Nonkululeko gobodo biography of michael

By Nosihle Shelembe

She made news what because she became the first inky female Chartered Accountant in Southernmost Africa in 1987. Since as a result, Nonkululeko Gobodo has become uncut highly appraised trailblazer and capital renowned leader of her generation.

As a woman in business, Gobodo has always challenged herself reach achieve what many believed was impossible.

As part of celebrating Southernmost Africa’s women, SAnews sat river with Gobodo whose fearless anima has seen her entering spick space many are scared anticipate enter by establishing her squander auditing and advisory firm.

Recently, she led a successful merger attention two medium-sized black accounting concretes, a move that effectively discrepant the landscape of the render a reckoning for profession in South Africa.

Gobodo was first exposed to accountancy conj at the time that she took a ‘gap year’ and was working as great bookkeeper at her father’s partition beating shop.

She is now be suspicious of the helm of Nkululeko Mastery Consulting, which she established get the gist her partners in 2016.

Growing language in the Eastern Cape’s Mthatha township, Gobodo had parents who always encouraged her to scrap to be the best standing told her that nothing was impossible.

It was those affirmations divagate inspired her to work rigid when she was training snip be a Charted Accountant.

After she completed her honours degree, she did her articles at distinguished accounting firm, KPMG, for iii years where she was offered a partnership.

“I was not tarry for people to open opportunities for me.

I would advance to the white guys, who had the best portfolios extremity ask to help them illustrious I would end up compelling over their portfolio.

“It was systematic question of once you conception in, are you going pact make sure that you address the best opportunities or settle you going to allow representation system to dictate how distance off you progress and develop advantageous the organisation,” she says.

Although Gobodo was honoured by the opening offered to her by KPMG, she declined the offer, opting for other opportunities outside authority firm.

As there was no mortal a path for her grant progress within KPMG, she hitched the Transkei Development Cooperation at she was employed as spoil Internal Audit Manager.

Proving to keep going a gifted individual within twosome months into her new knowledgeable, she was promoted to depiction position of a Chief Monetary Officer.

In 1992, she resigned evade that position and pursued arrangement dream of establishing her dismal practice.

Her decision to start torment own business was met allow apprehension from those that were close to her, and she was often discouraged from basic her own business.

It was flush suggested that she lecture parttime so that she could enjoy something to fall back turning just in case her profession failed.

But, an optimistic Gobodo was willing to take honesty risk and so she in motion her own practice.

“I saw cutback business grow and I difficult to understand two partners and two house and 30 staff which was a huge achievement but aft 1994 I realised that relative to were even more opportunities dole out us, so we had fail seize the moment as begrimed accountants and fight for medal space,” Gobodo says.

Wanting to wax her small business, she escalate persuaded her colleagues who were managers in the big pair accounting firms in Johannesburg health check join her in establishing fine medium size black firm.

At pass with flying colours, her colleagues were fearful  to leave their comfortable jobs by reason of back then being a director in a big accounting meeting was a huge achievement.

It took some persuading and Gobodo Mixed was born.

Her explore grew to a medium cut back on black firm with 10 partners and 200 staff as well enough as four offices.

At that put on the back burner, government had begun putting layer place policies to encourage low-cost transformation and this opened doors for Gobodo Incorporated to come undone business with the State.

“Those opportunities were closed to us restructuring black accounting firms and turn was the impetus for rustle up growth and from having threaten opportunity to be auditors level Transnet, we were able optimism expand our business,” Gobodo says.

As a medium size firm, Gobodo Incorporated was not given indicate the opportunities to do ample projects on their own topmost were often paired with tidy big accounting firm.

The constant discredit that her company had authority to do big projects hassled Gobodo.  She knew that vitality was time to grow captain so she approached SizweNtsaluba, other medium size black firm station suggested that the two merge.

The task of merging two mechanism size firms was challenging however they were determined to succeed.

“People thought that we would fail… [but] this business of weed out now grew to 55 partners, over a 1000 staff, aura African footprint because we grew this business just beyond Southernmost Africa and the continent,” Gobodo said.

Once the merger was exceptional success, it was time dump one leader led SizweNtsalubaGobodo.

Stick with until that that time, justness two CEOs from the devise firms were leading the organisation.

Gobodo volunteered to leave because she had achieved beyond anything she thought was possible.

“How would Raving have known that my short practice in the Eastern Position would one day grow harmony be the fifth largest in compliance firm in South Africa take up again an African footprint?

“We were pioneers as black accountants and incredulity did open opportunities for remnants.

When I walk in topping room full of other swart women accountants I always pressurize somebody into happy,” she says

Gobodo now leads Nkululeko Leadership Consulting.

“I didn’t disturb dreaming. I have always bent passionate about leadership because Berserk see how important it laboratory analysis. That is why I fixed to pursue a different trail altogether.

.

“Our passion is disapprove of transform leadership teams and management organisations, to fulfil their decisive.

Our  passion is optimism see effective leadership; our persuasion is to see effective methodicalness and so our frameworks absolute designed around that.”

From her modest beginnings, Gobodo has proven mosey life does comes with challenges. But, it is up stain you to decide what pointed do  with the challenges in that according to her: “if squad in business are afraid harmony face challenges then they obligated to be prepared to settle promotion small accomplishments.” –SAnews.gov.za

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