Transformational Global Leaders in Africa 2026 | Shirlene Wendy Siddall

DECEMBER 2025

ISSUE – 45 I N - F O C US

A Conversation With LaTonia Oyeniran, Founder and CEO of Braid Miracle I N - F O C US

Karim Adib: Finding Voice, Building Narrative

Shirlene Wendy Siddall START I N G A N E W C H A P T E R F O R G OV E R N A N C E L E A D E R S H I P

Community Before Scale CA N DI C E G R O B L E R ON BUILDING F O U N DE R - L E D E C O SYST E M S I N A F R I CA

TRANSFORMATIONAL GLOBAL LEADERS

IN AFRICA 2026

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CONTENTS

12 SHIRLENE WENDY SIDDALL

CONTENTS

28 LATONIA OYENIRAN

CONTENTS

40 CANDICE GROBLER

CEO of Leadership Academy for Guardians of Governance

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COVER STORY

TRANSFORMATIONAL GLOBAL LEADERS

IN AFRICA 2026

Shirlene Wendy Siddall

STARTING A NEW CHAPTER FOR GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP

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Across Africa, conversations about governance, accountability, and ethics have gained new urgency. Public and private institutions are expected to operate with a level of transparency and professionalism that meets global standards. In the middle of this evolution stands the Leadership Academy for Guardians of Governance, a growing institution that has become a trusted source of skills development, technical expertise, and capacity building for governance, risk, and compliance professionals.

Since February 2023, the Leadership Academy has been guided by the steady leadership of Shirlene Wendy Siddall, a seasoned professional with more than two decades of experience across several continents and industries. Her leadership reflects a blend of discipline, empathy, technical strength, and a deep understanding of how governance education can shift the trajectory of organizations and societies.

The journey has been filled with challenges, but has also been marked by measurable wins, strong financial turnaround, and a renewed organizational culture that now stands as one of the Leadership Academy's greatest assets.

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COVER STORY

STRENGTHENING PEOPLE, CULTURE, AND TRUST When Shirlene stepped into her role as the irst ̀ full-time CEO, the Academy was facing a dif icult period of losses and uncertainty. Her irst instinct was not to overhaul systems or impose rigid structures. She focused, instead, on people. She understood that a turnaround strategy requires both strategic clarity and human connection.

She describes this period as deeply rewarding.

“We are a small, close-knit team, almost like a family. Every day that you stand by your team, and the team supports you, the more trust is built both ways.” Her approach placed emphasis on collaboration, cross-training, and a shared commitment to the Leadership Academy's mission. By building trust, encouraging vulnerability, and promoting active listening, she strengthened the cultural foundation that now drives the Leadership Academy's performance.

The results have been tangible. The team has evolved into a high-performing unit that supports one another wholeheartedly. Shirlene often refers to a quote that resonates strongly with her leadership philosophy: “The most powerful tool we have is the ability to connect, to be vulnerable, and to actually listen. That is how trust is built. That is how problems are solved.”

The turnaround speaks not only to inancial ̀ discipline but also to strategic foresight.

Shirlene brought a renewed sense of direction to the organization. She ensured that the Leadership Academy's offerings remained relevant, competitive, and accessible to governance professionals across Africa.

EXPANDING OFFERINGS THROUGH STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

One of the most notable aspects of Shirlene's leadership has been her ability to identify, cultivate, and secure meaningful partnerships.

These collaborations have positioned the Leadership Academy at the forefront of new learning methodologies, including innovative platforms and gami ied training.

Among the most impactful initiatives introduced under her leadership are:

• • •

TURNING LOSSES INTO GROWTH

From a inancial perspective, the transformation has been equally signi icant.

When Shirlene took the helm, the Leadership Academy had reported several consecutive years of losses. Within two years, she reversed that trajectory and delivered increasing yearon-year pro its. She accomplished this by increasing top-line revenue, strengthening the employee value proposition, implementing cost containment measures, and broadening the Leadership Academy's product portfolio through strategic partnerships.

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•

•

The irst on-demand Gami ied Training Platform in Africa, developed in partnership with the ARC Institute.

The African Audit Championship 2025, delivered in collaboration with the African Federated Institute of Internal Auditors.

An online Arti icial Intelligence course designed with globally acclaimed futurist Graeme Codrington, aimed at helping internal auditors and risk professionals use AI both effectively and ethically.

A Coaching Course designed to empower managers, leaders, and governance teams to build resilience and improve performance.

Accounting Made Easy for Internal Auditors, an instructor-led gamiied ̀ program that simpli ies complex accounting principles.

These initiatives re lect Shirlene's commitment to staying ahead of the learning curve while DECEMBER 2025 | 15

“To develop high quality skills development programmes and quality assurance services for Governance, Risk and Compliance professionals.”

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COVER STORY

making governance education both engaging and accessible.

A RENEWED BRAND FOR A PAN AFRICAN VISION

Shirlene has also driven a refresh of the Leadership Academy's brand identity. A new brand and logo, designed to relect ̀ a more inclusive and pan African vision, will soon be introduced. The update represents the Leadership Academy's ambition to be recognized as the premier skills development and quality assurance provider for governance, risk, and compliance across the continent.

SHAPED BY GLOBAL EXPERIENCE

Shirlene's leadership style has been shaped by a career that spans more than twenty years in sectors such as banking, petrochemicals, professional services, and governance. Her work has taken her across the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa.

Each location taught her something distinct. She recalls that the United States instilled in her a strong resultsdriven mindset, while the United Kingdom deepened her respect for governance and for the balance between tradition and innovation. Her experience working virtually within the multicultural business landscape of the UAE sharpened her agility and adaptability. Meanwhile, her time in South Africa strengthened her appreciation for resilience, inclusivity, and leading with empathy.

