As Women’s Month unfolds across South Africa, spaces that invite us to pause, reflect, and rewrite the rules of achievement become essential. Enter Momentum’s flagship "She Owns Her Success" media jamboree, marking its remarkable eighth year of championing women, wealth, and wellness.
Hosted with trademark energy, warmth, and insight by media powerhouse Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, this year's opening gathering brought together a dynamic room of industry leaders, creators, media partners, and change-makers to interrogate what it truly means to thrive on one's own terms.
Flipping the script on success
Setting the tone for the afternoon, Elana challenged the traditional, linear definitions of achievement that have historically boxed women in. "There was a time that we said we're going to flip the script... when it comes to She Owns Her Success, you decide for you. Everyone is following their own path. By the end of today, no one in this room will compare themselves to anyone else."
Emphasising that success is not a one-size-fits-all checklist, whether in the boardroom, on social media, or navigating the complexities of parenting and personal growth, she reminded the room that storytelling is our most powerful currency. With the hashtag #SheOwnsHerSuccess, the call to action was clear: own your narrative and share it with the world.
"Her success is a number": Beyond the balance sheet
Delivering the foundational brand remarks, Momentum’s Qhawekazi Mdikane took the stage to unpack the heart behind this year's campaign theme: "Her Success is a Number."
Entering its eighth year and and celebrating boss lady's Jeanette Marais' third term at the helm, the campaign has evolved from a seasonal initiative into a full-fledged movement. Qhawekazi addressed the elephant in the room head-on, noting that while financial security is a core pillar, the theme stretches far beyond monetary wealth.
- Clarity and Intentionality: Defining success means giving women explicit permission to design their lives with purpose.
- The Reality of Retirement: Pointing to the sobering statistic that less than 6% of South Africans can retire comfortably, Qhawekazi stressed the urgency of financial literacy and taking tangible steps toward long-term security.
- Mastering Multitasking: Honouring the multi-faceted roles South African women play daily: building businesses, chairing boardrooms, and nurturing communities, she highlighted how financial advice acts as the ultimate vehicle to turn inspiration into sustainable action.
The panel discussion: Real talk on multitasking, balance, and rewriting the rules
As the room settled in for the core of the afternoon, guided expertly by Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, the energy shifted from celebration to raw, unfiltered truth. Welcoming a powerhouse panel featuring leadership expert Dr. Vumy Mkhize, computer scientist and technology entrepreneur, Rapelang Rabana, media icon and entrepreneur Joanne Strauss, and Momentum Group CEO Jeanette Marais, the stage became a masterclass in modern power.
Elana highlighted the organic mentorship happening in real-time, noting how Joanne had spent moments before the panel motivating a Miss South Africa finalist in the room, embodying the very essence of women lifting each other up.
Joanne Strauss on the "Sandwich Generation" and redefining balance
Taking the mic, Joanne Strauss didn't sugarcoat the juggle. When asked what success looks like when all the titles and accolades are stripped away, her answer resonated deeply with every multitasking woman in the room.
Painting a picture of a typical morning, she shared that, "It's juggling a 10-year-old daughter's friendship drama, shifting board meetings around flight schedules, and coordinating care for a parent with dementia." Capturing the essence of modern womanhood, she continued, We are this sandwich generation... you're parenting up and down. For me, success is getting through a day being kind to myself, being kind to others, not screaming at my children, I didn't manage it today but success to me is aiming for balance, not always achieving it, but aiming for it."
Joanne emphasised that true success cannot be outsourced to social media validation or follower counts. Instead, it requires an internal affirmation, a personal definition of balance that honours where you are, rather than chasing an impossible, curated perfection.
Jeanette Marais on letting go of the need to be extraordinary at every moment
Taking centre stage, Momentum Group CEO Jeanette Marais delivered a powerful perspective on the quiet exhaustion women face when trying to measure up to impossible standards. Challenging the relentless urge to constantly prove oneself. She affirmed the room that, "Success does not always need to be tied to the next milestone, the next achievement, or the need to stand out. Success is not only found in what women achieve, but also in the lives they are creating along the way." She encouraged the audience to grant themselves permission to step off the treadmill of constant validation, highlighting that true agency means choosing presence, fulfillment, and a life designed around one's own core values rather than external metrics.
As the jamboree drew to a close, the evening proved that while ambition drives South African women forward, community, financial literacy, and expert advice are the vehicles that turn those dreams into reality. In a room full of change-makers, the message of the day echoed clearly: your success belongs to you, it has your unique measurements, and it is entirely yours to own.
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