A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE

A woman of

SUBSTANCE Transformational Tuesdays have seen image experts Megan and Fay Coleman WIFE, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, BUSINESSWOMAN, transforming people and ENTREPRENEUR AND CHAMPION OF WOMEN’S giving them that added glow. EMPOWERMENT, MARGARET HIRSCH’S POSITIVITY IS Women Working Wonders workshops host fantastic SOMETHING WE COULD ALL LEARN FROM women, like Pearl Osa, who do amazing things. On Fridays

QYou have been such an our Entrepreneurs workshops, inspiration to people which I co-host with business during this time in our coach Marlene Powell, reach history. How you do it? Where out to people who wouldn’t do you get that inner strength know who to speak to or from? What motivates you? what to do to transform their

We have undoubtedly been businesses. through one of the hardest times in our history with Covid, Q Your plans for next year? What does the the looting, strikes, power future hold for you and cuts, etc. However, what we all Hirsch’s? need to do is just focus on the During 2021 we continued positive. I focus on what I am to open stores, and we start grateful for and the good things off 2022 by opening a new in my life. I have always been Midrand mega store on a strong person and realise February 1. So Hirsch’s still that life is a journey, not a continues to go from strength destination, and we just have to to strength. We feel that this get over the bumps in the road. country is a land of wealth

QWhat challenges did you and opportunity. It is ripe face this year and how for entrepreneurs to start did you overcome them? new businesses now, and

The biggest challenge was I do believe South African Covid – and as everything was ABOVE: Margaret Hirsch, entrepreneurs are the reason coming right we were looted and our Springfield Park store executive director of Hirsch’s Homestores. why this country has been kept afloat through tough times. trashed. That was devastating! in every single challenge, find It’s up to every one of us to It was like watching 20 years it and capitalise on it – and start a business and to make of hard work go down the drain that’s how we have grown back sure we serve the needs of the in an hour. We are so grateful our business from strength to community, and to ensure this that although our building strength. country goes from strength was burnt, some structures remained, so our entire team Q Tell us about some of the virtual workshops to strength. * pulled together to help rebuild you have put in place to help FOR MORE INFO the store in just one week. people through hard times. WMargaretHirschSA margaret_hirsch/?hl=en

Yes we have had challenges, Our virtual workshops – a TMargaretHirsch but we look for the silver lining positive to come out of Covid /in/margarethirsch/

– range from cooking shows to mental health talks. We realised people were struggling with mental health issues and I was happy to team up with wellness counsellors, Jess Mostert and Stacey Spilsbury, to start wellness workshops which we call Margaret’s Motivational Mondays. Our listeners have been blown away by being able to spend time on themselves and improve their own psyche.