Aug 2019 - Lowveld

Caren Venter
isters
Sare doing it for
themselves
“If you don’t speak to the heart you
don’t get anywhere.” - Caren
Venter, creative strategist and
owner, IdeeBüro
When Caren left her high-profile job
in advertising in London to move to
Mbombela to get married, running
her own business was the last thing
on her mind. But ironically her MBA
and ample experience in branding
and design left her overqualified for
all the positions she applied for.
“So I thought I’d become a lady of
leisure,” Caren jests. “But I couldn’t
sit still for long and volunteered to
help with the Chicken Challenge.
I designed an infographic explaining
what the project was all about and
through that was asked by one of the
sponsoring companies to do work
for them, and my business grew out
of that.”
With Caren’s broad range of skills
garnered over the years in London,
she was able to create a company
that specialises in creative
strategy and optimal communication.
“The target market is the most
important aspect to consider - you
can’t just advertise something if you
don’t understand the product and
who it is actually aimed at. Then I
create a message that is effectively
communicated and easily absorbed
by the target audience.”
In the three years that IdeeBüro has
been in business, Caren has won the
coveted International Association of
Business Communicators Gold Excellence
Quill and a Best of the Best
Taking the leap from a
secure job to running
your own enterprise can
seem daunting. But left
to sink or swim, these
remarkable women have
come out on top of their
game and made a mark
in their industries.
award, in conjunction with Elsabe
Coetzee (Sappi’s regional communications
manager) for their Stop and
Think campaign aimed at reducing
forestry staff injuries.
Through her work with Sappi Forests
and its contractors, Caren discovered
a hidden passion in the safety
training. “When workers start buying
into their own safety it’s very
satisfying. One has to find a way to
understand what is important to
them and package the information so
that it resonates with them.
“We think because we have degrees
that we can communicate with anyone;
but one needs to look at your
target market, put yourself in their
shoes. Otherwise the information has
no use. Because literacy levels are
low and we deal with audiences who
speak a diverse range of languages,
we started a picture language that
everyone could understand.”
Although Caren misses the buzz of
working in an office, she says having
her own business has allowed her to
build her own brand and provide her
with more freedom. “The Lowveld
really gives one the opportunity to
‘have a heart’, and there are many
charity projects to get involved in.
Although I do a lot of corporate work
I also want to make a difference in
small businesses. Having IdeeBüro
allows me to choose the direction I
want to move in.”
Details
Caren Venter on 072-460-8868
Text: LINDI BOTHA. Photographer: TANYA ERASMUS
“Working with people is the most
important lesson you can learn in life.”
- Tanya Knight, Sunshine Events
A love of the outdoors and 20 years
of retail experience brought about
Tanya’s sports event company in
Mbombela.
Having reached management level
at a retail store, she realised the only
way to progress was to open
her own, which was not feasible.
“Then I was diagnosed with breast
cancer and started thinking about
that which was important and that
which wasn’t. “I started thinking
about going in a new direction. I
always wanted my own business, but
I needed a push, and surviving cancer
was it.”
While working for the retail company,
Tanya organised her first road cycling
race in aid of CANSA. “I didn’t have a
clue how to do it! Even though I have
been a cyclist for most of my life, one
never thinks about what actually
goes into putting a race together.
“But I got a lot of help from so many
people in the Lowveld. I think people
took pity on me with the cancer kopdoekie
I was wearing,” she laughs.
Driekie Gouws and Tanya Knight
The success of the race gave Tanya
the confidence to pursue another
race and then take over the Das Auto
mountain bike series which needed
a new organiser. She then resigned
from her retail job and set up
Sunshine Events.
“I always say I am solar powered - I
can’t function without the sun. And
sunshine represents happiness and
positivity so it was a no-brainer!”
The Das Auto series became the
Mopani series, which ran for three
years, and today, with its new title
sponsors, is known as the Demacon
Max Wax MTB. Tanya is also the
coordinator for MTO Lowveld Trails
and arranges corporate golf days.
Her partner, Driekie Gouws, runs the
financial side of the business and
is involved with organisation from
the week before each event. “She is
the level-headed one and keeps me
grounded,” smiles Tanya.
The business not only presents Tanya
with a way to capitalise on
the Lowveld’s prime position to offer
sporting events, but it also speaks
to her passion for bringing people
together. “Events like this involve the
whole family. It’s also a prime
platform to build on teamwork,
communities and brings people
together. Then there’s the immense
sense of satisfaction and achievement
people get after completing a
race that is rewarding to see.”
Driving her success is a belief that
if you want good service, you have
to give people a reason to give you
good service.
“Getting people to work as a team
and work towards a
common goal is immensely
important. I believe if you encourage,
motivate and inspire your team then
those people will do more, than if you
don’t get along.”
Although Tanya is a cycling
enthusiast, she notes that while
people often say you should follow
your passion, after a few years doing
anything becomes just another job.
“The secret is to be a passionate
person that gets excited by life. It’s
how you tackle something that is
more important than what you are
actually doing at the end of the day.”
Details
Tanya Knight on 073-460-8208
18 Get It Lowveld August 2019
August 2019 Get It Lowveld 19