the ward method

Tag: business

  • 5 things I’ve learned about marketing.

    5 things I’ve learned about marketing.

    I have to pinch myself sometimes, because I would’ve never expected to end up in the marketing space. For the longest time, I thought that world was reserved for people with degrees and fancy job titles, not someone who just loved creativity, storytelling, and figuring out what makes people tick.

    But somehow, I landed here. And along the way, I’ve learned a few things about what truly makes good marketing work, things they don’t necessarily teach you in a textbook.

    Marketing isn’t just about selling. It’s about translating a feeling, turning an idea into something people actually want to be part of. Over the years, I’ve learned that the best marketing doesn’t shout. It whispers, connects, and stays with you.

    Here are five things that shifted how I see it:

    1. A brand isn’t what you say, it’s how you make people feel

    It’s easy to focus on colour palettes and taglines (and yes, they matter), but what people remember is how your brand makes them feel. Whether it’s calm, confident, nostalgic, or bold, emotion drives loyalty. Design and copy are just how you express it.

    2. Simplicity is powerful

    Clarity is underrated. The more you strip away, the noise, the filler, the trying-too-hard energy, the more people actually listen. A good campaign doesn’t need to be loud. It just needs to be clear.

    3. Don’t underestimate email marketing

    Email isn’t dead, it’s where real connection still happens. Algorithms can hide your content, but an email lands directly in someone’s space. It’s personal. It’s intentional. And when done right, it builds relationships that outlast any social trend.

    4. Community > virality

    It’s tempting to chase numbers, but a community that actually cares about your brand will always be more valuable than one viral moment. The quiet, consistent connection beats the fleeting hype every time.

    5. Good marketing listens

    The best ideas come from observation, from watching how people talk, what they love, what they scroll past. When you listen before you speak, your message hits deeper.

    If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that anyone can learn anything. You don’t need a fancy title or a marketing degree to understand people, you just need curiosity, consistency, and the willingness to figure it out as you go.

    Everything I know, I learned by doing. By watching, testing, failing, and trying again. That’s the beauty of this space, it’s built for the ones who are willing to keep learning.

  • Business is the ultimate sport (and women are winning)

    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.