Under the banner of Brewing the Bold, SAB have assembled a stellar cast of five women who are dominating in their respective fields to share their expertise and brew a once-off, limited edition beer in honour of Women’s Month.
Read on to discover more about these incredible women.
APIWE NXUSANI MAWELA
#BrewingTheBold, The Brewmaster
Can you please give some background to what you do?
In 2015, I started my own company, Brewsters, which focused purely on providing training and consultation services to the craft beer industry. Since then the company has grown into three segments. In addition to accredited brewer training courses and consultancy services, Brewsters now offers contract brewing in our own fully equipped 1000l brewery in Roodepoort as well as full laboratory services to other microbreweries to ensure the quality of their products.
What was your first thought when you heard about the Brewing the Bold project?
My first thought was that this sounds like an amazing project, not only for women in the beer industry but also for women in general. I hope that this initiative provides inspiration to other women in the beer industry and show them that there are no limits to what you can achieve. They can become great brewers, brewmasters, hop growers, barley breeders, and these positions should be the norm rather than an exception.
Many people forget throughout time, it has been women who were responsible for making beer, especially here in Africa.
After meeting the rest of the Brewing the Bold team I’m happy to say that the excitement is warranted and I can’t wait to see the final product.
What is your role in the Brewing the Bold project?
Given my experience within the industry as a brewmaster, my role was to ensure that we brewed the best possible beer. One that represents and communicates all the key elements of the project in a refreshing beer that ticks all the right boxes.
What does Women’s Month represent to you?
Women’s Month is an important reminder of the power that we have as women, to not only influence change but also be instrumental in driving that change. It is a time for our country to reflect on how society treats women and to focus our energies on creating equal opportunities in the workplace.
During the Brewing the Bold project, I realised that women - regardless of background, race, industry - are all facing the same challenges, which could be better tackled if we tried to work together more.
What's your advice to other women to continue rising up in their industries?
Never ever give up and never listen to anyone who says you’re not good enough.
Often women business leaders are under closer scrutiny and are sometimes even expected to fail. Of course, this is unfair, but the best response is to push even harder for excellence.
I believe that women should support each other in business and do all that they can to create space for more women to thrive in the corporate world.
ELBIE LOUW
#BrewingTheBold, The Home Brewer
Can you please give us some background to what you do?
My business involves developing IT applications for a number of corporate clients and SMMEs. I am gearing my business towards training and employing more female developers as there is still a lack of women in the technical fields within the IT industry.
Dealing with clients can sometimes be thirsty work, so in my spare time, I love brewing craft beer at home for me and my husband to enjoy. I’ve always had a special affinity for beer, and I try to encourage more women to learn the art of brewing so that they can create their own beers according to their individual tastes. My husband and I are in the process of starting our own small brewery called Binary Brew Works, so this experience with SAB’s Brewing the Bold is invaluable for our future plans.
What was your first thought when you heard about the Brewing the Bold project?
I’m thrilled with the concept and honoured to be part of such an amazing team of women. There are not enough women in the beer industry and only a handful of women brewmasters in South Africa. I was fortunate enough to have worked with Apiwe before who is our team’s expert brewmaster, and meeting everyone else and working together to make this special beer was a wonderful experience. With SAB lending their considerable support, we are able to spread the message of women empowerment to a much larger audience.
What is your role in the Brewing the Bold project?
I was able to contribute to the team through my background as a beer judge and home brewer, providing the team with insights on the ingredients used, the flavour profile, and the look and feel of the packaging. Ultimately, I want to use this experience to motivate more women to follow their dreams and not let gender stereotypes get in their way.
What does Women’s Day represent to you?
It almost goes without saying that gender equality will make the world a much better place. This is an important day that draws society’s attention to issues women still face such as unequal opportunities in the workplace and unequal pay. It is also a call for all women to stand together to make their voices heard, but we need to maintain the focus and energy throughout the year - not just for one day.
What's your advice to other women rising-up in their industries?
We, as mothers, are responsible for exposing our daughters to the same technical stimulus as our sons so that our daughters are not at a disadvantage should they enter a technical environment.
Being treated as an equal in the workplace is not negotiable. You might have to fight to be respected in a technical field and to be given the same opportunities at the same salary, but remember to always stand up for yourself, be consistent and persevere. You will get there.
HALLIE HALLER
#BrewingTheBold, The Filmmaker
Can you please give some background to what you do?
