Faith and Entrepreneurship: Laura's Journey of Resilience
Surviving Against the Odds
In 2020, Laura experienced a stroke while on a business trip to Port Elizabeth, followed by two more strokes in 2022. What makes her story particularly notable is that she didn't recognize the symptoms herself. "It's actually a very funny story," Laura recounted. "I was in absolutely no pain at all. The manager of the guest house actually came to me and said, 'Are you sure you're feeling okay? Your mouth is dripping to one side.'" It was her family's intervention that ultimately saved her life. Her son noticed something was wrong when she stopped responding to WhatsApp messages, prompting her daughter to arrange medical help remotely.
Finding Purpose Through Adversity
Despite partial paralysis that affected her left side, Laura continues to manage her digital publishing business. "I used to type something like ninety words a minute with almost 100% accuracy. Now I tap on my phone with one finger, and I tap on my keyboard with one hand," she explained.
The interview highlighted how having a purpose became critical to her recovery. "One of the things you gotta do is, you have to remember when you've had a stroke, you have to have a purpose to carry on living," Laura shared, noting that doctors had emphasized this to her family.
Empowering Female Entrepreneurs
Laura's business journey began in 2013 after leaving the corporate world. Her main magazine, "Biz Buzz," focuses on highlighting female entrepreneurs and their success stories. She has also published several "Leading Ladies" ebooks featuring successful businesswomen primarily from Africa.
"I would say the very first thing that you do is before you do anything, if you have an idea of a business, pray about it and ask God for guidance," Laura advised listeners considering entrepreneurship.
For International Women's Day this year, Laura published an international edition of her "Leading Ladies" ebook, expanding beyond her usual South African focus. She emphasized that the theme for this year's celebration was "action."
Family as Foundation
Throughout the interview, Laura credited her family as her safety net and support system. Her four children and four grandchildren provide motivation and practical help, with her eldest son stepping in to manage her social media and administrative duties during her hospitalization.
"Family is everything," Laura stated. "God first in everything and then family."
The conversation highlighted how faith and family relationships have shaped Laura's approach to business and life's challenges. She's now working on a new digital magazine featuring stories of stroke and heart attack survivors, hoping to inspire others facing similar health challenges.
As the interview concluded, Laura offered simple but powerful advice: "Believe in yourself and believe in what you can achieve. Ask God's guidance and then just go for it.