Women, power and honesty were at the fore at the Johannesburg launch of the Fuelling Futures book written by Tshepiso Phosa and Timothy Maurice Webster.
Held at the Hilton Hotel, in Sandton on Thursday, 24 October 2019, the intimate discussion and breakfast unpacked the process involved when the book was being written; some key themes in the book as well as helpful tips around elevating to the level necessary for your vision to manifest.
Entrepreneur, author and philanthropist, Tshepiso Phosa, has taken a bold, no-holds-barred approach with her story which highlights strong themes such as gender-based violence, sexual assault, perseverance, accountability and leadership.
Through a harrowing experience, where an ex-boyfriend of hers strangled her, Tshepiso lost her voice – a key moment in her life that she touches on in the book and says was a part of the reason why she put pen to paper.
“When I lost my voice, I had no other choice but to share my story through writing”, said author, Tshepiso Phosa.
While unpacking the intention of the book, the 27-year-old said that it was about really facing herself and some of the choices she’s made amongst other things.“It’s about taking accountability for your decisions,” said Phosa.
An esteemed panel, comprised of Tshepiso Phosa, Linda Reddy – the first female General Manager of the Hilton Hotel in Sandton, and Property Coach, Carlo Mariani had discussions around business, change and how to better manage your life, finances and approaching your dreams.
“Across all industries, passion is key…that’s what fuels you,” said Linda Reddy.
With regards to being a woman in a position of authority in a male-dominated industry, Reddy said that it is not necessary for women to dilute their feminine qualities. “Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness – you can be who you are and be ladylike and still get ahead.”
Throughout the session, women in attendance were all adding their unique touch to a painting of a woman that had been sketched and required a collective effort to add the colour and give it life under the theme ‘the essence of a woman’ – highlighting the beauty to be found in women working together towards one vision.
