and began supplying other customers, including Game and Woolworths. Focused on growth, It wasn't long before Tarryn identified the potential of online shopping, and introduced an online store that rapidly proved successful, and now accounts for approximately 45% of turnover. After almost a decade, Tarryn realised that she wanted complete control of the business. The Paruk family, owners of the Coventry Group of Companies, had supported her throughout, but in real terms she was running the business with minimal input and wanted to do it on her own. After lengthy negotiations, the sale of the business was finalised and Tarryn took over Colindale Trading in 2018. It's all about people "People are my thing," says Tarryn, "and if I know one thing for sure, it's the people I've met along the way that have made the difference in my success. Yes, I work hard and I'm an over-achiever, but I couldn't have done this on my own." And with each career move, she's maintained relationships with previous colleagues and been able to move on and up without jeopardising those who have supported her and created opportunities for her. Which is probably why she's stayed in the same premises, renting from the Coventry Group. And her staff is equally loyal to her - her right hand woman has been with her for eleven years - and she maintains friendships going back to her school days. Focus on the positive At the age of 21, Tarryn was involved in a hit and run accident that almost left her crippled. She and another lady stopped to help victims of an accident, and a car, perhaps mistaking the accident scene for a roadblock and trying to evade it, mowed into her. Told she would be unable to walk for two years, she remarks that she surprised herself - and everyone else - by how well she coped. Downplaying the permanent damage and pain, she chose to focus on the positive. "I could have died, so learning to walk again wasn't such a big deal. It was merely an obstacle to be overcome." Happily married, with two children, Tarryn says her children inspire her to be a better person every day. "I think about the values I want them to learn, and I realise I need to live those values to teach them." But while family life is integral to her happiness, she admits that she doesn't have a good work-life balance. "I'm a people-pleaser and an over-achiever, so I take on too much." She's joined the Durban Entrepreneurs Organisation and says she's getting better at balancing her life. "We hold each other accountable. I can't meet every month complaining about my lack of balance; they won't let me get away with that - they'll demand to know what I'm doing about it!" Tarryn's happy about what she's achieved so far. "But there's a lot more I want to do. Specially in terms of contributing to and improving the lives of others. I haven't even scratched the surface yet." She says there's a lot of advice she wished she'd been told when she was younger. "Most importantly, don't be so hard on yourself when you fail. Learn the lesson and move on. If I'd learnt to do that sooner, I'd have saved myself a whole lot of stress." Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

HENK VAN BEMMELEN, CEO of Blue Security says, "I fell in love with the security business from an early age - it is in my blood. I can't remember ever waking up and not wanting to go to work. If you have a passion for your business, then you can't go wrong." Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Henk van Bemmelen HENK VAN BEMMELEN, CEO of Blue Security says, "I fell in love with the security business from an early age - it is in my blood. I can't remember ever waking up and not wanting to go to work. If you have a passion for your business, then you can't go wrong." Love what you do and do what you love HENK VAN BEMMELEN, CEO of Blue Security says, "I fell in love with the security business from an early age - it is in my blood. I can't remember ever waking up and not wanting to go to work. If you have a passion for your business, then you can't go wrong." After the completion of his two year South African defence force call up period, Van Bemmelen's experiences motivated him to join a security company. He started as a reaction officer and enjoyed the work involved, as combatting crime has always been an overall concern in South Africa. Over the past 29 years, Van Bemmelen has worked his way up through the divisions and ranks of the security business. Eight years ago, he relocated from Johannesburg to Durban, to take up the position as operations director at Blue Security. Since then he has been promoted to managing director and then in October 2018 to his current position as CEO. He says that his journey through the ranks of the security industry has been enabled by having good mentors. "Having a mentor is a top priority for anyone want to progress in their career. My mentors have become friends and people that I have learnt from beyond the on-the-job experience. A mentor will also push you harder than you do yourself." Van Bemmelen commented that the experience of having a mentor had prompted him to focus on providing mentorship to other employees within the company. "The reality of this job is that it is people driven and it is often hardcore; you really get tested, so support is required," he explained. The main challenges of his role as CEO are firstly to ensure that the Blue Security 'ship' is pointing in the right direction, and secondly to ensure that the company is keeping up with the technological innovations that are driving the security business. Van Bemmelen explained that his leadership style needed to fit the people and their job descriptions. "I like to empower people to make decisions. It is not in my style to micro manage employees, I allow them the space to deliver the goods. I can connect with people and be flexible as I am aware of the different responsibilities of their jobs' demands. However, there are times when I have to be stern." In addition, said Van Bemmelen, the younger generation does things differently. "Consequently, within Blue Security, we have to keep a balance between the younger employees who are pushing boundaries all the time and the senior employees who need to keep up to date with trends such as new communication channels." A major challenge of the security industry is to keep up with change. "The world is constantly evolving; we have to keep up with innovations and we need to ensure that we meet the expectations of our clients. The security business is a disruptive industry, which is not the same as 20 years ago and we cannot stay in our comfort zone but continually need to adapt." Blue Security has invested heavily in research and development to implement top end technologies to improve the security for its residential and business customers. "The business runs 24 hours a day - crime does not wait - and we want to make a difference in the communities we serve," he explained. When not at work, Van Bemmelen spends much time at the gym as he says that staying fit and healthy keeps his mind clear. He is a family man who enjoys the strong support of his family, who understand his passion for his work. Another of Van Bemmelen's loves is his motorbike on which he and his wife have toured South Africa. They have covered many thousands of kilometres together and are currently planning a trip to Lesotho, and on to the Eastern and Western Cape as well as Namibia.