Meet Graceland’s sales executive Busi Gamede
Meet Graceland’s sales executive Busi Gamede.
Graceland Hotel, Casino and Country Club honours their sales executive Busi Gamede.
Q. What type of leader do you see yourself as?
A: “As a leader, I try to do everything according to the book and lead by example. Some people would look up to you in your role as a leader, and therefore the eyes are always on you. As a leader, it is your word and nothing else and not willing to take the opinions of your staff. As a leader, you are with your staff through experiences and challenges.”
Q: Who or what inspires you?
A: “People who I have met and worked with are my inspiration.”
Q: Why a career as a sales executive in the hospitality and entertainment industry?
A: “There is nothing as fun as this industry. Meeting different people makes my job fun and interesting. Every day is a new challenge and meeting new people of different cultures. I love and enjoy this industry with passion.”
Q: What has been the most significant part of your career?
A: “Moving to Secunda in 2010. I grew up in KZN and moved along the coast. A position opened at Graceland and I took the leap of moving to another province. It was a big move and a change in culture. I have grown so much since the move.”
Q: Have you been in a leadership position where you were treated differently being a woman?
A: “No, I have always had a good relationship with my team. My strategy is creating a fun environment and working with my team. I have a team who can always approach me and do not think twice asking me about something if they are not sure.”
Q: Have you ever been discouraged that you wanted to quit?
A: “This is an industry that comes with pressure, but I have passion for my work and I find my way working around it. I am bound to face challenges. Having a passion for what I do, is how I get through it.”
Q: How would you encourage women not to give up?
A: “We have a responsibility to make things right, just as much as it is a man’s responsibility. Quitting is not the answer. If you have your challenges talk about it, go out and vent if you need to, but come back and start again. Don’t just quit.
Q: What do you think would be the biggest issue women in business or a career still face today?
A: “There is still the challenge of men that undermine women. No matter how experienced or qualified a woman is you have to prove yourself twice as much as a man just to show you are capable.
“It is the same with driving when there is an accident and a woman is involved, a man will conclude it is the woman’s fault. There is still the stigma that women are not capable of doing what a man can do. We have women in mining, engineers, all sectors and industries, so that should tell you how powerful women are.”
Q: Is gender equality important to you and why?
A: “Yes, very important. There is till the perception that if something goes wrong it is automatically a woman’s fault. Women need to show the world that we are perfectly capable and that there is nothing that we cannot do.”
Q: Your family life and balancing a career.
A: “I have a demanding career, but as a wife and mother of four children, I am blessed to have a family who understands and supports me with the odd hours I work. When I am at work, I give 100%, but when I am home, I give my family their full attention.”
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