Terri Maselle says she empowers individuals to become the best versions of themselves through her executive search and consulting company, The Good Human. She guides people to “dream wide awake” and embrace their true potential. “We’re forging meaningful connections and redefining the future of recruitment in the digital, hospitality, property management and development, gaming, and fast moving consumer goods sector, one partnership at a time,” Maselle says. Maselle, a seasoned talent acquisition specialist and sourcer with an established database of contacts, delivers strategic and innovative projects across the human capital-solutions spectrum. She believes she’s found her true purpose in The Good Human and in realising her vision to help others to achieve by helping them to “get unstuck”. Yet, she has faced challenges to getting where she is today. “Losing my first business in 2009 was the hardest thing I have ever experienced as I had 10 members of staff and had to find a way to pay them before I closed down,” she says. “I picked myself up and started over, redefining my brand. Keeping calm and never giving up nor losing sight of my childhood vision, which I believe is a Hashem-given gift, got me through.” Maselle fool-proofs her business by being a “good human”. “Put money away, work towards building annuity revenue, be responsible, give much more than you get, and never lose sight of the vision,” she says. Through The Good Human, Maselle is actively working to empower those working in hospitality and to elevate the industry as a whole through developing The Good Human Onboarding Program. “We’re in the research and development phase, and our initial research indicates a widespread need for service improvement across South Africa,” she says. “We believe that addressing this gap is crucial for the industry’s success.” Maselle is developing this groundbreaking citizenship initiative through collaboration with key brands to create impactful solutions. It’s aimed at South African youth who have completed their secondary education in hospitality and are ready to enter the workforce. Accredited by the Tourism, Hospitality, and Sport Education and Training Authority, the programme offers more than just an entryway into the hospitality industry, it’s a journey of selfdiscovery, empowerment, and transformation. It equips participants to excel in their professional roles and make meaningful contributions to society, Maselle says. “Graduates aren’t just better hospitality professionals, but also compassionate, aware, and engaged citizens of the world, ready to make a lasting impact.” Revealing how she’s evolved on her business journey, Maselle says she worked on herself during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I did seven different 12-step programmes on my addiction to approval, changed my thinking, and started loving and trusting what Hashem has given me since childhood,” she says. “I learned to trust the process to always work out in my favour in Hashem’s time. My hashtag, which I learned during the pandemic, is #faithistheneweconomy. I started becoming my authentic self, and stopped caring about anything other than the childhood vision I had and reimagining what I call ‘humagination’.” Trent Saldsman “I’ve learned that if one wants true success, true achievement, and the ability to better others’ lives, one must be an entrepreneur and make one’s own stamp on this world,” says founder and managing director of The Gold Avenue, Trent Saldsman. “Instead of contributing to other people’s dreams, chase your own.” Offering a premier service for the exchange of luxury goods, The Gold Avenue buys and sells luxury watches, Krugerrands, gold coins, and gold and diamond jewellery. “Offering a contemporary, upmarket, and secure environment distinct from traditional pawn shops, where individuals are safe to sell their hard-earned items for fair and honest pricing, makes us unique,” Saldsman says. “We educate our clientele rather than manipulating them to sell. Long-term relationships, referrals, and peace of mind is key to our success, rather than a quick once-off payout.” In continuing to chart his entrepreneurial path, Saldsman is motivated by his future and his past. “My father abandoned my family, leaving us without any money or assets when I was 16 years old,” he recalls. “I’m therefore driven by relentless ambition to achieve, succeed and ensure that my future children don’t ever have to face the financial challenges I did.” Over the years, Saldsman’s perceptions of success have changed dramatically. “I was the first one in my family to graduate from university. I always believed that getting a degree and doing so in a stand-out manner through graduating cum laude would essentially guarantee a high-paying job with career succession.” Yet he soon realised that entrepreneurship offered even greater potential than climbing the corporate ladder in an established company. However, branching out on one’s own inevitably comes with risks. One of Saldsman’s stand-out business achievements was elevating himself from working as an industrial building caretaker in the Johannesburg CBD to becoming a director and shareholder of a large and successful property company. Yet, deciding to leave said company to start his own business in a completely different sector and making it profitable within 18 months is something he’s equally proud of. Speaking of what inspires him, Saldsman recalls something his mother once told him. “After my father left us, my mother shared a quote that has inspired me throughout: ‘Don’t ever become your circumstances’ victim, but rather a victor. Don’t give anyone that power.’ I decided then and there to never follow my father’s path or use this as an excuse not to succeed because that would be the easy way out.” Aside from living by that philosophy, Saldsman also gained important life lessons from enlisting in the Community Security Organisation (CSO) at the age of 18. “I was troubled and hanging out with the wrong crowd,” he says. “Joining the CSO was a life-changing event. I was interacting with older men, selfless leaders, and contributors to the community. I became relentless in my passion to lead and inspire others in that organisation and in life in general. This not only helped me to remain on the right path, it helped me create my own trail.” Dr Jedd Myers Terri Maselle Jedd Myers is a qualified medical doctor, entrepreneur, executive, investor, and advisor. After graduating from medical school at the University of the Witwatersrand, Myers made the move into the commercial world of healthcare and subsequently attained a Master of Business Administration degree. Over the years, he’s been involved in multiple businesses rooted in his passion to build and deliver large-scale healthcare initiatives that have an impact on hundreds of thousands of lives. “My initial vision was to have a positive impact on thousands to millions of lives simultaneously by owning and influencing a larger part of the healthcare value chain,” he says. “This as opposed to treating patients one on one, although there’s nothing at all wrong with that. Having followed this calling, I remain true to it today.” “Each of my business interests has the intention of activating commercially a health service at scale that has a positive impact on the health and lives of everyone who experiences it,” says Myers. HealthImpact creates integrated and holistic health and wellness solutions for corporate clients, recognising the interconnectedness of physical and mental health for the full spectrum of employee well-being. Through its caring team of carers, nurses, and doctors, Care@Home provides world-class clinical and supportive care at home for individuals who require medical support. HealthMatrix Natural Supplementation and goBu – the world’s first wearable humidifier – are both product-based business offerings. Outside the medical realm, Myers is also a partner in Platinum Services, a family-run corporate travel agency servicing the travel needs of companies and their executives. “Having started out driving nurses in my car from client to client, and then leveraging this grit and passion to build these businesses, gives me a unique perspective and a certain credibility when motivating and inspiring teams,” says Myers. Ultimately, however, the impact he makes through his businesses comes down to ensuring the health of the people he serves. “True validation lies in the lives that we have an impact on, the lives of the executives that we have saved and affected,” says Myers. “There are more than 10 children in this world today who are HIV negative because of how effectively we managed their mothers’ HIV status before, during, and post pregnancy. I’m proud of all these stories.” Over the years, Myers says he’s matured as a leader and business owner. “Becoming a husband and father has also changed my perspective on many things,” he says. “This self-awareness has been key to my management and leadership style. I have always been a people-centric and results orientated leader and the more I understand this, the greater respect I have for the people that work with me. Being empathetic is an extremely valuable character trait as a leader.” Myers is dedicated to uplifting South Africans through his businesses. “Having worked internationally in multiple jurisdictions, I remain bullish on the South African story and its future,” he says. “I believe that if we’re true to our vision as a business and work back from having a positive impact on the lives of the employees we treat, we’ll continue to grow and have a positive impact on our society and country.” • Dr Jedd Myers is also nominated in the Absa Business Leadership category The Eric Ellerine Entrepreneur Award nominees
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