She describes her leadership approach as both globally informed and locally grounded. By embracing diverse

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Inside the Leadership Academy for Guardians of Governance The Leadership Academy is structured around three core product lines that anchor its value proposition:

•

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

The Leadership Academy provides a broad schedule of CPD courses that are constantly updated to re lect emerging trends and governance standards. Clients also have access to customized in-house training and on-demand learning options.

•

Learnerships

The Leadership Academy's learnership programs have become one of its lagship ̀ offerings. These structured, accredited programs provide young people with real workplace exposure and de ined career pathways. They are speci ically designed to build future internal auditors, IT specialists, and quality assurance professionals. Shirlene notes that the Leadership Academy is also assisting other African countries to replicate the model.

•

Technical and Quality Assurance Services

The Leadership Academy offers a range of governance-related services, including External Quality Assessments for Internal Audit Functions, Audit Committee Assessments, and technical support on quality assurance and internal audit standards.

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cultural and professional inluences, she has ̀ been able to lead with strategic insight, cultural sensitivity, and an ability to inspire teams across different environments.

ADDRESSING GOVERNANCE CHALLENGES IN AFRICA Shirlene does not shy away from acknowledging the very real governance challenges across the continent. Political instability, corruption, weak accountability mechanisms, and regulatory inconsistency often undermine public con idence. Limited resources also make it dif icult to enforce governance policies effectively.

She notes that while the challenges are complex, the solutions begin with education. By equipping governance professionals, public of icials, and board members with the knowledge and expertise needed to implement high standards, the Leadership Academy contributes to a more stable business environment. Ethical conduct, transparency, and accountability can drive economic growth and restore trust in institutions.

Shirlene often shares advice with emerging governance professionals, encouraging them to build a strong foundation based on strategic thinking, continuous learning, digital literacy, innovation, adaptive thinking, and data storytelling. She believes the future belongs to those who can combine technical expertise with strategic insight and the ability to make sound judgments in uncertain environments.

professionals in both the public and private sectors.

On a personal level, Shirlene hopes to continue contributing to the Leadership Academy's growth over the next ive years. She remains committed to elevating the business, enriching the team, and taking the Leadership Academy to new heights.

A LEADER SHAPING THE FUTURE OF GOVERNANCE IN AFRICA

Shirlene Wendy Siddall's leadership of the Leadership Academy for Guardians of Governance re lects a rare blend of strategic insight, global experience, empathy, and operational excellence. Her work is strengthening the governance landscape of Africa, building the next generation of governance professionals, and creating learning pathways that are innovative, accessible, and future focused.

Her impact goes far beyond inancial ̀ turnaround or organizational growth. She is shaping a culture of trust, collaboration, and purpose. Moreover, Shirlene is building systems that will inluence institutions and ̀ communities for years to come.

THE FUTURE OF THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND A PERSONAL VISION

The future of the Leadership Academy is one of continued growth and innovation. Shirlene envisions the organization strengthening its footprint across Africa, deepening its partnerships, and expanding its efforts to build a thriving community of governance

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S I M P LY S C A N A N D S U B S C R I B E

In Focus

Founded by Kirsty Gordon, Anywhere in Africa Safaris is an independent, owner-run tour operator based in one of the most breath-taking ci es in the world, Cape Town. The company plans bespoke, luxury travel packages to Southern Africa, East Africa, North Africa, and Indian Ocean Islands.

What according to you makes one a transformational leader?

I believe that as a transformational leader you need to give your employees the independence to share and make decisions to support new problem-solving solutions and ways to grow the company or help to make our clients feel super special.

How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?

First and foremost, as a transformational leader in the travel industry you need to set a good example of trust and transparency, not only to your staff, but to your supplier, partners, and clients. You do this by being passionate, enthusiastic, and energetic while focusing on helping every member in the team to succeed and think out of the 'travel box'.

An example: I have two incredible ladies who work for me in my social media and marketing team. They are young, energetic and have some 22 | DECEMBER 2025

fabulous ideas on how to grow my social media reach and improve our marketing. We have meetings to thrash out ideas, come up with ''out of the box'' travel marketing suggestions, solutions for social media that are not working – but i always listen, encourage, trust in their expertise so that we can grow this part of the business in a positive and specialized manner.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader / entrepreneur?

I was very lucky to grow up on the garden route in South Africa in a small town called George.

My mum bought me a pony when I was about 7 years old, and this totally changed my life! I grew up riding horses, exploring the forests, mountains, and beaches on horseback with my friends.

My mum would drop me at the riding club at 8am in the morning on a Saturday and didn't see me again till she picked me up at 6pm after I had helped feed the horses their evening meal. My E X E L E O N M AG A Z I N E

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In Focus

life was carefree, with great friends, incredible family, and amazing outdoor locations. However, my mum struggled inancially as a single parent as my dad had passed away when I was about 4 years old.

Often it was inancially dif icult for my mum to pay for horse-riding show fees or send me to shows outside of George, which required transport, accommodation, and entry.

When I was about 14 years old, I remember overhearing my mum telling my grandmother that she would love to send me to a show in Port Elizabeth but just couldn't afford it that month. So, this is when I decided to take control of the situation and I put up an advert at the riding club to say that i was making numnahs (which is a saddle blanket).

