Wendy in wonderland

Opening a new door takes courage, because you never know what you will find, could be a wise Cheshire Cat or a scary Jabberwocky.

Salt Rock business lady, Wendy Oelofse is one of these brave souls who, like Alice in Wonderland, opens doors and goes on adventures.

The little lady is like a Duracell bunny, always on the go, be it as a chartered accountant, successful entrepreneur, adoring mother or loving wife.

“Women find it difficult to say no, because we want to do everything and do it well,” said Oelofse, wearing sneakers and a hoody, with her phone and tablet in hand.

“It is about finding a balance and managing that tension.”

Oelofse grew up in a retail family in Zululand and distinctly remembers going on grocery deliveries with her dad, Rennie Launder, her five siblings and their dogs.

“We were expected to help in the shop and so we learnt about business from a young age,” said Oelofse, who’s father recently retired after running the shop for nearly 50 years.

With business in her bones and balancing books in her blood, thanks to her grandfather who started an accounting firm, it was no surprise when she decided to join the accounting world.

“Looking back, I never wanted to be an auditor, but I gained fantastic skills from it and am grateful for what it taught me,” said Oelofse.

A few years later, she met her husband, Cobus, who worked at the same company.

“We got married and decided we wanted to travel and so, we packed our things and without a job, we went to England in 1999.”

After ten years and a lot of work experience it was time to come home and so they found themselves in Salt Rock, building a house, without jobs and with a baby.

“Going from being a corporate career woman to a mother was a big challenge, because my day suddenly had no form,” she said.

Her husband found a consulting job and often travelled, which was tough and so they decided they needed a local business.

“Cobus found saltrock.com on the internet, we loved the idea and felt that we needed to bring Salt Rock home,” said Oelofse, who started the SaltRock Surf shed at Sage in 2013.

“It was a big transition to go from the corporate world where everything was structured for you to having to do everything yourself,” she said.

The most important business start up stepping stone for her was her network, which is something she always teaches her only daughter, Zara.

“We have a responsibility to teach our children to be confident, talk sense, present themselves well and to create relations with people. Once you can build up a network, 90% of the battle is won.”

Wendy said that one of her big driving forces is her husband, better known for his role as part-time CEO of the Ilembe Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Cobus always stretches me and encourages me to open a new door and see where it leads,” said Oelofse, who is also the chair of the audit committee of KwaDukuza.

“Looking at my parents’ time, things have evolved to become more flexible, allowing women to play many roles,” she said.

So, keep opening doors and find out what roles your Wonderland has in store for you.