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"I sold for three years on the streets of Johannesburg."
ABOUT S'THE
Sithembile S'the Masia is an advocate for the social and economic development of Africans.
Background
After a successful 25-year corporate and business career as a Communications Specialist, she has decided to take on her heart's passion which is to steer young and old Africans into the realisation that they are powerful beings able to lift themselves out of poverty and into a world of social and financial independence.
Education
She completed high school studies at Residensia Secondary School, and secured a degree in Communications Science at UNISA.
Corporate Career
S'the is a skilled Internal and External Communications Specialist who has been practicing since 2005. Companies she's worked for include Standard Bank, Liberty Life, Old Mutual Insure, and Sanlam. She has also enjoyed the opportunity of serving as an assistant executive secretary for Standard Bank's ex CEO, Jaco Mare, and Chairman, Derek Cooper.
Author
She is currently working on publishing a series of books to help her reach wider audiences.
School Talks
Her work at South African public schools focuses on motivating Grades 8 to 12 learners to navigate personal and educational challenges, such as transitioning from primary to high school and from grade eleven to twelve and preparing them for life after matric and life as financially independent adults.
Entrepreneurship
Her career path has included experimenting with her own business and achieving many personal goals. In its five years of activity, the business amassed a following of over five thousand loyal customers across South Africa. Her business and corporate career success is a testament to her abilities as a skilled and dedicated worker and leader.
My key takeaway is that knowledge is the first and primary step to change. Contact me for opportunities to work together, and please register as a member and submit articles that will help our communities. Click here to register and start submitting articles.
Why Eight Red Apples?
Years ago, while walking about in Turfontein, I saw a distraught woman selling only eight apples. She merchandised them over four plates, two on each plate. The apples were red and old.
With eyes full of anguish and distress, she desperately looked into my eyes, begging me to buy.
Her situation pained me, even though I would do nothing about it.
Her site and her despairing eyes, however, haunted me the minute I passed her by, and every day of my life after that.
Whenever she entered my mind, feelings of guilt would wash over me. To make it make sense, I reasoned that her purpose in my life was to teach me a lesson about how bad things can get despite our best efforts. So, whenever I took a decision, I would question if my choices would lead to me being poor and selling on the streets or growing in my career and income.
The dresses had been on the rails for too long. They were the dresses they didn't buy over multiple sales. They were "old".
A few months later, I closed the store and started selling my merchandise on the streets of johannesburg.
Years later, I became her.
Through a series of unfortunate events, I lost my corporate job. A few more months later, my shop stood empty but for a few scanty dresses.
As she had done with me, I looked at the few customers who walked in with a desperate hope that they would buy something. They didn't.
Had they bought, their money would have
allowed me to buy more stock and recycle my business.
Understanding how I got into that position became my obsession. I knew that laziness or lack of planning was not the problem. I am and have always been a hard worker. And I am the type that plans everything.
Finally, whille working on the streets, I realised what had gone wrong for me and the woman who sold eight red apples: A lack of customers. People look down on African businesses. They would happily support another, but not the woman selling on the streets.
Through Eight Red Apples, I hope to bring solutions that will help increase the income of informal street traders. I aim to educate and convince Africans to buy from local businesses.
I also aim to educate children of low-income households about money, so they can set a better life course for themselves.
By:S'the Masia