My mum had a sewing machine at home which I had learnt to use as I had to do needle work / home economics as school. Suddenly I had a few orders and then I decided to make ''chaps'' which are made of suede/ soft leather to protect the riders' legs. I made a full pair for myself and then orders started coming in. This is how I was then able to help my mum pay for some of my horse-riding costs. It was such a thrill to feel that I could contribute! Then I got into riding people's dif icult horses which they paid me for and then when I was 18 years old, I did my SANEF (South African Equestrian Federation) teaching level in order to teach professionally. Horse riding was a huge part of my life for many years and helped sustain me when I was between jobs or needed extra income.

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What prompted your love affair with Africa and the wilderness of the world?

A friend of mine Carolyn Hartley was having her 21st birthday in Botswana at a camp owned by her parents (Hartley's Safaris). I was invited to join her, and this was my irst taste of a safari and what an incredible place to experience your irst safari in the Okavango delta of Botswana. That was the start of my love for the African bush!

What is the approach followed by your company – Anywhere in Africa - to ensure the most authentic travel experiences for your clients?

I am very speci ic with which venues or ground handlers that I partner with and make sure that most of the venues I recommend for my clients, I have visited personally.

It is very important to me and Anywhere in Africa Safaris that we use and recommend venues that have the same ethos as we do. You, our guests are giving back to Africa by visiting, traveling, interacting with the staff, getting to know them as people not just as a place to stay and experience.

One of my philosophies is that we cannot change Africa, but we can change the circle that we create around us. So, by making sure that Anywhere in Africa Safaris works with the right venues, lodges, tour companies, ground handlers in all the areas of Africa, we help to create the right impact within our circle. We then need you, our clients, to visit Africa and help us make the circle bigger as you

become an ambassador for the continent, to help, understand and share the changes and positive impacts that are being made to support community and conservation.

Talk to us about your idea of giving back. Why is it an important subject for you?

A talkative bird will not build a nest' sums up our approach to charity work and 'giving back'. It speaks to our ethos of 'deeds, not words', which many of our traveler's share. We're often asked by our clients how they can directly beneit the communities or animals ̀ they've encountered on their journey. Besides making sure we use properties that give back to the community, conservation, and general well-being of their staff. We give a portion of each booking made by clients back to Elephant Havens which is an NGO in Maun that we support.

We also encourage clients to speak to us irst if they want to give back to Africa as we have many smaller non-pro it organizations that need help and are not supported by the bigger companies. Clients then know their money is going to support the right community, organization, school, conservation program or charity.

What does a day in the life of Kirsty Gordon look like?

I normally get to the of ice around 7:30 in the morning to have time to check emails and do some planning before we start at 8:30. I am then involved with what payments have to be made to suppliers, especially the USA payments as we have a DECEMBER 2025 | 25

In Focus

time frame to get these actioned by 10am so that the suppliers will be paid the following day. Then invariably I have 1 zoom meeting per day or now that people are comfortable to interact, suppliers come to the of ice for product updates or to introduce me to new products.

Then working on clients traveling to make sure all is running smoothly, answering emails to clients to help plan their trips.

Often in the afternoon having zoom meeting with any new American clients to discuss their wish lists, budgets, ideas they have for their possible trip (this is generally in the afternoon from about 2pm to 6pm due to time zone differences.

Clients who have paid their inal ̀ payments which are 2 months prior to their trip – we then need to 26 | DECEMBER 2025

prioritize payment suppliers, inalizing their itinerary set by step.

Then between 5pm and 6pm, I head home either for a walk or run with my partner or then make dinner.

What are you most excited about in the future, both personally and professionally?

I am so excited to see that travel is getting back to normalcy and people are traveling to Africa! We have lovely bookings this year for – South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Mauritius, Seychelles, Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Ethiopia!

forms such a positive spin on effect that helps people, communities, conservation which then assists in preventing poaching, helps builds economies, brings global opportunities, and much more!

I am excited for the future of Anywhere in Africa Safaris.

Personally, I love people, I love Africa, and I love travel, so I am excited to see how Africa is calling!

This is how you become an ambassador of Africa – by traveling to this amazing continent – this E X E L E O N M AG A Z I N E

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Guided by Pas 28 | DECEMBER 2025

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In Focus

A Conversation with

LaTonia Oyeniran Founder and CEO of Braid Miracle

F

or LaTonia Oyeniran, hair care has never been just about beauty. It is about culture, care, and creating something meaningful from lived experience. As the Founder and CEO of Braid Miracle, she has built a brand rooted in the realities of protective styling, addressing pain points many people quietly accept as normal.

Shaped by her upbringing in an entrepreneurial family and deeply in luenced by her Nigerian heritage, LaTonia brings intention into every part of her work. Her frequent visits to Nigeria keep her connected to a broader community and a fast-growing beauty and entrepreneurship ecosystem that continues to inspire her vision.

Through Braid Miracle, she blends clean innovation with social responsibility, using the brand as a vehicle not only for better braid care but also for real-world impact that helps survivors of human traf icking rebuild their lives through skill and opportunity. In this exclusive conversation with W W W. E X E L E O N M AG A Z I N E . C O M

Exeleon Magazine, LaTonia shares about her journey, Braid Miracle, and the beauty industry.

You grew up in Texas working in your family's hair salon. What early lessons did that environment teach you about hair care, entrepreneurship, and serving people?

Growing up around my family's salon taught me early on that anything is possible. I watched ideas turn into reality simply because someone was willing to put in the work and take a leap of faith. That stayed with me.

What also stood out was the trust that was exchanged. People willingly spent their hard-earned money because they believed in the service being provided. That taught me the value of excellence, integrity, and care. We weren't just doing hair, we were serving people.

