Woman in Law Interview with Zimasa Qolohle Mabuse

Zimasa Qolohle Mabuse is the Head of Legal, Compliance & Risk at Yalu Pty Ltd, a black-owned insuretech & fintech startup. She holds an LLB and LLM in Corporate Law. She is also the founder of The Corporate Canvas – an award-winning contemporary magazine for young professionals.

Zimasa’s achievement include being featured in Destiny Magazine’s “Top 40 Game Changers Under 40” issue in November 2015, winning the McKinsey & Company Next Generation Women Leaders Award in January 2016, and being a Key Speaker & Guest of Honour at the McKinsey Next Generation Women Leaders Dinner 2017. In August 2018, Zimasa was featured in True Love’s “Class of 2018” Women’s Month issue as a leader in her field. 

Below is the interview between For Women in Law (FWIL) and Zimasa Qolohle Mabuse (ZM)

FWIL:

What inspired you to study law?

ZM:

After being accepted to 3 Universities and struggling with deciding whether I should study Law at Wits or Journalism at Rhodes, my Mom helped me realise that my strengths lay in Law and that it was an evergreen profession that would allow me to branch off into many different fields (I could still branch off into legal writing and editing for example but couldn’t necessarily use journalistic skills to branch into Law). I am so glad I made the decision as I have been able to succeed with my Law degree, while simultaneously being recognised for my journalistic traits.

FWIL:

Why did you choose to go straight into corporate, instead of going the attorney or advocate route?

ZM:

The short answer is that I knew from 1^st year that I would not go into practice. I could just feel it. The longer answer is that, when 4^th year came around & I witnessed my peers applying to do their Articles, I struggled to do the same. I probably knew deep down that it was not meant for me. So, I spoke to my parents and asked that they allow me to study my Masters in Law [LLM] before making a final decision. During my LLM studies it occurred to me that outside of being a legal professional, what I wanted more was to be a businesswoman, whatever that looked like. And I believed that going into Corporate and learning skills within a large corporation would be what I needed. So once again I chatted to my Mom and divulged that I wanted to go into corporate. My parents have played a large role in my career trajectory. My mother sent me a few links to Grad Programme applications and since I saw it as the best way to enter corporate, I applied. I will never stop believing it was the greatest career decision of my life.

FWIL:

To anyone thinking about taking the same route as you, what is your best advice?

ZM:

It will sound like fluff – but listen to the voice that is telling you to go a different direction – that is your intuition advising you that you are meant to stand out in this world. Then, go out there and outwork everyone you know. In every possible way. The success will follow.

FWIL:

You are the Head of Legal and Compliance at YALU, is this a position you’ve always seen yourself in? if so, what intentional steps did you take in order to get there?

ZM:

While still working at a large corporate, I knew that I wanted to work in a fresh, new and forward-thinking company. I knew that my next role would be in a tech or any other well-respected start-up, and so when the opportunity arose, I took it. I would say it was a case of opportunity meeting hard work. Oh, and coupled with a great online profile too.

FWIL:

Tell us about The Corporate Canvas. How did it come about?

ZM:

I started the The Corporate Canvas [IG: @thecorporatecanvas] in my second year of working in corporate after realising that I felt lost, with no one guiding and helping me with navigating corporate. I found that many of my friends and colleagues felt just as lost as I did, and so, coupled with my love for writing, I decided to start a blog focused on the young, corporate professional.

FWIL:

As a black woman in law, have you experienced gender and race-related bias? Please tell us about the challenges, if any, that you have faced.

ZM:

Yes. I have been in a position where I had the exact same role/title and job responsibilities as a white female, yet still earning far less than they were. Long story short, I addressed it. Although, my salary was eventually increased, it did not match theirs, and as a result it was one of the reasons why I left the company.

FWIL:

What does being an alpha female mean to you and would you describe yourself as one?

ZM:

Alpha female def: a powerful and successful woman.

By that definition, every woman is an alpha female.

FWIL:

Do you identify as a feminist? (Why/why not)

ZM:

Yes. I do not see women as equal to men. I see them as superior. 

FWIL:

What does women empowerment mean to you?

ZM:

Growing up, my Dad never wanted my sister and I to perform domestic housework. This would cause fights between my parents as my Mom would believe my Dad was spoiling us. He always used to say that he was bending over backwards to send us to good schools, so that we can become business and career-building women. In summary, it is my father who taught me women empowerment; that a woman’s place was where she wanted it to be – be it the boardroom or elsewhere. Today I believe that women empowerment is the ability to choose a platform that fulfils you most, and to be given the opportunity to unearth the skills that are required for that desired platform.

FWIL:

The journey of a legal professional is not always easy. What are some of the lessons you have learned along the way and how have they shaped your outlook on life?

ZM:

I received a lot of criticism and demeaning commentary when I made the decision to not go into practice from some of my peers. So, I have personally had to learn to be steadfast in my decisions, work hard and not place reliance on anybody to make my career dreams come true. Because I was told that my career options would be limited and that my success would hit a ceiling without Articles, it shaped me into a woman who aggressively goes after what she wants; somebody who is independent and meticulously crafts her success.

FWIL:

What advice would you give to the modern career woman?

ZM:

To surround yourself with hardworking, successful individuals who genuinely care about you and your career.

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FWIL:

What is your best career self-care tip?

ZM:

To not work when on holiday/leave and to not link my work email to my cell phone. When it’s time to switch off, it’s time to switch off.

FWIL:

Have you ever had to bounce back from a career mistake? If yes, what happened and how did you bounce back?

ZM:

Fortunately, I have yet to find myself in a position where I needed to bounce back from a career mistake.

FWIL:

What recent change/amendment in the law has caught your attention? (Do you agree with the change? Why/why not)

ZM:

I cannot emphasise enough how critical the recent SCA judgement in favour of Lerato Sengadi is. It is the law’s way of recognising how illtreated women in traditional settings and homesteads are and is a welcomed way of putting an end to their oppression.

FWIL:

How do you meet other professionals and what are some of your effective networking skills?

ZM:

To be honest, I am an outgoing individual who meets people everywhere she goes, so I don’t necessarily pick out professionals per se. Meeting professionals and influential people occurs as a result of me being a person who is receptive to making new friends and acquittances. However, I do utilise social media effectively and I believe that used correctly, social media can be one of the greatest ways of meeting and forging true and genuine connections with other notable professionals, who will in turn open doors for you if you ensure that you craft a pristine online profile.

FWIL:

What books have you read that have greatly influenced your life?

ZM:

• The Richest Man in Babylon [by George S Clason]
• Barking up the Wrong Tree [Eric Barker]
• Outliers [Malcom Gladwell]
• The Four Agreements [Don Miguel Ruiz]
• 491 Days [Winnie Madikizela-Mandela]

And many others but those have been the most impactful

FWIL:

What’s a quote that you live by?

ZM:

I live by Napoleon Hill’s famous quote: “You become what you think about most of the time”

FWIL:

What is your take on mentorship and are you open to mentoring young lawyers or law students?

ZM:

I am currently mentoring one young lady whom I’ve been mentoring for the past 3 years. She is a legal advisor at one of the Big 5 banks. I am not taking any other mentees at the moment as it allows me to give my full love, attention and energy to her.

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FWIL:

How can people reach out to you? (social media handles)

ZM:

The best way is to contact me via my LinkedIn profile and to send me a message there (LinkedIn Name: Zimasa Qolohle Mabuse). For all questions related to The Corporate Canvas, one can find me on IG: @thecorporatecanvas