What a great pleasure it is for me to stand in front of the new cohort of promising SMEs from all over the country at the Personal Transformation and Strategic Development workshop for Cohort 17 of the SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme. A room filled with people determined, and able to change not only their own lives and that of their families, but the lives of their staff, community and ultimately the future of South Africa.

Three Powerful women stood out for me. All three are building businesses that put money into the economy, grow sustainable jobs and create a slipstream of success for young girls dreaming of what they can do in the future.

Linda Mc Loughlin, from Kuruman who has become known as “The Water lady” is making a name for herself as the borehole drilling company that delivers what they promise. As a woman in a very traditional, male-dominated sector Linda has recognised that her differentiator is alerting her customers to the true risks of dry boreholes in comparison to her competitors who are known to deliberately mislead their clients. Working with experienced water diviners, her team is building a market-leading success rate, based on success data from her growing client list.

Liziwe Dakiso from East London is building a network of local suppliers to augment her own piggery, which is unable to keep up with the market demand. Known affectionately as “the piggy Bank lady”, Liziwe comes with more than 20 years in the banking sector, so is well-versed in the importance of systems, processes, compliance and partnerships.

Babalwa Totongwana from Hout Bay is building a powerful cosmetic brand. With a focus on the environment, Made In Africa cosmetics has recently launched a fantastic range with packaging that will appeal to the planet-conscious consumer. This trail-running beauty queen brings the feeling of fresh mountain air to her brand!

This week, let’s revel in the knowledge that with entrepreneurs like this seeking professional growth support, the future of South Africa is in good hands!