And because I had access to all of the products and tools at the salon, I became creative with my own

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In Focus

style. Now, I loved my braids, but I dreaded the process. It almost guaranteed pain, tightness, and scalp irritation; it felt like something you just had to endure.

One night, I was watching Shark Tank with my dad when it hit me: Why does getting braids have to hurt? I searched for solutions and came up empty. Nothing on the market addressed pain and scalp health in a clean, intentional way.

hair and learned to do it myself.

That eventually turned into me braiding hair in college as a side hustle to support myself. Looking back, that environment quietly trained me in entrepreneurship long before I ever called it that.

As the daughter of a Nigerian immigrant father, how did his entrepreneurial journey shape your mindset and approach to building a business of your own?

My parents built their irst family business, a convenience store in Missouri City, Texas, and they let us be part of the process. From restocking shelves to watching them run the register, and sometimes even helping with checkouts, we were involved. That mattered. Most children play pretend, acting like adults in a grocery store or of ice, but I got to live that reality.

I watched my parents pour 30 | DECEMBER 2025

everything they had into that business. It wasn't until much later that I fully grasped what it meant for my father to leave Nigeria, come to America, and build a life for his family from the ground up.

Because of him, entrepreneurship felt as natural to me as brushing my teeth every morning. He never settled for what was handed to him, and that mindset was passed down to us. That's where my resilience comes from. It's why I keep pushing forward when things are hard, and why I believe there's always another level to reach.

Braid Miracle was born from a very real pain point you witnessed irsthand. Can you walk us through the exact moment when you realized there was a gap in braid care that needed to be solved?

I learned to braid my own hair early on, and braids became my go-to

That was the moment I realized there was a gap in braid care. I worked with a chemist to create what became our bestselling Braid Spray, a clean formula designed to relieve pain and tension during and after braiding. Braid Miracle was born from that very real need.

You visit Nigeria often and maintain close ties to the culture and community there. How has staying connected to your roots in luenced the vision, values, and identity of Braid Miracle?

Braids have deep roots in African culture, and over time they've become a powerful form of expression across many cultures.

Because of my heritage, Braid Miracle has roots there too.

Visiting Nigeria keeps me grounded. The culture, the sense of community, and the way people look out for one another all shape how I see the world and how I lead.

It's also where I'm reminded that many people are still struggling and simply need access, opportunity, or support.

That's why social impact is so important to our brand. Braid Miracle goes beyond hair. We truly

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In Focus

care about our people and believe this need has been overlooked for far too long. We're focused on creating pathways, especially for the most vulnerable, to build something better.

The beauty industry is crowded, yet Braid Miracle stands out as a clean, braid focused brand. What was most challenging about launching a niche product in an already saturated market?

It's funny you ask that, because I actually believe being niche is our strength. We know our audience intimately because we are the audience. That level of understanding is something larger brands simply can't replicate.

The real challenge in my opinion comes from competing with massive corporations that have larger budgets and more resources.

But I often think about David and Goliath, it's not always the biggest that wins. Sometimes it's the small but mighty. Our size allows us to be intentional, agile, and deeply connected to our customers, and that's what enables a brand like ours to stand tall in a crowded industry.

Finally, when people think of Braid Miracle ive or ten years from now, what do you hope the brand represents beyond products on a shelf?

I hope Braid Miracle is remembered as a brand that transformed something painful into something beautiful.

Beyond products on a shelf, I want people to see us as a turning point:

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a brand that genuinely cared for its customers and used its platform to create opportunity. Whether that's improving the braiding experience or helping vulnerable individuals build new lives, I want our legacy to be one of care, empathy, and lasting impact.

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In Focus

Finding Voice, Building Narrative K

arim Adib's journey into leadership and digital PR did not follow a straight line, but it was shaped early by curiosity, initiative, and the instinct to speak up when others hesitated. Raised as an only child in Cairo, he learned to navigate social dynamics independently, a foundation that quietly prepared him for leadership long before he recognized it as such. Over the past seven years, Karim has built a career across some of the UK's largest agencies, working at the intersection of SEO, digital PR, and storytelling. Today, as Senior Digital PR Manager at Search Atlas, he focuses on shaping brand narratives in a rapidly evolving media landscape. In this conversation, Karim re lects on his roots, the evolution of digital PR, and the role creativity and trust play in building lasting visibility.

Talk to us about your journey, your roots, and what is your earliest memory as a leader?

Growing up as an only child in Cairo, Egypt taught me to be socially proactive from a young age. In Egypt, most families have three or four children, and I quickly 34 | DECEMBER 2025

realized I needed to adapt to stand out in those social dynamics.

Without siblings introducing me to their friends or make social situations less awkward, I had to take the initiative myself. I learned to speak up irst, approach people directly, and suggest ideas for things to do.

Being proactive was the only way I could build friendships and create my own social circle. My main thesis was that if I came up with the most fun games or was the funniest to be around, then I could get people to be my friends. And so I was slowly being molded into a leader without realizing it.

Another leadership trait that I developed when I was very young, but didn't recognize as leadership at the time, was speaking up irst. I started to notice that in class, a lot of people were scared to ask questions, and in PE classes people were afraid to step up and be the person to pick teams. I realized that if I was brave enough to be the irst to speak, I could get a lot more opportunities.

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In Focus

As a result, I was picked to lead many different projects, and people who didn't want to speak irst ̀ would team up with me because I saved them the embarrassment of doing so. But I never thought of it that way. I just wanted more opportunities.

You have spent over seven years working in digital PR, including roles at some of the UK's largest agencies. What irst drew you to the PR industry?

