Ignited Woman - Oct/Nov 2022

LOWER PROFITS FOR

Editor’s Note

IGNITED WOMAN MAG

Evolving,growingandlearning Actuallyalltheseinreverseorder havebeenmyrealitysincethe launchofthefirstissueofthe magazine.

Ihavefoundthatenteringthe magazineworldwithonlyalimited knowledgeoftheentirebusinesshas turnedouttobeablessingbecauseit haspushedmetolearnandabsorb fast.Notonlythatithasforcedmeto askrelevantquestionsandrisemuch quickerafterIfall.

Alotofthetimeswewanttobeready tostartbutallweneedisactuallya leapoffaith,morethanweneedthe businessplan.

DuringourEmpowerHERLuncheonI willspeakmoreaboutthis.FornowI hopeyouenjoythisbumperissue

Founder & editor Kamogelo Seekoei

Content CREATOR melissa Nare social media Elliot Joseph graphic designer Nkane Mokhoke sales director lunga kakaza

BRAND DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE clive Masengere

EXECUTIVE ADMIN akhona gcaza

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Growing and scaling your startup

ByMelissaNare

Chase customerfundedgrowth

I recently attended the LeaderX conference, a global leadership conference which brings together the most innovative minds, top decision-makers from big corporations, start-up founders and aspiring entrepreneurs to learn, network and bounce off ideas.

There was one particular topic that l found interesting from one the speakers, a founder and former corporate CEO, around scaling as a start-up. It posed a question about whether founders should consider profit-based scaling versus investor backed scaling?

Do founders merely get caught up in the hassle and bustle of funding rounds and investor pitches, achieving unicorn status that they neglect creating a sustainable business in the long run.

Start-ups are often urged to keep driving forward, build more and grow faster, bigger, better. When the start-up capital stream is slowing down, there is a high inclination towards founders to raise funding again, but is this the right course of action in the long run, when is it time to pull the plug and when is the right time to raise venture capital for scaling?

Many entrepreneurs are focusing too much on raising capital and forgetting it's only a means to a greater end

Scaling and growth are not the same thing

The distinction is in the rate of revenue expansion Growth is defined by Harvard Business Review as an increase in revenue that is proportional to the resources added to a project or team Scaling, on the other hand, involves raising income at a rate that is greater than the cost of operations In other words, it is a method of enhancing key performance and sustainable growth

Even if you're backed by VCs, angels, private equity or your grandmother (no shame), every dollar you get from real customers is a dollar you've truly earned Pursuing anything else can prove to be futile because it's more important to get the basics right

Of course, there are exceptions You might need financial support if you have fastgrowing competitors, you're in a land grab, or you need physical infrastructure. The lure of money frequently causes entrepreneurs to grossly underestimate the time, effort, and creative energy needed to make money If you're already overburdened with the task of developing and launching products,

you might want to wait a few months or years before deciding to embark on the investor/venture capital adventure. Focus on the following instead:

Optimize Sales

Optimizing sales is not a one time fix Successful sales teams regularly assess and improve their procedures to achieve long-term growth. Additionally, they make appropriate investments in new technologies to help them improve their sales process and increase revenue

Build a Sturdy and Loyal Customer Base

You need to be talking to as many potential customers as possible, validate a pain point that they either lack a solution or the solution they are currently using is missing the mark and they need something much better Don't be obsessed with your solution be obsessed with solving their problem

Have a Strong Team

The key to a successful business is having the right team at hand Ensure that every team member is ready to advance as your firm grows and that they all share the same values At the same time, make sure you have the right compensation structure in place to reward people for their good work and keep them motivated towards in working the vision of the company

Remember there is nothing wrong with funding your business operations with investor money, but at some point you need to start generating sales income because investors expect a return In other words focus on building a business that is sustainable in the long run.

African women still earn lower profits than men

According to research by Statistics South Africa, nearly half (47%) of South African women are unemployedi. This comes as would-be female employees have a tougher time finding work than men, thanks to the inequalities they face, including unequal pay and fewer leadership positions among others, while at the same time struggling to maintain a matriarchal role in society and family.

BySekaiChiwandamira

ITis for reasons like these that African women often turn to self-employment by starting their own businesses According to the World Economic Forum, women make up 58% of Africa's self-employed population and contribute around 13% of the continent's Gross domestic product GDP, with Sub-Saharan Africa in particular having the world’s highest rate of women involved in entrepreneurial

activity at 26% Despite this, women continue to earn lower profits than men as a result of the imbalances between opportunities to scale, access to funding, and training between men and women-led businesses on the continent.

The irony is that, if women-led Small Growing Businesses (SGBs) provide great investment opportunities, why do we not see more investors

including female investors actively working towards closing the gender-lens investment gap?

Investors are becoming increasingly interested in gender-lens investing, closing the gender gap and women ’ s empowerment The World Economic Forum revealed that 68 1% of the Global Gender Gap was closed in 2022, compared to 67 7% in 2021 Other improvements made to close the gender gap, can be seen more in the Western countries The top three worlds most gender-equal countries are Iceland, Finland and New Zealand

To accelerate these gains and ensure that gender-lens investing becomes more than just a ‘nice-to-have’, it is critical that the ecosystem collaborates with policymakers who hold the regulatory power to unlock further gains for women entrepreneurs, as well as their communities who benefit tremendously from gender-lens investing One way to alleviate poverty is to empower women economically, especially through entrepreneurial projects and financing that encourage women to engage themselves in entrepreneurial incomegenerating activities

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world, with approximately 42 percent of the nonagricultural labour force classifieds as self-employed or employers Yet most SGBs are unable to grow their businesses beyond small-scale subsistence operations, impeding their contribution to poverty reduction and shared prosperity This is particularly so for women.

This depends on us supporting the success of women entrepreneurs, through global network organizations such as the

Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs South Africa (ANDE SA) .

This global effort is aimed at bringing experts together to move the needle on gender equality in entrepreneurship, providing funding to pilot projects in Asia and Africa to address the gender finance gap, helping build know-how among investors to incorporate gender into their business models, and looking at the intersection of gender and climate

ANDE SA’s Chapter Head Sekai Chiwandamira says: “We must be cognisant of the fact that the battle of closing the gender gap is not as simple as it is made out to be It is quite complex and governed by the ecosystem If the ecosystem is conducive, and provides an enabling environment, then it becomes possible to address the gender gap However, if the ecosystem is highly fragmented, acting in silos and not embodying the principle of gender-lens investing, it becomes even more challenging to close the gap ”

While there has been somewhat level of progress in bridging the financial gap, it requires a collective effort from the SGBs themselves, the ecosystem, government, investors and even corporates

Chiwandamira adds: “If we truly want to change the status quo, we have to change the way we do things, and our attempt at encouraging financial inclusion for women is by rewarding investors and helping them prioritise pipeline opportunities and make gender-smart business decisions”

For Africa to achieve financial inclusion for women in the SGB sector, it requires a collective effort

INVESTING IN 35000 TOWNSHIP BUSINESSES

The Community Transformation Accelerator Program was set up to become instrumental in the growth of the South African economy as called upon in the South African Government’s National Development Plan for 2030. One of the goals of the plan is to radically change the economy in the townships and rural areas throughout the country and meet the needs of community-based enterprises that range from street-vending, taverns, spaza shops, taxis, burial societies, hair salons, plumbing, panel-beating, home-based care, cooking, shopping and child-minding.

To ensure the entity reaches it goals and makes the intended difference it has appointed fast, moving, consumer goods (FMCG) specialist, Phetheho Masasanya, as its new CEO with the special task of executing on the mandate

Grand leadership for a grand plan

Phetheho is only a few months into her appointments and she has noted the critical aspects of what her role is and that the CTAP has to play in the socioeconomic development of our country through the support provided to SMMEs based in the townships and rural areas

She brings with her 17 years of

experience in the retail and SMME industry, in particular the FMCG beverages where CTAP is already gaining momentum. Phetheho is not only academically qualified but passionate about community development This is the reason why she could not resist the opportunity presented by CTAP to be part of a tenacious team that is part of the solutions that SA needs in training and developing SMMEs “As a daughter of a communitybased business owner, I value the role that these businesses play in the upliftment of communities, not only from a financial perspective but that business

owners in these communities become role models to those around them They inspire confidence, tenacity and influence behavioural change within their communities”. She wants to extract the learnings from her father and those like him so that she reinvests her experience and passion into the communities to transform the socio- economic status of the areas that CTAP will operate in

“My first task is to ensure that the organisation brings value to its corporate partners by identifying the right fit of businesses that will embark on the program, ” she says

CTAP CEO: Phetheho Masasanya

Having worked for companies with revenue of up to R10 billion, her task is to ensure stringent management of the resources that are entrusted to CTAP by corporates and partners who find value in sponsoring the program to grow a thriving economy through the development of the 35,000 businesses that will participate in CTAP

Her role is to inspire investor confidence and she will ensure compliance to IRIS+ standards which is a globally accepted accounting system that leading impact investors use to measure, manage and optimise their impact.

