I love being in business. I truly believe business can be a source of immense good in the world, provided it has a sense of purpose beyond simply generating profit.

‘I did not have much choice: my parents expected me to go to school and study accounting and thereafter settle into a career, whatever that would be,” Angela Mhlanga laughs, recalling what set her out on her career trajectory.

The enforced decision she says, however, worked out well for her. Raised in Pimville, Soweto, the 46-year-old obtained a B.Com (Acc) degree through the University of the Witwatersrand as well as a certificate in the theory of accounting through Unisa.

Being a woman in the world of business has, she says, presented a unique set of challenges. “The greatest challenge as women in business is that we still don’t network sufficiently to do business together. We also still lag behind in terms of numbers in boardrooms, which means our perspectives may not be sufficiently represented.”

These hurdles notwithstanding, Mhlanga continues to reap the rewards of sticking to her love of what she does. “As the chief executive of a business, I have a large and potentially powerful platform to create meaningful impact — I love knowing that we provide our customers with peace of mind during their most trying times, so that they can live their best lives.”

Her career does not, however, define her, as Mhlanga states categorically that the one thing she is most proud of to date is something altogether more personal. “Raising my children is my greatest achievement,” she says. “But I am also proud of the impact of my leadership in the companies I have led. I measure this impact in terms of the innovation created to serve customers, and the feedback from the people whom I have served.”

Her advice to young women looking to follow in her footsteps? “You matter, and your story matters. Do better when you know better, and trust that you are enough to achieve the best of what you set out to achieve.”

— Carl Collison