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TRISHA GOKOOL PARSHOTAM is exceptionally proud of the success of Dragon Protection Services and is passionate about her brand. She is a major shareholder and partner in the company and heads up the marketing and sales divisionTrisha Gokool ParshotamTRISHA GOKOOL PARSHOTAM is exceptionally proud of the success of Dragon Protection Services and is passionate about her brand. She is a major shareholder and partner in the company and heads up the marketing and sales divisionTRISHA GOKOOL PARSHOTAM is exceptionally proud of the success of Dragon Protection Services and is passionate about her brand. She is a major shareholder and partner in the company and heads up the marketing and sales division. Dragon Protection Services was launched by her husband, Manhar Parshotam, in 1995, and relaunched in 2007 after a few years of working in the finance sector. According to Trisha, the company really got off the ground during the 2010 World Cup when they managed to get a car on the road and brand it. Trisha says, "From there it's been a wonderful nine years." She flags her decision in 2011 to 'pour her passion' into growing their brand as the start of their journey. Trisha followed her school career at Durban Girls' College with an Honours degree in strategic market-ing at the then University of Natal. As a brand specialist, she has had the expertise to grow their business from strength to strength. Dragon Protection Services is a security company that provides (hu)manpower incorporating armed and unarmed guarding and escorting trucks from port to border, their specialty being bodyguarding celebrities, government VIPs, and sports personalities. Bonding in the car When Trisha recalls their early days of running the business she chuckles, describing how - as newly-weds who were the managers/supervisors/directors - they spent their time bonding in the car while driving around checking their sites at 6 am in the morning, and again in the evening for around three to four hours at a time. "We did not have a full night's sleep for maybe two to three years. We had the radio going, the cellphone ringing... There was no office - it was our dining room table in our two and a half-bedroom flat!" Trisha attributes their success to community support and prioritising their expenses. She feels they were blessed by people who had started small, the way they had, and gave them the opportunity to guard their properties or their businesses once they had developed them. Living life less indulgently was a must and became the foundation of Trisha's lifestyle. She admits to having learned a lot from Manhar who she describes as "a bit older, a bit wiser, and more streetwise", his considered approach balancing her spontaneity. Vision for the future Although they have an exciting vision for the future, Trisha says that there've been times when they've been tempted to work for someone, knowing there's a guaranteed pay cheque in their pocket at the end of each month, relieving them of the pressure of finding staff salaries on time. However, their commitment to empower and give people jobs is what keeps Dragon going. Trisha is firm that you have to have faith: "You need to believe that you are where you are for a reason and that you're going to keep moving forward." Dragon focuses on hiring staff, deliberately incorporating women, who live in the area where the work is so that all residents benefit from those developments. Their vision is to start up a training centre focusing on merging the role of hospitality with security, which Trisha describes as a niche market. She wants her staff to know that their purpose goes beyond being a presence at the door, and she wants to help them to shift their perspective of themselves and their work, to know that they serve a greater purpose. Believe in yourself Trisha derives inspiration from herself, as well as family members, saying: "If you don't believe in yourself and you can't inspire yourself, then who are you? You need to understand who you are, what your purpose is, what your core competencies are, and once you know that you will inspire yourself." She's also been inspired by videos and books, and witnessing how her father and grandmother, from small beginnings, have grown empires. Her mother too, who 'held the fort at home', has been an inspiration. "I'm not only inspired as a businesswoman, I'm inspired as a mother... That cape never comes off us and that inspiration has come from my mother. Also, there are very few women in the security industry so that, to me, is my inspiration - knowing that there's one of me." Trisha identifies being a woman in a male-dominated industry as a perpetual challenge, particularly when pitching for her business in the boardroom and all the questions are then put to her husband. "Unfortunately, women have to have a different approach to men in business, simply because we're wired differently. The story of 'Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars', is absolutely true." Speaking from experience, she adds: "Together, as a team, men and women are amazing. We both have different ingredients that we can add to this amazing build up... We work together, I work hand in hand with men." Achieving a work-life balance is not a struggle for Trisha who, after initially feeling guilty for returning to work after becoming a mother, rationalised her position in the workplace by acknowledging that she needs to serve a higher purpose where her skills are needed and she can add value. Her advice to her younger self would be, "That was awesome. I'm so happy you did what you did!" She continues: "For me, if I didn't do all of what I did then, I wouldn't be where I am today so there would be no other advice...Live every day to what your heart wants to try and see what you can be." 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

LENORE GOSS-MATJIE, the founder and CEO of "Styled by Le'Nore", is a qualified image consultant, fashion stylist, an etiquette and protocol consultant as well as a motivational speakerLenore Goss MatjieLENORE GOSS-MATJIE, the founder and CEO of "Styled by Le'Nore", is a qualified image consultant, fashion stylist, an etiquette and protocol consultant as well as a motivational speakerLENORE GOSS-MATJIE, the founder and CEO of "Styled by Le'Nore", is a qualified image consultant, fashion stylist, an etiquette and protocol consultant as well as a motivational speaker. The beginnings of her journey were as a professional and qualified dancer, dance coach and adjudicator from the age of 18, and a dance academy owner. Lenore was involved in grooming, styling, and makeup for all her dancers. She was responsible for putting together stage dance productions where the styling and image of the theme had to be communicated to the audience. In addition, Lenore travelled to United States with dance groups. Lenore's and her husband Neville's dance academy was one of the most successful in KwaZulu-Natal. Through this academy, the husband and wife team travelled extensively throughout KwaZulu- Natal and