Creating an empowering platform for women to connect and share their stories- Nkateko Mabindisa.

On this beautiful Spring edition, we speak to a powerhouse, a true women empowerment champ, she is the COO of  Vuyo’s Funeral Services, Founder and creative director of NBME and visionary behind HER BRUNCH Nkateko Mabindisa. We talk to her about all things women empowerment, business, self love and mentorship.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: What inspired you to create Her Brunch and turn it into a women empowerment platform?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: Her Brunch was born from a deeply personal space one of both longing and obedience. For years, I felt a stirring to create a space that wasn’t transactional, but transformational. A space for women to take off the masks, loosen the amour, and just breathe without judgment, without performance. I’ve sat in many rooms where I didn’t feel seen, where my power made others uncomfortable, or where I had to shrink to fit.

So I asked myself: “What would it look like to create a space where women are not only seen but truly held?” That’s where Her Brunch was born in the quiet conviction that our stories carry power, and when we gather with purpose and intention, something sacred happens.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: As a CEO and visionary, what personal challenges shaped the way you lead and empower others?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: Leadership for me was never handed on a silver platter. It was shaped through real life through broken moments, through loss, through being overlooked, through being misunderstood. I’ve had to unlearn perfectionism, survive betrayal, and rebuild my confidence in spaces where I was expected to stay small.

But those challenges refined me. They taught me to lead with empathy, not ego. They reminded me that power isn’t in how loud you speak, but in how deeply you listen. I’ve learned to lead from a place of wholeness to create environments where people feel safe to be human, not just productive.

I empower others by leading with truth, transparency, and tenderness and by giving them permission to lead themselves, too.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: How do you define women empowerment in today’s society, and what does it personally mean to you?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: Women empowerment today must go beyond slogans and surface-level inclusion. For me, it’s about liberation the freedom to show up fully, as you are, in every room you step into. It’s about the reclamation of your voice, your value, your body, your identity.

Personally, it means creating tables where women don’t just get a seat they shape the conversation. It means mentoring other women without feeling threatened. It means leading in heels, tears, and truth and knowing that’s still valid.

It’s not about making women strong we already are. It’s about reminding them they’ve always been enough.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: What is the ultimate goal you want Her Brunch to achieve for women who attend?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: The ultimate goal is transformation. I want women to walk away feeling lighter emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. I want them to leave with more clarity, confidence, and connection than they came with.

But more than that, I want women to walk away with a quiet inner knowing that: “I am not alone.” That’s what makes Her Brunch different it’s not a stage-and-chairs event. It’s a sacred encounter. A place where something in you shifts, even if you can’t quite explain it. That’s the goal.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: How do you measure the success of an empowerment event like this beyond attendance numbers?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: For me, success sounds like a woman whispering, “I didn’t even know I needed this.”
It looks like healing in the eyes, the posture, the breath.
It feels like silence when words fall short because something sacred happened.
Of course, we track RSVPs, engagement, and logistics but the true measure is in the afterglow. It’s in how women carry the experience into their homes, businesses, and relationships. It’s in the ripple effect.
If one woman leaves with her head lifted a little higher, we’ve succeeded.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: How do you ensure inclusivity so that Her Brunch empowers women from different backgrounds and walks of life?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: Inclusivity is not a nice-to-have it’s a non-negotiable. From the guest list to the panel to the music to the food Her Brunch reflects the diversity of the women we serve. I intentionally curate with different ages, industries, body types, faith journeys, and cultural experiences in mind.

We also amplify guest-owned businesses through our service directory, which ensures visibility for women who are often overlooked in more mainstream spaces. At Her Brunch, you don’t have to be “famous” to be valued. You just have to be real.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: What role do mentorship and collaboration play in the growth of women leaders?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: Mentorship changes lives. And collaboration? That’s where the magic is. When women stop competing and start co-creating, mountains move. I’ve had mentors who challenged me, affirmed me, and called out the leader in me before I could see her myself.

And I’ve learned that collaboration doesn’t dilute your power it multiplies it. There’s something deeply healing about women supporting each other without pretense or performance. That’s the kind of leadership I believe in collective power.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: What advice would you give to young women who are still trying to find their voice or their place in the world?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: Your voice is not too much. Your presence is not too loud. You don’t have to apologize for existing with power, softness, or questions.

You will evolve. Let yourself. Take the pressure off. The world will try to define you but you get to write the final draft. Stay rooted in your truth, even if it changes. And remember: you don’t have to find your place you can create it.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: What is your dream for women in Africa?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: My dream is for African women to walk freely in boardrooms, in politics, in art, in business, in motherhood and to do so without shame, fear, or compromise. I dream of a continent where our daughters grow up knowing their worth is not negotiable. Where our stories are archived, celebrated, and used to build.

I want African women to know they are more than their trauma. That joy, rest, and softness are also part of our inheritance. And I want us to create spaces that are not just safe but sacred.

CAROB MAGAZINE AFRICA: If you could leave women with one lasting message today, what would it be?

NKATEKO MABINDISA: You are not broken, you are becoming.
There is power in your pause. Wisdom in your wounds. Grace in your growth.
You are already enough, not one promotion, relationship, title, or degree away.
Your story is your superpower. Own it. Honor it. And never be afraid to rewrite the parts that no longer serve the woman you’re becoming.