Rouxnette Groenewald is a women with a love for the artistry and craft of traditional leather products. Business is in her blood and she embraces her passion with style and elegance.
Rouxnette Groenewald was born and raised in Springs. She went to Stellenbosch to study cheffing and event management and ended off her tertiary studies with a Bcom in Marketing.
‘I then married my high school sweetheart and moved to Heidelberg where I proceeded to pursue a few business ventures,’ said Rouxnette.
She opened a coffee bar and a year after that a spa, which she later sold to solemnly focus on Swish and Swank. She is a proud mother of three and her youngest is three months old. ‘Motherhood is the most beautiful chaos and the most challenging and rewarding chapter of my life,’ highlighted the driven business woman.
Being a wife, mother and business woman can be a lot to balance and Rouxnette highlights that she barely balances it at all. ‘Something always has to give. There is always an area in my life that I neglect seasonally. You can have it all, but not all at once. I prioritise factors in my life according to which area needs me most in that season.’
With three children, Rouxnette and her husband do not go out much but they have a holiday home in the Vaal which they enjoy very much, spending summers at the dam. Rouxnette’s absolute favourite place on earth is the Kruger National Park. ‘We spend a few days every year there and it really fills my soul. My heart is so in love with Africa and all it has to offer,’ she said.
Celebrating women
For Rouxnette, being a strong, independent woman means being able to choose where to spend her time and energy. ‘My family fulfills me as well as my relationship with Jesus which I value dearly,’ she said.
She believes women should be celebrated because for many years women
have been put into boxes and have been underestimated. ‘We have spent too much time in the background making sure everyone else is set up for success
without ever taking credit for anything.’ Rouxnette further added: ‘The wonderful thing about women is that we give the world to those we love without ever expecting anything in return. That should be celebrated. The selfless sacrifices of women globally.’
She empowers herself and other women by always encouraging the act of kindness. ‘As Proverbs 16;24 says: ‘Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.’’
How will you be celebrating Women’s Month (August)?
To celebrate Women’s Day, the entire month of August is dedicated to focusing on Swish and Swank’s women clients.
‘We’re launching ultra-feminine goods and celebrating the female staff members that we have by praising them for who they are on all our platforms.’
Thriving in business
Rouxnette wanted to start a collection that was the epitome of fashion and luxe; something that clients can invest in that will make them feel worthy without post-purchase regret – in essence, something that will last them a lifetime.
‘That is how I decided to start a range that is stitched all by hand.’
Swish and Swank was founded in 2015. ‘It was born out of desperation to leave the family business. I felt that I would die a slow death if I had to continue work in an uncreative corporate environment,’ she said. She then thought about what industry fascinates her and she chose leather, for more reasons than she can explain.
‘Leather is just such a storyteller in itself. If you look at all the little marks and scratches on a hide, you can truly see and understand the fullness of life that the animal endured. You can see life, and that can now carry on when creating a garment out of it.’
Rouxnette was also inspired by the fact that she always knew she had to be self-employed in order to have the freedom to one day raise her children and ‘be as present as I possibly can.
‘For the first few years of business I barely made money. I was forced many times to rethink whether it was viable or not and to strategise how I can carry on with the venture without much capital. I started Swish and Swank with money loaned from my credit card,’ she emphasized.
One of the biggest challenges Rouxnette faced was when she found out that the lifespan of a machine sewed bag is not as long as the piece of leather deserves. So she decided to go the route of hand-stitching.
‘It’s truly such a difficult and timely route of manufacturing but that is what sets us apart today. The entire process is done by hand and because of that, our bags are certified for life,’ said Rouxnette passionately.
Through perseverance and consistency Rouxnette has overcome all challenges. Even when she sees no traction and little growth, she believes that you have to keep pushing and keep going. ‘Break through those walls,’ she said.
Swish and Swank also donates to Hanna charity on a monthly basis. The charity supports children and families in need. Each R5 feeds a family member. ‘We are proud to say that we have helped feed thousands of people through Hanna’s amazing organisation.”
Her advice to other women is: ‘Give yourself double the time you think it will take to succeed before measuring your success. Do not only measure success by profit. Never forget why you started the business in the first place and if it wasn’t because of a burning passion, then it will not be sustained in tough times.’
Off the cuff:
- Sunshine vs rain?
Rainy days all the way
- Indoors vs outdoors?
Outdoors
- Travel, food or art?
Travel
- Currently on your playlist?
Spoegwolf, all of the albums. On repeat
- Pet peeves?
The word ‘baby’ if it’s not intended to refer to an actual baby.
- The last thing on your bucket list?
Walking the Pondo Trail in KZN
Text: DESNAY PETERSON. Photo: Anneri from Basque Imagery
