Thank you for being a sport, now let’s take it back to where it
all began.
I was born in KZN stayed in Umlazi
till I was about 8 before moving to the suburbs. Didn't know it as a kid but we
were quite poor but my parents never showed it or made us feel it. Was raised
by my dad and older sister when my mom took work overseas to initially settle
her debt from a business she had started. Loved my childhood. Honestly can't
remember not having gotten anything I wanted. Because of the strong Christian
home I was raised in I also didn't have much room to be naughty, had the fear
of God in me! Haha. My dad was quite firm about always being respectful, elders
are never wrong, girls shouldn't wear make-up etc so I only wore make up for
the first time at 18. Even getting braids was a struggle! A key thing for my
parents was: regardless of what's going on, study!
And now you are…
I'm a brand
manager in the marketing department of a multinational health care
company
What did you
study and are you using it at all in your current role?
Initially I
signed up for a b.com heading in the CA route because that's how I got a bursary to
get into the varsity and that would make it easier on my parents. After day 1
of doing vac work at KPMG I remember crying to my dad telling him how much I
hated it & had made a mistake so after much debated I switched to a B.Com degree in Marketing. Did my Honours at Unisa and followed it up
with a Management Advancement Program at Wits nominated by me employer.
Planning on doing my MBA next year.
How long have
you been working and what do you miss about being a full time student?
Been working
since 2011. To be honest I don't miss not working, I have money and freedom
now. I shouldn't say this out loud but I hate studying. I just now it needs to
be done and so I do it.
What’s your typical day like?
It’s filled with project management
Entails writing briefs, managing agencies, senior stake
holders and analysing numbers. Marketing is glamorous but also requires a lot of
ground work hay people aren't exposed too. I can go a week without taking
lunch
Do you encounter
any challenges that specifically come with being a young black woman in
corporate SA?
Plenty!!! I find
corporate quite racist and classicist. I am well aware that because people think
I am privileged and sees well that I am treated differently to the black colleagues
with African sounding accents. Never believed my parents when they told me it
would happen
I also feel as
Black females we aren't raised with EQ. Instead we are raised to be humble. The
white girls are more aggressive and proud to talk up their accomplishments even
if they aren't theirs and are actually yours.
I've also found
I have to work harder & longer than my white female counter parts and
deliver more work even though we get the same amount of credit
Because I don't
like small chat or attending after work drinks I am aware I've missed out on
many opportunities to get a promotion. Honestly wish someone would have just
told me. Would have made appearances sooner.
Lastly: I wish I
had been myself from the time I started working. I was quite timid the first 16
months at least because unfortunately I encountered black on blacks manager
syndrome. Never a support environment nje. I had to fight back
Lastly, can you
give those keen to join your line of work three “how-to” tips?
Study 1 extra
course, ALWAYS. Marketing is seen to be the go-to course so you need to
differentiate yourself and very quickly.
Don't treat marketing as a
one channel job. Immerse yourself in other knowledge such as supply chain &
operations. It will make you (more) well-rounded
Forget
everything you learned in school and be adaptable
*names and faces have been purposely omitted
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