you don't need more,
Starting out, I never would have thought that I would leave Corporate.
I was "born into it" with a dad that stayed at 1 company for well over 30 years. So I thought I would do the same.
But life had a different plan...
you
you need real
This makes me tick
menu
My heart and soul is my daughter and she is my WHY. After the passing of my husband I am her sole provider and that is why I do what I do.
My family
cappucino
I LOVE a good cappuccino! I will find every excuse possible to be able to drink a good one. And I just love it when they add an extra bit of froth to it.
creativity
I never considered myself as an artist, especially since I grew up with an arty sister studying art. But web design has unleashed my creativity and I feel more in tune with myself when I create.
my word is my bond
Integrity above all - making sure I do what I say and say what I do, even if I later changed my mind or if it costs me money or popularity.
I love to tinker and do things myself. From painting to building, I like to work with my hands and create. I do try very hard not to change our interior constantly, but then give in and settle for re-arranging the furniture.
Do some diy around my home
organising
Believe it or not, I LOVE to organise and plan. It is my way of sorting out the cobwebs in my head. I am also great at it as I tend to be a bit OCD.
my story in a nutshell
But what did I do to get here?!
did I
did I do
do
My career started in the Motor Industry as a temporary placement at Mercedes-Benz, where I quickly advanced and gained experience in a variety of positions and ended my career with them as Group Marketing Manager at Mercedes-Benz Finance. This was not an easy decision to make, but to ensure I stayed married and less stressed, I took the plunge and resigned. (This was in 2003/4, way before it was the "in-thing" to do.)
starting in coprorate
As I had to travel a LOT to take our daughter to school (we stayed about 80km from the school), we moved back to South Africa and settled in the Western Cape where I entered the Higher Education Industry. (For a full view of my experiences, please visit my LinkedIn profile, by clicking here.)
Within a couple of months I was appointed Group Marketing Manager and managed 4 brands.
starting again
leaving corporate for good
2020 happened and I realised I needed to take control of my life (yes, I always wanted to go it alone, but was always too afraid I also did not know exactly WHAT I wanted to do).
But the universe had other plans for me and in 2021 I took the plunge (no safety net and no savings) into freelancing. I only had one client, but I adjusted my income and stayed true to my goal of going it alone.
testing & trying options
Since going it alone, I have tried my hand at an online shop, but closed that after a year (various reasons, but the major one being rolling blackouts which prevented my supplier from delivering).
I also started an Airbnb, grew it to 4 listings and then back to 1 again. This is not my passion, but I do like to DIY and the Airbnb allows me to do that - from tiling to interior decorating and more.
Websites are where my passion lies, specifically websites for professionals leaving corporate.
It is daunting to leave that safety net (and regular pay check). But if you want the freedom and be the one to decide about your life, going it alone can be very rewarding.
It has not always been easy, but I know it is right for me - I can do school runs and I was able to support my husband during the time he fought cancer.
If you want to get to know me a bit more, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram.
settling down
After leaving Mercedes-Benz, I did not do anything for about 5 months and then entered the Private Hospital Industry.
From there I moved into Tourism. I did not pick tourism, but it picked me, as I joined my husband on a game farm while looking after our baby. This took us on an adventure, where we ended up in Botswana for 6 years, managing a 20 000ha game farm.
After leaving Mercedes-Benz, I did
not do anything for about 5 months
and then entered the Private
Hospital Industry.
From there I moved into Tourism. I did not pick tourism, but it picked me, as I joined my husband on a game farm while looking after our baby. This took us on an adventure, where we ended up in Botswana for 6 years, managing a 20 000ha game farm.
scaling down
Where can you find me?
I am not a huge fan of Social Media, I also don't like how I look on camera ;-( and don't like to share personal info about myself.
But I know I need to use social media to build my business.
See below what I have been up to.
I am not a huge fan of Social Media, I also don't like how I look on camera ;-( and don't like to share personal info about myself.
But I know I need to use social media to build my business.
See below what I have been up to on LinkedIn.
I don't like to be on camera and am a bit of an introvert, but I you can find me on a few platforms.