To celebrate Women’s Day, we honour successful women in business and profile Nadine Chetty who founded her own accounting practice and is a true example of women leadership in the workplace. She believes Women’s Month serves as a symbol of what women have endured and fought for, and that it is a reminder to keep believing in what they stand for.

Chetty came from a family that owned small businesses and this inspired her to become an accountant to assist other small businesses to grow. Being self-driven and a problem solver, she saw the accounting industry as the perfect platform to demonstrate her leadership skills, despite having to work much harder than her male counterparts.

Marketing your business

Neluonde built her business from the ground up and firmly believes in using word of mouth to promote her services. “When you make a client happy, that client brings other potential clients to you based on the service you’ve given. It’s the best way to market your business.”

A woman’s place is … wherever she can add value

As a female leader and having served in the industry for eight years, Chetty has discovered how often women are overlooked when it comes to promotion, especially if they have children or want to start a family. Women have many roles to fill and are too often not seen as equals in the world of business.

Chetty believes that it’s essential to have women in the accounting space. “Women inspire other women, which creates a ripple effect in terms of women empowerment and entrepreneurship,” she says.

Different gender, different challenges

Research suggests that women can face different challenges to their male peers in the workplace — challenges that can make it more difficult to access opportunities, networks, resources, and more.

When it comes to being a role model for other young professional women, Chetty says, “I have to set an example for others to learn from. I will always work for what I want and I will always try to reach my goals. By doing this, I hope to inspire women, young and old. I also want to show them that any challenge can be overcome with hard work and determination.”

Inspiration for up-and-coming female professionals

Never doubt your abilities, and always remember that your hardships will make you a stronger woman in the future, says Chetty. “Stand up for your beliefs and your rights,” she adds. “It may be that women have to work harder to succeed, but that success is worth it.

Chetty concludes, “My message to women is from ex Miss South Africa and Miss Universe, Zozibini Tunzi. She said that the most important thing we should teach young girls is leadership. It’s something that has been lacking for a long time, not because we don’t want to teach it, but because of what society has labelled women to be.”

Having managed her own business, namely EComm Accounting Solutions, and being a member of the trainer/writer network of Inuit QuickBooks Online Accounting Software, Chetty is an example of the success that women can achieve in the world of business and is one of many women who fulfil a vital role in inspiring others and instilling hope in the young women of today.