I’m a Sales Supervisor at Lexie Hearing, an innovative Medical Tech company,  and have been in customer-focused roles for over a decade. Being born in apartheid South-Africa, I never had the opportunity to pursue higher education due to financial constraints, despite being a high achieving student. Choosing UniAthena’s GMBA Program was a deeply personal and professional decision — it’s a way to finally validate my potential while strategically preparing for a future career move into leadership roles, especially in Learning & Development or as a Product Owner.

Strategic Management — not just as theory, but how it plays out in real-world decisions. I want to fully understand how to link strategic thinking with operational execution and how I can empower my team to think strategically. As a leader, I am also excited to see how I can translate what I learn into my everyday operations. 

My goal is to transition into a senior role in the UK, where I hope to reunite with my daughter who resides in Milton Keynes in England. Whether it's managing a call center operation, which I am experienced in, or leading L&D initiatives, I want to create impact in a meaningful, people-centered way.

I am a bit old school and so I rely heavily on planning and early starts. I use printed binders, study offline, and break the modules into digestible parts. It helps me stay focused and balanced. I am also a visual learner and so I watch a lot of videos and try to mimic the presenters. I don't have much of a personal life but I make sure to allocate time to prioritise my spiritual needs.

In 2020, I transitioned from Luxury Retail to Tech-based Sales in Healthcare, at the peak of the Pandemic. I had no formal training, but I focused on being self-taught, adapted, and ended up being promoted within a year. It taught me that resourcefulness and grit are my strongest assets.

I would say that there are a few. Discipline, resilience, and a teachable spirit are incredibly important. I also believe deeply in humility and grace — knowing when to lead, when to listen, and when to learn. Above all this, I would say it comes down to ambition. In the end there is only one question – how badly do you want it?

In 2013 I was made redundant at a large mobile network company.  When job hunting, I came across a job posted for an Art Auctioneer on Luxury cruise Ships. I knew nothing about art and had never travelled outside of South Africa. I still decided to apply, and to my surprise, got an interview. I was honest about my lack of art knowledge and that I only saw auctioneers on TV. 

The interviewer gave me a shot at a junior role and within a year I was promoted to Auctioneer and learned everything about the psychology of selling and the art world. That opportunity allowed me to travel to nearly 70 countries and eventually being headhunted by LVMH to start up their Luxury Sales at Sea division, where I worked until I lost my role during the pandemic. I accepted the challenge and found a job in Healthcare Tech Sales in my native South Africa, and was promoted to Sales Supervisor within a year.

My dream job is one where I lead, coach, and build teams — ideally in L&D or Product Ownership. The thought of helping others grow while being strategic keeps me going. I would like to do a few supplementary courses after this undertaking in order to be more rounded as I can see myself eventually ending up as a Learning and Development manager.

Be curious, take initiative, and never stop learning — formally or informally. The job market rewards those who bring solutions, not just skills. Know your strengths and weaknesses and don't be afraid to be honest with yourself and those around you.