My days typically consist of the following :
• Meetings and calls
• Responding to emails
• Checking in with staff to get a sense of where everyone is , current issues and if there is anything I can assist with
• Planned time blocks where I work on daily tasks / goals
12 . Who do you rely on for help or support when things get tough ? It does depend on the reason that things are tough . If it is finance or workload-related , I ’ d typically rely on my right-hand-woman , Jeanne . If it is a legal challenge , I will contact Yolandi from our legal team . If it is more strategic , people , or business-related , I ’ d get on a call or around the table with the ceo and non executive directors . And , for general support , my go-to is always my husband , Rory . i also rely heavily on my well developed network .
13 . What was the biggest lesson you learnt as an entrepreneur and why ? Throwing people at the problem is not always the best solution . It may help in the short run but not in the long run . It is a costly solution , and the company may become ‘ top heavy ’. It also takes time and effort to get people up to speed , so it is not a quick fix . Even though it is initially timeconsuming , resolve your systems , processes and procedures instead . And then , it is critical to train your staff on these new or updated documents .
Also , consultants are not always the solution either . You will always know your business better than they do . This is also a costly solution .
14 . If you could go back to when you started , what would you tell yourself ? There are a few big lessons which I ’ ve learnt over time : · First , learn how to embrace change – the world is changing at an ever-increasing pace . Make sure you stay ahead of the pack , or you will get left behind . · Make sure to get the right people in the correct positions as quickly as possible – the leaders determine the success of a business . · Never stop learning and growing as a person . · Network , network , network and then network some more .
15 . What is your favourite mantra or quote to get you through tricky times or when things are not going as planned ? ‘ If you change the way you look at things , the things you look at change .’ ― Wayne Dyer .
16 . Name five books you have read that impacted your entrepreneurial journey .
• The Lean Startup – Eric Ries
• Zero To One – Peter Thiel with Blake Masters
• Sweat , Scale , Sell – Pavlo Phitidis
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F * uck – Mark Manson
• Atomic Habits – James Clear