Johannesburg, South Africa – August 2024 – On its 6th outing, Momentum's annual #SheOwnsHerSuccess campaign launches with a bang, once again bringing crucial and necessary conversations to South Africans about enabling success for women. Under the impactful theme: My Success By Design, the financial services provider will unpack the importance of challenging the set pathways for women's success and the hurdles they encounter on this journey.
Women continue to face internal and external barriers as they strive to achieve social, occupational and relational success. The World Economic Forum has also stated that it would take another 136 years to close the gender gap – a staggering statistic illustrating that the success of women is a moral and economic imperative.
A global figure who epitomises the advocacy of women's success and is also a keynote speaker at Momentum's annual masterclass workshop series is Suzanne (Susie) Wolff MBE, former professional racing driver and current managing director of F1 Academy. Through her workshop sessions, she will provide tools to support women in stepping into their power and taking charge of writing their own success stories. Despite the challenges, Wolff embodies what it means to design success your own way.
"Women have the potential to achieve great things and reach incredible heights in their careers, lives and communities. It's time we change the old narratives that hold women back from achieving their true potential and create spaces where they can grow, flourish and inspire the next generation of women to do great things too," says Qhawekazi Mdikane, Executive Head of Momentum Brand Marketing.
Momentum's exciting masterclass workshops are a two-day virtual and in-person workshop series on 14 and 17 August.
Inspiring, knowledgeable women who are experts in their fields will also gather to form a powerhouse panel of speakers. Viewers can look forward to a series of introspective and engaging masterclasses, 'fireside chats' and entertainment from the likes of news anchor and owner of Pure Folk Mpho Sithole, legal expert Sinal Govender, and industrial engineer, Sanera Maharaj. This will also include a robust discussion with entrepreneur Makentse Mampeule and UN Resident Coordinator to South Africa Nelson Muffuh on allyship's role in enabling women's success.
The unstoppable success of women in sport
This year, the world celebrates the first Olympic Games in history, where male and female athletes are equally represented. However, when events come to a close and support for female athletes wears off, women in sport return to dealing with the same sobering realities.
Women are fragile, emotional, and less capable. These are just some of the stereotypes imposed on women in sports that are holding them back from progressing in their careers. What's more, a lack of access to resources for success, like financial advice or how to navigate sponsorships and brand collaborations, places women on the backfoot compared to their male athlete counterparts.
The Women Who Make Moves in Sport Summit aims to give women athletes practical tools to manage their brands better to attract lucrative sponsorship deals and learn how to make the most out of their short sporting careers.
Participants can look forward to a riveting line-up of speakers, including an informative dive into what it takes to achieve financial success as a female athlete with sports social media and digital strategist Nqobile Ndlovu. Duma Collective's Sibu Mabena will also share insights on how to build a personal brand and reputation.
Additionally, Harvard Professor Anita Elberse joins the line-up for a second year in a row, where she will take participants through a series of case studies on the world's greatest athletes and how they achieved their success, showcasing how athletes can commercialise their sporting talents.
"South Africa is brimming with incredibly talented female athletes waiting to take their rightful places on the local and global sporting stage, but they need the tools and know-how to get sponsorships and endorsements and drive the journey to success. Understanding how to position themselves as a commercially viable brand is key, and Momentum's Women Who Make Moves in Sport summit is just the platform to help them make that happen," says Mdikane.
"We are excited to have the likes of Susie Wolff and Professor Anita Elberse join our campaign because Momentum is committed to enabling the success of women," added Mdikane.
Women of all backgrounds and professions are invited to attend the two-day event, either in-person or online, and benefit from meaningful and interactive discussions, engaging talks from the industry's best, and a networking opportunity that's not to be missed. Register to attend on the Momentum website.