Shining a light on Cape Town entrepreneurs

Jaryd Raizon of The Knowledge Trust won first prize at the Shining Light Awards ceremony, held at the Studeo in Woodstock, Cape Town. This is the second year of the awards, a collaboration between Staffwise and ORT Jet Cape Town, in which businesses submit a 90-second pitch on how they see themselves as a shining light of sustainability, focused on people, profit, and purpose.

“It’s a rigorous process that takes courage from businesses to stand up and be judged, to reflect, and share insights into their daily world,” said Staffwise Career Catalyst Liat Beinart. The final awards ceremony carried prizes to the value of R100 000.

Following close behind Raizon was Sarah Feldman, who not only won the runner-up award but also the hearts and minds of the Zoom audience and the Viewer’s Choice award for her lifestyle fashion range.

Said Raizon, “The Knowledge Trust works at making education more accessible to more people, more sustainable, with a platform that’s used by more than 400 000 people to apply for learning and earning opportunities, skills training, and bursaries. Our mission is purpose before profit. We don’t enter competitions, but the theme for the Shining Light Awards 2021 made so much sense: sustainability, people, purpose, profit. That’s exactly what we do. We live the value of tikkun olam every day, and are so grateful that the positive in what we are doing has been noticed.”

A humble Feldman said her business wasn’t just a fashion brand. “It’s a platform for inspiring and empowering women. I’m loving the fact that I’m able to empower the artisans who are making my bags and shoes.”

This year, the Shining Light Awards was dedicated to the memory of communal leader and philanthropist Eric Samson, who though successful, never forgot about people and purpose.