Transforming the township and rural economy

The Community Transformation Accelerator Program aims to develop these

businesses by transforming how they transact and gathering valuable data to use for their benefit to increase their sales to become profitable This profitability will then be passed on to the community through job creation within the community that they operate in Similarly, bigger organisations that do business with these operations will gain invaluable insights into how this segment of the pyramid transacts

CTAP’s target is to empower 35,000 SMMEs by the end of 2023. To date, they have managed to sign up 15,000 businesses within the fast, moving, consumer goods (FMCG) industry with technology and business tools

Of these 15,000 businesses, their customer base has grown exponentially, as well as the

participating consumer brands. The programme involves intense training and support by the business development facilitators of CTAP, who are skilled in business management or are entrepreneurs themselves “The training is done to provide the business owners and employees with retail management and operational skills,” explains Phetheho This allows the owner to delegate comfortably so that they can address the most critical aspects of the business, such as marketing and strategy This training is SAQA accredited making it more meaningful for the participant as they will have an accredited qualification after successful completion of the training

This programme will provide up to 1000 unemployed graduates an opportunity to be employed as facilitators

The training is done to provide the business owners and employees with retail management and operational skills.

The investing woman!

Whyyoushouldbecomeher!

By Dikonelo Mile

"Give a woman a dollar, and she can put it to good use. Teach her about how money really works, and she can change the world,” says Linda Davis Taylor, CEO and chairman of Clifford Swan Investment Counselors Why should women invest you ask.

Women are naturally nurturing and caring for their communities

Imagine what powerful changes can happen when women also have the financial resources to take care of their communities

Netflix's show, Self Made: Inspired by the life of Madame C J Walker , is a great example of why it is important for women to invest in themselves , their finances and dreams

Women and Investments

Research shows that, out of all assets controlled by women, 71% is in cash This is because women do not think they know enough about investments and wait until they are older to invest It is important to have a strong foundation before investing This is achieved by adapting finance principles such as saving, budgeting, increasing sources of income and researching what you are to invest in Knowing the basics to what you are investing in is key. Remember to

always differentiate between saving and investing. Saving, is putting money away for a specific reason whilst investing is putting money in a financial vehicle/asset, that will financially move you from point A to point B There are different and many types of investments out there.

Some of the assets you could invest in are:

Real Estate - investing in property that appreciates over time can be good for your portfolio

Stocks - when you have part ownership in a company and the company performs well, the stock increases in value There are also other types of paper assets such as bonds and mutual funds

Running a profitable businessStarting a business which becomes profitable You can decide to sell the company at a later stage or expand it.

Money Market Accounts - These are interest earing accounts at a bank or credit union.

Investment style

Your investment style is based on your financial goals, time and your risk appetite. You have heard of the saying, no risk, no reward

Just like in life, every new step requires a leap of faith Investments generally have a level risk attached to them, ranging from low risk to high risk However even with taking risks, it is important to take calculated risk. You have to determine if you are an aggressive investor or conservative investor

Aggressive Investments yield higher returns over time with a high risk, whilst conservative investments are stable with lower risk How long you are planning to invest and your goals will determine your portfolio Remember no to put all your eggs in one basket

Dikonelo Mile is Managing Director at Success

Tuned, she can be found on:

info@successtuned co za

Employment vs Entrepreneurship

ARE WE ADAPTING THE CONVERSATION AT THE DINNER TABLE?

ByEdithMjuluki

he future plans of young children have always been something most families are keen on knowing Families discuss careers paths and future plans with their children around the dinner table by asking them "what do you want to study when you finish school?" Traditional professions such as lawyer, doctor or teacher are often thrown around by the excited kids

The parents relish these moments as they kick start plans to manifest these dreams

Surely those career path discussions remain a tradition for most families. Even I have had a chat with my boys to find out what they wanted to do post matric

One wanted to be in the Navy, while the other one couldn’t see why he needed to work for someone else if he could become entrepreneur

In a nutshell, they were both

exploring possibilities to financial freedom post matric

They will both have to make some choices later on due to the changing economic circumstances that affect their careers

The world as we knew it has changed, it is full of possibilities especially for those wanting to explore the business sphere

This space requires intellect and the youth are up to the challenge

With all the developments taking place across the globe in how we do business, we need to reevaluate our position in business, especially in light of the Covid-19 pandemic

One major effect Covid-19 brought is poverty Poverty leads to a whole lot of pressures and instability in one's life

We have a lot of youngsters who had their dreams lined up prior to the Covid-19outbreak, well planned and now they are at a

crossroad

The economy flipped on its head, changing everything socially and economically Technology has taken over the global economy in general Digital training and digital skills transfer has been a solution during this the Covid-19 pandemic

We might even see a situation where young graduates may have to upgrade their degrees or to change career direction completely to make it in this ever changing world However, the fact remains, unemployment keeps increasing as the economy takes a knock and businesses close down Adapting to the new digital age seems the obvious solution to thrive

This means the conversation around the dinner table should also shift gears to prepare the young ones for a changing future

EdithMjulukiisabusiness developmentexpertspecialisingin digitaltraining.

Resilience has a new name

ByMelissaNare

Serial entrepreneur Judy Jennings is a renowned franchisee The award-winning business mogul has carved out a dynamic career for herself in over 23 years working in the telecommunications industry. She is the current sole director of seven Vodacom franchise stores in Mthatha and the surrounding areas. She also sits on the Vodacom Franchise Council representing Eastern Cape Franchisees.

Born in Orange Grove, one of the villages in Mthatha, Judy’s entrepreneurial drive did not just spin out of the blue She comes from a family of entrepreneurs, her grandmother owned a spaza shop, her family sold vegetables and that was instilled in her At the tender age of 12, she would sell sweets and vegetables to bring some money back home, contributing her part only how a preteen would know to do

Quarter-Life Crisis

Having worked for a bank for nine years, she panicked and felt trapped in her job She was determined not to spend her tenth year working in corporate True to her drive she started looking for opportunities and started on a small scale by selling vegetables, because she was determined to run her own empire

“On weekends, I would drive back to Mthatha from East London where l was working at the time with my boot full of vegetables to sell to my friends”

She was then contracted by Vodacom to support its stores in the former Transkei region until an opportunity presented itself for her to open a franchise store becoming not only the first black woman but the first Vodacom franchise owner in her hometown Mthatha

With God guiding her steps as she put it, she had a plethora of support She got help drawing up her business plan from friends who were well versed in the field and her sister Pam Jennings

“This journey has been long, however the story is still to be told and people who supported me in my journey Dr Nomvuselelo Songelwa my friend has also been a pillar to keep me sane My gratitude goes Mr Simphiwe Somdyala the then general manager of the ECDC (Eastern Cape Development Corporation) formerly known as Transkei Development Corporation who believed enough in my vision and approved my loan application without security, which I paid in record time ”

She attributes her success to “people who opened opportunities for me ” “And that is why today I make sure in my endeavours I help others, ploughing back, I know to have a vision without resources at hand ”

Failure never an option

Even though she has had failures, it has never been an option for Judy “I had a good start in my first year of business and I even won an award, but in my second year I had failures, I couldn’t buy stock Nonetheless what was most important to me was that l was going to make it I had to go back to the drawing board and re -strategize Failure was not an

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option; I was in this and there was no way I was going to drop the ball”

She has celebrated many wins throughout her 23-year journey with the first highlight coming in her first year of business by winning an international trip to Australia from the Franchise Awards Another Highlight was when I won FASA (Franchise Association of South Africa) in 2003

She has since gone on to scoop numerous Vodacom awards including Franchisee of the year award in 2003, 2008, 2011, 2012 and in 2016 Africa’

Most Influential Women in Business award for the SADC Region under SME category

“Franchise business is a good business because you get the support”

She also attributes her success to her staff, her sister Lindela Jennings, son Sisanda Kori, daughter Lusanda Kori and the community of Eastern Cape especially the former Transkei “Have a team that believes in your vision,“ she says “Working hard, knowing your customers and staff is very important because those are the people that interact with the customers

If they understand the why and what you want to achieve, people will then deliver But if they don’t understand the strategy, then there’s always confusion and no alignment ”

Branching out into her passions

Judy’s franchise business has opened doors for endless opportunities In 2015, she diversified into the supply of printing and now she is a partner in two Nashua franchises She recently tapped into one of her passions, hospitality and has partnered up a friend

In 2022 with her son and her former banker, partnered to open spa franchises

Advice to women

“Do not to be afraid When you fail, be sure to stand-up Be passionate about what you want to do and be hands on Know your value and your gifts because your value creates your rewards Our gifts make us to stand out because God anoints gift We all came to earth with God given gifts "

Never compromise your values. We need to support each other as women in business.

