Ahead of Women's Month in South Africa in August, hundreds of women will gather in Johannesburg for an event focused on addressing issues of financial empowerment, entrepreneurship, and leadership. The discussion on gender equality goes beyond mere representation and includes financial independence, leadership development, and creating conditions for women to thrive.
The Brave Collective Event
Next month, The Brave Collective will host another event in Johannesburg, bringing together women from the country's advertising, marketing, and creative industries. This gathering initially consisted of only 40 women six years ago, but it has now grown into a community of over 4,000 participants. The Brave Collective, co-founded by Tarin Hunter Sharma and Perry King, serves as a platform that encourages women to invest not only in their careers but also in self-confidence, professional networks, and financial well-being.
Event Details
This year's theme is 'Fortune Favours the Brave. Own It.'. It will take place on August 5th at The Forum in Bryanston and will bring together over 400 women for discussions focused on personal growth, entrepreneurship, leadership, and financial empowerment. According to Hunter Sharma, one of the most significant challenges many women face is discomfort when discussing their own financial worth.
She noted: 'The women in our room are already good at communicating with each other, but they have practiced less in having an honest conversation about money, value, and the numbers in their contracts and bank statements. That is the kind of conversation we created at The Brave Collective.'
Program and Speakers
The program features presentations by successful South African women in business, fashion, and finance. Kenshani Nobanda, Executive Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nedbank Group, will address the topic of confident leadership and decision-making. Lihle Ngskokolo-Nkini, Managing Director of MaXhosa Africa, will share her experience in transforming a proud South African heritage brand into a globally recognized business.
Philanthropist and businesswoman Rachel Kolisi plans to share her personal story of resilience and recovery after life setbacks. Additionally, financial educator Carla Winter, founder of Money With Carla, will conduct a workshop aimed at strengthening women's financial confidence and helping them achieve long-term independence.
Principles and Historical Context
The event will conclude with The Brave Collective's signature 'Greatest Fears Share Session', where participants are encouraged to openly acknowledge their personal and professional fears in a supportive atmosphere. The organization states that its work is built on three interconnected pillars: self-esteem, network, and clean capital, believing that true empowerment requires growth in all three aspects. Hunter Sharma believes that South Africa's legal history provides important context for understanding the relevance of conversations about women's financial independence.
For much of the country's history, many married women could not own property independently, sign contracts, or open bank accounts without their husband's consent. Women in customary marriages did not receive full legal recognition as adults until 1998. Hunter Sharma emphasized that 'this legal history is not distant; every woman in our room is at most one generation away from it. And the industries where most of them work, including ours, still have ground to make up.'
Support for the Initiative
While Women's Month often celebrates achievements, initiatives like The Brave Collective also highlight the need for ongoing work to ensure equal access for women to leadership opportunities, financial knowledge, and supportive professional communities. The event is supported by Nedbank as the main sponsor, along with partners including Biogen, Estée Lauder, Curious Tom, Pop Up Sisters, Profmed, and Chapters.
