Entrepreneurial profiles for this Women's Month

Gugu Mjadu • August 2, 2018

In light of Women’s Month this August, we share a few of the entrepreneurial stories of the recently announced finalists of the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS.

Four of the 15 finalists are exceptional women entrepreneurs doing amazing things across various industry sectors:

Phillipa Geard – Recruit My Mom : When Phillipa Geard became a mother, she never imagined that the business of motherhood, would be the brainchild behind her very own business. Recognising that South African moms comprise a valuable portion of the country’s skilled labour force, Geard’s online recruitment agency, RecruitMyMom.co.za fills a unique gap in the market and provides moms all over the country with the opportunity to juggle both parenthood and a successful career.

Phillipa Geard

Beverley Gumbi – Isivuno Containers: Established in 2005 when Beverley Gumbi identified a niche in the local market for refurbishing containers, Isivuno Container Business (“Isivuno”) is a container conversion, rental and supply company, based in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal. Offering a creative solution to the dire shortage of infrastructure and service delivery in both urban and rural communities in South Africa, these refurbished containers can be erected within a short space of time, are mobile and very versatile.

Beverley Gumbi

Christine Geldart – Marven Studios cc t/a Marven Equipment: Marven Equipment, a family-owned business situated in Benoni, Gauteng, was founded in March 2004 when an opportunity arose to manufacture aluminium toolboxes for vehicles working on the mines. In keeping with market trends, however, these products evolved and additional products have been added to the diverse range over time, offering a one-stop safety solution.

Christine Geldart

Leboneng Mathebula – Gridbow Engineers and Technical Services: A 100% black female-owned electrical engineering company, Gridbow Engineers and Technical Services (Gridbow) was founded in 2008 after Leboneng Mathebula realised how dire the need for electricity across South Africa was. Since then, Gridbow has expanded its footprint to cover Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Swaziland and even Australia.

Leboneng Mathebula

For more information about the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, visit www.eoy.co.za.

Discover Your Next Business Opportunity with Cash Converters

By Anita du Toit • June 23, 2025
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