ByDrSizweMazibukoand Peta-LynFoot

Mental health care patients continue to face stigmatization despite the human rights strides made in the country

Two doctors from the Akeso group take a look at some of the challenges that keep the status quo in place

According to Dr Sizwe Mazibuko, a psychiatrist practising at Akeso Arcadia, mental healthcare users continue to face stigmatisation, not only in South Africa but globally These individuals are medically ill in the same way those with physical conditions are, yet receive less support and fewer treatment options

“Unfortunately, there is a shortage of resources and this is particularly problematic for those with mental health conditions The length of inhospital stay for those who do receive care is therefore often insufficient, added to which there are limitations in terms of healthcare cover, ” he says

Cultural and economic challenges

“A lack of education around mental conditions is an enormously debilitating factor Added to which, cultural dynamics in South Africa can lead to serious mistreatment of those with cognitive disability; sometimes even in cases of elderly people with dementia, for example, who in the later years of their lives need help and care, and instead are met with fear and superstition and are therefore persecuted in the community

“With such a large portion of our population living below the poverty line there are competing struggles at play, and for those living in underprivileged areas where basic needs are not even met, mental health issues are, understandably, often not understood This is deeply saddening, as these individuals deserve to be treated with dignity, just like anyone else,” emphasizes Dr Mazibuko

The Mental Health Care Act

The centre reports that there have been many positive changes in mental healthcare in South Africa since the introduction of the Mental Health Care Act of 2002.

“This Act was put in place with the purpose of creating a shift in the system, from a custodial approach to encouraging more community care, ” explains Peta-Lyn Foot, program manager at Akeso Randburg – Crescent Clinic

“This meant ensuring more appropriate care across all levels of society and easier access to treatment, highlighting discrimination and stigma, and eliminating unfair treatment and committals of those with mental illness The Act is also about protecting individuals’ rights and dignity by giving patients more say in their treatment,” Foot says Dr Mazibuko comments that he has noticed a marked improvement in the country since the Act was put in place.

Know your rights and seek treatment

“Despite these improvements however, the reality is that there is a long road ahead before the rights of those with mental health conditions are recognised at a community level As a healthcare professional my advice is that these individuals should receive treatment at primary care level as soon as any signs of possible mental illness begin to show.

“If left untreated, certain mental conditions can lead to individuals committing crimes, in which case that person needs to be assessed at a forensic assessment facility However, very few such facilities exist In the meantime they have to wait in jail, which naturally can have a devastating effect on their mental health When you consider this vicious cycle, it is ironic and tragic that we as a society have the power to assist the very people who we so often turn our backs on, leading to further issues in our communities and the abuse of human rights, something we as a nation have sworn to protect,” notes Dr Mazibuko

EARLY DETECTION

OF BREAST LUMPS CAN SAVE LIVES

GETTOKNOWTHE SIGNSANDSYMPTOMS

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO CONDUCT A HOME EXAM

Breast self-exam, or regularly examining your breasts on your own, can be an important way to find breast cancer early, when it’s more likely to be treated successfully.

Although no single test can detect all breast cancers early, many people report that performing a breast self-exam in combination with other screening methods can increase the odds of early detection. Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer for South African women of all races, with a lifetime risk of 1 in 27 The risk for breast cancer increases as a person gets older, but many women under 40 have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Although male breast cancer

is rare, Breast Health Foundation recorded that in South Africa, 1-3% of all breast cancers happen in men.

According to the latest data from the National Cancer Register, men have a 1 in 943 lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Many men don't know they can get breast cancer. They may not notice a change, think it’s not important and may be embarrassed to say anything. This can delay diagnosis. As a result, breast cancers may be found later in men. The male breast is much smaller than the female breast making it more likely that cancer will spread to the chest wall. You can lower your cancer and health risk by cutting out lifestyle factors that increase your cancer risk.

Learn to recognise warning signs. Annual medical checkups and cancer screening appointments can help early detection, as symptoms don’t always present until cancer has spread.

There’s a lot you can do, not only to help yourself but also to spread awareness about breast cancer. Early detection and self-examination are important

For women, monthly breast self-examination 2 days after the last day of their period is an important screening method. Women over the age of 45 should consider going for a regular mammogram. Younger women have denser breast tissue and would benefit more from an ultrasound examination than a mammogram.

Family history plays an important role in determining how prone someone is to developing cancer. This is especially true for immediate family members (mom, father or sister) who were diagnosed at a relatively young age. Be sure to discuss all these issues and concerns with your doctor.

You need to know what’s normal for your body. Be aware of symptoms of cancer, as early detection improves the chances of successful treatment. It's suggested that you do a simple monthly breast selfexam to check your breasts for lumps or anything that seems unusual.

Risk factors for breast cancer Age

Family history

· Lifestyle choices

Existing medical conditions

Early detection of breast cancer can improve survival.

Signs and symptoms

The most common sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. A painless lump that is hard and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer.

Swelling of all or part of the breast

Skin irritation or dimpling

Breast pain

Nipple pain or the nipple turning inward Redness, scaliness or thickening of the nipple or breast skin

A nipple discharge other than breast milk and A lump in the underarm area.

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Article was taken from Western Cape Department of Health

More Assertive HOW TO BECOME

Being assertive is very important as it helps you improve your self-esteem and consequently enhances your selfconfidence But what is self-assertiveness? Selfassertiveness means honoring your needs, your values, your principles and interests

It means being able to express yourself confidently to be able to stand your ground and to be firm. It also means to disagree with people but of course in a respectful way as well as not feeling the urge to please others

Self-assertiveness is about being your authentic self People who are not assertive tend to suffer from poor self-esteem and unfortunately may be prone to be victimized or taken advantage of Now remember there's a difference between being assertive and being aggressive Assertive is being rooted in your selfworth; it involves being honest and respectful while aggressive on the other hand can be disrespectful and narcissistic if you ask me, so we want to be more assertive not aggressive and here are five ways to do that:

Know who you are. Know your interests your values and principles what is important to you and why is it important This will help you determine what you're willing to tolerate and when to stand your ground during disagreements

There are other things on a much deeper level that will help you become more assertive and improve your selfesteem but these are the five that will get you started.

TraceyDube

3. 4.

Pay attention to your feelings. Do you know what makes you happy? Do you know what ticks you off? Allow yourself to experience your feelings positive or negative, the more you experience your feelings the more likely you are to manage your emotions and remain calm when faced with obstacles or disputes.

Know your strengths. People who know their strengths are self-aware and therefore tend to be more self-assertive They can easily communicate their values with confidence Remember we all have strengths ok; my advice is to go and find out what are your strengths and embrace them it will change your life forever.

Practice saying no. You can say no and be polite. For example, you can say to a person; no I've already made plans or no I won't be able to get to it. Practice this in front of a mirror or with family members and as you practice, I want you to pay attention to your body language. Make sure that you're not saying no, and your body is saying something else, so your words and your body must be aligned. The more you do it the more you get comfortable with saying no. I must warn you though do you expect people to be a bit shocked at first especially if they are so used to you agreeing to everything, but their reactions shouldn't stop you, continue anyway.

Get coaching Honestly coaching and or therapy is the best way to help you become more assertive and consequently increase your selfesteem.