neighbouring countries doing outreach programmes in rural communities, working very closely with the youth. In 2005, explained Lenore, "I unfortunately had an accident while 29 weeks pregnant with my second child. This was a life changing event, which forced me to leave teaching as well as dancing." A new normal Lenore had developed a debilitating muscular skeletal chronic medical condition, called Fibro-myalgia (which to date has no cure but can be managed). "As a result, the next few years saw me undergoing many surgeries, as well as treatments, being in and out of a wheelchair and using crutches... trying to learn how to cope and adapt to my "new normal" way of living." "But I am a fighter, a warrior and although I lost many years through being trapped in a vicious cycle of surgeries, treatments, constant pain and depression, my unwavering belief and trust in God and the unconditional love, support and motivation from my family, saw me emerge victorious against the odds... Breaking Barriers." In further reflecting on what inspires her, Lenore explains that as a woman living with Fibromyalgia, she approaches and looks at life in a more grateful and thoughtful way. "I must truthfully say that I draw inspiration from everyone. I realise that as human beings we all face our own challenges. Conversing with people, as well as observing how they get through their challenges and odds, inspires me immensely. The privilege that I have of being a mom to three amazing children who are so loving and selfless and whom are my biggest supporters, always inspires me. Having a loving husband and wonderful father to our children, also gives me much inspiration." Lenore added that uMama Winnie Mandela is an inspiration for her. "An incredible, brave and selfless human being, who continued to emerge victorious against all the odds." Grooming and styling business Lenore's background in dance and her experiences as a qualified school teacher resulted in her developing a keen interest in growing her passion for grooming and styling into a business. Her vision was to service clients and help them in the space of beauty and glamour. Lenore's focus is on the growth of individuals and corporates, by consulting on the art of building self-esteem through a positive approach to fashion. As a former educator, her goal is to encourage young people to liberate themselves through the power of knowledge and education. She is passionate about the development of young people through programmes aimed at the girl child. In assessing the approaches of men and women in business, Lenore says that the reality is that the corporate and business environment is dominated by males. However, she added that male domination does not determine a woman's destiny or success. As such one of her aims is to inspire women to be advocates for change and trailblazers in their respective industries. "Only you have the power through resilience, focus and determination to succeed. In defining the word 'success' one finds that it is different for each person. Being a CEO of a company or a top executive in corporate may be success for one person. However, being the CEO of your household and your destiny is also success to another person. Don't base and measure your success on another person's success." To date Lenore is happy with what she has achieved but knows that there is so much more that she wants to do and will do. "Learning and growing as an individual is never-ending. I am in it for the long-haul and I want to learn and grow. I am determined to develop my own shoes and accessories line and to engage with more collaborations with various brands in the effort to empower women and youth." Believe in yourself Achieving a work-life balance is not an easy task for Lenore. "Although I work mostly from home, it is sometimes challenging to ensure that I give my all to both my family and my clients, without burning out. What I always do though, and unapologetically so, is to ensure that my children, their needs, and their special events, take priority." If Lenore could advise her younger self she would say, not to view situations as failures, but rather as learning experiences. "It is what you do with those learning experiences that is critical." Most importantly she advises, "Believe in yourself, you are braver than you think, more talented than you know and capable of more than you can imagine." (Roy T. Bennett). 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

On South Africa is a website that links consumers to suppliers across twelve categories, with a dedicated website for each category. "For example," says Sarah, "if you were planning a function, you could go onto the OnSA Celebrate site and find everything you need - caterers, photographers, florists, venuesSarah WhitakerOn South Africa is a website that links consumers to suppliers across twelve categories, with a dedicated website for each category. "For example," says Sarah, "if you were planning a function, you could go onto the OnSA Celebrate site and find everything you need - caterers, photographers, florists, venuesAs an art teacher looking for art supplies, Sarah Whitaker did what we all do - she asked Google. But she didn't get the answers she was looking for. "Between the big stationery stores and paid ads, I just couldn't find the small, specialised suppliers I wanted," she said. Happily, her network of art teachers filled the gap and she discovered a rich resource of small businesses that had exactly what she needed - but couldn't find online. This was the inspiration for On South Africa (OnSA). Sarah realised that there was a host of small businesses offering products and services of real value - but unable to reach their target market. "I realised that being found online could make a huge difference in their sustainability and profitability, but most of them simply didn't have the resources and digital skills to make it happen." So, she set about creating a structure to help them do just that - without the high costs that usually accompany building a strong online presence. Easy access to specialist small businesses On South Africa is a website that links consumers to suppliers across twelve categories, with a dedicated website for each category. "For example," says Sarah, "if you were planning a function, you could go onto the OnSA Celebrate site and find everything you need - caterers, photographers, florists, venues." The OnSA categories include home, start-ups, social, "kidlets" and more. "Visitors get to search by province, they find suppliers relevant to them, and the small businesses have the chance to connect with customers in their local area." For Sarah, one of the key issues is that when visitors click on a business, they go to a profile page and get to go behind the scenes and find out about the people running the businesses. "With small businesses, relationships are important, and site visitors can connect with people they relate to." Sarah has also chosen not to allow any invasive or aggressive ads. There are no distracting pop-ups and no spam or click-bait on her sites. "It's