The South African Council for Business Women (SACBW) recently held its second annual Business Summit at the Barnyard Silverstar, giving entrepreneurs a chance to network and connect.

The event, described as a vibrant networking session, brought together women from across the region, fostering new collaborations and friendships.

The event began with high-energy activity to energise participants and was followed by two engaging panel discussions. The first focused on empowering women entrepreneurs, featuring representatives from Drive Diva, Colour Me Green Events, KhanyaM Creative Solutions, Debt Success, and Sales Collab, who shared their experiences in building scalable and sustainable businesses.

“The discussions provided practical advice and valuable lessons learned,” said SACBW president, Dr Ziva Spangenberg.

The first speaker, Marcus Coetzee, explored the art of cognitive interviewing, discussing the power of profiling and active listening.

“His message was clear – understanding your team’s body language and communication style is crucial for effective leadership,” Zita said.

The second panel was themed Resilience Through Strategy and addressed the main pillars of resilient businesses – financial intelligence, legal protection and human resources. PSG, Everest Wealth, Aldi Writes, and Labournet highlighted the importance of being financially savvy, legally informed, and strategically prepared.

“A key takeaway was that many women lack access to financial and legal education, which can impede confident decision-making,” she added.

After lunch, the summit concluded with a powerful and deeply personal session led by renowned transformational life coach and international speaker, Lizette Volkwyn.

With her signature blend of energy and empathy, Lizette challenged attendees to reconnect with their authentic selves and embrace the power of personal transformation. Her talk focused on ‘Finding Me’, a journey of self-discovery encouraging women to eliminate self-doubt, accept their truths, and build a life of purpose and substance.

“She reminded us that true growth begins when we stop wearing societal masks and start living with intention. Drawing from her expertise in emotional intelligence and human behaviour,” Ziva said.

Lizette inspired the room to reflect on their inner strength and take bold steps toward becoming the best version of themselves.

The summit also featured various exhibitions, adding further inspiration and opportunity.

“Attendees left energised and empowered, ready to face the remainder of the year. The council is eager to expand this initiative to other provinces because when women in business thrive, communities flourish,” she concluded.