SAY IT IN SIX
Six Things to Know About Nelisiwe Masango
NELISIWE MASANGO (26), FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED AND AWARD-WINNING INVESTING TRAINING COMPANY, BEAR RUN INVESTMENTS, IS AN ENTREPRENEUR THAT SEEKS TO CHANGE THE FINANCIAL LANDSCAPE OF THE COUNTRY. In Flight RECENTLY CAUGHT UP WITH HER TO DISCOVER SIX NEW THINGS ABOUT THIS BUSINESS POWERHOUSE.
#1: MASANGO BELIEVES SHE WAS BORN AN ENTREPRENEUR
“While some people aspired to be entrepreneurs, I was born one,” she explains. She defines entrepreneurship as the process of finding solutions and serving the community – as such, she is a firm believer in “servant leadership”.
#2: HER INSPIRATION BEHIND RUN BEAR INVESTMENTS WAS WEALTH CREATION
“We all have the same 24 hours in a day, but some people achieve more and become financially successful while others are not so fortunate.” She began researching the topic and found that being financially independent is a mind-set. From there, she knew her calling was to improve the financial lives of South Africans. “With the majority of the South African population being financially illiterate, I made a decision to make a difference in the world by teaching people about personal financial management, wealth creation, long-term investing, and entrepreneurship.”
#3: MEDITATION IS IMPORTANT
Masango sites that meditation has been an important aspect of her success.“[I] have some quiet time in the morning to clear my thoughts and ensure that my daily plans align with my ultimate goals, as well as meditating at the end of a productive day for introspection and to reflect on the day.”
#4: SHE IS WELL-AWARDED
According to Masango, her greatest personal accomplishment was receiving the African Entrepreneurial Visionary Leadership Innovation Award 2017 from Frost and Sullivan, while her greatest business accomplishment was being the youngest female owner
of a Seta (Skills Education Training Authorities) accredited training provider in South Africa in 2018.
#5: SHE STARTED A NON-PROFIT
To encourage and empower women of all ages, races, and ethnicities, Masango began FeFine in 2016. FeFine is a platform for women to come together to support one another on a professional level, but also to encourage women to become financially independent. It has collaborated with local brands, including Sta-Sof-Fro. “Sta-Sof-Fro has done an impeccable job of bringing a group of women together to stand as one and to inspire women from different backgrounds. Their amazing #WearYou campaign speaks of the importance of being an individual, and embracing your external beauty, but also motivates women to be bold, fearless, confident and unapologetic about their aspirations and ability to conquer. United we stand, divided we fall!”
#6: SHE WISHES MORE SOUTH AFRICANS KNEW ABOUT INVESTING
“I wish every South African knew the basics of finance and was open to improving their financial education and investing in financial literacy. We spend such a significant amount of time working towards making money, that we do not focus enough of our attention on keeping money. As a nation, it is important for us to address these issues from within our own households and communities.”
Masango believes that education is an essential component in helping more South Africans to become financially independent. “It is very important for one to be financially educated as education is not just a once-off process but an ongoing life-long journey to financial independence.” It is because of this that she believes in upskilling and training the industry in which she will continue to invest. “I live by the proverb: ‘If you give a man fish, you feed him for a day, but if you teach him how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.’ I personally feel that education, on all levels, is required to build a sustainable global economy.The late Nelson Mandela put it best when he said:‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ By building a leading training company, we can empower individuals through education, as well as uplift the community and those who were previously disadvantaged through learnerships.”
For more information about Bear Run Investments, please visit www.bearruninvestments.co.za.
I wish every South African knew the basics of finance and were open to improving their financial education and investing in financial literacy. – Nelisiwe Masango