just links to the websites of companies who can help you. You find out about the businesses who can give you what you need, and the people who run them. And we help them showcase their small businesses to people who are looking for their services, in their area." Women bring warmth to business Setting up On South Africa and its network of 12 websites, "so far", in 2017 was a major undertaking for a solo entrepreneur, and Sarah gives huge credit to her husband and friends and family who helped and supported her, "and brought me a constant stream of coffee". "I've been surrounded by strong, independent women my whole life, particularly my mother and my sister, and they've been a huge inspiration to me. And my family and friends have been an enormous support to me as I've grown my business." "I believe that women bring a warmth, and a more nurturing approach to business, and this can bring a different dimension to how we run our businesses. It's not that we need to behave differently than men in order to succeed," Sarah points out, "but often we just do." Sarah admits she's not good at work-life balance. Married to her childhood sweetheart, and with three beautiful daughters, her family is central to her life and her happiness. "I'm ADD*, but when I'm immersed in a project I can really focus on it, sometimes almost obsessively. I still sometimes pull all-nighters to get things done." So she's grateful for the help she gets from friends and family - and she's aiming to get the balance right soon. A strong believer that you can achieve anything if you believe in yourself, Sarah wishes she'd realised this when she was younger - because she would have taken on bigger challenges sooner! Big Dreams "I want to make a positive difference and empower and uplift as many small businesses as possible, and this is only the beginning," says Sarah. "Yes, I'm proud of what I'm doing - and that I'm helping other entrepreneurs while supporting various charities too. Sometimes I have to stop and remind myself what I've achieved, because there's so much I want to do." Highly creative, Sarah not only does all the web design herself, she's is also a well-established glass artist with impressive credentials, including a 100 metre original artwork (yes, one hundred metres!) on the façade of the Bridge City shopping centre in KwaMashu, incorporating drawings by children in the KwaMashu area. On her LinkedIn profile, Sarah describes herself as the founder of On South Africa and creator of big dreams. Happily, her big dreams are also helping fulfil the dreams of other South African entrepreneurs. 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

Marileen says the route to where she is today started when she was still in grade eight and she just fell in love with accounting. Even at that young age, she dreamt of being a chartered accountant and made a conscious decision to make this her goal and to work towards itMarileen PretoriusMarileen says the route to where she is today started when she was still in grade eight and she just fell in love with accounting. Even at that young age, she dreamt of being a chartered accountant and made a conscious decision to make this her goal and to work towards itMARILEEN PRETORIUS, a chartered accountant and registered auditor, is an external audit associate director for KPMG Durban, and is part of the leadership team. She maintains responsibility and oversight of the external auditing division leading a team of audit professionals, providing assurance to shareholders, financiers, and third parties. Marileen says the route to where she is today started when she was still in grade eight and she just fell in love with accounting. Even at that young age, she dreamt of being a chartered accountant and made a conscious decision to make this her goal and to work towards it. "In the end, lots of hard work, perseverance, and dedication were required, as the road to becoming a chartered accountant is a long and hard one, involving studies and articles that many give up on," she reflects. Along the way, Marileen received significant input into her professional life from 'the great leaders' at KPMG. Since it is a learning environment, she can always discuss issues with fellow professionals. Marileen is grateful that she has benefitted from the mentoring and coaching she received from people who had crossed her path. Marileen admits KPMG has gone through tough times, but she is committed to working with the leadership team to rebuild the firm, showing the world who they really are and restoring their public image. Since moving from East London to the Durban practice during 2018, Marileen has been embraced by the partners like a family member. She added, "I would not have been able to achieve what I have without the support of my family - a committed husband and my two children - as well as my circle of amazing friends." Marileen also gives credit to her team for helping her to function effectively. Inspirational parents Marileen's biggest inspiration in life came from her parents who have been married for 49 years. "They are an example of what can be achieved when a couple works together." Her father was in the SA Defence Force, and he taught her to work hard, be loyal and persevere. She values his professionalism and 'can-do' attitude. He taught her: 'If the vision is clear, the how-to will be invented', and she often reminds herself of this mantra. Her mother was 'a stay-at-home mom' and the backbone of the family. They often moved between cities due to her father being transferred, and her mother always supported him, ran the household, and raised the children. Her mother has been helping people in the community as long as Marileen can remember and her mother's unwavering faith has helped the family through difficult times, keeping them all close to this day. Supporting people's progress In reflecting on the approach of men and women to business, Marileen does not believe that there should be differences. The accounting profession has been male-dominated in the past but has recently grown and developed into an environment where men and women can be successful. "The diversity brought by different genders strengthens teams, and the different qualities of the genders, if used together, contribute to overall success," she explains. However, Marileen enjoys supporting the progress of women in business. She was involved with the Business Women's Association in East London, providing businesswomen with professional support. She played an active part in the "Coca Cola 5by20 project", mentoring and empowering women entrepreneurs working in rural communities. Most of the women did not have accounting knowledge, and it was fulfilling for Marileen to share her knowledge, teaching them about financial records, bookkeeping, and general financial principles. She enjoys KPMG as a training environment where coaching and mentoring are offered, and finds it fulfilling to help people learn and grow. Being more than your job title Marileen is happy with her accomplishments and where she is, yet adamant that it is far