My Storytelling Journey
Weaving words and shaping narratives
Writing | Editing | Content Creation
My career in storytelling began in print journalism, and my work – news and feature articles – has been published in a variety of newspapers and magazines, including international magazine Spotlight and the South African parenting and lifestyle mag Absolute Mama. I’ve done scriptwriting for and edited scripts for international record label Integrity Media (now David C Cook), TV production companies Engage Entertainment and Vusion Media, and lifestyle and magazine show Top Billing, to name a few. Over time, my storytelling has included content creation for clients in the hospitality and tourism sectors, among others.
My lens and pen
Marketing | Social Media | Photography
Storytelling skills landed me jobs with MNET PR and Publicity (2004), Generations (SABC 1) and True Love magazine (Marketing & Special Projects) and enabled me to later manage the social media accounts for Vivid Water (2016 & 2017), Pressed Juice Co (2016 & 2017), Milk Bar (2016 to 2018) and Nottingham Road Tourism (2021 & 2022), where I created copy and photographic content. From Johannesburg’s trendy eatery Nice in Parkhurst and in Sandton, to corporates such as Andile Solutions, companies seek me out for my photographic storytelling skills. I’ve worked with Danish furniture company Houe, to shoot their summer catalogue in SA (2020), and am regularly commissioned to do portraits, interiors, food and product photography. Whether I’m capturing the love in a family or the essence of a new menu, I find myself caught up in storytelling.
From airwaves to screens
Broadcasting
I cut my teeth in broadcasting reading the sports report on East Coast Radio in 1999, as a teenager and aspiring journalist. After obtaining my degree in journalism, I went on to produce TV documentaries, inserts and shows – among them Artcha for SABC 2 and Malgenoeg for Kyknet – before working for Vusion Media as a senior TV producer.
In 2009, I was commissioned by CBN in the USA to produce a documentary about the laws governing prostitution in South Africa (Behind The Mask).
I also have experience directing, including inserts for highly rated lifestyle shows Top Billing and Hello Doctor.
In 2017, I launched a podcast series called The Beautiful Pursuit, which I created, hosted and produced.
Delving into the unknown
Research
My longing to understand people and the stories they tell themselves has led me to engage in research projects, including research about Covid-19 vaccines and vaccine hesitancy for Africa’s leading impact gaming company, SeaMonster Entertainment (#PointTaken), as well as on one of their gaming projects with car manufacturer Toyota.
Embracing my entrepreneurial spirit
Entrepreneurship | Leadership
I have an entrepreneurial spirit and am a natural leader. Some years ago, I was co-owner of Alter Leather, and over two consecutive years took our products to the prestigious Kamers Vol Geskenke, the largest pop-up market in Africa. I owned a Rain Natural Skincare franchise in Nottingham Road. I opened doors to the shop in May 2022 and empowered another woman to run the business for me. We closed shop 18 months later and I moved back to Johannesburg with my family.
For the past eight years, I have run journaling courses, teaching others how to document their stories. For the past three years, I’ve been invited by Brookdale Health Hydro in Nottingham Road to run my courses like retreats, four times a year. In August 2023 I was invited to run a Journaling Course in Zimbabwe.
I pioneered a “Rest Restore Reset” retreat in Glengarry, Kamberg, where I taught groups of women to journal over a weekend in the mountains. And in January 2022, Poetry invited me to address the media on journaling at a launch hosted at Babylonstoren in the Cape Winelands.
I also run a small concern producing handmade leather journals.
Education
My educational journey includes a Bachelor of Journalism with Honors in television from Rhodes University, where I majored in English and Industrial Psychology. I furthered my studies with short courses at Vega, specialising in The A-Z of Brand Management and Strategic Brand Management. In 2020, I participated in The Podcasting Workshop led by Seth Godin and Alex diPalma.
During the first private school term of 2023, I had the opportunity to share my passion for the dramatic arts as a locum drama teacher at Clifton Preparatory School in Nottingham Road, teaching Grade 1s to 7s. It was an enormously gratifying experience to inspire young minds, to draw out their creativity and help them discover the transformative power of storytelling.
I am currently studying part-time with the Centre For Journal Therapy and Therapeutic Writing Institute.
My Personal Mosaic
Outside of my professional life, I am a wife and mother. I’ve been married for 18 years and have a 13-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter. I love being married and being a mom. I come from a big family, which I deeply value. My family, faith and friendships are my treasures.
I try to embody hope, to be enthusiastic, maintaining a positive outlook on life, driven by a passion for emotional wholeness and personal development.
A chapter unfolding
An Ongoing Tale of Creativity, Passion and Purpose
Mine is a journey of storytelling, of seeking to understand, of persevering, of empowering others, and of sharing narratives. I have carved out for myself a path that combines my love of writing, researching, photographing, directing, and entrepreneurship. In these roles, I find expression for my gifting and talents. My ability to inspire, assimilate information and to find understanding coupled with my commitment to hope are hallmarks of my character. I am embarking on a new chapter with faith, a glass half full and a heart full of passion. I hope to release my book in the coming year.