1. Tell us a bit about yourself?
Growing up I wanted to be one of three things – a writer, an actress, or a spy. I would day-dream of being the next Roald Dahl, Meryl Streep, or the first female, real-life James Bond. By the time I needed to study I was no closer to becoming any of these and so, along with only 7 other people in the country (3 of whom completed the course, 1 of which was me), studied a Criminology Degree with specialisation in Offender Profiling.
Arbitrary right? Absolutely, but oddly enough, it comes in handy. After completing my degree I did not become the next Micki Pistorius/Piet Byleveld as originally hoped, but took on a data-capturing job at TeleAtlas Africa, working my way up to Team Leader and travelled to the first country I had obsessed about going to as a child, Egypt.
From there I started on the lowest rung at a home entertainment company (literally quality checking Barney DVDs before they went onto shelves), working my way up to Marketing and Commercial Licensee Manager in charge of a R220mil budget. This gig got me to the second country I had always wanted to visit, France. After this I started my own hustle, picking up odds and ends, failing forward, failing fast, meeting incredible (and horrendous) people along the way.
Eventually, in 2019, I met Mitchan Adams, the CEO and Founder of Aions Creative Technology where I now find myself. I have always been a dreamer, a problem-solver, and a dot-connecter. Seeing simplicity where others see chaos, and being able to derive order so that things pull together and move forward. I’ve just turned 40, and the mid-life crisis is real! But, I am surrounded by the best family, fantastic work mates, and 3 gorgeous dogs. Dogs make everything better, even aging.
2. What work do you do?
I am the COO of Aions Creative Technology, which basically means I fill in a lot of forms, stress about cash flow, scare employees a bit, and fill out more forms. We’re a local Venture Builder. For those readers who aren’t familiar with the term, we build start-ups by providing monetary and human capital.
3. How long have you been in the industry?
I’ve been part of the Venture Building space (which is relatively new) since March 2022, but in the start-up space since the beginning of 2016.
4. Has your work always been your passion? Tell us why?
I’ve always worked hard. My parents (particularly my Mom) always instilled that there is no point in doing anything if you don’t give it your best. I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger, and gave up a lot of good opportunities while I was at school, and so I’ve always felt I’ve had a lot to make up for. So, did I like what I did before I took the leap to start my own hustle? Some of it yes, but not all of it. I learned so much though, especially starting from the bottom, you learn to do everything yourself. Do I love what I do now? Yes, I wouldn’t give it up for the world.
5. Being a women in the industry – what does it take?
The start-up landscape is male dominated. Venture Building is male dominated. It’s difficult to be taken seriously as a woman, even by other women. For some reason the male voice is more authoritative than the female voice in this arena. But I’ve never used too much energy resisting it, or trying to change it. If I need to work behind the scenes to get an outcome then that’s what I do. Does it get me down sometimes? Sure, but I don’t really have time to let that slow down progress, so I just keep pushing in the way that I can.
6. What has been the most difficult challenge of your career?
Work-life balance. Knowing when to switch off – I don’t feel like I have switched off for nearly 10 years now, and it’s something that I am actively working on getting better at (now in my old age). Another really big challenge is doing something that has never been done before, so there’s no rulebook and no benchmarks, so you don’t know how to measure whether you’re doing well or not. At Aions we are literally hacking a jungle and making a path, and it can be terrifying and exhilarating.
7. What advice do you have for other women in your industry?
Keep pushing. Keep failing. There is much more support than you know – find a coach, a mentor, a guide. Always take care of yourself and listen to your body – if you need to rest, rest. Take time out to day-dream. If something doesn’t work it doesn’t mean that there’s not worth in it. Ice-cream is cheaper than therapy. Lastly, if you’re not having (at least some) fun, reconsider what you’re doing.
8. Plans for the future?
Making a positive change in South Africa, for start-ups, for female entrepreneurs, and for the general public through the Aions Exchange (our own unique investment platform). Long-term we want to start a broadcast network for entrepreneurs and start-ups, where hopefully my dreams of being a writer and/or actress will come true!