from the end of her journey. She believes, "A job title does not reflect who you are, or what you have accomplished. One's values are more important". She tries to leave any place better than it was when she found it. One of her aspirations is for her teenage children to grow up anchored in their faith, able to handle life's challenges successfully and become responsible adults contributing to society. She comments, "A work-life balance is becoming increasingly difficult in a fast-paced world where immediate results are demanded." For her, the quantity of time available to spend with the people you love and doing things you value is less important than the quality of such time and being present in the moment. As a family they have regular breakaways and participate in Parkruns over weekends, helping them to stay connected. She feels fortunate to have a good circle of friends, and they have an annual 'women only' event. She believes it is important for her as a woman to make enough time for herself, do something she loves and get recharged to be the best she can be. If she could give advice to her younger self, it would be not to take life so seriously and stress less. She would encourage herself to take more chances and constantly look for ways to diversify, innovate and be prepared for changes, "the only constant in life". She would implore herself to value every day and spend it doing the important things with the people who matter most to her. Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

Melinda's major role is to drive the business forward and to ensure that standards and customer service continues to be fulfilled and exceeded. "We view ourselves as the experts in our field. We align ourselves with our clients' staffing needs, tailoring our services offerings to meet their diverse operational requirementsMelinda CooksonMelinda's major role is to drive the business forward and to ensure that standards and customer service continues to be fulfilled and exceeded. "We view ourselves as the experts in our field. We align ourselves with our clients' staffing needs, tailoring our services offerings to meet their diverse operational requirementsMELINDA COOKSON, the CEO of Futurelink, a national staffing solutions company, is unwaveringly passionate about the diverse industry she works in. In 1995, Melinda entered the staffing industry as a business development manager for a national staffing company. Five years later, armed with fantastic training and work experience, she took a huge leap of faith and started her own recruitment agency. "I started without any capital, however I was filled with loads of passion and tenacity to see this dream realised. I was fortunate to be given a small corner in a business friend's office to work from. I put my head down and worked very hard. All my planning took place at night and during the day I made sure that every productive minute was spent sitting in front of the right clients." Since those humble beginnings, Futurelink has grown to have a footprint in most of the major regions in South Africa. Experts in our field Melinda's major role is to drive the business forward and to ensure that standards and customer service continues to be fulfilled and exceeded. "We view ourselves as the experts in our field. We align ourselves with our clients' staffing needs, tailoring our services offerings to meet their diverse operational requirements." Futurelink places skilled people in various positions across a range of industries. "Our Flexible Staffing Division allows our clients to operate their businesses profitably through the peaks and troughs of their production cycles by allowing us to place bulk temps throughout these seasons." Futurelink enjoys a buoyant and well-staffed Industrial Relations (IR) Division wherein they have access to over 30 IR consultants as well as labour lawyers and attorneys around the country to assist clients with matters that may end up at the CCMA or Labour Court. Their Cleaning and Hygiene Division boasts well trained staff to ensure they keep their clients premises and factories spotlessly clean and hygienic. Futurelink's Payroll Division offers an efficient and accurate payroll service to their clients. "Futurelink's success to date has been based on service. As a business owner, I have made it my priority to ensure that exceptional staff are interacting with and supporting our clients. I remain passionate about the industry I operate in and my hands on approach to ensuring that my staff go over and beyond to ensure client satisfaction will remain an integral part of Futurelink's ethos." Inspired by ordinary people Melinda says that she is inspired by ordinary people who have faced adversity and have overcome challenges. These are the people we should be applauding. "Helping my clients, inspires and motivates me by offering workable and profitable solutions to sustain their businesses. For many of our clients, we have contributed to their success by placing good, productive people in their businesses. We have watched companies transition through all sorts of changes in the economy and are now running very successful and profitable businesses." Manage people upwards In addition, Melinda recognises that her company's success can be attributed to the great team with whom she has surrounded herself. "A business is only as good as the people it employs. Over time I have built an atmosphere of mutual respect amongst my staff, all of whom operate in an environment of integrity. I manage people upwards to make sure that they are doing their jobs properly and really encourage my staff to take ownership of their responsibilities, get involved and make the right decisions." A level of excellence Reflecting on the role of women, Melinda says that she does not believe that women should have a different approach to business to men. "I deal with a lot of men in business and I have never felt inferior or that they are treating me differently because I am a woman. I have always enjoyed a mutually respectful and professional relationship with my male clients. That said, make sure you deliver regardless of the gender of your client or customer." "We operate at a level of excellence that sets us apart in the marketplace. I am steadfast when it comes to following procedures and 'doing things properly', and nothing is too much trouble for our clients. The staffing industry is highly competitive, and you need to out-perform your competitors at every opportunity. We have done this time and time again. I am happy and grateful for what I have accomplished but there is still a lot I have to do." Uplifting others Melinda believes that it is essential for businesses to get involved and give back to communities. She was an active member of the Ukuthula Trust, which is an NPO based in Chesterville near Durban. She has also since formed the Futurelink Empowerment Trust which focuses on developing young people through educational support and career guidance. Melinda says that her family is a huge part of her life and in her leisure time she enjoys the outdoors and wildlife. "To my younger self I would say trust and enjoy your journey in this life. All the ups and downs, failures and successes, bad and good times. These all help to develop you, to teach you, to build great tenacity within you which will equip you for great things." she concluded. Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

