BACKSTORY: Lerato Songelwa of Hill+Knowlton Strategies South Africa

What’s your top tip for doing a deal?  

Two words: common ground. I believe the best deal makers tend to be the ones who truly listen to the other side. However, you must be prepared to play poker with the other side and walk away if the terms of the deal aren’t to your liking.

What was your first job? 

My first full-time job was a PR and media assistant for a local luxury fashion brand.

How much was your first pay cheque, and how did you spend it? 

I believe it was R3,800. I took my mom and dad out for dinner (which I was finally able to pay for) to celebrate.

What is the one thing you wish somebody had told you when you were starting out? 

Take time to get a deeper understanding of your strengths and weaknesses, then play to your talents. You are never going to be great at everything.

If you could fix only one thing in SA, what would it be? 

Inequality in society. Many of our social ills are due to inequality: unemployment, poor access to education, financial mismanagement, crime, and poor health care and legal care — you name it.

What’s the most interesting thing about you that people don’t know? 

I’m a strong believer in astrology.

What’s the worst investment mistake you’ve made? 

I bought a property in the township for a below-market price due to its poor condition, thinking I could fix it up and sell it for a profit. I spent more than anticipated and struggled for a long time to get off the market.

What’s the best book you’ve read this year/in the past six months and why did you like it? 

It must be Michelle Obama’s personal memoir — Becoming. It’s truly mesmerising how she tells her life story.

What is the hardest life lesson you’ve learnt so far?

 The importance of patience. In life, you’ll have to wait for a lot of things without feeling negative.

 If you were President Cyril Ramaphosa, what would you change, or do, tomorrow? 

My biggest anxiety right now is the safety of women and children. So strengthening the criminal justice system and police services would be of utmost importance.