Looking out into my own garden and driving around Johannesburg, there is no doubt that Summer is upon us. When we first moved to Johannesburg twenty years ago, which at the time was a little overwhelming, a friend told me that she cannot wait for me to experience the change between Winter and Summer, Spring in this city. At the time I did not pay too much attention, until I experienced the extreme change from brown to green. The lawns literally become green carpets as you watch and the trees spread their canopies so wide that you on occasion forget you are living in a city. It is just beautiful and we are reminded of how lucky we are to live in a country where there is so much natural beauty surrounding us.

This year was riddled with challenges. The Russian War on the Ukraine, which caused International energy prices to spike even higher; the ongoing yarn shortages; price increases on steel and wood; the post COVID disruption and high cost of logistics; European suppliers who are bizarrely struggling to find staff and the never ending load shedding, has become a reality which we are learning to live with. We have to keep on reminding ourselves that we are resilient and that our past challenges make it a little easier for us as South Africans to face this new “onslaught”. What I have found in my business is that it makes me appreciate the people which I depend on, to make the business tick, more than ever before!