BUSI GUMEDE is the founder and CEO of Goodlife Foods. The company provides natural kefir products, which offer probiotic and other health benefits, under the 'KePro' brand. Busi oversees the overall functioning of the company, formulates its products, manages production and marketing, and looks after customersBusi GumedeBUSI GUMEDE is the founder and CEO of Goodlife Foods. The company provides natural kefir products, which offer probiotic and other health benefits, under the 'KePro' brand. Busi oversees the overall functioning of the company, formulates its products, manages production and marketing, and looks after customersBUSI GUMEDE is the founder and CEO of Goodlife Foods. The company provides natural kefir products, which offer probiotic and other health benefits, under the 'KePro' brand. Busi oversees the overall functioning of the company, formulates its products, manages production and marketing, and looks after customers. Busi was raised by her grandparents and "practically grew up in their trading store near Bulwer". Her biological mother was too young to take care of her and became like an older sister, whilst her grandmother became her mother and role model. "I tried to walk like she walked and to work as hard as she did," Busi says. Her family expected her to become a doctor, but she loathed working with blood and studied for a BTech, Food Science degree instead. After her studies, Busi moved to Cape Town and became a food selector for Woolworths and then a quality assurance manager for the Oceania group. On returning to Durban, she took over the family's traditional trading stores, transforming these into convenience supermarkets. However, changing shopping patterns, brought about by people in the townships buying goods elsewhere and criminal activities affected the business. After being shot at, hijacked, robbed and brutally assaulted, she closed the stores and lost almost everything she owned. Providing engineering services A marketing agreement with the advertising agency Ogilvy and a joint venture with Ikusasa Communi-cations followed. Busi offered marketing services to Eskom, but an opportunity to consult and help with their electrification drive followed instead. She had enough drive and vision, but no qualifications or staff. Fortune favoured her, however, as suitable people became available following Eskom staff retrenchments. Busi formed a company, Global Pact Consulting, recruited staff and commenced transmission and distribution work two months later. She acquired an understanding of engineering, and the business became successful, employing 450 people nationally. The future seemed bright until 2009 when, as Busi puts it, "the giant fell, taking us with it". Eskom failed to make payments for eight months, and banks turned on her company due to its Eskom link. Retrenchments became inevitable and the company downsized in 2012 focusing on smaller contracts. Feeling good Consequently, Busi became stressed and very sick. She had surgery, but realised she had to heal herself. On a friend's recommendation she tried kefir, which led to her amazing healing. Kefir which translates as 'feeling good' was however only available in limited quantities from health shops. Busi, perceiving a commercial opportunity; 'cheekily' contacted the Danish Dairy Board since Denmark is a world leading supplier. The board hosted her, and she learnt about the production, distribution and difficulties of growing kefir. This resulted in Busi founding Goodlife Foods and formulating products beyond what Denmark offered. She is proud of making breakthroughs in her own kitchen including developing unique spoon kefir, which is eaten like a yogurt. New processes were developed for the product that is now registered as a new dairy segment in South Africa and spelling changed to Kephir. The products are available on a small scale in KwaZulu-Natal, but a production facility is being built near Lions River to produce Goodlife Food's products on a large scale for national distribution. Biggest inspiration Busi ascribes her achievements to hard work and to grabbing available opportunities. Busi says her grandmother has been her biggest inspiration. "Her strength, wisdom, and achievements without formal education are amazing." "People who have achieved something although they started with nothing and came from nowhere impress me. There are numerous women out of the limelight who are doing the most for people." However, Oprah Winfrey inspires her with the way she has overcome several obstacles and created a prosperous global brand. And says Busi, my children are a true litmus test, I am in awe of them! "My children do inspiring things daily." According to Busi, women need a different approach to business than men. "When I started my business as a young person I was often viewed as a child, not a capable businessperson. I have found that women need to prove themselves repeatedly and work harder to get the same results as men." Busi is content and grateful for what she has accomplished so far. She would, however, like to do and achieve more. "When you start in business it is about what you can do for yourself, but as you grow as a person, doing things to change people's lives for the better becomes important." She finds that achieving a work-life balance is difficult if you try to do everything yourself, especially as a single mother of two children. "Achieving a balance is about allocating enough time for business and my children whilst leaving some for myself." Busi would advise her younger self, the person she was at about 20, to marry after first studying and travelling, and to get more exposure to the world before starting her own business. "Such advice could have saved me lots of money and pain." Busi says she does not care about money anymore, it is more important to do something for people, especially young women needing help to get their businesses off the ground. "This has become a passion and I am in the process of starting a fund to support people to get their businesses going." 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

