Our story is not one of an easy escape or a perfect new beginning. It is a story of loss, survival, faith, forgiveness, and starting again.
And through it all, we have learned that when home changes, hope can still remain.
According to Stats SA, in the first quarter of 2026, 60.9% of South Africans aged 15 to 24 were unemployed. When considering the number of people that are not in employment, education or training (NEET), Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey revealed that 37.6% of people aged 15-24 were in the NEET category. This is the description of a generation that has been locked out of the economy before it has had a fair chance to enter it.
The company’s online customer portal allows businesses to create consignments and print labels without complex technical integration, while its API and SFTP capabilities enable larger e-commerce businesses to automate shipping and tracking directly from their systems.
The first is approval bottlenecks. If decisions that should sit with your operations team, a field consultant signing off on a store visit report, or a support manager resolving a complaint, still find their way back to you, the business has not been built to run without you. It has been built around you.
The second is unwritten knowledge. If the answer to “how does this work?” inside your own head office is “ask the founder” rather than “here is the process”, your operational continuity is a person, not a system.
The third is performance variance by presence. If franchisee support quality, brand compliance or store standards shift noticeably when you are not personally involved, the network is responding to you, not to the system you have built. That is the most honest diagnosis available, and most franchisors only discover it under pressure.
Networking is about more than exchanging business cards it is about building meaningful relationships and creating a strong, supportive community. When local business owners connect, share ideas, support one another and collaborate, everyone has the opportunity to grow. Together, we build a community where businesses thrive, referrals flourish and lasting partnerships are formed.
Today, her career has come full circle. The industries she operates in now, logistics, distribution, industrial operations, and sectors linked to construction and supply, connect directly back to those early experiences of physical work, structure, and production.
A South African entrepreneur just did. Meet GNASH, SA’s first plastic-free, biodegradable, tooth-friendly functional gum.
StatsSA confirms that though the sector has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, South Africa’s tourism sector continues to grow, with total arrivals reaching 8.92 million in 2024, marking an impressive 5.1% increase compared to 2023. The sector now contributes 8.8% to GDP and supports 1.68 million jobs, according to World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) estimates. This positive momentum underscores the resilience of the sector, despite global economic pressures. The sector’s contribution to the economy eclipses that of the mining industry, which was once the mainstay of South Africa’s economy. Yet the sector is often unfairly overlooked despite its significant economic contribution. The growth of tourism has the potential to serve as a powerful driver of SME development across many sectors.
“For too long, South Africans have watched global food moments go viral online without being able to experience them locally,” says Gareth Brough, Co-Founder of The Clout Group. “Our mission has always been to close that gap. Partnering with Baglio’s ensures that this flavour, and the original Dodo Dubai Chocolate behind it, becomes a long-term summer staple for South Africans, not just a fleeting trend.”
“After years in Johannesburg and a corporate career, life shifted post Covid. We decided to leave the city and establish ourselves in Hartbeespoort, closer to the rest of my family and away from the constant bustle of big-city life. My dad owned the former Ennis Nursery property for several years, and about two years ago he mentioned wanting to sell it. I asked if I could first try to turn it around. I knew there was real potential on the site; it simply needed work to unlock it.
The innovatively designed dual 1kg independent mini-drums each support integrated washing and drying, making them ideal for the delicate care of baby clothes, premium underwear, and other specialized laundry scenarios. These mini-drums have obtained authoritative maternal and infant certifications, as well as medical-grade certifications for healthy underwear washing.
When a company scales rapidly, it can gain a strong foothold in the market. Growing fast often means reaching new customers before competitors have the chance to react. It also allows a brand to build recognition and loyalty while riding the momentum of success. Investors tend to notice companies that expand quickly, which can open doors to fresh capital and partnerships. For start-ups and small businesses, these benefits can be life-changing. In South Africa’s competitive environment, where market share is often hard-won, moving quickly can help a company establish itself as an industry leader.
“Do it. Your children are watching. Show them that women can nurture and lead, build and bloom. Because when they see you doing it, they’ll know they can too.”
Supporting SMMEs should not sit only with one division or a social impact mandate. It should sit across the business, as a priority for operations, procurement and product teams. One of the most impactful shifts a company can make is to pay small businesses on time.
The strength of WhatsApp lies in its ability to collapse friction. Instead of forcing customers to navigate multiple apps, websites, or phone calls, everything can flow through one trusted channel. Research, decision-making, payment, fulfilment, and after-sales support can all live in a single WhatsApp conversation.
“You have to go deeper here,” Kyle said. “Superficial products do not survive. People see through it. You need real connection.”
Then there is the issue of blurred boundaries. When your lounge is your office, it becomes difficult to switch off. Emails creep into dinner time. WhatsApp messages ping long after sunset. Lunch breaks become shorter and harder to protect. Over time, this lack of structure can lead to burnout, a slow but real fatigue that creeps in unnoticed.
This message has been echoed at multiple business leadership events and conferences we have recently attended where one truth stood out: leadership is no longer merely a corporate function but rather a societal responsibility.
Even as a teenager, Maria was finding her feet in business. She sold Lip-Ice at school and worked at a local video store—simple ventures, but ones that taught her responsibility and the basics of thinking like a business owner.
