Hi! I am Karla, a proudly Capetonian, who left the corporate world to start my own business that has changed my life forever. Here is a bit of background on my career journey so far. Like many people, I was under the impression that once I leave University, I must get a corporate job, settle down, get married and have children, and live happily ever after. While I have settled down, had children, and am living happily ever after, my career journey so far has always been important to me and I have a strong desire to show my girls that I can be a mom as well as a badass business woman. Essentially you can have it all, even though it is HARD.

I started my career at Polyoak Packaging where I was a junior buyer. I realized quickly that this wasn’t necessarily the best fit for me and moved on to the consulting world, where I was employed by Empanda to work on the biggest SAP implementation in the world (at the time) for Shoprite. This is where my project management career kicked off. I stayed at Shoprite and moved on to working on the Xtra-Savings project for Checkers.

After a successful implementation at Checkers, I was craving a different challenge and I moved into product development at Cape Herb and Spice. I loved this job, designing gifting products from start to finish – there is nothing as satisfying as seeing a product you came up with on the shelves at Woolworths. We exported the majority of our gifting offerings, which was great exposure into how the rest of the world operates in the retail space.

I then fell pregnant and decided to take some time off to enjoy this phase of my life. This was also the time that I started Selective Fans and The Trendy House and I thought I could do it all at this point. With the help of my family connections as well as a super supportive husband, I used the network to start importing ceiling fans, which you can view here. My journey into the realm of home interiors began as a project manager collaborating with Ross on property flips.

It was during this transformative experience that I discovered my profound passion for the intricate world of interior design. We explored countless magazines and websites, drawing inspiration from diverse sources to infuse each property with a unique aesthetic appeal. Our collection is carefully curated to offer a diverse range of products that cater to various tastes and preferences. It was a slow start and I realized I needed childcare to put all my effort into building this business.

At this point, I got approached to go back to consulting, and the offer I received, I couldn’t refuse. Luckily I was working remotely at Al Shaya and I was able to learn an incredible amount from working for an offshore company, working with people all around the world, and working on an Oracle implementation for brands such as H&M, Starbucks, and Victoria Secret. It was an opportunity of a lifetime and I grabbed it with guns blazing. I was still building Selective Fans at the same time and was enjoying the intricacies of both worlds. 

I fell pregnant with my second daughter and decided to take another career break. It just so happened that my contract was coming to an end at the same time that I would go on maternity leave and let’s get real – no one is going to employ a 7-month pregnant person. It was also a great opportunity for me to pour in many hours that were needed to grow Selective Fans. I had also started The Trendy House during this time, which has been a lot harder than expected. The idea I had, I still feel is awesome but furniture is challenging and a lot more difficult than I expected in all honesty. I will get to this another day.

So that is my career journey so far.

I am now still building Selective Fans, continuously working on developing new ideas and innovative products to keep the brand fresh and forward-thinking. Alongside that, I’m always open to exploring fresh opportunities. I’m also available for additional consulting work, so if my expertise aligns with your brand’s vision and you believe I can contribute valuable insights or guidance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to collaborate and help drive your business forward (contact me). Let’s connect and make great things happen!

I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I love writing it.

day.