MPOWERINGE HER COMMUNITY

ByMelissaNare

Ourmentalhealthand wellbeingshouldcomefirst inallwedo.Yetweareall guiltyofpushingthrough difficultcircumstanceswhileignoring thewarningsignsthatweneedamentalbreak

The hustle culture, which encourages people to work hard until they are exhausted and burned out, is detrimental The fact that we are presently experiencing a mental healthcrisishasbeenamplynoted

We chat to mental health ambassador, author, medical doctor and philanthropist, Dr Bongiwe Tlailane about the importance of having those deep conversations aboutmentalhealth

A medical doctor with a special interest in Psychiatry, Tlailane holds Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, with aDiplomainMentalHealthasherhighestqualification. The Johannesburg born mental health ambassador is on amission

“Healing cannot happen unless the wrong things that happeninthefamilyareacknowledged

For everyone in the family to be able to be vulnerable enough to communicate openly and honestly To choose to respect each-other with the understanding of the cultural background parents have, refined in the modern context of raising children”

Writing to address depression

Her motivation for writing books came from her mother who did a thesis in mental health whilst working as a nurse and from raising her two young children as a single mother

Dr Bongiwe also has a brother whom she journeys with through his mental health challenges and is currently supporting financially Having gone through a personal experience herself with depression in 2019, she wanted to motivate herself and in turn, her books became a motivation for others because of her altruistic approach to life After writing her books in 2019 she became a self-published author, a motivational speaker, a philanthropist through an outreach programme of giving away her books and a blogger She delights in contributing to her gratitude Sunday post on social media

Dr Bongi strives to make an impact by giving children the skills they need to be able to constructively and emotion-ally regulate the compounding stressors that they are faced with these days “I would like to be known for being authentic, vulnerable and community (people) orientated as an author Wanting all of us to have access to tools that help our emotional quotient not only or intellectual quotient because God could put you in the most unlikely places to make a difference ”

Harnessing deeper mental health conversations

Part of being a visionary means being misunderstood at times

Dr Bongi admits to facing the challenge of editors not understanding her vision She ended up self-editing her books because she didn’t want the rawness of her message to be diluted

This of course meant self-funding her project, from marketing costs to distributors who take about 90 percent of book sales and finding time to sell from her boot to generate a bit of profit

“As an entrepreneur, you often feel you are losing more than you make especially when you are selling at a smaller scale I am full-time doctor, so I have to take vacation leave from work every time I do anything book related.”

About her books

She has published self-help books written for adults and families to have deeper conversations with teenagers She is the author of motivational books for children, Just Bee Authentic and A New Me She promotes:

SELF-AWARENESS: Embracing your emotions; connecting them with your thoughts and actions so that you can understand who you are

SELF-AFFIRMATION: Fully excepting yourself, acknowledging your strengths, working on your flaws and being comfortable in your own skin so that you can embrace who you really are Self-Love and Self-Care are important aspects of affirming self

SELF-RELIANCE: Discovering your purpose and what you are passionate about through enhancing your gifts and talents Trusting in God and your own inner resources to make it in life

Setting herself apart from the rest

ByMelissaNare

here is a path in life that follows a common one Even if it isnt amazing, it is safe, secure and predictable This path is taken by many They just follow, asking no questions and making no fuss

But some people pause, look about, and decide to make a difference These are the visionaries and leaders who have blazed new paths in our world Without them, the moon would only be a far-off fantasy, dinner would be served under a tree, and the light bulb would never have been created

These people pose questions to conventional wisdom and carve out their own unique pathways More importantly, they carry others along with them

Lomasiko Mnisi is one such visionary, using data and technology in solving complex business problems

Her company JVL Intelligence, which she founded in April 2022 offers tailored analytics and business intelligence solutions as well as capacity building in the technology space. he ultimate goal is to empower businesses and individuals to remain competitive in the evolving digital economy

She is particularly passionate about reaching vulnerable groups such as young women and adolescent girls, equipping them with digital skills to ensure their competitive participation in the tech space.

She studied at University of Pretoria where she obtained her under-graduate degree in economics and progressed to the University of the Witwatersrand to further obtain her Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies

She spent quite some time working in development and social impact sectors whilst nurturing her love for food craft, travel, and tech-preneurship She has now turned both her profession and life-style passions to a business that she is dedicated to full-time Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, Lomasiko had been in the tech industry for eight years working as a data analyst

“I would like JVL Intelligence to be known for helping organisations light up sustainable growth paths using data and technology as well as building competitive human capacity in tech space, ” she says , when asked about what impact she would like her business to have

Challenges

Like any new start-up coming into the tech space dominated by large corporates, Lomasiko has struggled with accessing the corporate market However, this has not deterred her

Meet Speaker Dr Bongiwe

Move aside Hustle Culture Make Way For Slow Productivity

Starting a business is no easy feat In fact, when statistics show that 70 – 80% of South African businesses fail in the first five years, there is no wonder that many entrepreneurs find themselves in a continuous state of mental and emotional stress due to the coveted notion of ‘hustling’.

ustle culture has been glorified and widely accepted as the norm amongst the entrepreneur community globally In part, this can be attributed to the standard being set by prominent business leaders worldwide who accentuate their constant personal sacrifices to achieve their business success

“When I see entrepreneurs attributing hustle culture to their business’s success, my thoughts are two-fold: Firstly, am I doing something wrong working an 8-hour workday; and secondly, what budding entrepreneurs are reading the exact same articles and convincing themselves they need to experience burnout to achieve success?” says Kirsten Roos, Managing Partner at strategic communications agency, Pulse Communications.

Slow productivity, as a concept and culture, encourages the ‘do less, achieve more ’ approach to workload – you ’ re achieving the same, valuable results but you ’ re doing it at a pace that promotes quality over quantity, sustainably Staggering statistics show that 77% of people have experienced burnout at their job and 42% have left their jobs because they felt burned out.

For entrepreneurs, burnout can, perhaps, be attributed to their desire to scale their businesses as quickly as possible and sometimes before their service and product offering is polished Many are looking to achieve return on investment in a short space of time and at great sacrifice to every other aspect of their being How are entrepreneurs able to grow their businesses at a pace of peace and permanence? By ensuring that they surround themselves with the right personalities and skillsets to achieve optimal results

n his book The E-myth revisited, Michael E Gerber defines the three personalities of each

Ibusiness owner and points out that a lot of entrepreneurs fail due to lack of balance between these personalities

In some cases, an individual is able to tap into each of the three personalities; and in other cases, each is represented by one individual

The Entrepreneur

“This personality trait, in my opinion, is what inspires an individual to take the leap and start their own business in the first place”, says Roos The Entrepreneur is the visionary, the dreamer, the innovator, the energiser; they also typically serve as the ‘face’ of the business, driving sales, building networks and considering the ‘Next Big Thing’

The Manager

Every business needs a Manager: Someone who can take the Entrepreneur’s ideas and turn them into a tangible and actionable plan Without an individual, or personality, handing the operations of a business, there is no way to measure and evaluate its past, present and future success

The Technician

Idea conceptualisation, through to structure, processes and planning may play a pivotal role in each business, however, without the results the business would not succeed The Technician is the doer of the business: They apply their experience and skills to create and achieve optimal results, ensuring repeat business and longevity Business success can be wholly attributed to balance: You need a good balance of the three personalities to thrive, but you also need a worklife balance

“Great ideas are not born out of chaos, they are nurtured from peace, ” concludes Roos

The Premier Splendid Inn IN Bloemfontein is a gem right in the

RESTAURANT

The newly renovated hotel with its modern architecture and refreshing interior décor offers a tranquil energy smack in the middle of the buzzing Zastron Street

The hotel is conveniently located in close proximity to Free State Government Departments; the SARS office is directly opposite the hotel, sports stadiums, renowned schools, as well as historical and cultural landmarks such as the National Museum, the University of Free State and the Supreme Court of Appeal Also a short 10 km drive from Bloemfontein Airport and the Waterfront Mimosa Mall is approximately 1km from the hotel

CONFERENCE FACILITIES

Premier Splendid Inn Bloemfontein offers a magnificent boutique conference experience for organisers looking for something new The sound proofed conference room is equipped with the latest audio visual equipment incorporating screens, roving and lapel microphones, flexible lighting solutions for any set up and poster holders. Delegates can also enjoy dining in an enclosed rooftop area, whilst there are convenient pause and pre-assembly areas available.

The Fountains restaurant has a tempting menu with a variety of dishes available including Durban-style lamb curry, vegetarian, chicken or beef gourmet burgers, Macufe-mix grill and pasta dishes. Halaal meals are also offered The open plan kitchen behind the buffet area creates a vibrant atmosphere for customers Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner (a la carte & buffet style dining).

ROOMS

The hotel has 88 rooms that include 20 double rooms, 50 twin, 13 king, 3 executive and 2 disabled bedrooms in a comfortable, contemporary and spacious setting

heart of the city.

PHUMEZA LANGA

Becoming all the woman she can be

By Basetsana Makhalemele

The past year has seen, communications extraordinaire

Phumeza Langa’s wings opening up and allowing her the flight that she has been putting in the work for in recent years Despite the lockdown brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, she has been flourishing in inspiring ways Our content creator, Basetsana Makhalemele has a chat with her about her work and how she has managed to structure all that she does

Ignited Woman (IW): Please tell us a bit about yourself and where you are from?

Phumeza Langa (PL): I am an only child, Johannesburg born and raised woman, mother to a wonderful little girl who teaches and stretches me every single day I am married, living in the East Rand with my family I am discovering on a daily basis my passions and purpose, and being intentional in moving towards creating, living

and working in a way that allows me to be everything I can be. It is tough but I must do it, I owe it to myself to explore each and every single part of who I am and my capabilities as they unfold throughout my life journey.

