My Blog
From “Lost in Translation” to “Found in Interpretation”: the executive’s guide to cultural code-switching
For the internationally mobile executive – whether navigating a joint venture in Singapore, leading a multilateral negotiation for a development bank in Addis Ababa, or presenting quarterly results to a global board in London – a profound realisation eventually dawns: fluency in English is merely your boarding pass. It grants...
The strategic English deficit: why fluency isn’t enough for global leadership
In boardrooms around the world, among the executives of the world’s most prestigious institutions, a quiet realisation is dawning. The global business arena no longer rewards mere English proficiency – it demands something far more sophisticated. I have worked as an English coach predominantly in France since 2018. And this...
Riding the waves of 2025
Gosh! I am so ready to see the back of this year. If 2025 had a mantra, whispered beneath the roar of the waves and the chaos of boxes, it would be this: “Let it go.” This year has been nothing short of a whirlwind – a year marked by...
How moving disrupts your work-from-home groove (and how to survive it)
After three decades in this house, I’m not just packing up a home – I’m dismantling my entire work life. As someone who works fully remotely, my home is my office, my sanctuary, and my productivity hub all in one. The thought of recreating that elsewhere feels equal parts exciting...
In anticipation of change: preparing to leave my family home
After three decades in this home, I find myself in the peculiar limbo of straddling two lives – not quite ready to leave but already packing up the familiar. What began as an exciting new chapter now feels like the dismantling of my entire history, one cardboard box at a...
A creative haven (with a feline muse)
This cosy little corner is more than just a workspace — it’s my creative sanctuary. It’s where ideas take root, projects come to life, and inspiration is never far away … especially with my ever-watchful muse sitting just a whisker away. Nestled beside a large window, my desk is flooded...
What makes a good CV? A key to landing the job
As I navigate my job search, I’ve been reflecting on what it takes to stand out in a competitive market. One thing is clear: a strong CV is essential. It’s not just a summary of my past roles – it’s a strategic tool to showcase my skills, achievements, and potential....
Let go of what doesn’t serve you
I’ve been grappling with many challenges lately: job fulfilment, life after the death of my spouse, health issues, and navigating single parenting. Over time, resentment has crept in – uncompromising employers; too much to do, too little time; and the list goes on. I held onto these feelings, and they...
Community tourism offers unique experiences
Community tourism is popular as it gives the traveller a more realistic insight into local lives
TIA360 CEO unpacks her vision for tourism
TIA360 CEO, Sindile Xulu, looks at what must come in the tourism sector during pandemic recovery
Namibia: Plug-in campus promotes cross-cultural learning
The Future Tech Lab, a plug-in campus set up within the main campus of the University of Namibia (UNAM) in Windhoek by Finnish higher education institution the University of Turku (UTU) is not only helping to produce local software engineers but is at the forefront of student-led cross-cultural innovation through its remote linking of student collaborators in Namibia and Finland.
New network to focus on supporting higher education reform
The South African Technology Network (SATN) and its local and international partners have been successful in applying to the European Commission to establish a South African chapter of the network for Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs) – the first of its kind in Africa. Of the 1,005 eligible applications for...
SATN-UIF learnership offers skills – and hope – to youth
Acknowledging the urgent need for the youth to be employed, the South African Technology Network (SATN), Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Milzet Holdings – a skills development provider that offers a range of programmes for corporate learning and development – embarked on a partnership last year to actively assist young...
Drug programme showcases benefits of multidisciplinarity
When the sciences and humanities collaborate, exceptional work is possible. This is the belief of the academics working in the Urban Futures Centre (UFC) at South Africa’s Durban University of Technology (DUT), particularly the street-level drug programme.
Partnership to turn graduates into job creators
As South Africa faces catastrophic unemployment rates, the South African Technology Network (SATN) and various stakeholders are partnering to ensure that graduates “are no longer job seekers but job creators”.
Lesson on education and societal change
Postgraduate education students from New York University (NYU) and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in the United States are learning invaluable lessons in the teaching sector through a one-month programme based in South Africa.
SATN helps boost PhD capacity in South Africa
The South African Technology Network (SATN) has partnered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to launch a Staff PhD Capacity Enhancement Programme designed to raise the number and quality of PhDs coming out of universities of technology and previously disadvantaged universities in South Africa.
