June 2024

So the saying goes: A successful person can lay foundations with the bricks that others throw at them. For businesses in South Africa, it is not just the incoming rock to dodge. There has been a volley of boulders arriving from all directions, disrupting and damaging activity at every juncture.

Covid-19, floods, drought, port delays, energy pricing, loadshedding, corruption, crime, riots, competition, shipping, climate change, investor confidence, inflation, unemployment, and more recently uncertainty post-election. To navigate a steady ship against this stormy backdrop, where the foundations are literally wobbling at all times, is mightily impressive.  

While seemingly impossible, it is in fact very doable for those with a long-term view and people culture.

Reece Oakes at Rennies BCD Travel, a leading corporate travel management company, has installed a new strategy for growth and sustainability that will help the entity – part of BidTravel – to grow quickly. Marika Abrahams, Projects Director at Berman Brothers Group, sold out an entire new development in Cape Town with 10 minutes of launching, before a spade even hit the ground. Wonderboy Cele, CEO at Blendcor in Durban, has overseen investment into new equipment and energy resources to help the company build on its reputation for quality. Peter Venn, CEO at Seriti Green, is developing a renewable energy powerhouse that will be pivotal in the country’s energy transition as it grows its portfolio around the country.

By doing all these things, not because they are easy but because they are right, these companies are not anchored by negativity. They are, in fact, thriving; taking all that the world can throw at them, embracing the challenges, accepting the road ahead, and building something bigger and better than what they found. It’s the core mentality that real leaders share.

Get in touch and tell us about how your company is looking through the blurry lines towards a brighter future by focussing on positivity in the here and now. We are always online at LinkedIn.