It is my pleasure to embark on this profitability series which will touch on so many aspects of an organisation’s growth and sustainability. In these series, we shall deal with all issues around company profitability, from merely having an appreciation of what it means to understanding how a failing company can return to profitability.

The idea of being an entrepreneur and a mom at the same time may cause goose bumps in some women, let alone if the business is a start-up or is having some bumpy and rough times in its growth phase. To many women such businesses do not need additional disturbances from family members, be it a husband, children or even relatives, but would rather attend to all business issues 24/7 and 365 days a year without a break.

Ever wondered why an eagle is such a unique bird when it comes to the flock of the air? An eagle was created in a very unique way which makes it one of the most used examples when it comes to entrepreneurship and leadership. An eagle has some fascinating characteristics, which when applied in our everyday lives as business women, we find ourselves soaring in high places which we never thought we would venture into.

Ever wondered how all these big businesses started and how they came to be what they are today? The likes of Econet Wireless, Delta Corporation and British American Tobacco in Zimbabwe; Sasol, Standard Bank and MTN. I believe each of these companies has a story to tell, and from those stories we learn a lot about running a sustainable business. To some people business is all about making money, to some it’s all about fulfilling a calling, to some it is all about providing solutions to the current problems, be it social or economic ones.