IW: Can you tell us about the business ventures you are involved in?

PL: I am a Communications Consultant, specialising in digital and copywriting. I am a freelance writer and have done that for a number of years, a speaker, facilitator and now moving into the MC space I do offer those services as an independent contractor.

IW: You are known to be in the communication and you are doing extremely well. Why did you choose that field and what exactly is your role as a communication consultant?

PL: I stumbled into communications in the best way possible, my high school guidance teacher recommended Public Relations to me based on what she knew about me. She tasked me with researching it for myself and I truly am happy about moving in this direction. It’s fascinating to me that I am still somehow doing certain elements of journalism in my work, and although it is not on the level of my childhood hero Christiana Amanpour, I am finding ways to share stories in order to try encourage, teach and open up people’s minds to new ways of learnings - whilst I learn and be inspired too!

IW: SistaHoodHour, can you tell us about it and how the business journey began?

PL: I am the founder of #SistaHoodHour - it started as a conversation between myself and the former Creative Chat SA duo, they encouraged me to use my social media platforms, especially Twitter to have those conversations and engage with other women. I just got into it and never looked back!

#SistaHoodHour is a space where women can connect, learn, encourage, challenge each other and society about the things that impact us on a daily basis and in different ways, without being fearful or faced with any prejudices or preconceived ideas - we’re all in a place that allows us to be ourselves, and we hope that we each leave with something new to have learnt, experienced or shared with one another.

IW: What inspired you as a young woman to take the leap into connecting women and making an impact?

PL: I have been fortunate to have incredible women who have been amazing sources of kindness, wisdom, strength through various chapters of my life There was a time I started to intentionally connect with more like-minded women, and some were women who were in different spaces in terms of careers, life stages, continents even However they always welcomed the questions, conversations, insights I could share - it became about more than my own learning.

This brought me such excitement and joy to connect women to one another and watch their connection grow and move forward.

IW: How do you juggle everything that you do? And what keeps you motivated to be the woman you are today?

IW: What would you say makes SistaHoodHour Conversations unique from other talk shows in South Africa?

PL: I want to further the conversations we have on Twitter via the SistaHoodHour Twitter Chat - the manner in which they are real and frank, and cover diverse topics. However be able to move within different communities and have face to face town hall type of conversations - my mom pointed out that the conversations are so diverse and there are so many She has even shared some ideas that I cannot wait to get going with!

PL: I have been fortunate that a lot of the things that I do feed into each other, and so it never feels like work in the traditional sense, but being able to pursue my passions in ways that help me grow through learning and exploring what I do and can do. I am also choosing what my energy and time goes to, be it work, conversation I engage in, spaces that I am inthere are days that feel like a lot is happening but that’s when I know I need to take a pause and rest a bit before starting up again It is so easy to burn out and so much harder to get into a good space again. I am motivated by the fact that I can continuously grow, and I am deliberate in doing the things that help me grow

IW: What has been the most challenging part of your journey thus far as a communication consultant? How did you overcome those challenges?

IW: How do you see SistaHoodHour evolving in the future?

PL: I would love to see SistaHoodHour become an environment that brings women, companies and communities together to make a tangible change in people’s lives. If there is a community you want to work with, let us help you find them, collaborate and grow in that connection and service. I truly want for women to connect with each other to collaborate, share knowledge and grow as individuals. Create and nurture their own SistaHoodHour communities

IW: What has been the highlight of your journey in this communication and media industry?

PL: Discovering a deeper love and appreciation for writing, learning more about it The opportunity to learn about social media and using it for brands but then also learning about how one can use social media for the positive, within our communities, both online and real. #SistaHoodHour has helped me learn so much about where I want to go in terms of the next chapter of my life and career

PL: I count moving into the entrepreneurial space as one of my most challenging experiences However also being one of my best learning experiences because you discover so much of yourself, what you want to do, how you want to do it, what works for you, what spaces you want to be in as a consultant. The collaborations and having your name spoken in places you never could have imagined finding yourself in - incredible Also learning that sometimes the meeting can go so well, but the timing isn’t right to start the work, invoicing and waiting for payments (never spend money that is not in your account yet), learning to let some opportunities go because they are not the right one for you –but being able to recommend someone else for the job - that was always the best

IW: Message to other women who are looking up to you?

PL: Follow your own unique path, it may take time to discover it but do not lose hope - it is possible. It is crucial to find a way to develop and grow your passions / skills, and channel them into areas that fulfill you, and in turn helps other women along their path

The South African economy has a secret weapon: stokvels At present, around R49 billion is saved annually by over 11 million South Africans in more than 800 000 stokvels But how can you harness this collective power to achieve your savings goals?

This book simply and clearly explains basic financial principles and how to make sound financial decisions, and contains all the necessary information you need about stokvels, including how stokvels emerged and how they have evolved; how to set up a stokvel, and the admin, challenges and benefits involved in running one; the opportunities stokvels provide and how financial institutions, retailers, corporates and businesses that deal with them can leverage their buying power; and the future landscape of stokvels

Whether you ’ re looking to fund your monthly groceries or have set your sights on buying property, joining a stokvel can help you achieve your goal quickly, without having to borrow money from the bank

Stokvel insights

BOOK TITLE: Stokvels:

AUTHOR: Palesa Longolo

Appealing to readers who are already in a stokvel, those who want to be in one, and even those who never thought of joining one this book explains how to use the power of a collective to save for a goal make money on investments, and, ultimately, achieve financial security

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Palesa Lengolo is a finance professional with 10 years ’ experience in financial services in the fields of accounting, investments and banking With qualifications in Accounting Science and Financial Information Systems, she is a member of the South African Institute of Business Accountants While she s passionate about her corporate career she is also committed to empowering people with investment and financial education via Palengo Holdings, an investments holding company

How they can make your money work for you

Thisbooksimply andclearly explainsbasic financial principles andhowtomake soundfinancial decisions.

I M P A C T M A K E

MITIGATIN THEPAND

By Basetsana Makhalemele

INthe words of Desmond Tutu "do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world "

Nosipho Fakude is not one to be limited by the drastic changes of the world, instead she dived into them to make an impact in people's lives

A young black woman living up to her name and calling - Nosipho which means mother of gifts is on a mission to render great impact to vulnerable communities

"I am determined to create sustainable value for our current and future generations in the least," she says

Nosipho is a wife, mother of 3, a philanthropist and entrepreneur She was raised in the heart of KwaMashu and enjoyed her early and tertiary education in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

After a stint in the corporate world, she felt it was time to leave in 2015 when she was pregnant with her second daughter

"I have hands my mo sibling While the ris pande fulfill her childhood dream of adding value to the society and gave birth NS Impact Foundation

Creating impact makers

NS Impact Foundation's mission is to create a platform that unites people to do good in the simplest of ways

"We believe that in order to make an impact, you have to act As Africans we know that you cannot sit alone to create prosperity and that the wealth that can empower us all, must come from us all There should be no obstacles in doing good. Our aim is to deliver measurable impact in all we do," she says

According to Nosipho, their strategic intention is to focus on four pillars from the sustainable development goals by the United Nations

"First and foremost this thing needs to come from the heart. If it does not, you will be easily discouraged because there are plenty pitfalls along the way."

Hersmart wearable sensors monitor human performance and health The innovation is aimed at helping companies detect if one of their employees has symptoms that may be a risk of health, COVID-19 being one of them.

3DIMO, a sport biotech company based in Cape Town and San Francisco, has been working towards launching a smartwearable that will monitor body temperature, heart-rate and fatigue levels or stress levels so that it gets actionable statistics that can easily help, especially companies detect if one of their employees as symptoms that may be have health risks.

With a special focus on sport, the company wants to help sports clubs educe the financial losses due to injuries, and reduce athlete injury rehabilitation. The data insight that 3DIMO collects is able to get and model could help in having tailormade insurance plans for elite sport athletes.

3DIMO is provides actionable data insights to predict and prevent sport injury risk through the development smart hardware and interactive sport data visualization software, giving real-time insights on athlete performance and helping clubs with business and technical intelligence to optimize performance and reduce injury risk

The company ’ s founder, Nneile Nkholise, says although her company has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because sports team had to go into lock down. She was an ambassador of the presidency

as one of the community of young people that would be activist of the National Development Plan of 2030

The Thaba Nchu born entrepreneur was also recognized by the World Economic Forum as the top female innovator in Africa in 2016.

