The minute Cassandra Jacobs walks into a room, the energy levels change. This vivacious young woman fizzes with a vitality that fills the space around her with a definite get-up-and-go vibe.
Today’s lifestyle requires us to constantly reinvent and challenge ourselves, something Cassandra is rather adept at doing. “Keeping up with change and going with the flow is so important,” she says. “There is nothing worse than stagnating. You must have a purpose to get up every day, and often that requires the capacity to adapt.” And adapt she has. Born in Pretoria, Cassandra moved to Mbombela when she was two. “After I finished school, I left straightaway to go to Johannesburg,” she says. “I couldn’t wait to explore the hustle and the bustle of the big city. I decided to study business management and marketing, with the idea of climbing the corporate ladder to the very top. My dream was to run my own company. I saw myself in pencil skirts, high heels, beautifully manicured nails … the corporate look to go with the high-flying, big-shot boss, the head of an empire!” She laughs, thinking back.
All dreams begin somewhere, and after completing her studies, Cassandra started doing make-up for MAC, Chanel and Estée Lauder before deciding to move back to Mbombela and start a business with her bestie, Tanya Pretorius. Called QueenB, it kept them on their toes. “QueenB kept us busy, but we loved it,” recalls Cassandra. “We did make-up and hair, and in between I was working for Truworths. I later resigned and got involved with the Pumas, all whilst still doing QueenB. My time at the Pumas was only meant to be for a short while,” she smiles, “I started off as a PA, but the previous CEO always said the most PA thing I ever did was get coffee once in a while!” Cassandra laughs at the memory. “But I was much more than just a PA; I did a bit of everything, including marketing and PR. What was meant to be a short-term thing ended up being eight years – they became like family to me.”
Cassandra and Tanya eventually decided it was time to call it a day with QueenB, and they did their last wedding in December 2020. “We were doing around 42 weddings a year, and if you think that there are only 52 weeks in a year … well, we didn’t have much time off and could never really go anywhere on weekends,” she explains. “But we absolutely loved every single minute of it! Exploring different venues and long road trips with your bestie – what more could you ask for?”
Cassandra’s path took a new turn when a deal the Pumas were negotiating with BMW fell through due to Covid. “I received a call from BMW one day, asking if I would be interested in moving over. I dithered a bit; the Pumas were my comfort zone. The CEO, Marius van Rensburg, is like my wingman. It was hard to contemplate leaving. Soon after, I went away to Cape Town with a few friends, and while there, did a bit of soul-searching and gave some thought to the future. I knew the time was right to make the change,” she said, and she decided to take BMW up on their offer. She hasn’t looked back. “As the customer experience manager, my job is to create the ultimate experience,” she explains. “I ensure that every client or potential one has the best possible experience when dealing with BMW Mbombela. Marketing plays a big role in this, especially when creating brand awareness. It’s a big challenge, but I love it!”
Cassandra is very close to her family. Her elder sister, Gisela, is a solid pillar in her life, and she also spends a lot of time with her parents, Gerald and Loret. Cassandra’s little boy, Landon, is four years old and is the apple of his mum’s eye. While she loves spending time with friends, everyone knows that if Landon can’t go, Cassandra won’t. “My boy is always with me,” she adds. “Wherever I go, he goes – that is just how it is.” She is quick to add that Landon has exactly the same temperament as she does. “We both feed off being busy,” she smiles. “We cannot sit still and need to be on the go all the time.”
It comes as absolutely no surprise that Cassandra loves to run, and intends to start training for the 2022 Iron Man competition. “I try to train five times a week; it’s my sanity, my time to myself,” she says, adding that she has recently also decided to take up golf, as it is something she and Landon can do together as he gets older. Another one of Cassandra’s short-term goals is to learn to scuba dive. “I love the sea and the sun,” she explains, “Landon and I are total water babies. Ballito is my happy place. I could totally be a beach bum surfer babe,” she smiles mischievously.
You would think that with all these plans in the pipeline, there isn’t much time for anything else, but Cassandra hopes to continue her studies next year, going further into digital marketing and brand management, as well as public relations. “After all, that is the way the world is moving now,” she says. “I cannot wait to see what the future has in store. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join BMW Mbombela. BMW is a prestigious brand, and I am super proud to be a part of such a dynamic team. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve in the coming years.”
Photographer: TANYA ERASMUS
