Business Women of the Year 2013 winners announced

The Business Women of the Year categories included Entrepreneur, Professional and Corporate.

Founder Rika Venter, Entrepreneur winner Tabea Magodielo, Professional winner Diana Jansen, Corporate winner Alda Roux and President Melinda Stark

Awards

Tabea Magodielo, partner of recruitment agency, Technopark Personnel Group (TPG) from Pretoria won the Entrepreneur category, which was sponsored by Sanlam. TPG was founded in 2003 and provides permanent and temporary employee services. Magodielo describes the success of the business largely to customer orientation and dependability. Her goal is to grow the footprint of the business nationally. Her passion in life is to assist the youth from impoverished homes by teaching them to read and presentation skills while they do Bible study.

Diana Jansen, owner of Diana Jansen Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation is a vibrant and dynamic physiotherapist from Witbank and is the winner of the Professional category, which was also sponsored by Sanlam. Her business gives innovative therapy and rehabilitation, promoting physical wellness and enhancing quality of life. She was a runner up in 2012 and not winning motivated her to grow her business, implement what she learned from the competition the previous year and then come back with an improved business. She grew her business to such an extent and developed so much personally in a year that she came through as the winner.

The winner of the Corporate category, Alda Roux, from Securiforce is a professional dynamic CEO of all the different departments in the company, which includes guards, armed reaction with offsite camera operating, 24/7 technical team, human resources, finance, training and a dedicated operational team. She ensures that the business walks the extra mile for its clients and is an exceptional successful woman in a male dominated industry.

Melinda Stark handing over Presidential award for Entrepreneurship trophy to Mpho Makekane of Tshwelopele Nursing School

Other winners

On the night of the award ceremony Jacky Jackson won the Informal Business Women Competition and Judy Mvinjelva took second place. The Dream Out Loud Business Plan Competition for youth, aged between 18 and 35 years, had two sub-categories, which was 'Daring to Innovate' and 'Most Promising'. Katherine Graham won the 'Daring to Innovate' section with Jeanine Lombard being the runner up and Fannie Mazibuko walked away with the 'Most Promising" accolade.

This year, the awards made the youngsters part of the evening where they were awarded with the "Jy kan ook 'n entrepreneur wees" Award. These are grade 6 to 8 scholars, which started their journey last year in September. The SACBW was involved with the Job Club and funded via a sponsor from the AHI in taking a large group of approximately 60 young budding entrepreneurs on a training camp. They were taught entrepreneurial skills and encouraged to use their creativity to create items that could be sold for a profit.

These scholars had stands at Irene market after which the winners were elected and Anja Smuts, Janéne Vermeulen, Karlien Meiring, Klarize van Graan, Maroné du Plessis walked away with the award for their business 'Blink Idees'. Madeli de Bruin and Realien van Eyk took second place with their innovative business skills for 'Popcorn Paleis'.

The special Judges Award went to Rachel Jacobs, a principal of Panorama Secondary School in Graskop for her success in the development of the school and 100% matric pass rate from 2008 - 2011 results. This school developed with 13 learners and one educator using a garage as premises into the successful school it is today.

Her goal before she retires in two years time is to build the biggest science centre in Graskop. Mpho Makhene, owner of Tswelopele Nursing School in Johannesburg received the Presidential Award for Entrepreneurship. This 78 year old professional nurse is an inspiration and testament that one is never too old to start a successful business. Her nursing school is accredited and situated in Krugersdorp and could only accommodate and register 55 of the 500 applicants for 2014.

For more information, go to www.sacbw.org.