#WomensMonth | VML's Sihle Delport-Wetselaar: Acknowledging women’s strength

VML Copywriter Sihle Delport-Wetselaar knows the history of Women's Month in this country, and how much women have struggled to be respected in many shapes and forms (Image supplied)

“This month allows me to see those women and acknowledge how strong they are.

“This doesn't mean giving them flowers, but some of them are small business owners, so – along with purchasing some of their products – I promote their businesses even more than normal,” she says.

What inspired you to pursue a career in your field?

I have always been creative and wanted to explore various ways I can use my creative skills. Copywriting has let me use my brain creatively in a corporate environment.

As a woman, what are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?

My skill set has been undermined, and I have been put in positions that are less than what I know I am capable of.

How I dealt with this was by doing the work by myself, which involved having to do research on a topic for an article, setting up interviews, doing the interviews and writing a piece on it to show that I was both committed to the job, but also that I was capable of more than I was being asked to do.

As a woman, how do you approach leadership?

To me, being a leader means being able to work with others, while making choices that benefit you and your team through communication and critical thinking.

For me, this means that you discuss the work, situation, or whatever is being tackled, and you get to a point where, once you have identified what the issue is or what needs to be done, you can see how to move forward effectively and productively.

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What initiatives or projects are you most proud of, and why do you believe they were successful?

As someone who studied performance before joining the advertising world, I did a film project with a group of students that I believe was successful because it helped me understand that when people come together and work on something that they are all passionate about, you are more likely to get the results you are looking for.

With this project, we wanted people to be invested in the story, wanting to watch more and asking questions, which is what we got once the project had been released, and why I consider it to have been successful.

What advice would you give to other women aspiring to succeed in your industry?

Use what you have in your past experiences to help you through this industry.

It will help how you think, and to know your strong points and where you may need help.

Come into this industry with an open mind because, while it is a corporate space, sometimes you are asked to come up with the silliest ideas and do some out-of-the-box thinking – but it makes the work more engaging and interesting when you do it.

Now that I'm working in advertising, I am still able to bring my past creative side into my work, and it has helped me bring ideas of my own into this new space.

What does Women’s Month mean to you?

To me, it means celebrating and giving recognition to the women in my life who have positively impacted it, and that includes myself.

Some of these women have worked in difficult environments for a long time.

I can use this month to remind them how far they've come from where they started by showing them what they're able to achieve now because they were strong enough to fight through the difficulties in the environment they work in.

For me, I practise giving myself some grace, because often I focus on the things I did wrong rather than thinking critically about how I can do better.

I also remind myself how far I've come from where I started, which I apply to my personal and professional life.