Transition With Confidence - The UnLearners
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal and business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Zanele Njapha, Founder and CEO of The UnLearners, located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We're a consulting firm that helps organisations prepare for a changing world of work by building cultures of learning, unlearning, and relearning. This has come up as something of extreme importance because organisations change and transition; their biggest challenge is 'letting go' of who they were rather than grabbing hold of a new identity.
We support our clients (such as Visa, Philip Morris, Deloitte, Discovery, and Volkswagen) through offerings like keynote presentations and workshops on staying change-ready, MCing and facilitating events and programs, and collaborating with brands that are serious about spreading a message of change, innovation and the future of work in a fun and exciting way.
Tell us about yourself
I spent about three years as a Primary School teacher and loved the innovation and creativity that my work allowed me to have. Although I loved my work dearly, I knew I was a born speaker and facilitator, so I even practiced speaking in my empty classroom after school.
As I started to explore a career change, I noticed how so many organisations were working on building 'future skills' that, in my view, children already had in the forms of inquisitiveness, creativity, frankness, etc.
It became clear to me that since we start off with these skills, our greatest work must be unlearning the assumptions, dogmas, and perspectives that restrict our capacity to innovate and tap into new ways of seeing, doing, and being. So then, The UnLearning Lady was born - I've been helping teams 'unlearn' since then!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Hiring women of colour. It makes me so proud to know that my business has allowed me the capacity to pay women of colour a decent income.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Relationship Management. A mentor once told me that my work as a facilitator is only 20% on stage. I was shocked! He then said the rest is managing relationships. That's exactly what I've found entrepreneurship to be.
From getting in front of the right audience, convincing the audience that you can help them, onboarding them, supporting them, and keeping them in your ecosystem - it's challenging work because of the multiple dynamics involved in client relationships. Challenging - but quite fun! :)
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Commit with your heart - let your business have something you love at its core, so you can give yourself to the business, and the business will give itself to you.
- Co-create with Your Clients - always remember that clients only buy because there's a certain level of trust behind their money. Honour their opinions, views, time, and insights, and you'll be amazed at how they can help you grow your business.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
The future belongs to the teams and individuals who can let go of previous ways of seeing, doing, and being - to step confidently into what the world demands of them today. This is what I, 'The UnLearning Lady,' help my clients to do.
As an award-winning speaker, I am also a Forbes Contributor, the host of the popular Future-Fit Fridays podcast, and a Career Mentor for ambitious professionals changing careers.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.zanelenjapha.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZaneleNjaphaSpeaker/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zanele_njapha/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanelenjapha/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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