Shamla is an experienced lawyer who has been in practice for 22 years. Her practice provides a wide range of legal services, with a team to back up the firm's various divisions, with its focus being commercial and civil litigationShamla PatherShamla is an experienced lawyer who has been in practice for 22 years. Her practice provides a wide range of legal services, with a team to back up the firm's various divisions, with its focus being commercial and civil litigationSHAMLA PATHER is an attorney, and the sole owner of her practice, Shamla Pather Attorneys, which is based in Umhlanga Rocks. Shamla is an experienced lawyer who has been in practice for 22 years. Her practice provides a wide range of legal services, with a team to back up the firm's various divisions, with its focus being commercial and civil litigation. Shamla also has experience with family law, a sphere which she specialises in, this work is on a referred based, where she is solicited for her niche expertise. Shamla practices all over the country and also has a variety of international clients. Shamla's upbringing and family life was simple and humble, and this set the tone for her to want to succeed. Whist she has done well as an attorney, her humility and simplicity are obvious traits she possesses. She has not forgotten her days of living in Chatsworth, where she grew up as the youngest of four children. With three older brothers she learnt to play rugby and soccer at a young age and became a football fanatic. Her dad, a manufacturing jeweller was a weekly wage earner, Shamla found that he was still paying off her brother's university fees, although he had been seven years ahead of her, when she completed matric. This was a turning point in her life as she knew that to succeed, hard work and commitment was required. An amazing woman Shamla attributes her success and hard work to her late mum. She is emphatic that her mother remains the most amazing individual she has encountered. Her mum passed away during Shamla's final year at university, which was very traumatic. Her father's death followed just four years later, whilst she assumed the role of mum at home. She says, "Every accolade, every milestone achieved, I dedicate to my mother. She still inspires me to be the best that I can be." Shamla adds that her mother was not formally educated but she taught her values and doing things the right way irrespective of fear or incrimination. The attitude that athletes have inspires Shamla daily. She was an athlete at school and an athlete's focus gives Shamla strength and exhilaration. "Anything can be achieved with hard work, determination, and dedication". The start of any problem is like a race and you must focus on what the last 50 metres will bring. If you have done your preparation and you are confident, natural endurance will take over and you will succeed. Uplifting others In evaluating what she has accomplished so far, Shamla says that she is content but looks at achieving more in the social environment. Having come from a disadvantaged background, she is a champion of women's and children's rights. It is a most rewarding feeling when you have made a difference in someone's life. Shamla does not believe women should approach business differently to men and she suggests that women adapt to their environment. "Gone are the days that this is a man's world. It is definitely your world, whatever your gender. With the number of opportunities that women have, instead of competing against men, you should just get out there and do what you do. There is no reason to be in their shadow, there is no reason to complain. Being a woman should not be looked upon as a handicap but rather a compliment. When I went for my first interview for articles of clerkship, I was offered a secretarial position with more salary, as I was told that I looked the part of a secretary, more than that of a lawyer. I was not deterred." And now Shamla confidently says that she has won many matters against that firm. Shamla is the patron of several organisations and she makes it her duty to assist where she can. She contributes to the upliftment of the society by doing pro bono work, team building, and fund-raising. She is happy to get her hands dirty and says to have accomplished something for your community means you are leaving behind a legacy. Shamla achieves a healthy work-life balance and she credits her husband for this. "Despite him being a busy medical doctor, he is helpful and stands by my side, allowing me to do the things that need to be done." He is her biggest admirer and has encouraged Shamla to break boundaries and not to be afraid. That's rare and she appreciates his unselfish commitment. Family time is family time She has a good support system but thinks that her background of becoming a mum at an early age to her siblings allows her to juggle work and home. Her family, including her daughter Jayde, has adapted to a schedule that works for everyone. Jayde is the light of Shamla's life and to date her biggest and best achievement. Jayde is adoring of her mother and equally proud of her. Jayde says, "Whatever needs to be done, mum makes a plan". If she had to go back to her younger self, Shamla would have told the person she was in her thirties: "Have another child. Children make life fun, keep you younger". Shamla and Dan are blessed to have Jayde, their only child and the reality that she goes away from home to university is a lonely thought. Shamla feels she was selfish to Jayde in not having another child, as the beauty and bonds of siblings is priceless. Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

BRIGITTE TURNER is head of Harvey World Travel Highway. When Brigitte bought Harvey World Travel Highway 18 years ago, she'd never worked in the travel industry. In fact, she'd built a highly successful corporate career in property development and was managing director of a major national property organisation. Despite the demands of her corporate position, Brigitte was a natural entrepreneur and already owned three other companies when a friend mentioned that there might be an interesting opportunity in a small travel business.Brigitte TurnerBRIGITTE TURNER is head of Harvey World Travel Highway. When Brigitte bought Harvey World Travel Highway 18 years ago, she'd never worked in the travel industry. In fact, she'd built a highly successful corporate career in property development and was managing director of a major national property organisation. Despite the demands of her corporate position, Brigitte was a natural entrepreneur and already owned three other companies when a friend mentioned that there might be an interesting opportunity in a small travel business.BRIGITTE TURNER is head of Harvey World Travel Highway. When Brigitte bought Harvey World Travel Highway 18 years ago, she'd never worked in the travel industry. In fact, she'd built a highly successful corporate career in property development and was managing director of a major national property organisation. Despite the demands of her corporate position, Brigitte was a natural entrepreneur and already owned three other companies when a friend mentioned that there might be an interesting opportunity in a small travel business. Having thrived in the male dominated property development industry, Brigitte doesn't believe that women need to take a different approach to men to their careers. "Yes, women are still frequently discriminated against, particularly when it comes to salaries in corporates, but women have more opportunities that ever before. Instead of being daunted by your situation," she says, "you need to trust in yourself, believe that there are opportunities because you have something to offer, and be yourself." She credits