Maharaj reflected, "Going back to our African roots, it is perhaps opportune that we begin to explore the concept and possibilities of the collaborative economy or sometimes called the sharing economy. We cannot continue to condone an environment where we have islands of prosperity in a sea of poverty, unemployment and inequality." Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Prasheen Maharaj Maharaj reflected, "Going back to our African roots, it is perhaps opportune that we begin to explore the concept and possibilities of the collaborative economy or sometimes called the sharing economy. We cannot continue to condone an environment where we have islands of prosperity in a sea of poverty, unemployment and inequality." Contributing to the greater good of society PRASHEEN MAHARAJ, CEO of the South African Shipyards, career is driven by the African philosophy of "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together". He added that this saying could not be more relevant today than in South Africa. "When I was in business school, I met the Father of Black Economic Empowerment, Dr Don Mkhwanazi, who then shaped my life from a business, political and personal perspective. Ndonga left me with the task of applying knowledge, networking and entrepreneurship skills to address the issues of inequality, poverty and unemployment. As a result, I sit as a council member of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a member of the board of directors of EThekwini Maritime Cluster and a member of the shipbuilding committee of the Aerospace Marine Defence Industry Body. Through these platforms our task is to fast track the transformation that this country so desperately requires." Another early influencer was investor and financial journalist, Richard Cluver, whose articles and books he read religiously from the age of 11. In his teenage years and young adult life his uncle, Vishnu Sharma, a property mogul, taught him about entrepreneurship and business moral ethics. "I also learnt to be a principled business leader. The Prasheen you meet today will be the same Prasheen you will meet next month. I have a moral code or a set of guiding principles by which I make leadership decisions, which leads to consistency in decision making - leading to less volatility and thus more trust with stakeholders." "Shipbuilding and ship repair are by their nature social enterprises. It's very labour intensive and supports a large supply chain made up primarily of SMMEs. As a conscious capitalist and a socialist at heart, this is the main appeal of the marine engineering industry. The ability to run a business for profit whilst contributing to the greater good of society is a common theme in my business and personal endeavours." Maharaj reflected, "Going back to our African roots, it is perhaps opportune that we begin to explore the concept and possibilities of the collaborative economy or sometimes called the sharing economy. We cannot continue to condone an environment where we have islands of prosperity in a sea of poverty, unemployment and inequality." Co-operation and collaboration must be driven by technology. Therefore, SAS is slowly evolving into a technology organisation, thus creating a space for Black owned SMMEs to participate in the more labour intensive parts of the shipbuilding and ship repair value chain. Marine engineering in South Africa needs to enter the 4th Industrial Revolution. Maharaj says that he is a great fan of long-term financial sustainability versus short term profit maximisation. This outlook has been influenced by great investors like Warren Buffet and Allan Gray. Creating long term predictable, consistent and solid growth is far more respected in the business environment than profits and performance that swing between the extremes. "What this means for shipbuilding and the ship repair is that we need to secure long-term order books for shipbuilding and enter into long term maintenance contracts with our ship repair clients. We also need to look at exporting our services as a technology organisation to the rest of the continent, thus creating a diversified revenue stream beyond manufacturing." This approach requires that the shipbuilding/ship repair industry become more customer centric, project performance orientated, and technology driven. A fundamental shift from the current mindset of the industry that is inward looking is required." Spending quality family time with my better half Marcina and my children Milahn and Mekhai is my escape from the realities of the harsh business environment we operate in. They are not only my pillars of strength but my moral compass by which I execute my day to day business functions.

As head of the Wealth and Investment Division for Standard Bank KZN, Lisa Forster leads a team of relationship managers and wealth managers, focusing on holistic solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. She and her team ensure service excellence in delivering holistic solutions, both domestically and off shore, for their clientsLisa ForsterAs head of the Wealth and Investment Division for Standard Bank KZN, Lisa Forster leads a team of relationship managers and wealth managers, focusing on holistic solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. She and her team ensure service excellence in delivering holistic solutions, both domestically and off shore, for their clientsAs head of the Wealth and Investment Division for Standard Bank KZN, Lisa Forster leads a team of relationship managers and wealth managers, focusing on holistic solutions for high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals. She and her team ensure service excellence in delivering holistic solutions, both domestically and off shore, for their clients. "I joined Standard Bank in the most junior position possible," she laughs. "I was 17 and straight out of school. Financially, university just wasn't an option and I was just happy to get a job." Lisa points out that she didn't mind starting at the bottom, and says it defined her. "I had to learn, work hard and create opportunities, and I still strive to do this today." Many different roles Lisa has had many different roles in the business, and that's stood her in good stead to progress through the ranks. "I've worked really hard to develop myself professionally and put up my hand for every opportunity. I've never really been guided by my job description and I still stand by that today. Being willing to take on added responsibilities and do whatever is needed has opened up opportunities for me. And I try every day to be better than the day before." She has a simple philosophy: If you can do your job with your eyes closed, it's time to regroup and look for new self-development opportunities. And happily, she's been able to do this with Standard Bank. "If your job allows you to integrate your values with the company values, then that's a great platform for commitment and for career growth, and I'm very grateful to Standard Bank and way they've supported me through my career, in my studies and with executive development programmes." Right now, Lisa sees a role for herself to contribute to a new generation of leaders coming up the ranks within Standard Bank. "I want to support them in the same way, and if they can benefit from my knowledge and my experience, then I'm making a difference." Show