In each Issue of Sibo-Lifestyle Magazine, we celebrate individuals that dream big, pursue their dreams and are pursuing success on their own terms. I’d like us to learn from them, to see how like us they are or how they differ from us. For us to see what we can do differently or continue to do to pursue our own dreams and success. This month I’m excited to present to you Nomalanga Ncube.
Nomalanga Ncube is an entrepreneur who is the brains and beauty behind the successful Working Girl (Pvt) Limited, a holding company for WG Guest Villas and WG Catering. She acts as its managing director. She is also the founder of WG Foundation, an NGO that helps women start successful businesses. Having had the opportunity to see her in action in this role, her passion for women and her desire to empower them shines through. In addition to that she is a success coach and business consultant.
Before all the above she had a 9 to 5 job like most of us but in transforming her life, she decided to take a chance on herself and not only follow her passions but to live a life of purpose. I believe she is the perfect person to show us what a life lived with passion and purpose, whilst pursuing your dreams looks like.
Tell us about your childhood. What was life like for you growing up?
I am from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. I was raised by a prayerful mother and grandmother at different occasions. At the age of 9 at Sipepa Tsholotsho, I opened a school in my grandmother’s backyard where I used to teach my young sisters and brothers the things I would have learnt at school and at church. When I learn I teach, it’s a gift I brought from my childhood. It is the gift that birthed WG Foundation and Success Talk with Noma.
Growing up, did you imagine you would do the things you’ve been able to do in your life?
I was a day dreamer as a child. I closed my eyes and saw good things. I think what we see ourselves becoming in the future is influenced by the people around us. My younger self wanted to dominate in the corporate world as an employee, because I was surrounded by employed people.
So far, what are you most proud of achieving in your life?
I am proud that now in my life I have found my purpose and what I am passionate about. I went to a coaching gig in Nkulumane in 2019 with a very painful uncomfortable stiletto. As I drove there I was in pain, as I got out of the car I was in pain. Then when I started my 2 hour coaching session standing in front of 40+ women I felt no pain. It was only when I was driving back that the pain returned. That is when I said to myself, “I must love this, it even takes away my pain.” I am also happy that I have monetised this passion during covid-19 hence the birth of Success Talk with Noma.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on the Success Talk with Noma brand, being a Success Coach, monetising my passion. This I started during lockdown. Coaching women from all over the world online. What I am able to do I have done, such as shooting videos from my YouTube channel “Success Talk with Noma TV.” I also have a blog where I write success stories and tips (Success Talk with Noma.) In my social media platforms, I am positioning myself as an influencer in the success space.
What did you do before starting your own business?
I worked for an NGO.
What made you decide to start a business? How did you come up with the idea and why that particular business?
I have been a serial entrepreneur for the longest time, since selling cakes as a student at Bulawayo Polytech. I had a moneylending and a stationery company with my workmates at Zimbabwe School of Mines. In 2010 I opened a restaurant and a boutique that folded a year later. I have done cross border trading. My current business is Working Girl (Pvt) Limited which I started in January 2015, which is the only one where I had a vision and a burning desire to succeed.
What do you enjoy about running your own business?
I like being my own boss, I hated being pushed around at work by bosses. I am happy to be using my gifts and energies to benefit myself and then choose what I want to do with the benefits. For instance, I love that I can take profits from Working Girl (Pvt) Ltd to fund my charity WG Foundation.
What have you found to be difficult or challenging as a business owner?
The road to success requires patience. It is not a get rich quick scheme. I have learnt to be patient and enjoy the journey, because it is a journey which has no destination, because there will always be new dreams to pursue in the success space. I have learnt not to tell my dreams to the wrong people.
How has the Coronavirus affected your business and what have you learned as a result?
I have learnt that the world has changed. The future is in online work and food production. I started learning about running a business online so that even if I am locked down I can still work. While we are crying about being locked down, companies like Amazon, Netflix, Bloggers and YouTubers are killing it. I have started a blog, a YouTube channel and have joined Amazon associates as an affiliate marketer.
If someone wanted to start their own business, what insights would you give them?