her talented and committed team for their huge contribution, and takes guidance from Richard Branson, her "ultimate entrepreneur", in setting high targets for herself. Branson says he never sets a target unless it really frustrates him, and Brigitte agrees that without aiming high, you'll never reach great heights. Making business success meaningful "I'm definitely proud of what I've achieved, but I'm certainly not at the end of my career yet," she points out. "There's so much to be done - and not enough time to do it." Inspired by Branson's philanthropic commitment as well as his business acumen, and by Mother Theresa's service to her community, Brigitte knows that everyone can make a difference. "I only wish I could be even half as selfless as Mother Theresa," she laughs. Business success has allowed Brigette to make a greater contribution to society. As a business, Harvey World Travel Highway supports community events and helps with fundraising projects, but Brigitte feels that this is only part of it. Over the years she's served on the boards of several charities and gives of her time and business skills too. She's particularly committed to her church's social transformation project and headed a business forum to develop business skills for emerging entrepreneurs. "The business forum started as a workshop for three or four entrepreneurs each meeting, and rapidly grew to over 150 people every week, with formal training courses." But Brigitte didn't just set up the business forum, she trained entrepreneurs herself, spending many a Monday evening in Kwadabeka and Lamontville. She's particularly fulfilled by the real success stories that started in these workshops, and one in particular made a real mark. "Mandisa Sithole, who owns the craft shop at King Shaka International Airport, had a small beading business and a big dream. And I'm so honoured to have been a small part of her journey." Brigitte has recently joined Rotary, and notes that, like everything else in life, the more you give, the more you get back. Living a well-rounded life With running a demanding business, her family commitments and community work, it can't be easy to do it all, but Brigitte is adamant that you need balance. "My circle of life includes family, friends, spirituality, career, finances, health and love life, and everything needs to be in balance for my life to work," she says. "If one element is out of balance, I feel it across all aspects of my life. And I need my community work as much as I need my exercise." Needless to say, life is not always perfect, and Brigitte points out that a difficult divorce a few years ago took its toll and she felt she was in a slump across every element. But true to her belief that our time on earth is limited and we need to use it well, she soon got herself back on track. "Whenever I feel things aren't going as well as they should, I take a good look at my wheel of life, pray to God for guidance, and figure out which area I need to deal with. And it works for me." Be kind When asked what advice she would give her younger self, Brigitte says it's the same advice she gives her three children today. "Be kind and be generous, stick to your values, pray often and remember that ethics matter. If you follow this simple dictum, it will stand you in good stead, and you'll always be able to look people in the eye." 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

MICAELA FAITH MEYER is a multitalented independent businessperson and entrepreneur in several activities, mostly related to the health and fitness industry. A qualified personal trainer, Micaela instructs groups and individuals in Pilates, ballet and yogaMicaela Faith MeyerMICAELA FAITH MEYER is a multitalented independent businessperson and entrepreneur in several activities, mostly related to the health and fitness industry. A qualified personal trainer, Micaela instructs groups and individuals in Pilates, ballet and yogaMICAELA FAITH MEYER is a multitalented independent businessperson and entrepreneur in several activities, mostly related to the health and fitness industry. A qualified personal trainer, Micaela instructs groups and individuals in Pilates, ballet and yoga. In addition, she is a dietician and nutritional therapist. Along with being an event planner and coordinator, Micaela does marketing on behalf of organisations and does business networking, mainly through the Upper Highway Pure Lifestyle page. An independent, self-sufficient woman Micaela is an unusually self-sufficient person, who has had to help herself to get to where she is today. She remarks, "Nobody really helped me, I mostly had to work things out for myself. I built the right connections to get where I am today by following my passion along life's unpredictable paths." She has had to recognise or create her opportunities and describes these as "blessings aligned with her purpose". She adds that enjoying what she does has also helped her along the way. Micaela's independence started at a very young age. Her father works for non-profit organisations internationally. This work takes place mostly in rural communities where he participates in community and social development initiatives and makes participatory videos. Her mother is a paramedic. Micaela says of her, "She is the hardest working woman that I know. Regardless of her age, she works 24/7. My mother is more of an inspiration to me than anyone else." Micaela adds that her parents were "very hands-off" meaning she had to grow up very quickly, be self-sufficient and become independent. Consequently, she says she has lived mainly on her own and started working when she was only fourteen years. "This has driven me to be ambitious, strive for great goals and set high standards for myself." Another person who has been an inspiration for Micaela in business and life is Rolene Strauss, a former Miss South Africa winner as well as the Miss World in 2014. Rolene inspires Micaela because she has done much to empower many women through giving back to the community and uplifting people, especially women, though her various organisations and by her general example. "I share Rolene's values about health, business, and life," commented Micaela. More than a fitness instructor Micaela started her working career by working for a non-profit organisation in the Drakensberg. "At least in part because I love being outdoors in nature, and I am an adrenaline junkie," she commented. In so doing, Micaela immediately realised that she wanted to work with people and empower them. She decided to get involved with the health and fitness industry, and studied aromatherapy, nutrition and completed several other courses. Micaela worked at Cotswold Downs where she did personal training, and instructed yoga and Pilates groups. A position at Fit 24 Gym in Waterfall followed, where, in addition to instruction classes, she undertook marketing for the gym as well as small businesses in the area. Micaela worked closely with Strut Active, an active clothing brand offering swim and dancewear. Along the way she also managed the DMA gallery and