“I had changed provinces, so I thought: why not try something new? I applied for what I thought was the role as a trainer at a large accounting software vendor. It didn’t seem too far removed from teaching and I’d still be making a difference in peoples’ lives by teaching them new skills,” she explains.
She was, however, mistaken. “The job actually entailed selling training courses. On my first day at work, I was given a list of names and numbers and told to start selling. To this day, I have no idea how I got my signals so crossed,” she laughs.
Du Toit decided to make the best of the situation. “I have this attitude: always be filled with joy, otherwise what is the use of living. I started listening to everyone, enlisting the help of a few mentors, learning a few sales tips and eight months down the line I was promoted to manager of a small sales team.”
Du Toit soon learned the ropes of the entire business and was appointed sales director in 2004. “This was a listed company, bringing in billions. I was a young woman sitting on its executive board – learning, growing and loving my job.
“Even though I wasn’t teaching anymore, I felt I was still making a difference, because I was selling an accounting package that helped people run their businesses better. I don’t think I would have been as passionate if I was selling something that wasn’t so meaningful to businesses,” adds du Toit.
After 19 years at the company, she decided it was time for a change. “I always knew that Quickbooks was an excellent product that could do much better with the right marketing. When Gary Epstein, the MD or EasyBiz approached me, I knew I could make a difference, and remain true to my life’s philosophy.”
When du Toit made the move to EasyBiz two years ago, a few of her staff members followed her. “That was such a big compliment for me and I knew they could add value to the business,” she says.
Du Toit views herself as a leader rather than a boss. “I think I’m firm, but fair. I’m cognisant that the workplace has changed and that people (especially young parents) should be allowed to work flexible hours, as long as their outputs are achieved. I’m committed to training my people and if an employee asks me something, I will try and get back to them right away.
“I know that it is unfair when a manager doesn’t get back to you. Even if it’s a negative response, I’m not afraid to have an honest conversation with the person. I try and put myself in the other person’s shoes,” she adds.
She believes being a good leader is not necessarily difficult. “Leaders do, however, need to live with the consequences of their actions. I learnt from a former boss that while it is okay to take risks, good leaders need to be agile and own the outcomes of those risks. If they get it wrong, they need to acknowledge their mistakes and change direction.”
Du Toit says women play an important – although often underestimated - role in business. “Women bring empathy to the table. They are strong at people management and therefore good at achieving results.
I never preach about targets to my team. I make sure they know what they have to do, that they have all the tools they need to succeed and that I treat them with respect. This allows them to feel empowered and motivated to take care of the target themselves.”
Asked about the secret to managing change, du Toit says there is no magic recipe, but that transparency and constant communication are important. “My strategy is to meet with my team every Friday afternoon. We talk about industry trends, what was great about our week, what didn’t work and our fears. Then we make plans for the week ahead. I believe if you are transparent and communicate all the time, no-one can turn around and say “but I didn’t know or I’m too scared”.