“Although, it was a prestigious award which I hold dear to, I also believe it was a call to action to be actively involved in the continental development of market creating innovations,” she says She lauds this achievement as a stepping stone to other opportunities that have helped her to broaden her horizon

HER BUSINESS

Nneile launched her career in 2011 as a mechanical engineer at the Free State’s Public Works Department, before founding iMed Tech in 2015. Her work at iMed Tech in CAD and Additive Manufacturing in breast prosthesis earned Nkholise several awards, including Forbes 30 Under 30 and the presidential award for Science, Innovation and Technology at the South African Youth Awards in 2017.

“I started 3DIMO from the lessons I learnt from my previous startup and from my experience of working in sport and playing basketball,” she explains. She started 3DIMO with an idea to create pre-surgical planning models (which were either digital or 3d printed) to support Orthopedic surgeons with surgery planning to help speed up surgery time, reduce cost of surgery and also increase accuracy of surgery.

FOCUS ON SPORT

She says the reason they focus on sport injuries is that an estimated 88.5 million people play a team sport in the US - basketball, football, soccer, volleyball and baseball - and about 1.1 million people play rugby in South Africa

“Sport is recognized as one of the greatest forms of entertainment with the level of competitiveness continuing to increase with seemingly no end in sight This meteoric growth in sport has resulted in revenue growth for sport clubs and athletes equally,” she says Admittedly the growth has led more pressure from young athletes getting into the game This is where her work becomes critical as athletes become more prone to injuries because of the risks they take while training and during games

“The desire to be and deliver the best can often result in the greatest setback of an athlete's career and life. With athletes' careers and clubs' investments potentially at risk, the conversation about early injury detection and prevention has developed from research to a growing business area with huge opportunity,” she explains.

BUSINESS FAILURE

Nneile previously had a medtech company called iMed Tech which she started to pursue her of creating prosthesis and implants using additive manufacturing for people who had damaged or lost body features due to accidents or diseases such as cancer “The company grew into us creating breast prosthesis for women who had undergone mastectomy and hence lost a breast or both, due to the small

market of breast prosthesis in South Africa, I learnt that we might have a great product with great impact however our scaling opportunity was limited so I had my first business failure in 2018,” says Nneile. The business failure came as they were losing so much money for the sale of each product.

INVESTMENT

For now Nneile hopes that there will be more investment interest in her field. Getting investors has been difficult in South Africa because Sport Tech has not been a sector that investors have paid attention to on the continent however we still believe that long-term, there will be a great opportunity for the work that we are doing

Creating a platform for women

Trudy Zulu and Triumph Mbiva both agree that taking the Mrs South Africa journey re-introduced them to the best version of themselves and gifted them a value friendship.

The platform forced them to confront and conquer themselves, to learn so much about being a personality in the public eye and how to go after ones dreams

Women have a lot to converse about especially with what is happening in every area of their lives

Two former Mrs SA finalists, entrepreneurs and co-founders of the talk show The Catch Up Corner, Trudy Zulu and Truimph Mbiva have a passion to empower. Their shared passion for the entertainment industry and their desire to tell authentic South African stories inspired them to join forces and establish a media company. Their position about the role women should play has propelled them to create a platform that shines the spotlight on South African women from all walks of life.

This is how the two use their love for entertainment as a tool to start the conversation going

"South Africans are consuming more local content and it’s amazing seeing and relating to people who are just like us," she says

Purpose in work

According to the two, the intention to educate, inspire and motivate audiences gives their show distinction

Triumph asserts that so much is said about success and the glitz and glam lives of prominent individuals that the ordinary people working to change lives have almost become insignificant in modern day society

“This show aims to bring to light the unspoken and hidden challenges of climbing that success ladder in any area of our lives,” she says

They say the future growth of the Catch Up Corner rests on its unique ability to celebrate the success whilst showcasing the struggles and challenges one has to endure to get there

The show brings entertaining feature and experience for the viewer as a pose to traditional talk shows, we deliver our content/narrative in a relevant, relatable

and entertaining way by bringing in diverse headings/topics/storyline, characters and personalities to the show

The catch up corner will be available to view on GauTV channel 265 on DStv

Juggling despite Covid-19 challenges

The Covid-19 pandemic has indeed redirected lives and it has become challenging for most, which the two list it as a cause of their challenge on their journey

"Covid-19 has been a challenge especially with getting our shows off the ground but we’re grateful that we managed," says Trudy

In the midst of everything this pandemic has also taught us about life and strengthened their faith even more "Tomorrow is not promised and that it is important to pursue our God given abilities and talents, because if not now then when? If not you then who?"

They believe that through planning and delegation, it is no use to try to do everything at once and never master anything "Someone can pick up the kids and make the groceries, there are no super moms but real moms," that is how they juggle everything that they do effortlessly.

The chemist with a flair for business

By Kamogelo Seekoei

For someone who never imagined a career as a chemist, let alone becoming a thriving business woman, Nomandla Ngcoya, from Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, has done pretty well for herself.

The University of Kwazulu-Natal BSc Chemistry and Chemical Technology graduate ventured into producing cleaning detergents after graduation and her decision is paying off

“To be honest God led me to this field Before going to university I didn’t know that one can actually study to be a chemist ” Nomandla actually wanted to go into medicine but was one point short for entry. So she decided to have a remark on her matric exams.

While waiting life had to go on and she also had to be in class so she took some modules to get her through the first semester of university

This is where she encountered chemistry and fell absolutely in love with the course

“I didn’t know what I was doing half the time but I was always looking forward to lab day, I think that was the innovative side of me popping out I told my mom that I was going to finish this degree and do medicine afterwards and she allowed me When I completed the degree I decided to do my honours,” she reveals.

She completed her Honours in chemistry, her Masters in medicinal chemistry and is currently doing her PhD in medicinal and natural product chemistry.

Innovating

Shortly after completing her internship at UKZN, Nomandla was admitted for eight days for depression The internship had not gone as she had hoped as most of her experiments did not work

THE FUTURE LOOKS FRANCHISED

By Basetsana Makhalemele

More young women are finding their way to build and create their empires and do what fulfills their hearts rather than stay in a corporate job

The young and ambitious entrepreneur, mother, award winning Tumelo Rathobei happens to fit this bill Tumelo is the owner of Botshelo Wellness and Fitness, which offers spa treatments, a nail bar and a gym to residents of the small town of Thaba Nchu, in the Free State

The business journey

When she returned back home after her tertiary studies, Tumelo realized that there was a gap in the market for a service that she needed frequently, beauty So in 2014 she took the plunge

"I have always appreciated looking pretty at all times I did not find a suitable place which offered such services around town, so I started a business to close the gap," she says

"Always trust in God, work extremely hard with a strategy. Be humble and always accept criticism, it builds one from their mistakes and makes one a better person."

Tumelo started drafting a business plan on how she would go about her new business venture which led her into entering a competition called Free State enterprise job creation challenge

"I entered the competition and by God's grace I won myself a prize and that was a start I took a loan and together, the funds assisted in starting my baby," she says

Botshelo Wellness and Fitness has all your beauty services under one roof, it offer some free consultation on weight loss, or weight gain, maintenance and self-care, more especially on facials

She explains that the business uses organic products designed for dark African skins and makes sure each client is served to suit their needs

What really sparked the young entrepreneur's interest to venture into this industry was to have decent, classy places to have all beauty, health and wellness needs catered for Comfortable, professional and hygienic facilities, that is what she prides herself in offering

Her passion for health and wellness has driven her to take part organising health and wellness events including a fun walk/run and a lot of voluntary work at CANSA (Cancer Association of South Africa)

"I continue to set myself apart by having clean and hygienic premises where all the treatments are done It’s my way of showing my clients respect and of saying hey we may be in a small town but we deserve world class," she says

Business highlights and goals

According to Tumelo, one of her greatest successes was when she was featured on a TV program called Making Moves SABC 1

"I felt so honoured and humbled that my business from such a small town has made it through," she adds

Her hard work and drive has really paid off, which led her to win several awards from Free State enterprise job creation challenge, SAB Kickstart boost, FDC woman in business award

Her goals keep her motivated, she declares "When I think of all I need to achieve, I just get fueled up It gives me so much energy, I feel like the sky is not even the limit," she says

"My dreams wake me up motivated and enthusiastic and most of all God I know that in him everything and anything is possible," she adds

Tumelo's prayer for the future is to see Botshelo Wellness and Fitness become a franchise in other parts of the province

She muses at the idea of Botshelo Wellness and Fitness having a beauty school which will assist young girls who are less privileged but want to go into the beauty business

Challenges

According to Tumelo the greatest challenge she has faced has been employees who were not dedicated, motivated and full of positive energy

"I then decided to try and give a little bit of training before I work with them so as to transfer the good energy to them which will then be transferred to my clients," she says

COVID19 also played a huge role in challenging her on a personal and professional level as she had to move to temporarily close her business, move to a new premises and redesign her spa Financial difficulties were obviously not left behind

"It was not easy at all, one experiencing a bit of financial challenges, but with God's grace we managed to overcome," she says

Motherhood

With everything that Tumelo does in the business world she still manages to be the best for her daughter She says being a mother is such a blessing to her and she tries by all means to manage her time very well to cater for her daughter, to give her love and care that she needs

YOUNG, DYNAMIC AND AWARD WINNING

Starting a business on almost nothing and all alone is a feat that many will not endeavor But Bloemfontein born Rorisang Setlogelo dared to dream and nine years later her advertising agency has scooped its first prism award. The honour she says validates the work they do and the talent of her team Ignited Woman editor, Kamogelo Seekoei, caught up with Rorisang to talk about her award, hard work and betting on yourself despite dissenting voices

Rorisang, on betting on herself and making her work shine

"We trained in the rain so to speak. It was a tough battle and certainly the odds were not in our favour."