I irst studied civil engineering at university because I liked math and thought engineering would make the most sense. But after three long years in the degree, the job itself never appealed to me.

I graduated during Covid, when job opportunities were very scarce.

However, I knew I wanted to get into marketing because it brought two of my favorite passions together: business and creativity.

I was initially drawn to the SEO industry because it felt more methodical, which aligned well with my engineering background. When

I applied to a few SEO agencies, the one that accepted me offered a role either in the SEO department or the newly created PR department. As someone who loves building things, enjoys a challenge, and was intrigued by this emerging digital PR discipline, I chose digital PR.

The reason I continued working in digital PR is that it introduced a third passion I didn't know I had: storytelling. I could now combine business, creativity, storytelling, and my math skills to bring something unique to every PR department I worked in.

Digital PR has evolved rapidly over the last few years. From your perspective, what has changed the most in how brands approach online visibility and authority?

In the digital PR of old, there was a strong emphasis on links. Having worked across every part of the industry, from guaranteed links to in-house digital PR with traditional PR metrics, I've seen a lot of change, but nothing like what's happened in the past year.

Over the last year, digital PR has become incredibly scalable due to AI tools. People can now produce what they believe are strong campaigns at scale, but AI can only pattern-recognize its way through PR. This results in the same stories being pitched to the same journalists year after year, with more people competing for the same limited attention.

At the same time, businesses have started to realize that Google is not the be-all and end-all of search traf ic. Many began focusing more on social platforms, and now AI search is emerging as a signiicant ̀ traf ic source. As a result, companies are seeing that links at any cost, or mundane campaigns that don't connect to commercial outcomes, often fail to drive real business results, leading to weaker returns on PR investment.

You are currently leading PR efforts at Search Atlas. What does your role involve, and how does it differ from agency-side work?

I'm currently the Senior Digital PR Manager at Search Atlas, and my role has shifted signi icantly from agency work. In agencies, your primary KPIs are set early on, and you might work with a client for one month or six months, but you rarely get to shape an entire company's narrative.

At Search Atlas, I get to see how my PR efforts impact the broader brand. I have input into social media, website messaging, copy, customer service, and more. My role has evolved from being purely a PR function to a broader communications role focused on how the brand is perceived overall.

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The quality of work I deliver is higher because I have more time and trust from the brand. In agency settings, clients don't always offer that same level of lexibility or trust.

In your opinion, how is the PR and media landscape across Africa evolving, especially in relation to global brands and digital- irst storytelling?

I can't speak for every country in Africa, but I can comment on broader trends, particularly those I'm seeing in the Middle East.

Companies are starting to invest more in SEO and PR, whereas previously these areas received less focus. Campaigns were often advertising-driven and heavily centered on social media, but now brands are diversifying to ensure they're present across multiple channels as competition increases.

In terms of content quality, we're seeing a rise in inluencer-led ̀ campaigns. Consumers no longer trust brands with the biggest budgets; they trust people. As a result, smaller TikTok creators with niche audiences are landing major brand deals because of the trust they've built.

This feels like just the beginning.

It's encouraging for anyone in Africa who can build an audience and earn trust, because brands are currently lagging behind creators.

It's a ripe moment for storytellers and community builders to make their mark in the industry.

What advice would you give to professionals who want to transition from traditional PR

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into more performance-oriented digital PR roles?

Traditional and digital PR are converging more than ever, and the distinction between the two is becoming less relevant. If you limit yourself to a single channel, you're not fully understanding PR or audiences. A care home business still reaches its audience through TV, radio, and newspapers, while an emerging fashion brand must leverage TikTok.

For traditional PR professionals looking to specialize in digital PR, understanding how their work impacts digital visibility is key.

Learning how to amplify traditional PR efforts in the digital space is often more than enough.

I believe that in a few years, the title will simply be PR, and this distinction will no longer exist.

Looking ahead, how do you see your career in digital PR evolving over the next few years, and what kind of impact do you hope to

make through your work?

The digital PR space is incredibly exciting right now. While many talk about AI replacing people, digital PR has always required constant evolution and creativity to succeed.

AI is exposing weaknesses in the industry by accelerating a shift toward authenticity. People with real stories, creativity, and strong journalist relationships will stand out. Those chasing quick wins without investing in storytelling or relationships will struggle.

For me, storytelling has always been about inspiration. It's one of my favorite things to do, and I want to continue re ining my craft while inspiring others to do the same.

And because I had access to all of the products and tools at the salon, I became creative with my own

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Community Before Scale Candice Grobler on Building Founder-Led Ecosystems in Africa

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andice Grobler, widely known as Cands, works at the intersection of community, entrepreneurship, and mentorship across Africa. Through her work at Candid Collab, she helps founders build sustainable, community-led businesses that prioritize trust, shared value, and long-term resilience over short-term growth metrics.

Deeply in luenced by lived experience, Ubuntu philosophy, and on-theground realities of African markets, Candice challenges conventional startup thinking and reframes community as a serious business lever.

In this conversation, she relects on ̀ what drew her to community-driven models, why mentorship sits at the core of her work, and the kind of founder ecosystem she hopes to help shape across the continent.

Your work focuses on helping African founders build communityled businesses rather than chasing short-term growth. What irst ̀ pulled you toward community as a serious business lever?

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When Covid hit, I was retrenched and the events industry I worked in collapsed almost overnight. Every event, online and in-person, disappeared. I took part-time work with a few NPOs (Ubuntu Beds, Khwela Womxn), and that's where I saw, very clearly, what survives when everything else is stripped away: community.

