MIDDELBURG – The Perfume Co. Africa brought together independent business leaders, managers and directors for its second annual Sales and Leadership Summit, aimed at strengthening entrepreneurship, developing leadership skills and creating economic opportunities for women and young people.
The summit, held from 30 October to 2 November 2026 at Olifants River Lodge in Middelburg, gave participants an opportunity to sharpen their business skills, share experiences and explore ways to grow their businesses.
According to the company's CEO, Bathabile Moreki, the summit was introduced to address the need for leadership development as its network of independent distributors continued to grow.
"As our distribution network grew, we saw that many people who were good at selling were also being called on to lead teams. Those are two different skills. We started the summit to give our managers and directors time to work on those leadership skills and learn from one another," Moreki said.
She said the programme focused on sales, leadership and team development, helping participants improve customer relationships while learning how to manage and motivate their teams.
Moreki also highlighted the importance of self-leadership, echoing a message shared by Moekoa Karabo during the summit: "Leadership starts with you."
The summit also focused on creating business opportunities for women and young people through the company's independent distribution network, where individuals can sell fragrance products and build their own customer base.
Moreki said the opportunity was not only about earning an income but also gaining practical business experience.
"Learning how to speak to a customer, track what you spend and follow up after a sale gives you experience you can carry into other areas of business," she explained.
For participant Nombulelo Thibile, the summit was another milestone in her entrepreneurial journey.
After previously working in a shop, she decided to start selling perfumes despite criticism and difficult working conditions.
Thibile recalled spending her days selling perfumes on the streets without a gazebo, working from Monday to Saturday while exposed to the sun, rain and dust.
Despite being laughed at and discouraged, she refused to give up on her business.
She said joining the company had changed her life, allowing her to move from a small back room into a bigger home, buy furniture and travel to places such as Dubai and Durban.
Business and strategy coach Ntando Maseko encouraged participants to learn from successful entrepreneurs rather than relying only on their own methods.
"Do not become so attached to your own methods that you close yourself off to new ideas. Study those who have already succeeded, ask questions and learn from their experiences," Maseko said.
Skills development practitioner and leadership coach Lesego Tau also challenged participants to examine how they lead, make decisions and take responsibility for their business growth.
"Leadership is not about what you demand from your team, but what you demonstrate through your own actions. As leaders, we must be willing to examine ourselves, take responsibility and lead by example," Tau said.
Away from the training sessions, participants had an opportunity to network, build relationships and take part in recreational activities.
Looking ahead, Moreki said she wanted to see more women and young people grow from independent sellers into established business owners who could also mentor others.
"I want to see more women and young people who start out selling our products go on to run established businesses and develop other entrepreneurs," she said.
Through the annual summit, The Perfume Co. Africa hopes to equip its distributors with the skills and confidence to grow their businesses while creating more opportunities for women and young people to participate in the economy.