Ignited Woman (IW): Rorisang, your company has recently won a Prism award. This kind of accolade should be something that validates your hard work Perhaps let's start with how are you feeling after this award?

Rorisang Setlogelo (RS): This award truly meant the world to us This validates that a bold and determined group of young individuals in a woman run agency can create dynamic and inspiring work This not only validates, it also motivates us to keep giving our all to our work We feel ecstatic and greatly honoured, we feel seen and appreciated

This win is in a new category Food and Beverage, that is hugely coveted and we emerged the Gold winner The highest award in this category I’m proud of my team, and so happy to have them recognised I’m proud of the business purpose which led to this work, Creativity that Elevates

This year ’ s Prism Win also was announced in this difficult COVID-19 pandemic giving us a massive morale boost as we work from home We celebrated together in the little way we can but we intend to celebrate ourselves a lot more in future

IW: How hard did the team have to work on this award winning project?

RS: It’s the culmination of 3 years of hard work and dedicated partnership to our client to build equity, value and incredible brand experiences

We focused on understanding the consumer and the clients brief at every turn and worked extremely hard to deliver the most innovative creative communication solutions

We had to be bold, push ourselves and the brief to get to the insights that unlocked greater potential

We always knew we were capable of award winning work as a collective, we knew we were organised, passionate and intent on creating a magic that could inspire great work So we sharpened the tools, focused and dedicated ourselves

We believe in going big, in creating an opportunity for ourselves to shine because one will not always be given opportunity

IW: Please tell us more about the award, what category was it for and for which campaign?

RS: We won this award for the Cause for Celebration campaign for Avant Garde champagne brand GH MUMM

Our approach to creative communication is to build compelling content, that is well researched and supported by insights led by our consumers We are not afraid to follow our consumers and we are not afraid to build leading communication pieces for them to well experience a brands offering This campaign was the culmination of this dedication

IW: Was this your first award and why is it important for you to enter award competitions?

RS: This was our first prism award. We have a number of other awards and global best practice recognitions. I love awards, they really validate talent that can often times be overlooked. People must never lose faith in their dreams and their goals. Awards allow you to look back on your journey and know you are worthy of anything you can possibly imagine. I want my team to know how worthy they are and I want them to have the confidence to always trust their talent and trust the work we build.

IW: What would you say have been the highlight of your career so far?

RS: The highlight of my career has been building a business that I could be proud of. I didn’t have the benefit of capital so I started with one client and grew that one client to a client base of 25. I started with just me, later on my business partner Lamu joined the business a year in, then from there I really built a business of reputable and dedicated creative specialists across the board. This business will be nine years old in September. The success of this business gave me the confidence to launch my new market offering. A business called Resonate Productions.

IW: What characteristics should one have to stay relevant in your industry?

RS: I think in our industry relevance is about the most authentic offering you can make to the market as a business. A place of innovative ideas, where the collective is unafraid to challenge industry norms. We have always been about evolving our capabilities as a business to create and produce work that stretches us. We have brilliant basics but this was not enough for me or my team. We wanted to go where others wouldn’t go.

IW: For someone wanting to do the work that you do (even run their own agency) what advice would you give?

RS: First step is to bet on yourself, do not let anyone limit you. Tell yourself what you are capable of, or what you are equal to. Understand your value, unlock your own excellence and do things that make you proud of your own contribution. Have tenacity, the road will be hard but there are so many people willing to help you build your idea. You won’t know that at first because perhaps you will be alone on the founding stage but as you get more passionate about your own work, no one can stop you and everyone will want to help build you. Of course there will be dissenting voices, but they are not your priority.

IW: Former days; tell us what made you decide to start a business?

RS: I have my mother to thank for that, she always had great expectations of me and it was my duty to honour that belief with my best effort. She pulled herself always by her boot straps and pushed herself to impossible heights. She believed, I think, that potential is kinetic and that one has to make great strides to fulfill this potential. She is my greatest teacher and I owe much of my success as an individual to this great woman.

Secondly, I come from a family of inspiring legacies. My grandfather being one of the first black doctors in the country (in the first 7); I knew the great hardships of such a feat in a time such as that. It made me think on my own legacy very early in life. What I wanted to leave behind. What I wanted to learn, to teach, to achieve and that vision was by and large shaped by these greats. I never lost my sense of curiosity and as I grew I became more curious about what I can do.

"

IW: How long have you been running your agency?

RS: Roth Media is nearly nine years, and Resonate only a year in June. We are in the exciting process of launching a group company that will house all these offerings.

IW: Has it always been a success story or like many entrepreneurs you also have a story of chipped nails? If so please share.

RS: Certainly chipped nails from clawing at success daily. We trained in the “rain” so to speak. It was a tough battle and certainly the odds were not in our favour.

Transformation remains a big issue in our industry, gender plays a big part with a lot of women being kept at the fringes and having no capital to scale our growth early meant the climb was tough. Then again so are we, we coined a phrase in our first five years, The comeback kids. This phrase paid off, we kept going even when wisdom suggested otherwise. Our phrase now is a lot more daring and audacious than before. Creativity that Elevates.

Thehighlightof mycareerhas beenbuildinga businessthatI couldbeproudof.

CONQUERING THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

ByBasetsanaMakhalemele

Achampionofinnovationinamaledominated worldofconstructionThisishowKedibone Tsiloanedescribesherself.TheFreeStatebornand raisedsharesherjourneyintotheinnovationof plasticbricksandhowitischangingthegameand reducingthecostofbuilding.Growingupina “constructionhousehold”withherfatherrunninga businessinthesector,herjourneyintheworldof constructionstartedasachild. “Myfather,whoownedaconstructioncompany, wouldtakemysisterandIonsitewithhim. AlthoughIhaveabackgroundinfinancemyreal passionhasalwaysliedinreducingwasteand creatingagreenerenvironment”,shesays.

Kedibone is the founder of Plasticbricks, a fireretardant brick that has a higher compressive strength –10MPa versus 7MPa for a cement brick – which allows for single wall constructions at a price that’s competitive against conventional brick It also offers superior insulation properties and energy efficiency

“It’s stronger than cement bricks with a longer building lifespan and fewer water requirements,” she says It offers a real-world solution to the scourge of plastic waste, while providing an income to waste collectors that they use to feed their families Also able to use previously unrecyclable plastics, like bottle lids and sweet wrappers, which takes a lot more plastic out of the waste cycle

According to Kedibone in 2013, her father registered Ramtsilo, a business which they named after their grandfather "For the first couple of years, we simply worked with my father doing construction projects around the Free State”

Puzzled by the price of building materials, in 2016 they saw an opportunity to start making their own cement bricks to use on their projects

“My sister has always had a passion for reducing waste and creating a greener environment After a lengthy conversation with an elderly waste picker who explained to us how collecting plastic waste from households and landfills allowed her to feed her grandchildren and afford medication, we decided to focus on plastic recycling”, says Kedibone

She says they later came up with the idea of taking plastic out of their environment and processing it into a building brick

“For months, we would buy waste plastic in bulk from local informal waste collectors and mix it with sand and various additives in my mom ’ s backyard It was an absolute mess! Thankfully, she was very patient and understanding”, she says “We took it for extensive testing at a SANS-accredited lab that tests industry products, and the results were way beyond our expectations”, she adds A few short years later she has accredited bricks that she supplies through her organization and are available nationally at some retailers

Challenges

According to Kedibone it hasn’t all been smooth sailing One of their biggest challenges has been to establish the credibility of the brick “It takes a lot of time and money to do proper testing and get the product certified and SABS tested To date, we ’ ve paid more than R100 000 to have our product tested and another R80 000 to market it at exhibitions”, she adds

