Dropping her hockey dream paid off in the end

Tell me about your job?

I work with small, medium-sized and micro enterprises (SMMEs) to assist them with easier access to the retail environment. SMMEs often struggle with getting their products on the shelves of big retailers, which necessitated the launch of Shoprite Next Capital.

Through Shoprite Next Capital we also identify gaps in the market for innovative products that SMMEs can fill. One such example is the Homegrown private label range of products, available exclusively from Shoprite and sourced primarily from local SMMEs. It has provided emerging enterprises such as Wondersnacks, Exotic Taste and Khayelitsha Cookies with access to more than 615 supermarkets nationwide.

What does Shoprite Next Capital do?

It is a business division, launched in 2022, which is dedicated to capacitating and growing commercially viable SMME’s. We assist with access to buyers, personalised growth plans so that suppliers may gradually scale up their businesses, and more.

What does your work with the Shoprite Foundation involve? 

The Shoprite Foundation is the Shoprite Group’s nonprofit organisation, which focuses specifically on supporting the communities we trade in through education. True to the group’s purpose of uplifting lives every day, it recognises the role it must play in society to equip the next generations with future-fit education.

What do you think makes you good at what you do?

I find innovative ways to solve problems. Working with various SMMEs requires an understanding of their everyday challenges and collaborating with the various business owners to tackle them together. Something I learnt early on was that traditional ways of working are not always conducive to entrepreneurs, so one must be agile in finding solutions while still complying with business requirements.

You joined Shoprite in 2014 as a trainee accountant — what important lessons have you learnt moving through the ranks of the retail company?

Retail is a fast-paced environment, so there isn’t time to cry over spilt milk. We fail fast and learn from those mistakes.

What drew you to study accounting?

My mother was old-school and didn’t want me to play hockey professionally — she insisted that I needed to study.

I had obtained provincial colours for hockey, so at the time I thought it was a real option. My mother, however, encouraged me to have something to fall back on, and in hindsight I am grateful.

I enjoyed accounting in high school and passed it well — it was one of those subjects that made sense to me. Little did I know how complicated it would get when I enrolled in university, but I am still standing.

What do you look for when you are recruiting?

That will be determined by the specific role, but energy, fitting the business’s culture, a willingness to learn, taking responsibility and running with projects are always very important determining factors.

What advice do you have for the matriculants of 2023?

Dream big. Once you’ve done that, carve out a plan of how you're going to achieve those dreams, and be diligent in making it a reality.