Charmaine Mbatha, is a South African 29 year old Serial Entrepreneur, Global Award Winning Speaker and Writer. Charmaine has been pushing the envelope and daring to be different since she was 13 years when she started her career. “I’ve always sought freedom of expression in every way and now through my natural hair. I wear it however I want. Sometimes as natural dreadlocks and sometimes I wear a wig.” Says Ms Mbatha.
Charmaine is the founder and senior brand specialist at Branding Fixers Global, a marketing, branding and business growth company. I help people, companies and brands get noticed, understood and clearly valuable. We use different systems and strategies to achieve our client’s goals.
Branding Fixers Global is in partnership with our sister company, The Grit Media, and publish our clients’ intentions, progress and successes on Her Grit Magazine & His Grit Magazine. We also work with other International distributors with over 300 media outlets. On the marketing side we side we also collaborate with Orevida, a global online marketing agency led by CEO and Co-founder Mark Pancis, based in Vienna, Austria.
Charmaine is also a ghostwriter and does bookkeeping & financial management through her other businesses.
NISH Magazine Q & A with Charmaine Mbatha
Q1. Tell us 3 things the audience should know about you
- I get things done; leaving things hanging gives me mild…okay maybe not so mild anxiety. Which means I am a little impatient but I am working on that. Thanks to growing dreadlocks firstly (Lol journey of patience) and also learning from my coaches.
- I genuinely adore people; when I look at people I see their full potential instantly and my first inclination to try to help get that out. Although, it’s not that simple, people make their own choices and sometimes have very strong limiting beliefs. Unfortunately I don’t have a magic wand to change people’s mind about themselves, but I try the best way I know how.
- I love to sing; those who’ve heard me say my voice is soothing and moves their soul. Really, I am more of a closet singer. But that’s soon to change :-).
Q2. What are your thoughts on Natural hair? (do you wear your hair natural? When did you start?
Ooh!! Natural hair came to me after many years of pain and suffering. First of all, I love it and think every type is beautiful. It’s so amazing to see those who fully embrace it. Then again, there’s nothing wrong with exploring and wearing a hairpiece, braids, wigs or weaves. As long as you feel beautiful however you wear your hair…ladies read that again.
I wore my natural until I was about 4 years old, I remember my mom cutting my long thick hair because I had to go to school. The school required that girls wear their hair short. Looking back, I remember how I kept saying how ugly I was without my thick long beautiful hair…that I looked like a potato because I was bald. Gosh I cried for days and hated school.
Fast forward to about 5 years ago when I decided stuff this and cut off all my chemically straightened hair. I hated those scalp burning chemicals but I never thought I’d like my natural hair because it seemed so impossible to make look good.
I cut it all off, grew an afro and 2 years after that, started growing dreadlocks. Hands down, the best decision I ever made. Taking care of it got
Q3. Who are the 3 people you look up to and why?
- My mother – she not only raised me and my sister as a single woman but also took care of her parents and siblings. A real rock!
- Oprah Winfrey – I love how she’s able to engage people, get the best of them and make them shine. I must’ve been about 4 years old when I saw this in her and thought to myself…I want to do that.
- Myself – I didn’t know until recently, thanks to my coach Samareh, that I can literally look up to myself, in the mirror, in my work, relationships and being. As someone worthy of my own admiration and acceptance. There are many people I look up in fact the list is endless. But, when asked for 3…you bet I will be put myself in the top 3…because I approve of myself and I know my self-worth.
Q4. Do you consider yourself a role model? Tell us why
No, I’m not a role model, I don’t want to be imitated. I want those who do look at me, to do better than I am.
I want people to find their own individuality and know that their journey will be different to mine. Yes, I do inspire and I love to.
However, I often to say to anyone who asks, I am not creating followers… I see people as equals, however less or more they have than me. Because I believe we are all co-creators and teammates. We are stronger when we work freely and with respect towards each other. Not under “i-am-better-than-you conditions.” This thinking keeps me grounded and humble.
Q5. Tell us how you have reached your goals and what strategies to you have used to reach them?
- I believe 100% in coaching. Any area of your life that you know isn’t your strength needs a coach, especially how you earn a living. JT Foxx, the world’s #1 wealth & business coach has been an absolute life-changer. As well as my other coaches Greg JC Granier, Myrna Widlend & Samareh Lilith Rahnavardi
- I keep an organized plan and respect mine and other people’s time
- I take risks and have grit. It’s a blessing to have really because I can’t tell you how or where I got my grit from, the ability to suffer for my goals no matter what and not give up and bounce back after failures
- I became a brand and from thereon everything changed, thanks to JT Foxx
- I refuse to listen to naysayers. Again, it kind of come naturally to me or maybe because I was bullied so munch growing up that I developed a thick stick towards anyone who talks down on me.
Q6. Your health is your wealth. Tell us what you do to become or stay healthy
I listen to my body…like really
take time to listen to what everything is saying. I workout 3-4 times a week, not to have thick
muscles, just to stay healthy. My coach
Samareh puts me on regular detox diets with help me a lot.
Lastly, I
practice loving myself and pamper the body that keeps alive and well.
Q7. What can we expect to see from you this year?
One of my brothers calls me a “sub-marine” because I never announce my moves prematurely, I move deep beneath the surface. I only have high expectations for myself this year…lots of exciting things happening already with the recent launch of His Grit Magazine, a publication for man-to-man talk on issues that impact men.
I’m taking on
more branding coaching clients from around the world. Which is uncommon for a
South African who’s still living in South Africa to compete at a global scale.
Q8. What are 3 lessons you would like to tell the audience reading your article?
- It’s okay to Fail – I wish I heard this the first time I failed at something as a kid, and repeatedly throughout my life. I think we’d all be better and much more secure adults. Don’t let failure take away your confidence. Please, try by all means to let it fuel you. That is what it’s meant to do…to encourage you and keep you moving towards your goal.
- Your presence is enough! I heard this from Iyanla Vanzant #Fixmylife (follow her on Instagram) – She said, when you know who you are, you don’t have to shout to the world and tell people how great and wonderful you are…all you have to do, is show up. So anyone reading this, believe that who you are and what you have to offer the world, is enough.
- You need to be branded – whether you’re looking for a new job, want to grow in your current employment, have a business, want to start one…or are a huge corporation. How people see you determines how sustainable you will be in the near-future and long-term. A brand is what people say about you when you’re not there…do you know what others say about you?!