Fulfilling the fun factor

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Entrepreneur, inspirational speaker, outdoor enthusiast … Kloof’s Adele Benvie loves people and enjoying life to the full.

Energised by those around her, Adele Benvie’s motto in life is ‘If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life’ and that’s exactly what she does.

As a mom of two active teens, Connor and Erin, and wife to her equally entrepreneurial husband, Greg, Adele is infectious … she’s happy, humble and a hopeless coffee lover, never shy with a smile. On the work field, she has devoted her life, locally and internationally, to equipping people and businesses with the means to discover their true potential.

‘‘I love seeing people happy and I love doing things with purpose… things that make a difference in the world. I’ve had a pretty interesting life, from working for a gynaecologist to selling switchboards; everything I did had to have meaning behind it. Not only did I believe in what I was doing or selling, but I also believed in helping others do the same… do the best for their business. That’s how the bug bit.’’

Photograph: Penny Katz Photography, Hair and make-up: Accentuate Hair and Makeup

Today Adele is the founder of The Success Company, which turns 21 this year, as well as Epic Life 101 (which launched during lockdown) and there is never a dull day in the boardroom, out on the road or in the Benvie household.

‘‘From talking high level strategy to taking people on crazy walks to do things they never would have imagined, no day should ever be wasted and no person should ever be without work or the motivation and purpose to be great.’’

Since she believes wholeheartedly that business impacts lives, this is the core of everything Adele does. Through The Success Company, she focusses on corporates and business strategy, team building and leadership.

‘‘If we can help corporates to stay successful, we can help people stay employed – that alone drives me.’’

Epic Life 101 is business coaching for the entrepreneur. ‘‘We show them how to  get their business  to give them time and money, so that they can have an epic life – the unashamedly balanced life – and have an impact on the world. We do loads of good stuff.’’

From getaways that rejuvenate the soul to magnificent walks to local waterfalls, Adele says the idea is to encourage those who want to improve to get out of their comfort zones or ruts… to stop, breathe, reflect, to push their own mental and physical boundaries, to have honest conversations with themselves and other like-minded individuals, and to start loving their entrepreneurial journeys.

Photograph: Penny Katz Photography, Hair and make-up: Accentuate Hair and Makeup

‘‘It’s kind of like being on a rollercoaster ride. Some days you’re on your way to the top, screaming with delight and others, you are on the way down screaming with fear. The point is you need to face your fears in order to get up there in the first place and then brace yourself coming down. You either decide that ride is not for you and swap it for another, or you get back on and do it again with more fierceness in you. It’s the same with work. We can’t succeed without trying.’’

While weekdays are manic with work commitments and teenagers who have their own share of extramural passions like horse riding and motocross, Adele says weekends are strictly for family time.

‘‘One of the first things I said to Greg when we got married was that I didn’t need things, I needed memories.’’

As a family they prioritise birthday weekends and go away every six to eight weeks because they believe in making memories. Once a year (every year without fail) they go to the Kruger National Park, a tradition that Adele has carried down through generations.

‘‘The best thing for me is sitting together as a family and laughing and sharing – whether that’s camping in the berg, cheese and crackers in the park down the road or toasting marshmallows at home on the braai.’’

As an avid wildlife and ocean life fanatic, Adele loves exploring, travelling and making most of every day afforded to her. She’s usually always armed with her Canon 650D or her iPhone to capture moments that are worth reliving when they need the reminders most.

Photograph: Penny Katz Photography, Hair and make-up: Accentuate Hair and Makeup

‘‘Living in Kloof – we used to live near the beach in Amanzimtoti – I miss being close to the sea, but I’m changing all that as I’ve just signed up at Point Water Sports Club. I enjoy scuba diving and I want to get the kids into snorkelling and at Vetch’s Pier there’s so much to explore. Beach or bush, they are both my happy places.’’

Something else she enjoys is a home workout and the chance to bond with Erin through their favourite online fitness movement JEFF (Johno’s eFitness Faculty), pioneered by Johno Meintjes who helped South Africans keep fit during the lockdown.

‘‘JEFF was a game-changer for us. It works for my lifestyle – it’s super flexible which means I can get fit at home or in a hotel room when I’m on the go. Pair that with some good music (anything happy, meaningful, upbeat and faith-related) and I am armed with the best destress tools when I need them.’’

As for marvellous March, Adele calls this her champagne season.

‘‘It’s a month of pink and blue skies, silver seas, beautiful sunsets and watching people enjoy the outdoors.  For so many, lockdown became more than just a restriction to getting out and about. It became a lockdown of the mind, and so I think it’s vital that we all learn to love life again. Get out, enjoy yourself (safely of course), have no regrets, make memories and live an epic life.’’

Details: adelebenvie.com

Photograph: Penny Katz Photography, Hair and make-up: Accentuate Hair and Makeup

Top 10 tips on how to live an epic life as an entrepreneur/ business owner:

  • Get your business to work for you, not you for it.
  • Implement the Epic Money Model, i.e. multiple streams of retainer income in international currency, if you want time and money from your business.
  • Say No to anything that is not in line with you living your epic life.
  • Save and stash enough to cover 3 to 6 months’ worth of business and personal expenses . . . that’s called ‘peace of mind’.
  • Live the unashamedly balanced life – never feeling guilty for taking time out for yourself and doing things you love doing.
  • Treasure your health. You only get one vehicle in which to fulfil your life’s purpose.
  • Plan and book your holidays at the beginning of the year. Always have something to look forward to.
  • Become a tourist in your own town and enjoy new things even when you are not on holiday.
  • Every area of your life involves people. Prioritise people and relationships.
  • Have exceptional amounts of fun!  When you love your life, it makes all the hard work and sacrifices worth it!

CREDITS:

Photograph: Penny Katz Photography, pennykatzphotography.myportfolio.com, 083 214 0692, Hair and make-up: Jacqui Trinder, Accentuate Hair and Makeup, 079 541 2551, www.professionalmakeupartist.co.za.

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