Boss moms who are owning the corporate game
In celebration of Mother’s Day month this May, we profile a handful of inspiring boss moms are rocking the business world while keeping it real as moms too.
Basetsana Kumalo
She was the second black woman to win the Miss South Africa title in 1994, and today she heads up the Bassie empire, comprised of investment, production, philanthropy and a travel agency – all while making motherhood her top priority. “The work I do and the businesses I run are not who I am, it’s what I do. Often in interviews, I am asked how I would define who I am. But my answer is always consistent and simple: I am a mother!”
She was the second black woman to win the Miss South Africa title in 1994, and today she heads up the Bassie empire, comprised of investment, production, philanthropy and a travel agency – all while making motherhood her top priority. “The work I do and the businesses I run are not who I am, it’s what I do. Often in interviews, I am asked how I would define who I am. But my answer is always consistent and simple: I am a mother!”
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Gail Mabalane
In 2010 Gail made it to the top 10 of Idols, and the following year, landed a starring role in The Wild, officially launching a successful acting career. After becoming a mother, though, Gail’s priorities shifted, and she decided to take a break from acting to firstly, be a mom, but also to launch her own skincare and haircare ranges. “[Motherhood] has contributed so much to my growth as a person,” she told City Press. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be a mom; it’s a blessing I don’t take for granted.”
In 2010 Gail made it to the top 10 of Idols, and the following year, landed a starring role in The Wild, officially launching a successful acting career. After becoming a mother, though, Gail’s priorities shifted, and she decided to take a break from acting to firstly, be a mom, but also to launch her own skincare and haircare ranges. “[Motherhood] has contributed so much to my growth as a person,” she told City Press. “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be a mom; it’s a blessing I don’t take for granted.”
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Thuli Madonsela
We know her as the public protector who stood up to corruption – but how many of us know Thuli Madonsela, the mother? When her children were young, their father, her husband, passed away, and she became a single mother. Having to play both parental roles was “really tough,” she told Matie Media, but she also says “motherhood is the greatest responsibility, the most challenging and rewarding task”.
We know her as the public protector who stood up to corruption – but how many of us know Thuli Madonsela, the mother? When her children were young, their father, her husband, passed away, and she became a single mother. Having to play both parental roles was “really tough,” she told Matie Media, but she also says “motherhood is the greatest responsibility, the most challenging and rewarding task”.
DJ Zinhle
This glam house DJ is one of the most successful women in the entertainment industry: an award-winning DJ, author, reality TV star, businesswoman, muse for new Drip Group fragrance Ruby – and, as her fans have dubbed her, ‘supermom’ to two little ones. Her advice? “Do it your way, figure things out, learn as much as you can, be open minded and don’t stress so much,” she told True Love. “Enjoy being a mother. When I was pregnant, I heard a lot of stories about how hard motherhood is – try not to pay attention to that.”
This glam house DJ is one of the most successful women in the entertainment industry: an award-winning DJ, author, reality TV star, businesswoman, muse for new Drip Group fragrance Ruby – and, as her fans have dubbed her, ‘supermom’ to two little ones. Her advice? “Do it your way, figure things out, learn as much as you can, be open minded and don’t stress so much,” she told True Love. “Enjoy being a mother. When I was pregnant, I heard a lot of stories about how hard motherhood is – try not to pay attention to that.”
Pearl Thusi
This globetrotting actress, presenter and model – who starred in Netflix’s first South African streaming series, Queen Sono, to critical acclaim, and more recently, US supernatural thriller Fistful of Vengeance – says taking care of yourself is her top piece of advice for boss moms: “One of the best lessons I taught myself as a mom, was to put myself first. The same way airplane safety instructions require you to put your own oxygen mask on first and then on your child/children. … Point is, I can’t help or save her if I can’t help or save myself.”
This globetrotting actress, presenter and model – who starred in Netflix’s first South African streaming series, Queen Sono, to critical acclaim, and more recently, US supernatural thriller Fistful of Vengeance – says taking care of yourself is her top piece of advice for boss moms: “One of the best lessons I taught myself as a mom, was to put myself first. The same way airplane safety instructions require you to put your own oxygen mask on first and then on your child/children. … Point is, I can’t help or save her if I can’t help or save myself.”
Rosalind Brewer
In 2021, American businesswoman Rosalind Brewer became the only black woman heading up an S&P 500 company and only the third black woman to ever achieve this milestone. Yet even in her high flying corporate world, she is championing the ‘mess’ of being a working mom, according to YahooFinance: “I’m like, ‘I got milk on my shirt, but what the heck.’ I’ve got to go to work and I’ve got to get back to daycare and pick the kids up. That’s just our reality,” she said. “I think the change for me was when I got comfortable with the messiness of my life. After a while … my confidence grew to just be like, ‘Hey this is what’s happening with me and my life’.”
In 2021, American businesswoman Rosalind Brewer became the only black woman heading up an S&P 500 company and only the third black woman to ever achieve this milestone. Yet even in her high flying corporate world, she is championing the ‘mess’ of being a working mom, according to YahooFinance: “I’m like, ‘I got milk on my shirt, but what the heck.’ I’ve got to go to work and I’ve got to get back to daycare and pick the kids up. That’s just our reality,” she said. “I think the change for me was when I got comfortable with the messiness of my life. After a while … my confidence grew to just be like, ‘Hey this is what’s happening with me and my life’.”
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