up every day Asked who inspires her, Lisa notes that typically, people look to those in positions of leadership or in the public domain for inspiration. "But for me it's the people who come to work despite the challenges and adversities they face on a daily basis; who show up every day with a great attitude, give of their best and really deliver for the business. They remind me on a daily basis to appreciate what I have and all the opportunities Standard Bank has afforded me over the past 30 years." But career success doesn't come without some compromise. "I don't believe you can ever really achieve work life balance," she says. "I think it's more important to be present in what you are doing at any particular time, whether at work or at home, and you have to be quite deliberate about it to achieve your goals." Focus is a big part of her success both in her career and her personal life. Right now, she's training for the Chicago Marathon. "I start my day at 4am to get the training in. That's being deliberate! But I also believe in the link between a healthy body, and a healthy mind, and my running is good for productivity." Business is about people Given a time-machine, she'd advise her younger self that you don't need a leadership title to be a leader in your environment; that no matter how talented you are, you can't always move up without earning your stripes; that's it's not always clear what you're learning from an experience, but if you do your best it might turn out to be a defining opportunity. "Take every opportunity; it's not a waste of time, it's clearing a path for you. And remember that each challenging day might be teaching you something. So learn from it - your future self may thank you." Lisa would also remind herself to protect her reputation and her credibility. "They speak for you when you're not in the room." And lastly, she'd point out the need to build solid relationships. "So much of your career success depends on your relationships, because business is about people." Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

BRENDA HORNER, is the founder and director of the Gap Academy which provides school and university leaving students the privileged opportunity to realistically assess, discover, plan and create for their future career and life paths.Brenda HornerBRENDA HORNER, is the founder and director of the Gap Academy which provides school and university leaving students the privileged opportunity to realistically assess, discover, plan and create for their future career and life paths.BRENDA HORNER, is the founder and director of the Gap Academy which provides school and university leaving students the privileged opportunity to realistically assess, discover, plan and create for their future career and life paths. A Greytown farm girl, Brenda has lived most of her life in the KZN Midlands and attended high school in Pietermaritzburg. After school, she studied a four year degree in food and clothing technology and a physical education degree for high school teaching. Brenda has followed an interesting and diverse career path from teaching, lecturing, and designing and manufacturing of wedding dresses, clothing and soft furnishings, to owning her own consulting and manufacturing interior design company for 27 years. During this time, she compiled also an interior design course for a correspondence school, raised two children and played competitive sport. As a parent and an ex-educator, she was deeply disturbed by the number of students leaving school who did not know what they wanted to do, or were not prepared for the 'real world'. She was equally concerned by the high numbers of students making the wrong career choices and not completing their tertiary studies, and the many students wanting to study but unable to do so due to financial constraints. Identifying the huge void after school, Brenda founded the Gap Academy in 2006 to provide students with a planned and purpose-driven gap year. Students have time to assess their career options and are equipped with knowledge and experience in essential life skills, business and personal finance management and develop emotionally to cope with life after school. "There's so much going on in matric," she points out, "and the pressure to make a decision about the following year is enormous. It often leads to hasty, ill-informed decisions. Teenagers often have no idea what they want to do. They simply don't have the knowledge, experience or exposure to the realistic information they need to make the right choices." To attend the Gap Academy, students need to be 17 years or older (there is no upper age limit - their oldest student was 42). "We prefer our students to have their matric," says Brenda, "but it's not essential. They do however require a good attitude to their work and colleagues, and they must want to attend Gap Academy to plan and achieve for themselves! At the end of the year, our students will have more focus and clearer goals. They'll know what they want to do and have a plan to start the journey to get there." Inspired every day Brenda is inspired by her students, both past and present. "Looking at our students, I can see the impact we've made; that we're doing something really needed in our society. I see past students who've gone on to great things and I know we're making a difference. And I can see it in our current students too. I walk their journey with them every day. It's remarkable to see their growth in one short year, and it's wonderful to know we're instrumental in getting them onto the right path. They leave us with goals, plans and purpose. We give them a platform for life, and that's all the motivation I could ask for." But the Gap Academy has provided another unexpected opportunity too. The business sector and other potential sponsors can see the worth of the Gap programme and get involved by financially investing and assisting students. Lecturers are selected on their reputation and professionalism and invest their time and knowledge in lecturing the students and giving back to the emerging youth. Finding the balance "I don't always achieve a good work/life balance," admits Brenda, "but it's probably been easier for me than many women. When I started this business, my children were grown, so I had fewer demands on my time. But I still need to plan for family time and me-time." Acknowledging that she's very fortunate, Brenda says that her gender has never been an issue for her. "I've never found being a woman a disadvantage; not in my industry." Conceding that it may be more of an issue in male dominated industries, she points out that it's probably more important to be committed and to do what needs to be done. "Whether you're a man or a woman, you need to be at the top of your game to succeed." Asked whether there's anything that she'd do differently, if she was to do it all over again, she hesitates. "Maybe I should have started this Gap year programme sooner. I've achieved what I set out to do, and I can see the results, so I'm very proud of that and I'm happy. It's great to know that you're making a difference in someone's life." But she's not done yet. The Gap Academy has provided an invaluable service to students (and their parents) in the Pietermaritzburg area, but there's plenty of potential in other areas too. 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