#ReadingRoom: Friday Black
“Fresh, exciting, vital and contemporary”. These are just some of the words used to describe this collection of short stories. Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s Friday Black has debuted with a bang.
My best social media tactics for 2019
I’ve been thinking about my social media strategy for 2019 while researching trends and tactics. How do I get my own brand, as well as the brands I work for, to stand out next year? What worked for me this year? Will this continue to work into 2019? Or do...
#FreelanceFriday: And the word of 2018 is toxic
“The Oxford Word of the Year is a word or expression that is judged to reflect the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the passing year”. This year that word is TOXIC.
“Toxic” has many strings – toxic waste, toxic poisoning and the like. And events around these issues have facilitated the word’s rise to the top of the most-used pile.
Fakeness: kudos to Instagram for tackling the scourge
Instagram is hands down my favourite social media platform. Beautiful images, clean lines, easy formatting … what’s not to like about Instagram right? Well … there is just one thing that concerns me as a social media content creator. Fakeness.
#FreelanceFriday: firing a client
As a freelancer, you quickly learn that it’s important to have as many clients as possible. More clients mean a healthier bank balance every month. We never really think about firing clients … until one (or two) come along and we know we would be happier not having them around.
Using hashtags for effective marketing
If you use social media you must know that hashtags are an important component of social activity, especially on Instagram and Twitter. But have you ever asked yourself what a hashtag is? And more importantly, have you ever asked why and how do I use hashtags optimally?
Raising responsible, tech-savvy teenagers
Generation Z is a demographic group that comes after Millennials. One of the defining characteristics of this group is that youngsters from Gen Z have grown up with mobile communications. Among this generation, the most common form of communication is texting or social media interaction. This week I’m talking about teenagers and social media.
#FreelanceFriday: valuable tips that helped me negotiate the entrepreneurial journey
There’s no manual on how to be a freelancer. And as the gig economy evolves at a phenomenal pace we often find ourselves wishing someone could sit us down and explain exactly how we can keep up with the trends. We all need a bit of advice and useful tips.
Are you paying enough attention to your reputation online?
This week I am talking online reputation management or ORM. The great thing about social media is that brands can interact with their customers in a more organic and authentic way. The not-so-great thing is that people can say what they want about a brand and that could be damaging.
#ReadingRoom: Why Social Media is Ruining Your Life
I spend a huge amount of time on social media … for myself as well as the numerous clients I work for. There is no real cut off for me. The first thing I reach for when I open my eyes in the morning is my cellphone. The last thing I look at before I fall asleep is my Instagram feed. So, when this book landed on my desk I was a bit apprehensive. Could I be ruining my life?
Content marketing: ignore it at your peril
I would argue that content creation and marketing is the ultimate tool any brand could utilise to set them apart from the noise on social media. While social media engenders interaction, promotion, reputation management and content curation, it’s content creation and marketing that makes your brand unique.
#SundayRead: The Necessary Marriage
#SundayRead: The Necessary Marriage Once you get past the slow start to this book and get to grips with the underlying commentary, I promise this novel will be worth the read. Jane and Leonard, 16-year-old pupil and teacher, fall in love in the 1970s and get married – against the...
#FreelanceFriday: the hustle is real
#FreelanceFriday: the hustle is real I began blogging some years before I became a freelance content creator. It was the ideal platform for me to work at my own pace while I held down a full-time job. It was also a great space to build content that was my own....
Organic reach is on the decline, but is it all doom and gloom?
Organic reach is on the decline, but is it all doom and gloom? If you work with social media regularly you will know that we’ve been talking for some time now about how organic reach is on the decline on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. What this means is...
#SundayRead: Eve of Man
#SundayRead: Eve of Man Eve is special. She was the first girl to be born to the human race in 50 years. The story of her birth is tragic and dark. All her life Eve has been kept in seclusion – away from men or boys and away from the...
#FreelanceFriday: Dear freelancer. I see you, I salute you
#FreelanceFriday: Dear freelancer. I see you, I salute you Rates and fair pay are hands down the most talked about issue amongst independent consultants. It became evident to me when, as chair of a freelancing organisation, the questions that we fielded most often was around our rates survey and report....
Social media peeves: how they hurt your brand
Social media peeves: how they hurt your brand Peeves … you know – those things you do on social media that give users scratchy eyeballs. They may seem like small issues, but together they can hurt your brand and hinder your efforts in building a strong online presence. In this...
