Thabo Dithakgwe of Nasi Ditha Farming started farming at 13 with the donation of a pregnant heifer from his father. Today he inspires many, young and old, as a shining example that success in farming comes through hard work and determination. Thabo is a commercial livestock farmer who runs 200 cattle, Boer goats and sheep on 2 500ha outside Tosca, between Vryburg and Mahikeng, in the North West.
Allan Sinclair, Managing Director of Vleissentraal Bloemfontein is back in the African Farming studio to offer some advice on auctions to small-scale farmers.
Wanting to grow produce is something that is either in your blood or it is not. It’s always been part of Raymond Koopstad’s make-up. Through perseverance he is now an export producer of deciduous fruit in the Witzenberg district, earning the respect of his peers. At the Deciduous Fruit Industry Gala awards in 2019, Raymond received the New Generation Award for his exceptional performance and intelligent decision-making as a new entrant to the industry.
Caryn Shacklock of Afrivet explains why farmers should always read the insert of medical products before giving them to animals.
Many farmers are specialists in their fields and Rudzani Sadiki, originally from Mokopane, Limpopo, was well on his way to becoming a poultry specialist when circumstances forced him into a completely different farming direction – farming oilseed crops. Not a man to allow change to put him off his stride, Rudzani adapted quickly and applied his mind to making a success of oilseed farming. He currently plants 974ha sunflower, which is supplied on contract.
by Helena Naitsuwe Amadhila
Building a business image is a continuous process which requires commitment, persistence, and consistency in order for the business image to become a household image.
Commitment: this is a pledge that you must make to yourself not to give up, no matter the amount and number of turbulences’ you are encountering on the journey of building your everlasting business image.
Persistence: building a business image requires willpower and tenacity to reap continuous enjoyable and independent financial fruits.
Consistency: the application of uniformity and reliability in the process of building your business image will ensure good results. During this stage, accommodate flexibility to ensure relevance in the era of digitalization and continuous innovation in the business world.
To this end, it can be concluded that building a business image is cyclical in nature and should form part and parcel of the business canvas model. This should be done to ensure interconnectedness of all various parts of the business to be viewed and dealt with holistically.
A business without a unique business image will not be able to be seen, thus missing out on valuable customers, suppliers and important business networks which could help the business to flourish.
by Ashika Pillay
Why is it that we find it easier, even if it may be mechanical, to check in on others and not be able to check in on ourselves? Perhaps we don’t know how to, and have never been taught? Often times taking care of one-self is construed as being self-ish or that it’s a form of self-pity or a sign of weakness. Perhaps we may not even believe that we are worthy of our own care, that others are, and that their needs are more important than our own. We may also believe that we would not be able to deal with the emotions that come up if we do attempt to check in? Yet, how can we be there for others if we are not there for ourselves first?
As you grab the coffee from the barista, and make your way towards your calendar, you may have a sense of anxiety bubbling under – a concern about your child, or a relationship matter that is a slow and steady leak on your internal energy resources. You go through the motions of getting stuff done, without acknowledging the drain, without seeing it, without making any attempt to solve the leak, and you end the day feeling tired and disconnected. In the paraphrased words of Jon-Kabat-Zinn, MIT professor and a pioneer who brought mindfulness into the West, it’s like we are living in a dream-like state. Never fully present to ourselves, let alone our work, our children and the things that matter most to us.
Waking up to the world, to the life that we have, the only one life, means waking up to ourselves first. To check in on how we are, in the moment. This waking-up and these validations can catalyze whatever pain or angst we may be experiencing. This is not a complex process; you don’t need to read a book, or go on a course, or consult with anyone else. You can experience this moment of presence, of care, and the seed of compassion right in this very moment as you sit here reading this blog.
Here’s a simple practice:
1. Ask “How am I right now?” (You could do this walking to the coffee shop)
2. What emotions are here? (Answer in this way: XXX emotion is here. For example, you may answer as “Anxiety is here, in this moment”
3. What sensations are here in my body? (You could answer: “My shoulders are tense; my heart feels faster than normal”)
4. Soften your stance, feel into your heart and with great care, allow whatever is here to be here. Give your anxiety and your tense shoulders space to be here.
5. Ask: “What do I need right now?” You may need nothing more as you complete this check in. You may have just needed that acknowledgement and checking in. You may need a short walk or a glass of water, or something else.
So, set a reminder to check in with yourself a few times a day. You could use your coffee break or walk to the bathroom as a simple practical reminder, or you can set one up on your phone.
