Meet six women who successfully shifted
careers.
Tenille Lindeque 30
Tenille Lindeque at Feminine Divine
Oriental Belly Dance Studio
Old job:
Aerobics instructor and personal trainer
New job:
Founder and principal teacher at Feminine Divine Oriental Belly Dance Studio
www.feminlnedlvine.net
Growing up in Sedgefield, taking part in
ballet and modem dancing, I didn't even know belly dancing existed. But after
working for a few years as an aerobics teacher, I wanted to try something
completely different. From the first class, I was hooked. Belly dancing just
felt so liberating, because there was no pressure to mould myself to have the
perfect body, which was the emphasis in aerobics. I made peace with my
voluptuous curves once and for all. Then the studio where I was teaching
aerobics closed down, so at 22, I was jobless. I started teaching exercise
classes from home – but everyone who came to me asked for belly dancing lessons
instead, as I often incorporated belly dancing moves into my exercise routines.
Because of the rise in demand, I opened up
my own dance studio in Cape Town in 2003. It's grown from three die-hard
students to over 200 members. It's the best feeling to see new clients arrive
as self-conscious women simply looking for some exercise, to women who shimmy
their way into loving who they are. I love dancing for a living. What a gift!
Top tip: Give your clients more than they
pay for and work towards making them feel part of a community - and remember,
you can never use too much glitter!
Kirsten Goss 37
Old Job:
Senior Analyst at an investment firm in London
New Job:
Founder and owner of Kirsten Goss Jewelry
www.kirstengoss.com
I started off studying economics at
Stellenbosch University, but halfway through, I realized it wasn't for me. So I
switched over to a four-year fine arts degree. I then left for the UK in 1998
to get experience in the fashion industry, working under the big names in
jewelry making.
After a few years, I just wanted to be able
to unplug from the industry for a while and get an ordinary job, so that I
could travel as much as possible. I'm glad I did that, and when I got the travelling
out of my system, I decided to open up a jewelry design studio in Netting Hill
in February 2003. I'd saved and borrowed enough money to be able to afford the
studio space, the equipment and the materials I needed to start out. I started
small and grew the business organically, one step at a time, and very
conservatively. I often think of those days when I just used to go to my little
studio and make jewelry all day. Now I manage a team and we attract clients
from all over the world. We recently scooped the 2011 'Entrepreneur of the
year' prize at the SA Business Awards in London - it was such an honor.
Despite the recession, our company has
grown every year. What sets us apart is that we don't use machines; all our
jewelry is handcrafted by brilliant goldsmiths and clients notice this. We're
on a good trajectory, but there is still so much to do, and apart from our
London flagship and Joburg stores, we hope to open shops in Hong Kong, New York
and Cape Town.
Top tip: Doubt is the greatest obstacle. Don't
doubt your dream. And if you want to do it, do it properly and everything else
will fall into place.
Jade Woo 37
Old job:
Piano teacher and acupressure therapist
New job:
Founder of Om Baba Baby Carriers
www.ombaba.co.za
As a new mom, I couldn't find a baby
carrier to suit my needs, so my business started out as a necessity! The
carriers I'd bought during my pregnancy in 2008 didn't provide adequate support
for my son. Spencer, weren't stylish enough for me to wear, and also became
uncomfortable the longer I wore them. I even remember looking for the
traditional Chinese type of carrier called a 'mei tai' that I had been carried
in as a child, and when I couldn't find what I was looking for, I decided to
make one myself.
My first pattern was very basic and needed
work, but friends saw my carrier and asked me about it, so I started making
ones for them as well, tweaking the pattern and finding more interesting,
stylish fabrics as I went along.
Friends told their friends, and it got to
the point where it was easier to have a website to answer questions, and I had
more orders than I could manage. I realized that my hobby had evolved into a
business, which in turn sparked a passion in me that continues to grow.
Om Baba has grown so much that I am able to
be a stay-at-home working mom and look after my son, who is now three years
old. The business has been doubling each month in the last few months, purely
by word of mouth, and has grown from producing 10 mei tais in the first few
months to about 600 last year, with orders coming from as far afield as Taiwan
and Mauritius. It is the best job in the world and I love the fact that I am
able to help other moms improve their experience of motherhood and care for
their babies.
Top tip: Persevere! And maintain a very
strong commitment to quality and service.
