Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa September 2015 | Page 17

When you have traveled,
which is your favourite
place to visit and why?
France. Cecil and I used to
love to go to Saint-Jean-CapFerrat in France.

How gratifying is it for you to see
your company going from strength
to strength?
When I consider that what began
as a hobby for me has become a
successful, international business,
it is more gratifying than one
can ever imagine. I first became
involved in marketing real estate
when my children were young –
and more as a fun way of earning
something extra in order to buy the
odd picture or object d’art, but then
my interest in houses became a
passion to the extent that it became
a springboard to a serious career in
the property industry. However, the
success of this business is due in no
small way to the many people who
are involved in the Pam Golding
Property group, especially Andrew
Golding, the Chief Executive, and
each and every staff member
What advice do you have for other
women who have built up their
businesses from scratch, and now
wish to hand over the reins to the
younger generation?
Firstly, I must put in perspective
the fact that the business evolved
from what for me began by chance,
and as a hobby or fun way to earn
something extra. However, I have
generally been fortunate to have
an instinct for making the right
decisions in business and so my
strategies over the years have been
to pursue my talent of matching
www.reimag.co.za

buyer and seller; surrounding
myself with people in the business
who share my passion for property,
for professionalism and excellent
service; and to follow my instincts
– for example opening an office
in London in 1986 at a time
when South Africa’s international
image was at its worst. Another
key strategy is to remain positive
at all times – for example, during
the 70s and 80s the SA property
market went through very rough
times, however, a positive outlook
coupled with an ability to adapt,
and determination, contributed to
our growth during good times and
bad. I began the company when
South Africa was going through
a recession, and people said I was
crazy to go on my own. But I was
determined to succeed and that is
half the battle already won.

and be courageous. Furthermore,
one cannot underestimate the
importance of business networking,
whether on a local, national or
international scale. And finally, once
you have succeeded in establishing
a successful brand, ensure that you
retain the integrity of that brand,
for it’s almost impossible to place a
value on brand equity – this coupled
with strong client relationships is
what makes clients return to you
time and time again.
Describe the most challenging
moment in your career?

What is your guilty
pleasure?
An ice cold Dom Perignon

What are the most important
business lessons you have learnt
over the course of your career?

How do you unwind?
I listen to Fine Music Radio
as much as possible and love
listening to music from swing
to jazz to classical and opera.

That key principles of any business
are the qualities of integrity, honesty,
loyalty, professionalism and ethics,
which remain the core ethics of
Pam Golding Properties to this
very day. However it is more than
that which makes for a successful
business – it’s a combination of
drive and entrepreneurial spirit,
and a flair for innovation, including
clever marketing. Trust your
instincts, employ the right people
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