These organizations had no budget for paid media or fancy branding. What they had was Ubuntu, “I am because we are”, baked into everything they did. The only way to keep their mission alive was to mobilize the people they already had, to gather online in scrappy ways, and to keep connecting humans to humans.

I had to start asking a different question. Instead of “What can we buy to grow?” I asked, “What do we already have that we're underutilizing?” The more I experimented, the more obvious it became that community wasn't a “nice-to-have” around the edges. It was the only reliable growth engine

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when budgets disappeared and certainty evaporated.

That experience convinced me that community is not a soft, luffy addon. It's a serious business growth lever, especially in markets where money is tight, trust is fragile, and people have always relied on each other long before they relied on ads.

Candid Collab is described as a mentorship- irst studio. Why was mentorship such a nonnegotiable pillar for you when designing your business model?

I had the privilege of studying linguistics and philosophy, but I'm not specialized in building startup unicorns. I don't have every answer or every perspective, and I'm very aware of how far a single viewpoint 42 | DECEMBER 2025

can take me, and where it starts to limit my thinking.

What I do have is a long track record of people investing in me.

Mentors opened doors they didn't have to open. They gave time, insight, and networks when there was nothing in it for them. I hacked my way into the work I do now because others held the door, even when I wasn't the obvious or most polished choice.

So when I started Candid Collab, I knew I didn't want to stand on a pedestal as a guru with a perfect blueprint. I wanted to build a mentorship- irst studio that treated knowledge and relationships as something we steward collectively, not something I own.

That's why we start with mentorship, not coaching. We don't arrive with a rigid playbook and tell founders “the way”. We work with what they already have, in the language they naturally use, and we co-design scrappy systems that make sense for their reality. Many of the founders I work with have advanced thinking but not always the same academic vocabulary.

Mentorship lets us meet them where they are, instead of asking them to perform luency in ̀ someone else's jargon.

Underneath it all is Ubuntu again. I am where I am because others invested in me. Candid Collab is how I keep that investment moving forward.

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The Founder Hivemind has become a core offering within Candid Collab. What gaps did you see in existing founder communities that inspired you to build it?

Most founder communities are designed for people who have already “made it”, high revenue, warm networks, and a level of access that ilters out the very people who could bene it most.

I kept seeing membership thresholds like “minimum R5 million in annual revenue” just to apply. That might make sense for certain models, but it sends a quiet message: there is one acceptable way to build a business, and it looks a lot like Western, venturecompatible growth.

Meanwhile, I was meeting founders across Africa earning under R500,000 a year who were solving real problems in their communities, often as the primary breadwinners in their families. Many are neurodivergent, many didn't have reliable access to education, food, or study environments, but they see opportunity where others only see crisis.

These founders rarely have the time or money to join elite communities, yet they are the ones for whom a small shift in information, the right 20 percent, can unlock 80 percent of the impact.

The Founder Hivemind grew out of wanting to build for them: a space where community-centric, contextspeci ic ways of doing business are not treated as edge cases but as the main story. I'm far more interested in helping a founder become a self-

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sustaining, trusted node in their community than in helping someone optimize their third investment round.

For me, that's also part of a bigger conviction. Africa has everything it needs, resources, creativity, problems worth solving, to host the next great wave of entrepreneurship. That won't come from extracting more from workers.

It will come from equipping more people to become owners.

How do African market dynamics shape the way community, trust, and participation need to be built compared to more mature startup ecosystems?

Vusi, the founder from Kasi Catalyst in Cape Town, once laughed kindly when I spoke about “building” community. I'm grateful she reminded me that, in many African townships, community is the default setting. People survive because they share. They raise kids together, borrow sugar from next door, and informally redistribute what little they have.

So in Africa, the challenge is not building community from scratch. It is building trust around new kinds of participation and educating people on how to engage with the formal economy without losing the informal support systems that keep them alive.

Many people here still live on almost nothing, and yet they continue to provide for each other.

That is real value, even if balance sheets don't capture it. When global markets value compound interest over collective care, it exposes how

misaligned the system is.

Practically, this shapes how I think about community-led businesses.

Digital tools are powerful, but not always accessible or intuitive. Data is expensive. Devices are shared.

People are used to seeing each other in person, so asking them to move their sense of belonging into an app is a big leap.

WhatsApp, for example, is ubiquitous and incredibly effective, and also messy, unregulated, and not always compliant. It's where people already are, but it carries risk. So community work here becomes an exercise in translation: bridging of line trust to online spaces, using channels people already understand, and designing participation that respects both the constraints and the existing social fabric.

What has been the most rewarding transformation you have witnessed from a founder you have worked with through Candid Collab?

About a year ago, a neurodivergent founder came to me after being pushed out of a long-term contracting role. For the irst time ̀ in more than 50 years of working, she asked for reasonable accommodations. The response was to end the contract. By the time we met, she was shaken, doubting whether she could ever create work that truly it her needs.

She disliked sales, had never freelanced, and had no interest in building or managing a client pipeline. We started small: clarifying what she could take off small-to-medium enterprises'

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plates, designing offers that matched her strengths, and building support structures around her energy and focus rather than against them.

Today, she runs her consulting business full-time. She has launched her own course to generate leads, built marketing assets that feel sustainable, even without loving the camera, and grown a network that actively refers work her way. She has collaborated with institutions like INSEAD and with other founders in our community, not just to build a portfolio, but to prove to herself that she belongs in those rooms.

The biggest shift isn't only in revenue or brand names. It's in her posture. She now trusts that she can run a business on her own terms, with the accommodations she needs, while serving her clients and her community well. Watching that level of self-trust rebuild itself has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

Finally, when people think of Candid Collab in the years ahead, what impact do you hope it will have had on Africa's founder landscape?

