#046 Lessons from a serial entrepreneur | Catherine Wijnberg
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Building businesses that last to drive social change.
This is the fourth episode of the Powerful Women series of On Change, where we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have shattered glass ceilings, defied expectations, and have chosen to lead on their own terms.
This episode features an insightful conversation between Petro du Pisani and Catherine Wijnberg, CEO of Fetola, a serial entrepreneur and adventurer who has built five businesses across three countries.
Catherine reflects on her early life in Zambia, her studies in biochemistry and agriculture, and the pivotal moment at age 27 when she successfully influenced national economic policy. She shares how losing everything in her personal life became the catalyst for launching Fetola in 2006, an organisation dedicated to supporting youth and women entrepreneurs across Southern Africa.
The conversation explores Catherine’s approach to purpose-driven leadership, authenticity, and creating businesses that last. She offers practical insights on avoiding burnout, building thinking capacity in future leaders, and using entrepreneurship as a tool for social justice. Catherine also discusses her research into what developing nations are doing right and how these lessons can inspire global change.
This is the fourth episode of the Powerful Women series of On Change, where we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have shattered glass ceilings, defied expectations, and have chosen to lead on their own terms.
This episode features an insightful conversation between Petro du Pisani and Catherine Wijnberg, CEO of Fetola, a serial entrepreneur and adventurer who has built five businesses across three countries.
Catherine reflects on her early life in Zambia, her studies in biochemistry and agriculture, and the pivotal moment at age 27 when she successfully influenced national economic policy. She shares how losing everything in her personal life became the catalyst for launching Fetola in 2006, an organisation dedicated to supporting youth and women entrepreneurs across Southern Africa.
The conversation explores Catherine’s approach to purpose-driven leadership, authenticity, and creating businesses that last. She offers practical insights on avoiding burnout, building thinking capacity in future leaders, and using entrepreneurship as a tool for social justice. Catherine also discusses her research into what developing nations are doing right and how these lessons can inspire global change.
Chapters
- 00:02 Introduction to Catherine and her entrepreneurial journey
- 01:10 Catherine's childhood dream and early life
- 03:20 First entrepreneurial ventures
- 08:04 The entrepreneurial mindset
- 08:38 Personal loss and the birth of Fetola
- 11:30 The founding of Fetola
- 16:07 Personal growth through leadership
- 20:13 Maintaining values while scaling
- 24:56 Advice to younger self and lessons from struggles
- 27:43 Defining success and future leadership
- 33:12 Mid-career pivots and legacy
- 40:03 Closing thoughts on South Africa's potential
