Page 67 - KZN Top Business Women 2019 eBook

Be bolder in the way that they do business.

Chief Executive Officer and Principal Operator A major part of her role is to make sure that all the Focus on what needs to be done
at Siba Management stores are brand compliant, and that their customers For Nandi, achieving a work-life balance simply
are happy. comes down to prioritising what has to be done. She
ANDI NGWENYA is the CEO and principal Nandi says that her mother has played a major role in says, “If there is a work issue for me to deal with, I
operator of Siba Management, a KFC mentoring her progress in the business environment give it my 100% focus until it’s done. That leaves me
NFranchise Group in the fast-food industry, and in her general development. Being in a franchise with time for my family.” Similarly, she says, “If there
which operates 17 stores in KwaZulu-Natal. is a family issue that needs attention, I just put my
business, she has also benefitted from relevant blinkers on and focus on addressing it.”
Nandi says that she has been on ‘a life long business training and development programmes associated
journey’. Siba Management is a family-owned busi- with a franchise. “The KFC franchisor looking after “Whatever needs your focus, just do it,” added Nandi.
ness that was started by her mother. As she was Siba Management has helped immensely as he had Sometimes her family and work demand her time
growing up, conversations around the dinner table not only given direction and advice on how the and attention simultaneously, in which case she
often revolved around the business and how the stores should be managed, but also on how the tries “to package them together”. For example, she is
family saw Nandi’s career to be in the group. fortunate that the way she engages in the business
business should be led, and how things should be allows her to take her baby and nanny to work and
“My family practically moulded me into the person done successfully in general.” can therefore deal with family and work matters at
I am today. My family life and business life have been the same time.
very much intertwined, and I have grown organically She has met many people along the way who have
into the position as CEO.” inspired her. “The success achieved by other people If you follow your passion, the money will follow
gives me the confidence and inspiration to succeed you
Whilst Nandi was still at school, she would work in and improve. People who have been able to grow a
the stores during the holidays, performing all the mom and pop type store into a corporate business If she could go back in time she would make sure
tasks, from serving over the counter to working in are also an inspiration for me.” to encourage her younger self to explore more
the kitchen. Over time, when she had become fully avenues, including those that, on face value, don’t
acquainted with the stores and their functioning, she Be bold in business look like they can make money. She has come to
moved to the head office. Once there, she moved Nandi does not believe that women need to believe that, “If you follow your passion, the money
from department to department, learning about the approach business fundamentally differently from will follow you.” She says she would certainly advise
different issues that must be dealt with, including her younger self to be bold and follow her passion.
internal as well as external KFC requirements until men. However, she says that men and women could Nandi is happy about what she has accomplished
she understood the whole business operation. learn different aspects of approaching business from so far and where she is in business. “I have come to
each other.
When all directors concerned felt comfortable about learn and understand the retail industry very well
her knowledge of the business and her ability to “I think that women could take a page from the and feel confident in the space that I work in. I have
take control, she took over as the CEO. Knowing all men’s book and be bolder in the way that they do much to offer to my team.”
the facets of the business now enables her to give business. Women tend to be more cautious and Looking back, she realises that there have been
direction to the group. concerned about small things. They tend to feel missed opportunities over the years and that she
the need to prove themselves to themselves and could have acted more dynamically in certain areas
Her daily tasks involve meeting with the manage-
ment team to discuss reports and key performance others before tackling something in business. Men and explored more avenues.
areas in the group. Nandi also does regular store are often more prepared to take the risks involved “There are still many opportunities for me to take
visits to motivate the teams, and to see if there are in grabbing an opportunity. They are less worried and I can keep on learning, improving and growing
opportunities to be aware of or problems to address. about being perfect to do business.” in business and as a person,” she concludes.

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