Page 15 - Standard Bank KZN Top Business Women 2021

While we may not have much control over the things around us,

the good news is that we can still take care of ourselves.

Owner and Founder of The Harvest Table believe that the lymphoma was a gift from God and required her to undertake all the roles in the company
allowed me to determine what was important in my from marketing to finance.
life as well as to question what legacy I wanted to
atherine Clark is the owner and founder “Every day I ask God for wisdom. I have also had to
leave behind. I have explored and researched the topic
of The Harvest Table, which is a family learn to say no along the way to strike a balance where
of healthy food and now that I am married with two
run business based in KwaZulu-Natal. The necessary. I do ensure that I carve out time in my day
children, I wish to educate them as well.”
Ccompany provides health and nutritional for my children and we include them in everything that
Whole and nutritional products we do, including business decisions.”
products across South Africa. Catherine also educates
clients on the importance of including these products Catherine discovered that many of the products that The best version of ourselves
in their daily lives. are beneficial to one’s health were not available in South
As an entrepreneur, Catherine says that she always has
Africa in the form that she required them, which included
“My journey started twenty years ago when I realised ideas running through her mind but needs to remain
no additives, preservatives or gluten.
that what I put into my body was what I got out,” she focused on ensuring that there is enough stock in the
explained. “Together with diet, exercise, keeping stress at “We initially started making our own bone broth, which factory.
bay, laughing every day and having people in my life that I is an important part of many diets across the world.
“My number one priority is our customers and the daily
Then we discovered organic powered products and that
love and respect, keeps me healthy.” feedback that I get from them is really important to me
is where our Harvest Table story began. We wanted to
and keeps me motivated. We believe that our products
Catherine’s story started when she was in matric and bring people along with us on this journey and the harvest
can change people’s lives; we believe that diet is pivotal in
started struggling with feeling really tired all the time table symbolises something that we can bring friends
terms of good health and wellness, which is the foundation
to the extent that she could not complete a school around and celebrate these ‘first fruits’. We have beautiful
of everything that we do.”
day. “This was a really tough time for myself and my products that are whole and nutritional.”
family as I was driven to do well at school. Despite Catherine commented that the company has grown
A beautiful expression
numerous visits to doctors and specialists, no cause substantially over the past year. In particular, Covid
In reflecting on her role as a woman in business, 19 has sparked an interest in health and wellness,
could be found. After been told that it was all in my
Catherine says that women have unique challenges. which has positively impacted the growth of The
mind, I started to research and looked for alternative
“Women do have more roles and responsibilities – Harvest Table. Before lockdown, the company had five
treatments,” explained Catherine.
school pickups, swimming galas, ballet lessons and extra employees and now has close to 50, having grown ten
Her research led to Dulcie Krige and the raw food diet Afrikaans … However, I have not let being a woman to twelve times.
in which she saw potential benefits. “After starting hold me back in any way. I have learnt to accept that “This pandemic has interrupted our ability to be the best
this is my journey and that I can play it out in the way I
this eating programme, I improved daily. However, version of ourselves, but we cannot allow uncertainty,
want to. I would like to go to bed at night knowing that
18 months later, towards the end of my second anxiety and stress to consume us. We need to take charge
I have served my business and community, and done
year at university, I discovered an enlarged lymph of our lives by being more intentional about coping with
well by my children.”
node in my neck which led to the diagnosis of our current reality and create a life to look forward to,”
Hodgkin’s lymphoma.” That The Harvest Table is able to employ women says Catherine.
fulltime is for Catherine, “a beautiful expression of her
Catherine believes that this diagnosis had been the cause “I have learnt to be brave; I have a strong team of
story.” Through employing women, she believes that
of her tiredness and that the diet that she had followed women around me and I have learnt to walk to my own
it is possible to shift their lives by providing a salary
beat. While we may not have much control over the
helped her to recover quickly. and educating them on the importance of health and
things around us, the good news is that we can still take
wellness for themselves and their families’ benefit.
She explained, “After a course of radiation, I was care of ourselves. Taking control of your life will not
completely cured but I was left with the effects on my However, says Catherine, achieving a work life balance only improve your overall wellness but will also give you
thyroid and had intense muscle scarring. However, I is probably her biggest challenge. Her journey has a greater sense of hope for the future,” she concluded.

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