There is always something to learn about running a business, even if your catering company is 20 years old.

That is why Linah Bakrak, owner of Bakrak Catering with its 10 employees, is grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow her business through Seriti’s sponsored Women in Mining programme.

This programme, being managed by Collective Value Creation (CVC), was launched in May 2022 and aims to empower and equip twenty female-run businesses in the eMalahleni/Middelburg area.

Linah, who was born in Springs and grew up in Brakpan, started this business to ensure her children do not experience poverty like she had to endure.

Her business operates in the Ogies/eMalahleni area and specialises inter alia, in the supply of nutritional food packs which can be consumed hot or cold and are suitable for various consumers such as busy working people with limited time to cook.

Linah and her team also cater for different functions such as weddings and funerals.

Her philosophy is to be independent and to manage a profitable business.

With this programme, she hopes to build her enterprise into such a successful business that can create more jobs.

She believes that she will gain more confidence as “nothing is impossible when you’re prepared to learn to take risks.”

So far, a highlight of the training for her was learning valuable marketing and advertising principles and tips on positivity.

This mother of three and granny to five children, enjoys attending church and cooking and says her family is a pillar of support, especially during the inevitable tough times of running a business.

Lately, Linah concentrates more on farming as she strongly believes in the importance of food security and sustainable provision of fresh fruit and vegetables to the community.

She hopes to grow this part of her business by employing more young women and to one day supply supermarket chains, hospitals and schools with her own grown produce.

Speaking on the programme’s goals, managing Director of CVC, Wybrand Ganzevoort says the Women in Mining programme focuses firstly on developing the business owner, after which their business is supported through development workshops, backed up by one-on-one mentoring.

Each of the business owners has access to specialists acting as mentors in various areas such as sales, marketing, finance and personal development.

These specialists also consult to the participants in order to improve their business activities.

Linah’s advice to older female entrepreneurs is “Don’t complain about your age, you can do this. It is not easy to be a mother and a business woman at the same time, but you must believe, stay positive and do your best to achieve your goals.”

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