Page 75 - KZN Top Business Woman 2025 - eBook

Linda Sewnarain

Founder and Managing Director of Five Star through the good grace of others and encouragement Her inspiration comes from two remarkable women:
BEE Compliance from my husband.” business mentor Pria Hassan and her late mother.
“Pria told me back in 2010 that I had to start my own
“I have never forgotten that generosity,” commented business, and she supported me through it financially
inda Sewnarain is the founder and managing Linda. “To this day, I give back wherever I can through and emotionally,” Linda recalls. “And my mum, she
L director of Five Star BEE Compliance, “We were mentoring, coaching and community upliftment.” never went to school, but she taught us the value

founded in 2015, so we’re ten years old this year,”
says Linda. “It’s a huge milestone for us.” The company Her entrepreneurial spirit has also driven diversification. of education and hard work. She raised six children
in one small room and still made sure we all went
specialises in Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) “Anything legislation-driven can affect our business, so to university. Today, all my brothers are profess-
verifications, a field while often described as a ‘grudge we decided to branch out,” Linda explains. She went ionals, and I own my own company. Everything she
purchase’, is essential for any company seeking success in on to open several other ventures, including a holiday did was right.”
the South African market. home in the Drakensberg, a fully functional events
venue, an accredited hair and beauty training salon, and Despite her success, the business world remains
Over the past decade, Five Star BEE Compliance has a construction company building residential properties. challenging. “Compliance is not easy. It’s tedious and
completed more than 5,000 BEE certificates for a diverse “When I first started the hair and beauty venture, I time-consuming,” she admits. “Clients often think once
client base that includes Women of Africa Group, Richards thought, ‘My goodness, you know nothing about this’, they pay, they can get their certificate, but it doesn’t
Bay Minerals, EY and the Mazars Group. She says proudly, but I learned,” she added. work like that. We have to help them understand that
“Without our clients, we would not have a business, so what we do is in their best interest.”
we do everything possible to keep them happy.” Linda’s belief in lifelong learning extends to her staff. “I
teach my young team members things they didn’t know, Staff retention is another hurdle. “Training a BEE
Today, the company operates nationally, with a presence and in turn, they teach me,” she says. “It’s fulfilling to see analyst takes at least six months, and sometimes
in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. Linda shares them grow. Some have left to become transformation people leave soon after,” Linda says. “This job is
that her favourite part of the job is travelling across the managers in big companies. It’s hard to see them go, stressful. It’s not an eight-to-four role, and it can eat
country. “We go to all the nooks and crannies of South but it’s a proud moment too.” into your personal life.”
Africa. It gives my staff and I opportunities to see places
we would never have seen before.” Her journey has not been without personal trials. Linda Linda’s advice to young women entering business is
was diagnosed with sarcoidosis, a disease affecting the clear. “Go for it. Make sure you know what you’re doing.
The business employs eleven permanent staff in lining of the lungs. “I went on heavy cortisone for some When you enter a room, look confident. Be honest with
KwaZulu-Natal, four external contractors, and additional time.” Linda reflected, “My biggest dream was to travel your clients and never sugar-coat the truth. Reliability
team members in Johannesburg and Cape Town. overseas. While I was recovering, my husband took me and integrity are everything.”
“When I started, it was just two of us in a small office,” to Greece, and it was the most beautiful experience.
Linda recalls. “Now, we own our own building. It’s been That was a dream come true.” Looking ahead, Linda’s ambitions remain as strong as
quite a journey.” ever. “My next goal is to buy a property in Cape Town,
Her children are a source of pride and motivation. “Both let it out on Airbnb, and hopefully retire there,” she says.
ADVERSITY TO ACHIEVEMENT my kids are engineers today,” she beams. “If my children “Although with two lovely grandchildren, I’m not sure I’ll

Linda’s story is one of resilience and self-belief. Before are successful, it shows that we did something right. be able to leave them.”
That, for me, is the greatest achievement.”
founding her company, she was the regional director
Her latest project, resin art, brings balance to her busy
for a large firm that was taken over. The transition was LEADING WITH PURPOSE life. “It’s my time to unwind. When I’m working with
difficult, but it presented an opportunity. “I wanted resin, I have to wear gloves, and I can’t touch my phone.
to go on my own, but I didn’t have the money,” she Each year, Linda hosts a Women’s Day event as a gesture Those few hours are my time alone, and I cherish them.”
admits. “The licence accreditation cost was huge. I of appreciation to her clients. “It’s a beautiful function
went to a few clients and told them what I wanted to for around 100 to 150 women,” she explains. “It’s our way For Linda what is of importance is that ‘sharing is caring’.
do. They said, ‘We trust you, Linda. Why don’t we pay of saying thank you. We’re not always grateful enough, She concludes, “Helping others doesn’t weaken you; it
you a deposit for our BEE certificates so you can use and sometimes people just need to hear the words, ‘We makes you stronger. That’s what keeps me grounded,
it for accreditation?’. That is how Five Star started – appreciate you’.” and that’s what keeps me going.”

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