Page 103 - KZN Top Business Women 2019 eBook

Success does not come from luck;

it comes from hard work and determination.

Maimoona headed back to Durban, to seek a new objectives; making sure that you focus on attaining
Provincial Executive, venture. Her passion for food steered her to start a your goals. That, is your ticket to success.”
of the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator
catering company which served small to medium Maimoona is content with what she accomplished
AIMOONA SALIM is the provincial executive size companies, for staff and client functions. Her in her 20 plus years of being a career woman. She
of the Harambee Youth Employment company grew rapidly until it had a substantial staff explains that to her, “accomplish” means “to do and
MAccelerator. An NGO that helps the complement…and that she says it what fulfilled her. achieve what you value, to make a difference and
unemployed youth adopt necessary life skills, and Being able to employ people, mentoring, coaching, understand the input that you are giving.” She says it
assists with job placements. She oversees all strategic and helping them grow as individuals. is not about the bottom-line all the time.
business operations, including managing clients, Having achieved what she has, in the short space
“Being at Harambee made me understand that it
working with candidates, and maintaining the vision of time, Maimoona has proved to herself that: “You
and mission of the organisation. don’t need money for business, you just need to is all about giving back to the community, giving
back to individual people and giving hope to
Born and schooled in Durban, Maimoona relocated to apply your mind and execute your plan. Focus on people, especially the unemployed youth.” A point
Johannesburg in the late 90s, where she completed the end goal and make yourself work towards it. I will keep re-iterating, even though it’s been said
her studies and worked in various industries for over a Success does not come from luck; it comes from over a million times, but truth be told: the youth are
decade. Her first job was as a casual worker at a retail hard work and determination.” our future leaders.”
store, and she worked her way up to be a specialist and Her journey has been a difficult one, as she came
later was promoted to senior management positions from a very challenging background. Though, that Doing what she does at Harambee, she feels, is an
within the retail sector. has not stopped her from persevering and achieving accomplishment on its own. Maimoona says, “Once
Because of Maimoona’s drive and ambition, she her dreams. Maimoona was privileged to have had you have found that you are giving back and making
regularly looked for business opportunities. After good mentors along the way, that assisted with her a difference, you can be content.”
noticing a skills gap amongst the unemployed youth, career success. “People around you can push you to It is not work, it is life
she decided to start a business to address this issue. achieve your goals, encourage you not to give up, When Maimoona was young, it was difficult for her
and help to take you to the next level.”
So, in 2005, without any financial backing, she became to achieve a work-life balance, because she was so
an entrepreneur. She made pamphlets, offering Working smart ambitious, and her career was all-important. Now
people training, and development skills, that would Maimoona believes, it is about “what inspires” rather that she is older and wiser, she asks herself if what
help them find jobs. she is doing now is a job or part of her life.
than “who inspires” people. In addition, “People need
Only a few people were expected for training, but to start by understanding themselves first, because Smiling, she says that it almost feels like she has retired
98 candidates came on the first day. Shocked by when you learn to understand yourself, you then start because she enjoys what she does so much as it fulfils
the massive attendance, Maimoona managed to understanding other people.” her as a human being. She has found herself and
accommodate the candidates, taught them the The motivation and direction her parents provided, what resonates with her. “When people question my
required retail skills, and got them all employed by especially from her father, has driven her to grow as decision to work for a non-profit organisation, I reply
various retail stores. Encouraged by the success of an individual, and that is what got her to where she that it is not work, it is life.”
the programme, she then registered a recruitment is today. One of the strongest family values she lives
company, and started doing recruitment for various by is, “work hard and be determined to succeed”. The advice she would give to her younger self is,
chain stores. She later became accredited and “Realise life is not always what it seems. Things are
provided training for a major retail group store with “As we all have the same minds, women don’t always going to change. Listen to your parents’
which she landed a contract. need a different approach to men to be successful advice.” She would also advise herself to appreciate
in business. We all think strategically, we are all life and appreciate time. “Use it wisely, and make
Focus on the end goal
educated, however the trick is about working smart. every day count towards something beneficial
Satisfied with the success she achieved in Johannesburg, It is all about you pushing yourself and reaching your for others.”

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