My long-term vision is to help a million people become selfemployed founders who are building community-centric businesses. Not empire builders in the traditional sense, but people who are deeply rooted in their communities and able to sustain themselves and others.

I would love Candid Collab to become a kind of quiet badge of honor, a signal that someone 44 | DECEMBER 2025

hacked their career in unconventional ways, refused to shut the door behind them, and is now actively holding it open for others.

If, years from now, there is a visible wave of African founders who talk about community irst, proit as a ̀ tool rather than the only goal, and mentorship as a responsibility rather than a favor, I will be proud to have played a small part in that.

Ultimately, the impact I care about is simple: more founders who are self-suf icient, more communities that are less dependent on extractive systems, and more people who can say, “I built this with my people, and now I'm helping the next person do the same.”

I believe that in a few years, the title will simply be PR, and this distinction will no longer exist.

Looking ahead, how do you see your career in digital PR evolving over the next few years, and what

kind of impact do you hope to make through your work?

The digital PR space is incredibly exciting right now. While many talk about AI replacing people, digital PR has always required constant evolution and creativity to succeed.

AI is exposing weaknesses in the industry by accelerating a shift toward authenticity. People with real stories, creativity, and strong journalist relationships will stand out. Those chasing quick wins without investing in storytelling or relationships will struggle.

For me, storytelling has always been about inspiration. It's one of my favorite things to do, and I want to continue re ining my craft while inspiring others to do the same.

And because I had access to all of the products and tools at the salon, I became creative with my own

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In Focus

What You Don’t Know About Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries

Wri en By Donna Rosa

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omen's History Month ushers women across the globe into the limelight and advocates for women's equality. Yet, we're overlooking millions of women as if they were invisible: female entrepreneurs in developing countries. They are unseen and unheard outside the international aid community, but they are a quiet, hardworking, and productive force.

I've come to know their stories and sorrows, struggles and successes.

I'm a business coach for entrepreneurs in emerging economies, and before I discovered this calling, I never knew it was a thing. I'd spent the bulk of my career in the corporate world, wanting to give back to society but not knowing how. Over time I realized that I'd accumulated a measure of business experience, 46 | DECEMBER 2025

and I could either die with it in my head or share it with those who would most bene it from it.

Eventually, I found my way into international development, supporting microenterprises in low-income countries. I saw a key success factor being overlooked: while small business owners were provided technical support and sometimes inancing, they were not being taught day-to-day business management or planning. So I stepped in to ill the gap.

I love this work because it takes so little to make a massive difference in people's businesses--and lives.

And I love entrepreneurs because they are like sponges, eager to absorb everything they possibly can, and grateful for the help. They are exceedingly strong and resilient,

and they don't realize it. They are my heroes.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LANDSCAPE

When you think of entrepreneurship in poor countries you might envision a woman selling crafts or vegetables in a local market. Of course there's that—a lot of it. However, entrepreneurs fall along a continuum, from lowincome solopreneurs to small established businesses to high-tech innovators seeking global venture capital. All are found in the developing world, but here I focus on those I work with, microenterprises with 1-10 employees.

While we in the West tend to glorify entrepreneurship (especially

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startups) it's just the opposite in many poor countries. Steady wagepaying full-time jobs are rare and prestigious. Since there are few jobs available even for the educated, the only way to make a living is to igure out how to sell something.

Such business owners are called “entrepreneurs of necessity.”

I work with both male and female entrepreneurs, and many of the problems they face traverse gender.

If you think entrepreneurship is hard, try doing it in a developing country. They deal with innumerable annoying obstacles that shouldn't be issues, like lack of (or intermittent) electricity or clean running water. If they are fortunate enough to have access, it's expensive. Every day they cope with poor infrastructure, extremely limited resources, little or no access to capital, unpaved roads, expensive distribution, old equipment that constantly needs repair, and unreliable suppliers and labor. It's lonely at the bottom.

Underlying all this is the most insidious problem of all: as they most simply don't know how to manage a business, however small.

How could they? There are no Small Business Administrations that give free assistance and advice.

Unstable, under-resourced governments burden businesses with regulations and red tape and thwart business-enabling environments. Aid agencies, NGOs, and social businesses do provide inancial/resource aid and technical training, but there's just not enough to go around.

WOMEN’S WORK

Some time ago the international 48 | DECEMBER 2025

donor community igured out that when they enable women, they enable entire communities. Turns out that there's a multiplier effect for resources spent supporting them. When women acquire skills and develop incomes, they use a greater portion of that money for their families and communities than men do. That means better education and health for children, as well as poverty reduction. With that kind of ROI, aid has focused on supporting women in many ways, including business.

With the resulting attention on women, I've had the opportunity to work with both individual female business owners and women's groups. I enjoy both. I marvel at how women seem to come together naturally to support each other, especially in dif icult circumstances.

I vividly remember a group I worked with in rural Kenya, where the women took it upon themselves to improve their community after a boy was found dead in an open sewer pit. They began reporting open sewers to the health department, and with that success, initiated all sorts of activities.

Projects included sanitation improvement, protecting the local river, advocating for children's' rights, promoting local droughtresistant crops, assistance for young parents on family, maternal and child issues, gender sensitization, trainings in adjacent communities, and helping women generate sustainable incomes.

I was equally impressed by their business smarts: they acquired some grant funds, and instead of simply dividing the money among the members they chose to create a

small enterprise to generate ongoing income for all.

FEMININE BUSINESS BURDENS There has been signi icant progress for working women and women's rights over the past 50 years. World Bank data indicates that in most countries, women can now sign contracts, open bank accounts, and register businesses, although access to credit is still a problem.