Educating people on how best to use the Plastibrick has also been challenging Because it requires less water and cement, builders don’t always use them optimally and end up rejecting the bricks

It’s also been tough to get people to take a young black woman seriously in the world of construction People tend to doubt you just by looking at you People are now starting to take us seriously as young businesswomen, but it’s been a long road to get here,” she says

Highlights

With all the passion, hard work and dedication Kedibone is doing the unstoppable in the construction industry This has led her to be part of a much soughtafter incubation progammes that is facilitated by Raizcorp “Being part of the ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme has been one of the best things that ever happened to me Make no mistake, it was gruelling I probably pitched 10 to 15 times, from the regional competition to the finals”, says Kedibone

She says the learnings have been incredible thanks to the mentors at business incubator Raizcorp “We’ve really learned how to understand, package and communicate our value proposition in a punchy, effective way, and how to sell ourselves and our product convincingly in front of audiences We use the principles we learned at ENGEN Pitch & Polish every time we pitch to companies and investors ”

She says they have also We’ve also made incredible connections and grown their network in ways that they could never have imagined

Solving big problems in the health sector

olving big problems has always been businesswoman Thembi Nziane’s desire. As an entrepreneur in the health sector, which is mostly male-dominated, she has i dentified her niche. She speaks to our editor, Kamogelo Seekoei, about the growth of her three year old business, aims to access the African market, many barriers to entry and contributing positively towards the healthcare sector.

PICTURES: BALESENG MOSOTHO

Ignited Woman (IW): Tell us about yourself and background.

Thembi Nziane (TM): My name is Thembi Nziane, born and bred in the province of Mpumalanga, Bushbuckridge municipality in a small village called Violetbank I left Mpumalanga to embark on my studies, I am an accounting science (Bcompt) graduate at the University of South Africa

IW: Please tell us, what can you say sparked your entrepreneurial spirit?

TM: My passion and knack for business goes back to my early childhood years, only when you look back in hindsight you realize, this has been from the beginning of my existence something I was meant to grow into. It is a process that life takes you through and it has been a humbling experience, not easy but I would not change anything especially the mistakes I have made along the way

IW: What led me to the healthcare industry?

TM: The entrepreneurial journey is tough, it will guide you into different paths in life. I have had the privilege of being exposed to the business environment as a child through my grandmother, who had 8 children and that’s how she fed them, through her business of selling in the marketplace And at the University of South Africa, where I co-founded Enactus Unisa, we had the privilege of understanding entrepreneurship from a different perspective, shifting from the perspective of making profit only to solving problems to make profits.

To date, I look for opportunities through problems in the healthcare sector particularly the ones unique to us as South Africans

Which leads me to my answer, I have always wanted to solve big problems, and through my

experience and exposure I knew the healthcare sector is one of South Africa and Africa’s biggest problems and I chose this industry. One of the biggest tasks by far and it will continue for the rest of my days.

IW: What can you attribute the success of your company to?

TM: The business culture and the team play a huge role in the success of the business; another factor is the Pandemic. We have been at the right place, in the right moment to cease the opportunities during a Pandemic. For our kind of business, in the health sector during a Pandemic, We have the opportunity of being at the forefront assisting and protecting healthcare workers and businesses in South Africa.

We partner with local manufacturers to distribute COVID-19 PPE and Covid-19 management services for corporate and the health care professionals

Era by DJZinhle is a timeless fashion-accessory brand founded in 2012 by South African House Music DJ, author and super mom, DJ Zinhle. The brand Era, which embodies sophistication and style, started out as a time piece specific brand that has now expanded into a wide range of accessories The brand was built around the notion and idea that us, as women, should use this specific moment in time and in our individual journeys, to conquer whatever it is we forsee. It was and still is our mission to inspire and bring light the fact that our time is in fact now and we hope our products act as a reminder of that message For us, there's nothing more precious than time It's how we measure what's important to us, and it also acts as an indication of our growth. That's why we've built our product line from watches up

Keamo

Keamo was born with a vision to unite and spread hope To celebrate the resilient, innovative and to inspire those who aspire to be We believe in building a community that will stand in solidarity to drive change Our core values as a brand are authenticity, unity and servant leadership. A brand name that derived from our strong sense of Africanism and authenticity. Our roots are an essential part of who we are in our country

Nkarhi

Nkarhi is an African timepiece brand, inspired by AFRICA and designed for the world. It was while travelling the African continent installing solar energy systems that the founder, Elmond Khoza, noticed the distinctive characteristics of African cities “African cities are alive with a heart and soul of their own, and hold hopes and dreams of many, like myself who left their home to seek a better life in the city” He then vowed to one day create a product that celebrated and paid homage to African cities He made an observation that in recent times African flair and design styles have been the lifeblood of the fashion industry across the world, and this is easily noticed on international fashion runways.

Xesha

The fresh and young brand, which has been making fashionable high quality watches for almost two years has its eyes set on advancing the local timepiece design industry. Each Xesha is a symbol of Authenticity, Honour, leadership and Power A reminder that with dedication, sacrifice and hard work, your dreams can truly come alive We are dedicated to offering you the best quality timepieces It is our aim to build a diverse community of timepiece designers and illustrators within the African continent

LN Watches

Since love cannot be seen or touched our watches are masterpieces that translate this feeling We strive to be the mark that you make on the wrists of those who have and continue to imprint on your life In so doing just as the colours in the ancient Nguni bead work has a significant meaning, so do the colours in our watches as derived from the original Nguni meanings Red symbolises intense love, Blue stands for fidelity White shows virginity, faithfulness, true love, and as universally recognised it also stands for purity. The density of the colour black stands to represent marriage and regeneration, and green is for contentment. Finally yellow, representing wealth and fertility.

Florals BLOOMING

Your wardrobe will not be complete if you do not have a floral dress to step out into the sun in this summer. Literally every store front is spotting florals whether brick and morta or online stores. Do yourself a favour and get yourself this never out of stule look.

Your awesomenessSTEPP INTO

Platform shoes have made a serious come back Also known as disco boots, triangle heels, or simply platforms, these shoes, boots, or sandals have been seen on ramps and street fashion But interestingly they have also made their way into the boardroom So, if you are brave a pair will definitely help you make a statement.

FESTIVE SEASON GIFTING IDEAS

Looking for the perfect gift for your mom, sister or bestie? Why not treat her to some of her favourite beauty products, or surprise her with a pamper product that’s new on the market? After a year of lockdown and loadshedding, we could all do with some me-time, and a gift of great quality skincare, body care, hair care or makeup is sure to get her in the festive spirit. After all, we could all do with a bit of extra self-care! No matter what your budget, we’ve got a beauty gift idea she’ll love.

Festive fragrance

Everyone loves a fragrance, right? Mercedes Benz For Her Eau de Toilette is the perfect summer scent. Floral, fresh and fruity, it’s versatile, and is suitable for anything from a day in the office to drinks with the girls. Top notes include mandarin, black currant and pear, while white flowers take centre stage at the heart, and sandalwood and musk complete the scent at the base. This season, there’s an exciting gift with purchase promotion: purchase any Mercedes Benz for Women Eau de Toilette or Eau de Parfum and you get a complimentary Swarovski necklace.

WHAT ARE YOU GIFTING YOUR SQUAD THIS SEASON?

Nourishing skincare

Skincare is a fantastic gift, no matter what the occasion. In case you haven’t heard, cult favourite skincare brand Nip+Fab has just launched in SA!

Why not spoil her with a little something from the range? range? Nip+Fab Vitamin C Serum Fix contains a powerhouse of antioxidants to brighten and refresh the skin, while protecting it against free radicals and other environmental aggressors.

Party-ready makeup

Another fab find is the newly-reformulated wet n wild Color Icon 10 Pan Eyeshadow Palettes. They feature an improved, richly pigmented and buttery-smooth vegan

formula in matte, satin, shimmer, and metallic finishes. Complete her makeup toolkit with a great quality makeup brush set. The newly-launched wet n wild Big Poppa Mascara is the perfect stocking filler for any makeup lover.

Scalp care for the summer

A flaky scalp is very common in summer. A flaky scalp can become itchy and sensitive and allround uncomfortable. Keep your scalp healthy this summer by covering

it up with a hat or scarf as much as possible. A weekly scalp scrub removes dead skin cells, bacteria and excess oils to prevent flakes. Try Umberto Giannini Scalp Scrub Exfoliating Anti-Dandruff Treatment. It’s packed with natural exfoliants from fruit enzymes and micro grains of natural walnut shell to keep your scalp healthy and flakefree.

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