gained experience dealing in art. During 2018 she started doing event planning and co-ordinated a big event at Cotswold Down that involved dieticians, fashion designers and fitness workouts. "I am passionate about empowering people through living a healthy, active lifestyle, and this became the reason for my involvement in lifestyle events," she explained. Success depends on the individual In Micaela's view, women and men should generally have the same approach to business. "Women do however need to be a bit more subtle and more focused on personal relations, rather than just financial wealth," she says. In addition, Micaela believes that women have the same ambition and drive as men in the business world and that success depends on the individual. In reflecting on her achievements, Micaela says that she is happy to have reached the place where she is, and also happy about where she is going. "There is still much left that I want to achieve, and I have big things planned for 2020, especially in terms of event coordination." She is planning and organising a major lifestyle expo to take place during October 2020 at "The Venue", a wedding and conference centre in the Shongweni area. Micaela believes that she has achieved a work-life balance even though work is her main focus. "I enjoy most things considered as work, like instructing Pilates, ballet, and yoga. I instruct and work out every morning and evening, but make sure that I have time for myself - I usually rest on a Sunday." There are no limitations If she could go back in time and give her younger self advice, Micaela would confirm that there are no limitations to what she can do. She would add that "Education is power, you need to start as soon as possible, find your purpose and work on that." Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

As head of Retail and Business Banking in KwaZulu-Natal, Victoria is responsible for overseeing operations across the personal and business banking segments including the bank's extensive branch network, ATMs, private banking suites and small and medium enterprisesVictoria NgwenyaAs head of Retail and Business Banking in KwaZulu-Natal, Victoria is responsible for overseeing operations across the personal and business banking segments including the bank's extensive branch network, ATMs, private banking suites and small and medium enterprisesVICTORIA NGWENYA credits her father for his role in her success. "From an early age, my father instilled in me an appreciation of the value of a great education and a strong work ethic. I wouldn't be where I am today without having either of these and, of course, lots of luck." As head of Retail and Business Banking in KwaZulu-Natal, Victoria is responsible for overseeing operations across the personal and business banking segments including the bank's extensive branch network, ATMs, private banking suites and small and medium enterprises. It's been a journey, and she's had to work hard to earn her stripes in the corporate world, but she's had some impressive role models. "Admittedly, it's been a great help and source of inspiration to have phenomenal leadership in banking today." Changing the narrative "Financial services is a tough industry," she says, "and one that, in the past, marginalised a lot of black people, particularly women. But there's a wave of incredible executives, both women and men, that are deliberate about and committed to changing the narrative. I draw lot of inspiration and courage from these leaders for their resoluteness." "Our very own, Sim Tshabalala CEO of Standard Bank, is an absolute icon, and Funeka Montjane, our Chief Executive of Personal and Business Banking, is a remarkable visionary and leader. She started out in banking very young and has had a long impressive career." Victoria also singles out Raisibe Morathi, CFO of Nedbank. "Raisibe has played a critical role in my personal growth and in my career development. She's been very instrumental as a mentor and has taken a keen interest in me and selflessly guided me up the corporate ladder." Since joining Standard Bank, Victoria says she's also very fortunate to work with a very inspiring leader, Imraan Noorbhai. "He's taken a very hands-on approach to immerse me in the retail business. My previous experience is in corporate and investment banking, and retail banking is quite different - this is a people business and it is driven by volume. It's fantastic and a great privilege to work with Imraan who has a wealth of knowledge in this business." Invest in yourself and your career A firm believer in continually investing in yourself and your career, Victoria is inspired by phenomenal women. "Women have always been marginalised, and we need to work a lot harder to earn our place at the table than men do. That's the reality of the corporate journey. It has certainly changed somewhat over the last few years," she concedes, "but we still have to do ten times more than men to succeed. We need a stronger work ethic and more flexibility than men." There's still a lot to be done Victoria considers herself fortunate to work for an organisation that appreciates, supports and promotes talent, especially black female talent, but she points out that young male black talent is often sidelined as well. "The talent that young black women bring to the boardroom table is all too often undermined," says Victoria, "and corporate South Africa is missing out on what they have to offer. I'm proud of what I've accomplished. I've come a long way as a woman executive in banking. But the road remains hard and long, and there's a lot more that needs to be done; women are still under-represented at executive level in most corporates globally. We need to lift each other up and be deliberate about getting more women into executive seats. That's how we'll make the biggest change." When asked about work-life balance, Victoria shakes her head. "That's the biggest myth ever for a woman." But she also points out that she's extremely lucky to have a supportive partner whose also her biggest cheerleader and a very active and involved parent. "Without him, I wouldn't be able to work the long hours and do all the travelling my job requires of me." Victoria is also fortunate to have a great support structure in the form of family and friends who are always ready to step in when they're needed. "So no, I don't have a great work-life balance, but I prioritise. It's important for me to have time for myself, doing things that refuel me - be it gym or meditation. Equally important is time with my family and friends. And I also find time to plan how I want to give back to other young women. It can't just be about me; true success for me is about the power of the collective." Victoria points out that women tend to be very hard on themselves, and if she could give one piece of advice to her younger self it would be this: "Be kind to yourself. Spend more time discovering your purpose, your passions and what makes you happy. Own your interests and make time for them while you're young." 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