Wealth Of Knowledge

MAGDA WIERZYCKA is the WEALTHIEST WOMAN in South Africa, and CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF SYGNIA, a listed asset-management company she co-founded with her husband. She shares her knowledge with us as GUEST EDITOR of our career section this month

- Magda Wierzycka, Lynette Botha

NETWORKING FOR WOMEN

It is a universal truth that women have to work much harder than men to be recognised. They are not automatically given the benefit of the doubt. My personal approach to that, as problematic as it is, is to rather recognise it, deal with it, work harder and achieve more.

Having said that, there are formal organisations which can provide mentorship and support to working women. The largest and most prominent is the Businesswomen’s Association of South Africa (BWASA), which provides a forum for women to come together, network and develop through informal sharing of experiences and formal programmes. BWASA is a non-profit, voluntary organisation and it operates branches countrywide. You can join a local branch and immediately participate in workshops and functions to facilitate networking and skills acquisition. Alternatively, you can set up similar structures within your own organisation – HR can typically facilitate that. A monthly women’s club can then invite guest speakers, including senior women in the company, to address you on any number of topics.

INVEST IN STYLE

Saving and investing may seem very boring, but there are some really fun things you can invest in to enrich your life and still make some money. The risk is higher, but ‘wealth’ for women is often not a financial concept. It is the relationships in our lives and the little pleasures we derive from being able to spoil ourselves. So, let’s consider some fun investment options.