Acknowledging our own thoughts, feelings and emotions is the birthplace of self-awareness, self-leadership and for deeply caring about others. As Jack Kornfield, revered Buddhist teacher said, “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete” So, the next time you bump into yourself making coffee, ask “How am I right now”. You may be surprised at how this simple practice can change your day, if not your life.
Dr Ashika Pillay is a medical doctor, executive coach and wellbeing and mindfulness teacher. She is a mum of three boys and wife to Thiru Pillay. She believes that the nexus of all her skills is here – to create a space for personal wellbeing, and leadership by living wholeheartedly into our lives, and finding the potential make a change in our lives and the world. She has completed an MBA, and is passionate about Functional Medicine which approaches medicine in a holistic, multi-dimensional manner. She is also a member of faculty at a coaching school, a board member at the Institute of Mindfulness of South Africa and works with corporate clients and students at present.
Her philosophy is in total wellbeing, preventative medicine and mindfulness as routes to us evolving into the best versions of ourselves – mentally, physically and spiritually.
Her passions are women’s health, neuroscience, stress management, yoga and meditation.
Contact details: pillay.ashika5@gmail.com
More articles by Ashika
by Brigette Mashile
Everyone wants a pocket. Including me! My reasons are that I need a place to put my phone and lip moisturizer. My clients, they just want a pocket. With each order I have to make sure that we discuss the pocket, to avoid disappointments. There are some items where a pocket is impossible, but the client will insist. I then give them ideas on how to change the design to keep a pocket in. For you see, the pocket is first priority.
I love flared anything; first reason is it’s just gracious. And who doesn’t want to twirl and have their dress flair out. Also, it fits my body the best, and I can have a pocket in there. There was a time when we made these skirts with 5m pieces of fabric, so the skirt would be full. To my surprise, not all of us love them like that. There are people who want less volume. Like maybe just 3m instead of the 5m please Brigette. One of the major reasons I have heard for this choice is that the more volume the skirt has, the bigger they look. Technically, this is not true, because of the way a flair is cut. But the client is always right, so we let them have what they want.
A lot of people don’t know what this is, they know it has the stretchy fabric. And that’s it. For a person who was trained to do formal wear and tailoring, this is hell. Scuba is a stunning fabric, but its primary job is to go with the flow of your body. It will not tuck, pull, or smooth anything on you. It is not the best fabric for sizes above 38 on tight fitted clothing. My clients don’t hear me. I have had a client refuse a dress we made in stretch duchess because they wanted scuba. That day I learned a great lesson, save my opinions for God. Do what you are told and let it go, whether it’s up to ‘my’ par or not.
Why why why? This is said to me vs the zip at the back. The reason is always that they cannot reach their back. I should find a way to make this easier. A side zip, just like the pockets depends on the technicality of the item. First of all, a side zip is in the way of the pocket…let that sink in. It is only easily possible if the bottom of the dress is flared. You see how the things I love come together LOL! I have been criticized by other designers for having a zip at the back on pants, I didn’t fold at all. They just work. We have done side zips for a lot of clients who ask for it, as you have heard, the client is always….
It should be mentioned that each client wants what they want, and it is acceptable. This is the beauty of freedom, and sometimes the horror of most artists. Our main goal as creatives is to do what we have in mind without any limitations. We believe we are good at what we do and can deliver something absolutely stunning for our clients. And herein lies the risk, as we all know that creatives care less for what is socially acceptable! And clients just want to look good, not creative!
by Lionesses of Africa Operations Department
The title this week is from one of those poems, the ‘Auguries of Innocence’ by William Blake and these opening four incredible lines drew us towards our thoughts on Entrepreneurship.
What is this beast that grabs us and refuses to let go? What is this wonder we find in a ‘Grain of Sand’ or a ‘Wild Flower’? We see such potential in small things or in our products to change the world; or even the people we employ, that others would miss, and so often enjoy the happiness delivered by something so beautiful as a wild flower as it fights through a hard rock; or perhaps a small comment or smile from a customer; or the growth in an employee in whom we took a leap of faith, where others may simply walk past, ignore or miss.
To be able to grasp something so huge as our dreams whilst others simply smile as they marvel at our nerve, or just do not understand. Our dream, our passion, held in our small hand, under our and only our control, no wonder Blake talks of ‘Infinity’ and ‘Eternity’!
Yet, how many times have we been told by those that love us and also well meaning friends and colleagues that perhaps (having worked yet another late night, or woken once more in a cold sweat or having returned yet again empty handed from the bank) we should consider a 9-5 job with comfy pension and health insurance, rather than chase the dream of entrepreneurs.
