Often the key to business success lies in harnessing and leveraging inherent skills and turning those same skills into an asset. For South African entrepreneur Tepsii Tshikororo, she found the key to her entrepreneurial journey in writing, coaching and training. Her company, Tepsii, is now empowering others to following their own business dreams.

LoA found out more about this specialist company and its ambitions for the future.

What does your company do?

At Tepsii, we provide education and training in copywriting and online entrepreneurship. We also offer business coaching.

"I originally wanted to do life coaching because I wanted to help women overhaul their lives and become the best version of themselves."

What inspired you to start your company?

I originally wanted to do life coaching because I wanted to help women overhaul their lives and become the best version of themselves. As I was building that business I met a fellow copywriter who said she saw something in me. When I started to research the industry I realized that I had a skill that I was taking for granted (writing). Most business people really struggle with written communications, so I went all in with my business. My goals were to 1) spend more time with my kids; 2) quit my corporate position; 3) retire my husband from his corporate career so he could help out more at home; 4) move from Washington DC to my home country, South Africa. I was able to achieve all of that within my first 4 months!

Why should anyone use your service or products?

I am the best at what I do because I genuinely care about connecting you with your ideal clients so that you can bring in maximum profit while creating the change you want to see in the world. I infuse love into everything I do. No one else is willing to go there and say I love you and I see you to clients. For the first time they feel seen and heard and they have the confidence to go after their dreams!

"I am the best at what I do because I genuinely care about connecting you with your ideal clients so that you can bring in maximum profit while creating the change you want to see in the world."

Tell us a little about your team

I have my husband doing legal and tech/systems; a manager who oversees projects and does some virtual assisting with systems and tech; a content strategist who engineers my communication with my audience plus our programme launches; and a personal assistant.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

I was a corporate drone for 13 years before creating a successful business. Before my current business took off I had dreams and hopes of other businesses, they never worked out. I have learned my paternal grandfather traded in chickens on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange - and also that he was a tailor and owned vehicles for transportation. My paternal grandmother was a school teacher. But she always sold multi level marketing products for many many years and was very successful. And finally my maternal grandmother was always in business, renting out event furniture and plants/cutlery in addition to her nursing career. Entrepreneurship is apparently in my blood!

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

Currently I do the marketing, training, and teaching. I would like to partner with universities and government to create a wider impact. I would also like to build an elementary and high school that trains in true entrepreneurship, not just theory.

"I was a corporate drone for 13 years before creating a successful business. Before my current business took off I had dreams and hopes of other businesses, they never worked out."

What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?

Waking up whenever I want!!! It feels so glorious. Also not asking when I want to take a vacation or go see my kids at school!

What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?

Stop analyzing, criticizing, and giving reasons why this won't work. Give yourself a chance and just go for it. Any mistakes you make are opportunities for improvement!

Contact or follow Tepsii

Why LoA loves it….

At LoA we love those women entrepreneurs who have a vision of what they want and where they want to be in life, and then turn those dreams into reality. In the case of South African entrepreneur Tepsii Tshikororo, her dream was to make the move from the corporate world and in the process achieve a better work/life balance for herself and her family. Many have aspirations of achieving such a goal, but Tepsii is living proof that it can be done. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa