Page 14 - KZN Business Sense - Vol6 No3 - eBook

BE THE BEST YOU THAT YOU CAN BE

a mom who pushed her to achieve customers so I decided to demote extended family. A man doesn’t
by comparing her to her three myself to do internal sales so that have to think about who is
sisters. “Having this motivation I could purse my dream of being a collecting the children or what’s
pushed me to be hard working sales consultant for the company,” for dinner. As a woman I have had
and to develop an internal explained Nozie. Five months to sort out situations on the home
muscle of excellence but I had later she was appointed sales front while the pressure on the
to overcome the obstacle of not manager for KwaZulu-Natal and work front has been intense.”
finding myself significant enough by the end of the year had done “My appeal to women is that
in both my appearance and R15 million worth of business.
abilities.” you should just know that you are
As a reward for increasing significant; you are worthy. Your
Nozie’s first job was as a stock sales, Nozie was sent to Paris work and all that you do, despite
replenisher at Woolworths, to participate in a women’s having the challenges at home and
Pavilion where her desire to empowerment programme. This family behind you is enough –
achieve soon saw her knowing enabled her to see her career don’t second guess yourselves.”
where to find each item of beyond an eight to five job as well Nozie states that she has been
clothing on the shop floor. as to see time in 24-hour slots. inspired by various members of
“Time is precious, and we have to
She then worked as a the community who are doing
Nozibele Sogoni, Managing Director of Nozibele Solutions push for passion,” she explained.
receptionist at the Tower Group. amazing things that are bigger and
Here Nozie realised that it was the “I had to convince myself better than the norm at various
ozibele Sogoni whose first are encouraged to find their gifts little things that she did that made that I was limitless and that I stages of her life. She has a special
name means ‘be kind’ is and set goals for themselves and a difference to contributing to the had the tenacity to continue attraction for the life stories
Nthe founder and managing their businesses aligned to their company’s annual profit of over to achieve my vision which of billionaires such as Vivian
director of Nozibele Solutions passions. one and a half million rand. motivated me to open my own Reddy, Dr Anna Mokgokong and
which was launched in 2013. She “By asking the question, ‘What Her next job was at Conlog business. The approach that I Ashok Sewnarain. “One day I
is a motivational speaker, SETA is it that I was born to do with my where she started as a bring to entrepreneurs is that it is will get there, and I am grateful
accredited mentor and coach as life?’ I see people’s lives change in important to not look at what we for relationships that I have
well as a trainer. receptionist. While Nozie could need but what we have.” with many of these people,” she
a dramatic way,” explains Nozie. have remained as such, she chose
Nozi launched her women “I emphasize that we have an to grow and after ten years left the “I also stress the importance commented.
owned level 1 BBEE company in internal muscle called relevance; company in charge of business of building relationships with Her mentor Goodnews Cadogan
2013. Her goal is to offer solutions we need to learn to be relevant and customer relations for the clients, while winning tenders is is also a source of inspiration and
to entrepreneurs in the South in both the global and our local whole of South Africa. important for business growth the is someone Nozie can call when
African marketplace. Nozie says, economies. We also have a muscle value of having a customer cannot she is at her best or at her worst.
Her promotion within the
“I believe that entrepreneurship of authenticity – it is up to you as company was a consequence of be overemphasized and is key “If I could go back and give
has the power to change the to how you sleep at the end of the her developing herself in local and to success. In assisting business advice to that little Nozie that I
economic landscape of the day.” to grow, writing proposals and
country.” international tenders and pricing. applying for tenders are important have inside me I would say value
Her professional journey has Her success in negotiating tenders time. I would also say find out
Nozie motivates entrepreneurs been prompted by her own desire and contracts, which was above processes that I am able to train as much information as you can.
companies to do.”
to develop their internal to excel and to produce quality and beyond her job description, The next thing would be to say be
muscles while focusing on work. This journey started in saw her travelling with the However, as a woman in significant, you are worthwhile –
self-development to be “the best primary school where she felt company’s directors throughout business, Nozie agrees that there be the best you that you can be,”
you that you can be”. Through compelled to be one of the top the country. are many challenges to face. “It concluded Nozie. 
attending her three-month self- five students in her class. Nozie “I enjoyed interacting with is very difficult when married to
mastery course, entrepreneurs reflected that she grew up having take care of one’s husband and E: nozibele@nozibelesolutions.co.za

THE WORDS WE CHOOSE

James van den Berg, KZN Top Business by good decisions were thrown will improve your luck and put phrase sentences can determine
into chaos when lockdown and you in a position to use the luck whether we have an internal or
its unforeseeable restrictions and that comes your way. You’ll external locus of control, whether
ometimes we have little we are masters of our fates or
control over circumstances; regulations changed things. attract people and gain their victims of circumstances.
Sthe direction our lives take. When success does not follow the support that could bring further
opportunities. Whilst you can’t
Life can at times seem uncertain, best decisions we could make, we change all life’s circumstances, How we frame something
unfair even, and reliant on would do well by not dwelling on affects not just our thinking
fortune rather than merit and the failures. We need to accept that you can feel happier and deal but our emotional state. Our
with unwanted outcomes. You’ll
skill. Modern technology has not we can only control our decisions be ready when your luck changes. emotions often determine our
removed the uncertainties of life. and that these carry some risk, decisions but are often irrational
In 2020 a disease has spread across that good or bad luck outside of If you think you have suffered and lead to the worst decisions we
the world and changed it for our control sometimes determines bad luck, if you have lost your could make.
almost everyone. outcomes. Poor decisions business, job, or relationship It may seem a small deal, but the
sometimes bring good results due due to circumstances outside of words we select, the ones we filter
How do we deal with the changes to good luck. We need to focus your control, and you focus on
and circumstances outside our on the decision-making process, complaining about the outcome, out, and the ones we eventually
choose to put forward, are a mirror
control? What can we do when consider changed circumstances, you will be set back even further. to our thinking. The language we
fortune seemingly does not favour and make sure our next decision is Are you acting a victim and use becomes our mental habits.
us? Do we see ourselves as victims the best possible one. wallowing in your misfortune? Our mental habits determine how Negative things are being done to
or victors? More than not improving things, we learn, how we grow even our me, things are happening around
What if you recognise that you
Information about everything had taken the right decisions this attitude may keep you from luck and what we become. It’s not me, and I am neither to blame nor
that is relevant must be gathered and your actions that didn’t exploring ways to overcome just a question of semantics. Our in control.”
problems. You start missing
and could help. But we seldom work out on one occasion due to opportunities and focusing speaking and thus our thinking A victor says: “I will find
have complete information about things outside your control would about luck has real consequences and use more opportunities; I
everything; some things must be have worked out most other on failure will make you feel a in terms of our emotional am in control of my decisions
helpless victim.
assumed. Sometimes making the times? By focusing on further wellbeing, our decisions, and the and actions… and success will
best decision possible does not help opportunities and preparing There is no such thing as way we implicitly view the world follow.” 
because circumstances and context yourself for the best possible objective reality. Every time and our role in it.
change. Many lives and businesses future decisions, things will even we experience something, we A victim says, “The coronavirus
that seemed to be well guided out eventually. Such an attitude interpret it for ourselves. How we and the lockdown went against me. james@topbusiness.co.za

14