Business leader turned author encourages youth with book

A Pretoria East author has drawn on her life of resilience and achievement to pen her first book on entrepreneurship.

Born in a small village near Rustenburg in North West, Dr Hajo Morallane attended St Anne’s boarding school in Rustenburg before embarking on an academic journey that would lead to her earning eight degrees, including an MBA and a PhD in entrepreneurship.

She said her upbringing shaped her values of hard work and perseverance.

“Growing up in a village taught me resilience. Later in life, I realised that those lessons prepared me for the challenges of business and leadership,” she said.

Morallane spent years in senior executive roles at Nedbank, FirstRand, RMB Private Bank, Deloitte, Alexander Forbes and the South African Revenue Service.

However, her career took a new turn when she launched Hafro Natural in 2015, a business producing organic hair and skincare products.

She explained the idea came from her own struggles. “I started by mixing products in my kitchen to help manage my curly hair. I gave out samples to friends, and when people asked for more, I realised I had something valuable. That’s how Hafro was born,” she said.

Her first book, The Y in Entrepreneur, reflects the same journey of discovery.

She said it is a blend of memoir and practical guidance, and it explores the importance of knowing your ‘why’ in business.

“Many entrepreneurs fail, not because of a lack of resources, but because they are not prepared for the negative voices that can crush their dreams. Your WHY is what carries you through,” Morallane explained.

The book also challenges conventional thinking by highlighting purpose-led leadership, particularly for young South Africans who may feel limited by a lack of job opportunities.

“I want to encourage women and youth to start small, embrace setbacks, and use entrepreneurship to build meaningful lives,” she said.

Morallane admitted that the writing process was not easy. She said at first, she struggled with the structure of the book.

“I had so much information from my speaking engagements that I didn’t know where to begin. But once I focused on my table of contents, everything started to flow,” she said.

She added that she chose self-publishing to maintain full rights to her work, even though it came with challenges such as paying for editing and printing.

“My editor suggested splitting the manuscript into two, and that led me to envision a trilogy.

“The second book will deal with the challenges of sustaining a business once it’s established,” she said.

For aspiring writers, she advised them to share their journey.

She said that writing can be tough, but if you are passionate and focused, your story will inspire others.

When she is not writing or running her businesses, Morallane dedicates her time to mentoring, with plans to establish an academy that will teach practical entrepreneurship skills.

She hopes her work, both in business and in writing, will inspire the next generation to persevere and discover their own purpose.

“My strongest motivation has always been to set an example for my children. I want them, and others, to see that success is possible when you know your WHY,” she said.

The Y in Entrepreneur is available through eKodimo Publishers and selected bookstores.

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