Sholain Perumal began working as a cashier at a supermarket after matriculating. She earned just enough to help her family and enrol in short bookkeeping courses. It wasn’t until her mid-20s that she was able to afford studying part-time toward her BCom in Financial Management.
Sholain went from cashier to admin assistant; bookkeeper to management accountant; financial manager to CFO and now a successful CEO of her own companies. Sholain has 6 companies, the largest being The Gold Bar. A philanthropist at heart, and business woman by trade, her monthly charitable initiatives are a large part of who she is and Sholain believes that helping people is her purpose in life.
The Gold Bar is an upmarket gold recycling company with 6 stores based in high LSM malls around the country which offer customers an opportunity to trade in all their old unwanted gold jewellery for cash. Part of The Gold Bar’s empowerment policies include the “Knowing You, Knowing Me” Program which offers mentorship and training sessions to employees as well as mental health discussions. The TGB Empowerment and Mentorship Program is the organisation’s CSI initiative. Sholain conducts motivational talks to students and teachers at schools. She has young girls shadow her, they have a coffee and discuss their future options. Sholain guides them through making decisions about studies and business.
“The Gold Bar’s most successful strategy has been one-on-one chats through general conversation, helping mentees find or realise what they are passionate about. In some instances I offer to pay for the course/studies depending on the person’s financial situation,”- Sholain.
FIVE TIPS ON SURVIVING AND THRIVING IN BUSINESS
Know and understand WHY you are in business
Be passionate about your business
Don’t stop learning
Understand that failure is a part of success
Surround yourself with likeminded people who encourage and motivate you
See your business alongside industry leaders
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