SA Women Making Big Moves in Business
Women’s Day is our national opportunity to formally acknowledge and celebrate the powerhouses that we women are. It’s an important reminder of how instrumental we are to the fabric of society and how our bravery, courage and tenacity in the face of endless obstacles has helped shape our country throughout history. Today we are taking the time to appreciate these South African women in particular who are making waves in the business world.
Madeleine Hugo: The Cotton Company
With a background in the food and travel industries, Madeleine Hugo is now making moves in the world of textiles and home décor. The shift came after she spent a few years living abroad in Instanbul. This is where she realised the beauty of Turkey and the kindness of its people – this became part of what she wanted to share with their friends and family in South-Africa.
“I went on an extraordinary road trip through the Turkish countryside and met with a family of authentic weavers of Turkish towels. To experience their legendary hospitality was humbling in countless ways. Their warmth is woven into the fabric of everything they do, and we decided that we simply had to share their love.” Says Madeleine.
Today, these are the kind, talented people who custom-weave the towels and textiles that The Cotton Company proudly offers you.
“We work closely with these traditional weavers in rural Turkey to produce Turkish Towels with a fresh, modern look and the original quality they are famous for. Our towels are woven from 100% pure Turkish cotton – the best quality that money can buy. The combination of premium cotton and traditional weaves and techniques create a product that is highly durable, but also soft and absorbent.” she adds.
Just like The Cotton Company, Turkish hammam towels are crafted to create the perfect balance between style, beauty and practicality.
Jana Leonard: The Baskiti Co.
Storyteller, entrepreneur and communications specialist, Jana Leonard has more than 12 years of experience within the communications industry with a strong focus on Public Relations and Influencer Engagement. Some call them spin-doctors, but she believes they’re architects of stories! In addition, she is also the founder of The Baskiti Co. which she launched in the first 21 days of lockdown back in 2020. This is where she gets to flex her creative muscles, encouraging growth for herself and the brand within the décor space.
At JL Brand Communicators, the team aims to create content that’s targeted, adds value to its recipient and makes the life of any journalist easier. With a strong focus on brand building, they encourage and create positive content around a campaign, a brand, a product or an individual. She prides herself on being quick on the buzzer, adaptable to situations and thinking on her feet — key characteristics for success in her industry!
Jana has worked with an array of clients throughout her career, focussing on lifestyle brands. Her passion for PR has been evident from as young as Grade 1, when she was asked what she wants to do for a living, her answer “I want to write stories!”. Little did she know; her dream would become her reality!
Tammy Holmes: Ivy Decor & Design
Founder and Owner of Ivy Decor & Design, Tammy Holmes is skilled at transforming spaces and adding life to rooms. She comes to life through décor and design projects and loves working with clients who have a vision, who are a little brave, and who trust her with bringing their vision to fruition.
Tammy has a team of esteemed manufacturers, builders, electricians, painters, and other key suppliers who she works with to bring her projects together, and she forms a pivotal role in managing her client’s renovations, additions, and design overhauls.
Since her business’s inception in 2018, she has transformed over 12 luxury homes in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Sydney, and London, and is sought after for her colourful, bold and homey approach.
Alana van Heerden: Alana van Heerden Wedding Gowns | Groen
Alana van Heerden started her career in Fashion Design in 2011 when she proudly launched her bridal label Alana van Heerden Wedding Gowns. Here, she focuses on custom-made creations, meticulously hand-crafted according to each bride’s ideas, measurements and specifications. Alana’s design philosophy is, and will always be, to compliment her bride’s individuality and highlight her unique style with an ‘Alana’ twist!
Her experience in the design world has encouraged her to seek more ways to drive forward her passion for creating something from nothing. Fast Forward to 2018 and, alongside her husband, Jan, Alana is now also the Co-Owner and Creative Director of Groen Bespoke Wallpaper. Groen prides itself in producing high-quality premium wallpaper suited to a wide range of applications. Jan’s 20 years’ experience in the printing industry and her design background brings their clients beautifully custom-designed, made-to-measure wall coverings and homeware items suited to their unique styles. Making walls fun since 2018!
Susan Kemp: Sloom
After several years of experience working in graphic design, marketing management, lecturing and the creative space working on brands such as Nivea, Clover, Lays, Lil-lets, Jacobs and Nescafé to name a few, Susan joined her Husband Rudo Kemp, Founder of Sloom to take the business further.
Rudo Kemp, her partner, owned a local bed shop which – together with Susan – they transformed into a profit-earning business in a short period of time. After selling, Rudio and Susan side-hustled Sloom in the evenings and officially launched the brand in 2017.
“Sloom needed branding and a website that portrayed the big idea. Being the first brand in SA to have this concept, every idea and aspect had to be thoroughly thought through. While Rudo is strong in designing the technical parts of the product concept and business model, he needed my creativity to have a visually attractive product that could be presented with equally attractive marketing. Whenever I had an hour or two to spare, it was spent on creating adverts, social media posts, the website and planning photoshoots. Some evenings I got home from my day job and helped Rudo box up bases and wrap headboards that had to be sent out to customers the following day. Although Sloom ran as a one-man show at the time, some tasks needed an extra pair of hands to do the heavy lifting, (literally and figuratively),” she laughs.
By the end of 2019, Sloom reached a financially stable position to support both of them, and Susan left the agency to work alongside Rudo full-time by February 2020 .
“I have always loved listening to people’s ideas and helping them to execute them in the best way possible. Seeing ideas come to life is one of the greatest things about working in the visual arts.”
