My Story – lies not in the what’s I’ve done and who I’ve worked for, but in what I do now and how I’ve got here.
When people ask me what I do, I often laugh as I tell them that mostly, I juggle! Between three ‘jobs’, three kids and fortunately for him and me only 1 husband, I’m kept busy.
I facilitate Apple Tree processes; Trade Intelligence FMCG Retail trend workshops and own and manage a chandelier manufacturing business called Abundant African Art (aaart); and my own personal growth and learnings from my involvement in Apple Tree is what allows me to juggle them all successfully.
I joined Apple Tree at the end of 2003, after having been in corporate for 8 years. I came with the background of 2 ½ years in classical marketing at Robertsons Spices; and 5 ½ years at Unilever in Category Management and National Accounts. They had been interesting and challenging years given that if someone had asked me when I was in marketing whether I would be an account manager I probably would have laughed, and yet when the opportunity came up, I jumped at it. And the experience it gave me in selling, negotiating and at times of course conflict management with great ‘old school’ buyers like Dave Smith and Jean Love, would stand me in good stead as I moved on to freelance facilitation, both with Apple Tree and Trade Intelligence.
My desire when I joined Apple Tree was to be involved in something that made a difference to people lives. Interestingly enough, little was I to know then, that mostly it would make a difference to mine. It, with the support of my Apple Tree colleagues has resulted in me:
- Loving & craving exercise , when I’d lived my life with the notion of ‘I’m not good at sport”
- Exploring my lifelong passion for creativity and interior design, to build a whole new business in aaart.
- Learning to love and embrace conflict and diversity. For different points of view are so often two sides of the same coin.
- Learning to ask myself, ‘Can I do it?’ AND ‘Am I passionate about it?’ - For so often my habit has been to say yes because I can, but not necessarily because I want to; – and as a result of this:
I have found balance in my life between my 3 little children, my home and my career; to the extent that I love what I do, I love my life; and am passionate about supporting others in their quest to do the same.
I am inspired by the challenge of adapting to change.
I am passionate about design and patterns in every form – in behaviour, architecture, fabric, landscape and faces
What I love most about my work … is that it doesn’t feel like I’m a bum in a seat. It makes a difference to others and me.
What I love most about living in SA is the warmth of the sun and our people. Our diversity and wide open spaces.
I share my home with Bryn my husband, Payton, Sara and Olivia my 3 little ‘forest folk’ children, 2 dogs, 3 bunnies, a cat and an increasing number of birds with Bryn’s newly made bird feeder.
I ‘try’ to listen to my body and my heart as opposed to my head as I’ve learnt that it invariably leads me in the right long term direction.
I read all sort of books. Mostly I love books about countries and their people. Ie The Last Resort – a book on surviving in Zimbabwe.
I believe in doing what you’re passionate about, and in finding passion in what you do.
You can contact Kerry on kerry@appletreelive.com or call her on 084 547 0207.