I work in media production and split my time between creative production, writing, direction, and strategy. Photography and poetry are my creative outlets outside of work. At the moment, I’m in the developmental stages of a web series based on the professional experiences of South African women. I also volunteer as a #ForCreativeGirls mentor, as a way to empower women in the workplace.
What was your first thought when you heard about the Brewing the Bold project?
My first thought was, “this is exactly the kind of work that I want to do”. This project aligns with values and my commitment to promoting economic inclusion through my work.
What is your role in the Brewing the Bold project?
I was responsible for leading the multimedia team that documented the process. It’s been incredible to be part of a project with a holistic approach to economic inclusion – including women in the production phase, rather than just marketing to them.
What does Women’s Month represent to you?
To me, Women’s Day is a reminder of how we got here and how far we still have to go. A lack of balanced representation of women in workplaces is the result of a long history of patriarchy and the business world is still living in the echoes of that. Women’s Day is a call to both women and men to reflect on gender inequality and to search for ways to effectively address the imbalance - we need men to recognise the challenges that women face if that’s ever going to be a reality.
What's your advice to other women rising up in their industries?
Women must be whoever it is that they want to be, and have the freedom to strive for “success” as they’ve defined it for themselves. My advice to young women is to keep showing up, keep practicing, and keep leaning into spaces that make room for you to learn. Prove your value to possible collaborators as well as yourself, and most importantly, take other women up with you.
LYNN WICOMB-LEIBRANDT
#BrewingTheBold, The Maltster / Quality Expert
Can you please give us some background to what you do?
I work at SAB as the External Quality Manager for the Africa Zone. In addition to strong leadership skills, a passion for communication and people are very important in this position. One of my main responsibilities is to engage with key stakeholders and team members and help them focus on the right objectives so we can reach a common goal that benefits us all.
I’m committed to driving women empowerment both in the workplace and in my personal capacity. In addition to preparing final year students for the transition from a learning environment to the business world, I also sit as the chairperson of the Department of Chemistry at Tshwane University of Technology where I provide guidance on critical decision making and the integration of a work & learning environment.
What was your first thought when you heard about the Brewing the Bold project?
What a fantastic idea and why have we not done this before! Women have been making and enjoying beer since the beginning of time, and this is a great way to dispel the notion that beer and the beer industry is patriarchal.
What is your role in the Brewing the Bold project?
In addition to providing support and commercial guidance, my role was to function as the interface between SAB and the team, ensuring that the finished product matches the highest quality which our consumers are accustomed to. I must add that it was a privilege working with a team of such inspirational women.
What does Women’s Day represent to you?
It is a time to ask ourselves if we are doing enough to support all women in our society. Relatively few women are in leadership roles, not to mention the extensive gap in pay scales from a gender perspective. We often see communication from companies who have impressive high-level strategies on gender-based equality, but very little about how this is practically integrated, and not enough success stories to validate their strategies.
Although I understand how important Women’s Day is for drawing attention to gender inequality, I still wish for a world where there is no need to celebrate what should really be the norm 365-days of the year.
What's your advice to other women rising-up in their industries?
Build relations with successful women, both within and outside your industry, who can support you in various functions in the business environment. Once you’ve set your mind on a career path, your hunger and determination will be the measure of your success. And most importantly, never underestimate your capabilities and never sell yourself short.
SONIA DEARLING
#BrewingTheBold, The Designer
What was your first thought when you heard about this project?
I thought it is an excellent concept, and I jumped at the opportunity to work with this all-women team. The image of beer has become so entrenched as something just for guys, especially here in South Africa. This makes it the perfect vehicle to breakdown and defy these outdated gender stereotypes.
Can you briefly describe your role within the project?
I was tasked with creating the visual language and aesthetic for this very special beer. I drew inspiration from my multi-cultural upbringing and passion for dance and aimed to convey an emotive sense of energy and movement. I was thrilled to be able to contribute my experience in design to this project and loved the camaraderie of the all-women team as we each added our input into the final product.
What does Women’s Day mean to you?
Women’s Day is about honouring the brave women who came before us and who sacrificed so much in their fight for gender equality. And although we can celebrate how far we have come, we mustn’t forget that there is still a long way to go. I think Women’s Day must serve as a reminder to keep moving forward, to know our worth, and to stand up for one another against discriminatory behaviour.
What's your advice to other women to continue rising up in their industries?
Know your worth and remember that whoever you are, right here and right now, you are enough. To achieve true gender equality, we must not only empower ourselves and our fellow women through our everyday behaviour, but it is also our responsibility to raise our sons, educate our brothers and advise our husbands to be advocates of equality.