Perhaps they have a point. Marc Andreessen, cofounder of ‘a16z’ Tech PE Fund with Ben Horowitz (they are huge and highly successful – so he knows a thing or two about Start Ups and Entrepreneurs), likes to joke “…the best thing about startups is that you only ever experience two emotions: euphoria and terror. And I find that lack of sleep enhances them both.” (as seen in Ben’s brilliant book ‘The Hard Thing about Hard Things’ here).
Yet, although we appreciate that for some a 9-5 with a regular salary is important and on occasions we find ourselves dreaming of this monthly safety net, we continue to be drawn in, we are wired differently in some way. We cannot escape the pull. Try as we might we cannot turn our backs on our passion, that which gets us up in the morning and however difficult and demanding (and infuriating) this just will not leave us.
How is it that we are able to see the solution to a problem that has caused headaches for decades? Or that walking through a new district our brain is filled with answers, or products that scream out to us that are being pigeon holed in an area that simply does not make sense…
…and then to find the drive to turn these thoughts, these dreams into reality.
Of the many lines that stayed with us from ‘1984’ (Orwell used such economy of language in his absolutely perfect descriptions of people, places and events), was his definition of lunacy.
“Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one. At one time it had been a sign of madness to believe that the Earth goes round the Sun…”
For many it must seem crazy that Entrepreneurs are so driven, so sure in their belief, yet for the Entrepreneur, nothing could make more sense, as much as all now know that the Earth is round and also goes around the Sun.
This ‘minority of one’ is well known to us. We can be in a room full of people, yet so alone in our thoughts. We can see the obvious, yet no one else can. This can be so lonely at times.
Yet as Orwell wrote, for his hero Winston Smith, the thought of being so alone, of being in a ‘minority of one’ “…did not greatly trouble him; the horror was that he might also be wrong.” – Bingo! And there’s the terror that Marc Andreessen spoke about!
How many times have we faltered yet carried on. How many times have we come up against a brick wall of refusal, indifference and sometimes even betrayal as those we trusted left – leaving behind that nagging fear that perhaps we are wrong and they are right? No matter how matter how many times we are pushed down, no matter how many times we are misunderstood, no matter how many times we hear this nagging doubt in our minds. What if we are wrong?
On top of which it is no good just finding the solution, having the dream – we have to put that into action! We have to actually run a company with costs, employees, warehouses and supply chains and…and… – Good grief, about time Marvel made a film about us!
Ben wrote in his book that he was always exasperated by management and self help books that for him miss the point of running a business and the huge responsibility that this in turn brings.
As he says: “Every time I read a management or self-help book, I find myself saying, “That’s fine, but that wasn’t really the hard thing about the situation.”
The hard thing isn’t setting a big, hairy, audacious goal.
The hard thing is laying people off when you miss the big goal….
The hard thing isn’t dreaming big.
The hard thing is waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat when the dream turns into a nightmare.”
(…the ‘Horror’). Those whose brains are not wired as an Entrepreneur will perhaps never understand.
But there is support out there, throughout all of this we recognize that those who love us are the pillar upon which we lean. They feel our pain and recognize that sometimes all they can offer is the shoulder to cry on. Those friends and colleagues are also well meaning, simply concerned and unsure of what they can do. They might not understand our drive, they might worry for our health and sleeping patterns, but they are there for us.
In addition, unlike many entrepreneurs across the globe who feel this loneliness, we are all members of a serious community in The Lionesses of Africa. Founded by Melanie back in 2014, she recognised the need for support for the millions of women in Africa building businesses ‘alone’, a place to share our stories, a platform upon which successes could be recognised whilst set-backs understood. A place that offers light from the dark terror that occasionally besets us all.
A home from home that offers in addition to this ‘safe space’, a place for training, knowledge transfer and a community has now grown into a voice of over 1.5 million African Female Entrepreneurs. From those within our ‘100 Lionesses’ driving multi million US$ businesses or inspirational Environmental and Social driven businesswomen saving the world (some serious dreams there made real) all the way to those just starting to turn their dream into reality, but all with this uncontrollable urge that drives them forward each and every day.
This community is your home from the occasional ‘horror’ that besets us all in the dark of the night as you feel the cash flow dry up, the fear that maybe your dream, the solution to the problem that is so obvious to us, yet hidden from others, is possibly wrong.
This community it there for you. Use it, write an article, tell your story, shout about your dream, your solution, your plans. Reach out to other members, the community of Lionesses – YOUR community of Lionesses, those around you, not only in your Town, Country, Continent, but also across the Globe – yes! We have a growing 6 figure membership in America and a smaller but growing (just as important) membership in the UK and a few other interesting countries in the EU such as Portugal. Search on the Lioness website for someone in your industry, find their names, then go to their website and send them a message. ‘Hi, I saw your fabulous website and article on the Lionesses site. I too am a Lioness – can we chat?”
