Business is the ultimate sport (and women are winning)

In 2019, I launched my first brand—WardFit. A sustainable clothing line made locally in Cape Town, with a mission to create comfy, feel-good pieces for everyday people. I was 24, wildly optimistic, and probably a little too generous with freebies (rookie mistake). But that little brand? It taught me everything.

Business is the ultimate sport. It’s strategy, grit, vision, resilience. You learn how to take rejection on the chin and keep showing up anyway. You learn that branding isn’t just about pretty colors or fonts, it’s storytelling, connection, psychology. You realize that clarity > complexity every single time. You figure out that energy matters, people buy into people. And you learn the hard way that not everyone deserves a discount.

I’ve always been drawn to business, probably because I grew up watching my dad build his own and work hard everyday. Seeing him work for himself, take risks, and create something from the ground up planted that seed in me early. It showed me that being your own boss isn’t just a title, it’s a lifestyle. One that requires hard work, a strong mindset, vision, belief in yourself and the kind of persistence that doesn’t quit when things get hard.

Starting WardFit sparked something in me. I didn’t go to business school. I didn’t have a huge budget or a big team. But I had passion, and that was enough to start. That was enough to figure it out as I went. And it showed me that if you care about something, if you have a vision, you can build something real from the ground up.

And now? Women are everywhere in the business and branding space. We’re launching our own companies, redefining leadership, telling our stories out loud, and doing it in a way that feels authentic. It’s not about playing the game the way it’s always been played, it’s about rewriting the rules.

We’re not just making noise, we’re building empires. We’re running creative agencies, product lines, communities, and digital platforms from our laptops and living rooms. We’re the face of the brand and the strategy behind it. And we’re doing it with empathy, intuition, and killer instincts.

Here’s what I know:
If you’re passionate about something, go for it.
You don’t need permission.
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
You will make mistakes, fail, and that’s the point.
Just start.

Because the moment you do?
You realize who you really are.

And spoiler alert:
She’s a badass.