#SundayRead: Vox
#SundayRead: Vox I read The Handmaid’s Tale when it was first published. It’s one of those novels that stayed with me all these years later. Vox will be the same. In the last month, I’ve received two books with similar themes. In fact, Elle magazine says this novel is a...
#FreelanceFriday: ruminating on my choices
#FreelanceFriday: ruminating on my choices We make choices every day of our lives. And they begin the minute we open our eyes to the world we have been born into. Making a choice is a simple act. It’s something we don’t often think about – it happens as easily as...
Three tips to generate engagement on social media
Three tips to generate engagement on social media The success of a social media campaign correlates strongly with engagement. Likes, comments, shares, debate – they all signal engagement and they’re good for your brand. So, if you want people engaging with your content and your brand, you should be paying...
Misogyny in the workplace is alive and well
Last week I wrote a blog about my friend Anxiety and how we met. I’ve pinpointed an incident that took place almost a decade ago as the root cause of my trauma. And while I have dealt as best I can with that incident, Anxiety and I remain good friends....
#SundayRead: F**k Plastic
#SundayRead: F**k Plastic I’ve written extensively about my plastic-free journey this year. If, like me, you’d like to join the war on plastic, get your hands on this nifty pocketbook. It offers you 101 ways you can join the campaign. There are 51 trillion particles of plastic in our oceans...
#FreelanceFriday: Let’s talk about anxiety
#FreelanceFriday: Let’s talk about anxiety A few years ago I was held up in my home. I was in the shower, getting ready to fetch my kids from school and head off to work. I’d spent a productive morning writing an article after interviewing a South African woman author. I was...
Productivity: what is useful work
Productivity: what is useful work According to the Cambridge dictionary productivity is the rate at which we do useful work. Did the number of hours I put into something yield useful/beneficial results? How many minutes did I spend creating this blog? How many minutes on answering a text message while...
Sunday read: The ‘Adults’
#SundayRead: The ‘Adults’ Many things give it away – the quotes in the headline, the definition at the beginning of the novel. This is a novel about people who believe they are adults – mature and perfected – but who, in reality, are not. And to be honest, how can you have...
What to do when a creative block happens
What to do when a creative block happens On December 4, 2017, I launched my freelancing career in earnest. Since then, I have steadfastly and consistently shared and engaged with followers on my social media platforms. Advice, travails, highs, wins, reviews … I’ve shared what drives me in my business....
LinkedIn leads the way in long-form content
LinkedIn leads the way in long-form content Last week I took a mini break from creating to do a bit of research. Like with anything, being on top of your game in what you do means research and learning. I spent my time understanding LinkedIn and how it has evolved...
Sunday read: Meet Me at the Museum
Sunday read: Meet Me at the Museum I had two penpals when I was younger. Penpals? That’s a word I had to explain to my own Generation Z children, who only understand the world of emails and instant messaging. Every month I would receive a handwritten letter from Sylvia in...
When life happens, what would you do with the curveball?
When life happens, what would you do with the curveball? Being a freelancer means there are many things I can anticipate and even prepare for. It’s a fantastic place to be — especially for someone who is slightly OCD and an unapologetic planner. But what happens when your carefully-mapped work life...
#StopMisogyny: a salute to the strong women I know
#StopMisogyny: a salute to the strong women I know August. It’s Women’s Month in South Africa. Just over a week ago we observed Women’s Day. While marketing boffs made the most of the opportunity, this day holds a deeper meaning for South Africans, women in particular. Women’s Day is inextricably...
Sunday read: Our House
Sunday read: Our House Murder, property fraud, adultery, betrayal – Our House is brimming with suspense and twists. Fi arrives at her home to find a family moving into her house. The home she and Bram, her husband, had owned for years and had no intention of selling, suddenly belongs...
Freelance does not mean my services are free, people
Freelance does not mean my services are free, people I’m a relative newbie to the world of freelancing and I have already been caught out by a client (or two) who will not pay me. Freelancer, independent contractor, consultant … whatever we call ourselves doesn’t matter. But we all have similar...
Home Bru Graft Café: my go-to coworking space in Durban
Home Bru Graft Café: my go-to coworking space in Durban There are days when I crave human contact. I love the solitude of my home during the weekdays. Me, the cats, the dogs and the silence. But it’s also quite an isolating existence. After working in an open-plan newsroom for...
