Tshiamo
“[Being a woman means] having the ability to build people through empathy and providing a space of vulnerability.”
Though she is grateful for her safe and secure childhood, Tshiamo always had a hunger for more. She was determined to earn a sense of freedom that would allow her to explore and adventure, to indulge and live in the moment. It wasn’t until she set off on her own for university when she realised how much the world had to offer, and how much she had to offer the world. Through passion and adaptability, even in the face of adversity, Tshiamo established her dream life - achieving financial freedom and professional success in the retail industry. She is a hard worker who leads with empathy; she is someone who will never give up on her dreams. Meet Tshiamo. This is her story.
P: Please introduce yourself!
T: My name is Tshiamo Mathibela, I am 32 years old, from South Africa and known as The Retail Girl. I am a wife and mother to a 3 year old boy and passionate about creating beautiful spaces that generate profits.
P: Describe or define yourself in your own words.
T: I am a passionate individual. I give my all to people and projects that make me feel good. I love beautiful ‘things’ and not ashamed to talk about my love for money, whilst being aware of the hard work required to financial emancipation.
P: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
T: My willingness to adapt to change and learn something new. I love how I am able to turn a challenge into a victory.
P: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
T: My entire life has made me stronger and continues to do so daily. I think my first experience that defined me, is remembering how financially challenging my childhood was and how I made a promise to myself that I would live a life filled with beautiful items, as an adult. I grew up in a very comfortable home in the essence of never going to bed hungry, in a warm bed, with a complete family in a well sized house. I do remember though how we could only spend every cent only on the items that allowed us to survive and hardly on things that made us feel good, or allowed us to explore the world and just feed our wildest desires.
While you’re trying to survive, it’s also difficult to explore talents and try different things. As a student in varsity, I left home and found myself exposed to a whole new world. I was able to tap into unconventional careers and see how the world operates. I knew then that I was able to do anything and be amazing at it.
At the age of 27 I then became a mother and found myself unemployed soon after that. Defining moment! I remember feeling cold by the thought of living hand to mouth. I also remember thinking about what I am capable of doing and how will I put that to use. I knew I had to make money and so I had to find a way to generate an income. In 2019 I built my career by creating a role for myself in an emerging business. Now I find myself living my dream life, all because I kept adapting to change and knowing that I had to use my mind and capabilities to get through the difficult times.
I am contributing to one of the worlds largest sectors (retail) and find myself changing the narrative through an unusual profession; building stores.
P: What is one piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?
T: Never stop dreaming big.
P: What does being a woman mean to you?
T: Having the ability to build people through empathy and providing a space of vulnerability.
P: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say if they were here now?
T: The head of Human Capital (HR) at my place of work, Daisy Lepheana. You continuously take your time, emotionally and mentally to contribute to my growth. I am on a journey to becoming confident, comfortable and willing to be vulnerable, in order to learn and transform. Thank you.
Connect with Tshiamo
Instagram | @tshiamomathibela