Start now with what you have. I started my catering business in 2015 with borrowed equipment from family and friends. Today I have Working Girl Events, WG Back2Basics Restaurant and WG Guest Villas. If I had waited to have capital, I would still be waiting in poverty.
What role, if any, has social media played in running your business?
Social media has been my best friend. I am inspired by Kim Kardashian and Bonang Matheba. I post everything about my business. I build a story around my life, I share my fantabulous life and my work, which is marketing and building my brands; WG and Success Talk with Noma. I have diaspora and local people hiring me to do catering and booking my guest house just from seeing my posts on social media. In my new success coaching business, I am getting clients who saw me on social media.
What made you start the Working Girl Foundation?
WG Foundation is a women economic empowerment NGO. I have always found myself encouraging people around me to succeed, using whatever success journey I am on at that particular time. So when I left my NGO job in 2017, I decided to use my experience and contacts to start my own NGO in what I love doing the most. So I started trainings for women in the Bulawayo wards on how to start successful businesses. It is my way of giving back to the community doing what I love.
Are you currently working on other things as well, if yes, what?
I grow herbs and vegetables at home as a hobby, but also for food. Though I see it becoming an income stream for me in the future because I have sold some herbs on a small scale for now.
Do you have dreams, goals or a vision for your life?
Yes. I want to be the richest woman in the world in the next ten years. I have goals to become a better version of myself spiritually, physically, in my mind, relationships with people and in the money I collect.
Have you recorded the above in any way? If yes, how?
I have several vision boards. I have yearly plans which I do at the beginning of every year. For example in 2006 I wrote that I wanted to have a guest house and in 2016 I had one, in a miraculous way because I had even forgotten about that until I was going through an old vision paper in 2017.
Have any of your dreams or goals come true or been achieved?
Yes, I have a guest lodge WG Guest Villas. I have a Catering company Working Girl Events. I have an NGO that I founded WG Foundation. I am now a success coach www.successtalkwithnoma.com. I have purchased equipment for my business including a car, an inverter, computers, etc.
What drives you in life? What keeps you going?
My faith in God and his promises. The burning desire to succeed inside of me. I am in too deep in the success road to turn back.
What does success look like for you?
It looks like this journey I am on where I daily make a conscious effort to be better than I was yesterday while remaining grateful for yesterday and full of faith for a bright future.
Have you ever failed at something? If yes, what happened and how did you handle the situation? What kept you going?
In 2011 at the National University of Science & Technology (NUST) while doing my MBA I failed my dissertation. I was told I was not going to graduate but must resubmit in 3 months’ time and graduation was in 3 weeks’ time. I prayed and after a week NUST called me to come and pay graduation fees. I graduated with my classmates in 3 weeks. God is good.
What has been the most trying time of your life? How did you work/live through it or get to the other side?
Graduation Day in Pretoria, South Africa.
During the last years of my employment journey our salaries were being cut regularly. I was short of cash badly. I was driven to start a successful business. Having a history of failed businesses, I first started by research of how I had failed before and finding out what others who succeed do. I prayed and read motivational books such as Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason, As a Man Thinketh by James Allen and Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki. I read biographies of successful business people on the internet.
I researched on successful business women in Bulawayo and discovered the likes of Eunice Dhlamini, who later became my mentor, Memory Ngwenya – Continental Hotel, Thoko Ndlovu – Events Centre, Nosizo Chogah – 4 Squared Events, Blessing Mashangwa – Oceans Perfume, Juliet Mutongerwa – Events by Jules, Zee Ncube – Zeeya Events (Harare.) I left Zimbabwe and found Basetsana Khumalo, Bonang Matheba, Johana Mukoki (South Africa;) Folorunsho Alakija (Nigeria;) Oprah, Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, (USA;) Michelle Moon (UK.) I did this because success leaves a trail, so I was following the trail.
Tell us about the role of travel in your life. What places have you travelled to and what did you love about them?