Still, women face obstacles that men do not. Some are cultural and others are simply discriminatory, but either way, women are systematically excluded from economic opportunities, and it prevents them from developing their businesses.

The uneven playing ield starts in ̀ the playground: girls have less access to education than boys.

When they marry their needs can be subordinated. If a woman does manage to create a small business, she adds that on top of her responsibilities for child-rearing and running the home.

It can be dif icult for businesswomen to access muchneeded credit in the developing world, which is interesting since women are far less likely than men to default on loans. A report by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) states that “Seventy percent of formal women owned SMEs in developing countries are either shut out of inancial institutions or can't get the capital they need.” That makes women's businesses smaller, less pro itable, and slower growing than their male counterparts.

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more concerned with business survival rather than growth.

Legally women are routinely discriminated against in family, land rights, and labor laws. These regulations can be worse for women entrepreneurs than the business laws: they determine whether women can make independent economic decisions, enter contracts, or own, manage, or inherit assets and property. Loans, for example, usually require collateral. Because men can own land and other assets and women often can't, they are immediately excluded from opportunities to borrow.

Other factors play a role, too.

Women frequently lack the business networks, contacts, and access to markets to build successful businesses. They open

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businesses without management skills, education, training, or experience.

BUSINESSWOMEN RISING

Despite the uphill battle, I have high hopes for women entrepreneurs in developing nations. They are both determined and undeterred. If we arm them with skills, encouragement, and funding they have a ighting chance. They deserve not just support, but admiration.

It's important to note that developing-country entrepreneurs need the right form of assistance for their businesses to thrive. I ind ̀ they do best when they learn key concepts in the context of their own businesses rather than large scale, one-off generalized training; it's dif icult for them to go home and

apply what they learn after a workshop. That's why I prefer oneone or small group coaching, which enables me to learn the ins and outs of each business and provide the handholding and encouragement they need to develop selfcon idence and achieve pro itability.

If you are part of a business with a social mission, CSR program or ESG mandate consider lending some brain trust, inancing, or ̀ mentorship to developing-country women entrepreneurs. Your knowhow can make a big difference with even a small investment.

For more information on Donna and her work visit www.efourenterprises.com and www.donnamrosa.com

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About the Author Donna Rosa is Founder and Chief Entrepreneurship Of icer of EFour Enterprises LLC. EFour stands for Empowering Entrepreneurs in Emerging Economies, providing remote business coaching tailored to the special needs of entrepreneurs in developing countries.

Donna spent most of her career in the food industry.

She eventually transitioned into international development, working with microenterprises and small businesses to reduce poverty in Africa, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Central America, the Middle East, and Russia.

In addition to her work with entrepreneurs, Donna

50 | DECEMBER 2025

is heavily involved in improving global food security. She founded and manages the Food Science for Relief and Development (FSRD) program under the International Division of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). In 2023, Donna was the recipient of IFT's Humanitarian Award for Service to the Science of Food in honor of Elizabeth Fleming Stier. She has also written a book chapter on careers in this emerging ield. ̀

Donna currently mentors women entrepreneurs in Africa under the FAO-IAFN Women SMEs Accelerator Program and serves on several nonpro it boards related to international development.

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Chi Illochi What according to you makes one a transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?

One is a transformational leader when their being and overall person can inspire and help another attain all that life has to offer for them. I believe my commitment to help and inspire others in everything is how I integrate that thought process into my way of leadership.

Talk to us about your growing up years.

What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you can remember?

I believe I've always had a spirit of entrepreneurism. My earliest memory as an entrepreneur was making my own comic book and selling it for ive dollars.

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Looking back on that memory, I realize now that I was sowing seeds for who I grew into today.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the fashion industry?

My interest in the fashion industry was prompted through self-expression. Fashion has always been the way I've expressed myself, subsequently I decided to make the decision to become a fashion stylist.

What was the idea that led to the formation of Styling By Chi? What is your vision through this company?

The idea that led to the formation of Styling

By Chi was “paying it forward”. I realized the tremendous impact fashion had on my mental health and quality of life and I wanted to share that with others through

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fashion styling. My vision for my company is to heal, help, and inspire as many as I can through fashion and style.

What does a day in your life look like? How do you ensure worklife balance?

A day in the life for me looks pretty chaotic, some days I'm pulling for upcoming photoshoots, other days I'm responding to emails, and hopping on Zoom calls. I must say I've gotten better at ensuring worklife balance over the years, I do so by giving myself weekends off to hang with friends and family.

What has the journey been like for Chi Ilochi over the years?

Looking back, what would you have done differently when starting out?

The journey for Chi Ilochi over the years has been beautiful, eye opening, and worth it. Looking back, I would've made sure to believe in myself a bit more when starting out. Life would've been a lot easier if I realized sooner that I deserved everything God gave me.

What are the challenges that you had to face during this journey?

I've faced many challenges along this journey of mine, but I'd say the biggest challenge was a few of my friends passing away before they could see my success. This challenge has been my hardest, and is one I struggle with to this day.

What brings me peace and comfort is knowing that their spirit lives through mine in all I am and all I do.

What would be your advice for aspiring and young women leaders and entrepreneurs?

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My advice for aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs is to bet on yourself every time. You are already worthy as is. Your peers don't de ine you or your success, you do.

Finally, what does the future look like for you and Styling By Chi?

The future for myself and Styling By Chi looks like healing; abundance, styling the BET // Grammy Awards, and helping those around me elevate as I do. For me, that's what the future is all about.

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