We’re celebrating Women’s Month by meeting some of our incredible local businesswomen on the North Coast. We learn more about them, their business and what inspires them to be amazing boss ladies. Go girl power!
Schane Anderson and Debbie Steinhobel from OLALA Interiors
OLALA Interiors was founded in 1993 by Schanè Anderson, and Debbie Steinhobel joined in 2014, and over the past 27 years the business has soared. OLALA Interiors is an inspirational interior design business, geared towards full turn-key execution of bespoke projects. Collaborating closely with top architects, developers and high networth individuals, the ladies have been privileged to be invited to share their expertise on a number of high-end residential properties nationally, across borders through Africa as well as internationally. Their business is structured around four divisions – design, retail, manufacturing and their imminent e-commerce. This dynamic duo have been featured on Top Billing numerous times for their outstanding interiors and have also been published in numerous publications showcasing their enviable work locally and internationally. Recognised by their suppliers as leaders, Schanè and Debbie have been invited as Best Interior Design KZN to France by ROMO International, and flown to New York by Home Fabrics. With the help of their incredible team, these ladies have created a fabulous brand and many beautiful homes here on the North Coast. They show no sign of slowing down, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.
032 940 0399
info@olalainteriors.com
www.olalainteriors.com
Carolyn Hall from Adore Weddings and Events
Carolyn Hall has almost a decade of professional wedding and event floral design, concept and implementation experience. She began her floral journey without formal training, but with a strong background in dance and choreography training which strongly influenced her aesthetic, she has had the freedom to develop her distinctive style, deeply influenced by the seasons, the natural lines flora follow when growing wild in nature, and by the delightful and often surprising combinations of colour, tone, form and texture found in wild places. Her company, Adore Weddings, is a floral design, event planning and décor hire company. They began their journey exclusively offering wedding and event planning services and joyfully fell sideways into floral design, which has become the heart of their business. They have a variety of floral services available, including weekly fresh flower deliveries, a seasonal à la carte occasion flower collection and full-service bespoke floral design for weddings and events. Their team philosophy is, “Beauty created with love”, and they aim to convey this emotion through their work.
083 364 4658
info@adoreweddings.co.za
www.adoreweddings.co.za
Shani Joubert from Chilloes
Sprouting from a fundraising initiative designed for public schools, Chilloes founder Shani Joubert decided to take a leap of faith and launch Chilloes into the retail market in 2014. Since then, her brand has grown from strength to strength! The brand boasts various DIY, mix and match flip-flop options, additional patented accessories and complimentary beachwear products. “Adding your own strap and bling to your favourite base gives customers the opportunity to add their own personal touches to their flops – making each pair as unique as the wearer! We constantly watch market trends and update our designs at least twice a year to stay current,” she explains. Chilloes also believes in uplifting local entrepreneurs by offering an exciting opportunity to own a DIY kiosk, or become an agent by supplying ready-to-wear flops throughout SA. What does Shani love most about being a businesswoman in Ballito? “Our awesome supportive, friendly community and the fact that I can work in flip-flops and a messy bun and just get things done! Ha ha… need I say more? I enjoy being able to run fundraising events with other local brands and, by employing people from our area, it affords me the opportunity to pay it forward and contribute to our beautiful seaside town in my own way,” she says. Shani believes that working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress. Working hard for something we love is called passion.
067 228 6326
online@chilloes.com
Instagram: @chilloes
Dr Michelle Westcott from Nu Youth Medical Aesthetics
Nu Youth Medical Aesthetics was started by Dr Michelle Westcott, a medical doctor with a special interest in aesthetic and anti-aging medicine, in 2008, and is at the forefront of South Africa’s Medical Aesthetics industry. Dr Michelle’s passion, expertise and commitment to excellence have made her a leader in the field of aesthetic medicine, and have got her business to where it is today. Nu Youth provides a range of minimally invasive medical aesthetic treatments for the face, body and intimate female areas, aimed at positive aging and restoring youthfulness and well-being. Dr Michelle’s procedures, using the latest technologies to enhance her clients’ features, are administered from her state-of-the-art Ballito medical practice. Dr Michelle loves what she does and believes that good self-care is a sign of healthy self-esteem and self-worth. She gets to help her patients embrace their natural beauty and their own unique and wonderful person, instead of making comparisons. What does Dr Michelle love about being a businesswoman in Ballito? “Ballito offers businesswomen an amazing opportunity for growth and development. Working in such a beautiful part of the country offers me as a female entrepreneur the freedom to balance business and pleasure, and to appreciate the tranquility that comes with living in a coastal town,” she says. “Success is not an accident, it’s something that you have to decide to create on purpose. I love the saying: ‘I’m just a girl who decided to go for it.’” We can’t help but feel inspired by this incredible local lady!
032 648 0048
Facebook: @aestheticmedical
www.nuyouth.co.za
Stacey Spilsbury and Jess Mostert fromConnectable Life
Ballito, meet Stacey and Jess: the faces behind Connectable Life. With backgrounds in marketing and career counselling (Stacey) and teaching and psychology (Jess), we are both moms that bonded over our shared passion for helping people. We would love to contribute, in our small way, towards a kinder and happier world. At the end of August 2019, we were discussing the difficulties people must sometimes go through to get help (for many reasons) and the desperation this causes. This led to the thought process of making healthcare more accessible. Fast forward to today and we can introduce Connectable Life, an online platform that connects mind, body and wellness specialists with clients. It is through this platform that clients find a specialist, book, pay and have their video consult, all from the comfort and safety of their home. Our goal is to make healthcare a norm for everyone and accessible to anyone. Our hope is to highlight the value of wellness over illness and that there is strength in reaching out for help, even when we don’t think we need it.
info@connectablelife.com
www.connectablelife.com
Facebook: @connectablelife
Lynda Bryant from Thrive
Thrive, an innovative brand in the pharmacy, health and wellness space, has spread its wings with the opening of an outlet at The Well in Ballito. “Our aim is to help our communities be better than well,” explains founder and entrepreneur Lynda Bryant who built Thrive. Her pioneering approach to healthcare drew the attention of well-known businessman and former group CEO of JSE-listed Famous Brands, Kevin Hedderwick, who acquired an equity and strategic stake in Thrive with a view of unlocking the growth potential of the brand. “As part of my venture capital ambitions, I decided to invest in this exciting and emerging health and wellness company. Via a number of different trading formats and business models, we plan to grow the brand,” says Kevin. Thrive focuses on integrated wellness, stocking vitamins, supplements, food, skincare, gifts and cleaning products, which are where possible natural, organic and locally sourced. It includes “The Juice Kitchen” as a store within a store and offers a small clinic for a homeopath and nutritionist to visit on a weekly basis. Lynda believes that is time for a new approach to healthcare in a highly competitive sector with consumers looking for a completely different approach. “People often feel that they may be taking too much medicine and want a more meaningful solution rather than another prescription,” Lynda explains. “At Thrive, we have done the research so that our customers don’t have to.” Thrive Ballito it is not yet home to a pharmacy, although there are plans to add one as soon as possible. Building relationships with the Ballito community forms a cornerstone of the band’s strategy and Thrive’s personal and professional approach to health and wellness will build on this.
www.wethrive.co.za
Instagram: @thrive_za
Facebook: @Thrive.BetterThanWell