Light up the sky with your Money Manifestations
Nedbank, in partnership with TimesLIVE, recently hosted a Private Off the Menu Experience for young professionals at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg, where a panel of three highly successful woman shared their success stories and finance journey.
Lindokuhle Tau is CVP head at Nedbank’s retail and relationship banking segment and co-founder and director of Malkia Invest. Quoting Nigerian author Chimamande Ngozi Adichie, she said, “We have a world full of women who are unable to exhale fully because they have for so long been conditioned to fold themselves into shapes to make themselves likeable.”
During the course of her career, Tau has learned the power of authenticity. What has helped to further her career, she revealed, has been to know herself, understand her vision and write it down. Her advice is to embrace challenges, even when you are feeling rejected, overlooked or even bullied, both inside and outside the boardroom.
She has fond memories of the director who first mentored her. Pointing out that mentoring and coaching are key she said, “Follow people who are where you want to go.”
It’s important to work in an environment aligned to one’s own values, she said. After frustrating experiences in a previous position, she has finally found a compatible work environment in her present job, revealing that Nedbank appreciates her and understands her responsibilities as a wife and mother.
Buhle Ndlovu started working in mergers and acquisitions without the typical requisite business qualifications, finding her niche by talking to colleagues and learning from experienced managers. Today she is the vice president of the investment team at Kasada Capital Management. She agreed that it’s important to write your goals down, explaining that, “A goal not written down is just a wish.”
Her advice to other women wanting to climb the corporate ladder is to apply themselves. “Nobody owes you anything. Make yourself noticed. Be credible”.
Samke Mhlongo, founder and chief executive of The Next Chapter (TNC) Wealth Partners revealed that her habit of journaling had resulted in a published book, Ringfence. The book was written after a painful divorce and is aimed at encouraging women. Its message is that you are your most valuable asset and need to protect yourself. “Too many times women set themselves on fire to keep others warm,” she said, advising delegates to embrace the journey life takes you on, even though it may not be the one you planned.
“If you are strong, you endure pain, but if you are powerful, you act out against it,” she said, calling herself fragile but powerful.
An individual’s intrinsic value will always shine through, she said. Mhlongo’s hashtag #realdivorcees has been developed into The Queens of Mzansi reality show, following five strong single black women, proudly divorced, of whom she is one.
Her new consultancy, Wealth Partners, is creating an environment that aligns to women’s values, both financial and non-financial.
Private Clients from Nedbank is a digitally enabled, humanconnected banking solution that seeks to provide a best-inclass, complete banking experience for people who expect more and want to go further.