Zanele Luvuno holds executive and non-executive roles across talent management, capital investment, retail and property, alongside a trusteeship at one of the world’s largest drilling companies. Her advice for women navigating both corporate and entrepreneurial worlds comes from two decades spent doing exactly that.
Getting past people’s prejudices
Judgement based on race and gender shows up quickly in male-dominated sectors, and in deals labelled purely as B-BBEE transactions. Knowing your own value, and holding your ground regardless of that judgement, matters more than trying to change every mind in the room. Where you have a genuine knowledge gap, do the research yourself or bring in a specialist, don’t let a gap in expertise exclude you from the table entirely.
Overcoming the funding barrier
Late-paying clients and tight cash flow remain common barriers for women entrepreneurs specifically. Building genuine relationships with your bank and with individuals who trust your capability, over time, is what eventually opens funding doors. Running more than one business can also help build the kind of balance sheet that makes banks more willing to engage.
Building genuine access to market
Many entrepreneurs simply don’t know their market well enough. Understanding your customer’s actual behaviour and needs, not just your own product or production process, and having real conversations with people already working in your industry, is what separates a business that finds its market from one that struggles to.
Scaling requires letting go of doing everything yourself
In a small business’s early days, the founders typically run every function themselves. That works only up to a point, revenue eventually stalls without the right people, structures and processes in place. Investing in the resources needed to keep delivering to clients as the business grows isn’t optional once you’re past the earliest stage.
Building the right network
Mentors who’ve walked a similar path can help troubleshoot complex decisions in a way generic advice can’t. Actively research and approach potential mentors rather than waiting to be discovered, most people are more willing to give their time than you’d expect, provided you come prepared. Distinguish clearly between spectators and genuine supporters, and seek out mentors from different backgrounds for a fuller view rather than relying on a single perspective.
Frequently asked questions
How should a woman entrepreneur handle bias in a male-dominated industry?
Know your own value and hold your position regardless of others’ preconceptions, and address genuine knowledge gaps directly rather than letting them exclude you from participating.
What’s the most effective way to overcome funding barriers as a woman entrepreneur?
Building genuine, long-term relationships with your bank and with individuals who trust your capability tends to open more doors than a single funding application.
How do I find the right mentors for my business?
Research people in your field directly and approach them, rather than waiting for a connection to happen organically, and seek mentors from different backgrounds for a fuller perspective.
Refusing to be typecast
Luvuno’s core message is refusing a single, narrow role, in business or as a woman navigating both corporate and entrepreneurial spaces. Building genuine expertise, funding relationships, market knowledge and mentorship, deliberately rather than passively, is what actually breaks that pattern.
Further reading: The Truth About Being a Female Entrepreneur in South Africa | Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for official B-BBEE requirements
Originally published in August 2019. Updated September 2026 to refresh this guest advice on navigating corporate and entrepreneurial worlds. The underlying guidance on bias, funding and mentorship remains durable.