Sometimes just chatting to someone else is all it takes for our minds to slow, for our concentration to return and then as if by magic, the power returns. The Light appears. The person we are talking to is often bemused when you thank them for their help given that all they did was just listen, but as we all know, listening is a superpower…
As a member of any community, the greatest gift you can give is to support others within that community. If you see them on social media celebrating winning or making the next stage of a business competition, reach out and celebrate with them. If you are looking for an addition to your supply chain, look to the Lionesses first to find that supplier. If you can, offer support.
Ultimately we are not alone, we are all the same, we are all Lionesses
– and all of us see..
What a privilege!
Stay safe.
Impact Partner Content / Absa / Relationship Banker Profile – Sibongile (Bongi) Macholi
Tell us a little about yourself and the career path that led you to becoming a Relationship Banker at Absa.
After completing my accounting undergraduate studies and articles, I was attracted to a career in business banking, predominantly because banking offered so many career opportunities. I joined banking in the Credit Deal Structuring team for business clients in 2010. After nine years in Credit, I moved into Relationship Banking as a Banker, and I now lead a cross-functional team that includes Relationship Bankers in the Western Cape.
Tell us more about your role at Absa and how you work with entrepreneurs – what does it entail?
I manage and lead a team of frontline colleagues. By frontline in banking, we are referring to colleagues who engage with clients directly on a day-to-day basis. I lead the team to manage a portfolio of existing clients and support to acquire new business clients. We engage with entrepreneurs daily, and as our business clients, we support them to open new accounts, apply for new or increase credit facilities with the bank, or support in whatever way needed in line with our full spectrum of products and services in our customer value proposition (CVP). As a unit, we are responsible for a seamless end-to-end client experience, thus I am also the first line of escalation for complaints when things go wrong.
A Relationship Banker has a key role to play in the business life of a woman entrepreneur – what kind of support and services are on offer to women entrepreneurs in the Lionesses of Africa community from Absa?
The Lionesses of Africa community have access to strategically selected speakers whom we believe will add value to the business through the regular Lionesses Business Agility webinars. Through the Relationship Banking model, Absa also offers each business client a dedicated Business Banker who can assist them as the trusted business adviser for their business. We also have an Alternative Lending Division within Absa that specifically looks at ways to support our entrepreneurs outside of conventional lending solutions, as well as the capability to register on our website as a service provider for Absa. There are various means of support readily available to our entrepreneurs as we firmly believe that we need them to build a sustainable and thriving business economy.
Do you have any advice to share with women entrepreneurs who are in growth mode and want to establish good working relationships with an expert such as yourself at Absa?
I would definitely say know your business better than anyone else. Each engagement is a pitch, so be prepared. Everyone is time poor, so if you’re not presenting something that makes them sit up and listen, that is a lost opportunity. Also make sure that you intentionally build your network community. Do the basics and fundamentals right, referrals and recommendations are very important in business.
What gives you the most satisfaction in your role as a Relationship Banker?
Supporting my bankers to bring a client’s dreams and goals to life is so rewarding and inspiring to me! #Absa brings possibilities to life really speaks to me. For example, as a Relationship Banker to support and see a business grow from nine employees to 40 employees and tripling their turnover, is indeed evident of the impact that the right partners such as Absa can have on a business. This essentially means that by supporting the business growth, we have ensured that the business grows to employ more people, and those people put food on the table for their families with a sense of pride.
What is the single piece of advice that you would give to women who are interested in starting up in business in terms of managing their business finances?
Know your numbers, and keep your finances separate. Draw a salary from the business, the business income and turnover are not your entire individual income. So keep the two separate. This is very important – in this way you can see your business grow and it can also help when you apply for funding to scale/grow your business.
How can women entrepreneurs contact a special relationship banker like yourself at Absa, in their own region? Where should they start?
At the end of each Lionesses Business Agility webinar, my contact details and those of my fellow colleagues are shared on the chat. Absa also has strategically placed Relationship Bankers in most branches to support entrepreneurs. In essence, when you walk into any branch, if you’re not able to find a Business Banker in that branch, you’re able to reach out to the Branch Manager, who will provide the details of the Area Coverage Manager like myself for that specific area. My cellphone number is +27 71 705 6146, and I am happy to engage on WhatsApp too.
To contact Bongi, see her details below:
T: +27 21 885 8236
M: +27 71 705 6146
E: Sibongile.Macholi@absa.africa
Absa, 116 Main Road, Somerset West, 7130, South Africa