I have travelled mostly on business to countries in the SADC region, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zanzibar. I have travelled around Zimbabwe too. I love South Africa, I love shopping in Johannesburg and holidaying in Cape Town. I love the Cape Town beach. I love Binga, Zimbabwe; the taste of the water and the view from Journey’s end and the lake. I love the rocks in Matobo National Park, in winter I love to go there lie on my back and bask in the lovely Zimbabwe sunshine. I loved the Zanzibar spice farms, they inspired me to start an herb garden at home.
What have you learned from your travel experiences?
When I travel I learn a lot from the hotels and I use this to redecorate my guest house WG Guest Villas. I remember when I went to Johannesburg and stayed at Davinci Hotel & Suites, a 5-star hotel, I returned on a mission and I completely revamped the WG Guest Villas linen to quality thread counted sheets, pure cotton. When I was in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania I stayed in an Indian hotel. The restaurant food was healthy and tasty, it inspired new dishes in my Foodie businesses. Going to Zanzibar I enjoyed my first time on a ferry (boat.)
What has been the best place you’ve visited and why?
Johannesburg Sandton Convention Centre in September 2019. I had the best time of my life. This was because I had gone to a conference where I met my heroes in the success world. The conference had Lisa Nichols, Robert Kiyosaki, Peng Joon and Robin Banks. I had read their books, listened to their podcasts and now I was seeing them live. The Sandton Convection Centre holds some special memories for me. When Lisa Nichols was on stage, I saw myself a few years from now in the same place doing the same thing.
Are you in any way or form taking care of or feeding your spirit, body and soul? If yes, how are you doing that?
Spirit – I pray, try to live by the word of God. I am learning to appreciate that Christ lives inside of me and that God is Love. Love lives inside of me, so I must learn to love others.
Body – I am a healthy living freak. I drink lots of water. I do not eat any meat and sugar. I walk 10,000 steps weekday mornings in summer. Since Covid-19 I take home-grown mixed herb concoctions day and night composed of anti-oxidant herbs (mint, rosemary, thyme, fennel, lemon grass, turmeric, cinnamon etc.) I chew my food 32 times.
Soul – I try to feed my mind with the right stuff. I read and watch motivational material. I am learning to control my mind. This is uniting the conscious mind (mouth) subconscious mind (heart) and stay connected to my God, my creator.
How do you show yourself love, if you do that?
I buy expensive sugar-free chocolate and binge. I go to expensive restaurants with my girls and we talk business and success and pretend to be billionaires. I buy high heeled stilettos, dress up and go to red carpet events, some of which I create and plan so I can shine bright like a diamond.
Do you have a morning routine? If yes, please share.
I drink a glass of water first thing in the morning. I go for a walk 10,000 steps, prayer walking. I drink a healthy herbal concoction, listen to sermons from either Benny Hinn, Bill Winston, Andrew Womack or Cindy Trim. I bath while I listen to music from Takesure Zamar Ncube, R Kelly etc. I then dress up and start my day.
Do you have any people you consider role models? (Living or passed on) If yes, name 3.
My mother Joyce and late grandmother (MaMoyo) fighter prayer warriors, Basetsana Khumalo, Uebert & Bebe Angel.
What 3 books or movies have played a role in your personal development and growth?
The Power of the Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, The Game of Life and how to play it by Florence Scovel Shinn.
For someone at the beginning of pursuing their dreams, what book/s would you suggest they start with?
As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, The Richest Man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki.
If you were to be well known for something, what would you want it to be? Or how would you want to be remembered at the end of your life?
That I succeeded in business, became the richest woman in the world. I taught success to other women all over the world. That I raised successful children who carried on the torch of helping others to succeed.
What life lessons or thoughts would you like to leave the reader with?
- Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.
- Read to renew your mindset from poverty to success.
- Take care of your body for the first 50 years so that it will take care of you for the last 50 years.
- The success journey will bring the right people into your life, do not hold on to the old who do not wish you well.
- Work and collect lots of money so that you can have choices in life of where you want to live and what kind of car you want to drive and what charity you want to donate to, etc.
How can readers support you or your work if they would like to do that?
Like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, my blog – Success talk with Noma. Visit my website www.successtalkwithnoma.com and book a coaching session. Book a room at WG Guest Villas, let me cook for your function at WG Back2Basics Restaurant / Working Girl Events.
