D.I.V.A of the Month – November 2011
D.I.V.A of the Month – November 2011
Bongiwe Motse, the Headboard Queen tells us about the joys and challenges of wearing the different ‘hats’ of responsibility as a woman
Lelemba: Who is Bongi?
Bongi: I am a self assured, creative, fun young woman
who is passionate about life, love, God and generally all things nice. I like laughing! You would think i get paid
for it! At times i can cry just as passionately though. I do my best dance when nobody is watching. I also have a big heart and I love like there is no tomorrow. I am so diverse that i enjoy dance music as much as I enjoy gospel music. My belief is that, ‘it’s your choice’ and that ‘life is what you make of it’!
Lelemba: Tell us about what you do for a living and your family life
Bongi: I work full time as an HR Consultant for a dynamic Asset Management business: Nedgroup Investments. I love the practice of Human Resources; I enjoy consulting with the business regarding people matters such as recruitment, retention, remuneration and so forth. The job also has a lot of admin, which is not my favourite! I have been working for Nedgroup Investments for 3 years now and i love the environment and the people.
In my life I have been blessed with the roles of being a wife, a mother, a daughter and a big sister to my younger siblings – to put on these different hats brings me so much joy and completes my picture puzzle and i find renewed strength everyday because I believe that i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Lelemba: You also run a business on the side, can you tell us about that? When did you establish it, why this line of work and how has business been thus far?
Bongi: The Headboard Queen was established in 2011 – we do custom made headboards, i consult with the client and offer advice on what style and design will best fit their space. I am generally a very creative person and like beautiful things and once i got started with the work i really amazed not only myself but my clients with the end product. I generally get one order a month, and i do think this is because it is still a new business and also trying to balance work and my establishment is proving hard as i do not dedicate all my energies to the project, which is a shame as i have big hopes & dreams for The Headboard Queen.
Lelemba: How do you balance your work with your personal life and your budding business?
Bongi: It is difficult, i am at work Monday to Friday and after hours i have just enough time to put on my mommy hat to our beautiful baby girl. This is the time i also get to consult with potential clients and doing deliveries of finished orders. Sundays are packed with praise & worship, entertaining family and friends. By Sunday afternoon I’m flat on my back; comes Monday, i put some make-up and my high heels and do it all over again!
Lelemba: LOL! Such is the life of a D.I.V.A. Determined to do what we have to do! Do you ever get ‘me’ time and if yes what do you do during this time?
Bongi: You have to claim your me time, lol. I am blessed to have a super supportive husband who allows me time-out, even if it means him looking after our baby while I go soak myself in a bath or catch up with my sisters.
Lelemba: What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced and how did you overcome them?
Bongi: OOhhhh at 30 I’m sure we’ve all had our fair share!! There have been plenty; i think that the one that tough was losing my mother in a car accident when i was only 12. As the big sister, i had to learn to be tough and play mommy when i needed one myself. My father never really remarried so this was life as we knew it. We faced many storms together (which might make an interesting book to write one day) but he is an awesome man of God and an awesome father who hid us under his wings as we soldiered on….
Lelemba: What are some of the highlights you have experienced?
Bongi: When i got married 6 years ago, i have had the best and naturally my worst times with my husband – he is my best friend and a true companion. The birth of our gorgeous daughter early this year has been the highlight of my life, the fact that my body can create such a beautiful human being is beyond me and I am deeply humbled by this awesome experience.
Lelemba: Who/what else inspires you?
Bongi: Children, because the word impossible does not exist in their minds. Im inspired by the beautiful creation of God, the majestic mountains the roaring ocean, beautiful flowers, i sometimes sit in my bedroom and look at the shapes that the clouds
make, look and listen to the chirping birds and I just think how awesome it is that we can see this, that we can breath……mmhhh life inspires me.
Lelemba: Where to from here? Can you share what some of your dreams or goals are?
Bongi: Ooh big dreams. I dream of success, more love and more happiness. I still have goals to raise my children to be solid individuals who are sure of themselves and are loved. My ultimate dream and prayer is to God to bless my children with the presence of both their parents until THEY reach old age (if we become too much, they can just ship us to a retirement village, lol)
I see The Headboard Queen being a big establishment, where I can create work opportunities. I can dream of us supplying to furniture boutique stores but not only that but also shifting things by bringing luxury and style to ordinary people’s home. Hey, maybe one day soon i can have a stand at the Home Expo…..
Another dream i have and this stems from my current career stream – is to mentor, especially young people from previously disadvantage schools and background on how to prepare their CVs, fine tuning their interview skills as I am not sure they know what potential employers are looking for in those first encounters…..I don’t know yet on what time i can do this in but it is definitely something I’m passionate about.
Lelemba: Thank you very much for sharing your story with us. I am sure it will encourage a lot of people out
there.