Roundtable Podcast By The Local Edit
Jul 31, 2026 · 1 hr 14 min · 15 segments
Have you ever wondered what it really takes to build a business as a woman, while carrying the many roles, expectations, and pressures that come with it? In this episode, we speak to female founders…
Crystal BirchGuest
Lea LesterGuest
Nicole SherwinGuestRoundtable HostHostSo let's kick this off with a big question.
Do you think being a woman founder has given you an advantage or held you back? And are we honest enough about this conversation in our country?
And being a, taking over a 90-year-old company established in 1936 from completely male dominant, 80% male staff, 52 staff when I started, 3,000 square meters.
But I feel as a woman taking over also one of the only three factories in South Africa, women-led is... way more with way more compassion, way more empathy.
I think where I feel worked in the factory when it was male dominant, it was very much on the clock and robotic.
And I don't think, obviously they might say there's disadvantage for us being so emotionally involved.
But I think women lead with such compassion and vision and empathy and more in a thinking in a community and village kind of mentality, which is a whole different way and dynamic of working when men kind of compartmentalize and have all these departments.
And I think taking that all away, I can feel the difference of my company functioning in a whole different way and how people blossom and how very much involved we are and really care for each other.
You know what I think as well, we often speak about women having to juggle so much, you know, and there's all the memes and the gifts and things, but it really is true.
You know, if I think about what we kind of have to accomplish in a day and how many hats we have to wear from kind of mother, friend, aunt, leader, problem solver, you know, and somehow in the middle of it still remember to get like the gum guard to the hockey game or whatever it is in the middle of it all.
Certainly for me, it has kind of stood me in good stead because in a business, you have to wear so many hats as well, especially as, you know, if you're leading that team, you have to be kind of a little bit of something to everyone.
And then at the same time, you spoke about community and what my experience has been, especially in the last sort of five, five to ten years has been this kind of sense of really dynamic women coming together and supporting each other just organically you know not this kind of you know how can I use you or influences or things like that actually just genuine people going can I can I phone you and ask advice about something or can I bounce something off you and women really supporting each other in that regard not needing anything back in return I think has been yeah very powerful.
So let's kick this off with a big question.
Do you think being a woman founder has given you an advantage or held you back? And are we honest enough about this conversation in our country?
And being a, taking over a 90-year-old company established in 1936 from completely male dominant, 80% male staff, 52 staff when I started, 3,000 square meters.
But I feel as a woman taking over also one of the only three factories in South Africa, women-led is... way more with way more compassion, way more empathy.
I think where I feel worked in the factory when it was male dominant, it was very much on the clock and robotic.
And I don't think, obviously they might say there's disadvantage for us being so emotionally involved.
But I think women lead with such compassion and vision and empathy and more in a thinking in a community and village kind of mentality, which is a whole different way and dynamic of working when men kind of compartmentalize and have all these departments.
And I think taking that all away, I can feel the difference of my company functioning in a whole different way and how people blossom and how very much involved we are and really care for each other.
You know what I think as well, we often speak about women having to juggle so much, you know, and there's all the memes and the gifts and things, but it really is true.
You know, if I think about what we kind of have to accomplish in a day and how many hats we have to wear from kind of mother, friend, aunt, leader, problem solver, you know, and somehow in the middle of it still remember to get like the gum guard to the hockey game or whatever it is in the middle of it all.
Certainly for me, it has kind of stood me in good stead because in a business, you have to wear so many hats as well, especially as, you know, if you're leading that team, you have to be kind of a little bit of something to everyone.
And then at the same time, you spoke about community and what my experience has been, especially in the last sort of five, five to ten years has been this kind of sense of really dynamic women coming together and supporting each other just organically you know not this kind of you know how can I use you or influences or things like that actually just genuine people going can I can I phone you and ask advice about something or can I bounce something off you and women really supporting each other in that regard not needing anything back in return I think has been yeah very powerful.
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