Pertunia Sibanyoni: ‘Being a mentor is about being a selfless leader’

By Koketso Mamabolo

Pertunia Sibanyoni, CEO of InspectaCar

When she’s not busy running InspectaCar, or chairing the Franchise Association of South Africa, Pertunia Sibanyoni is a professional Latin American dancer, a path she was inspired to take by her son, who’s an accomplished dancer himself.

While she has a vast knowledge to share with the business community, she isn’t afraid to take a few lessons herself, calling on leadership and strategy consultant Tony Frost to guide her in her professional journey. “Being a mentor is about being a selfless leader, it is not about you,” says the golf and netball enthusiast.

Prior to joining InspectaCar, Pertunia served as the Retail Transformation Manager at Shell South Africa, where she began as the company’s first black African female Area Manager. She was a member of the Shell Transformation board in a stint that saw her fulfilling a string of leadership roles. Pertunia is also the Founder of the AkhuPeliza Foundation which is “dedicated to addressing and delivering on social benefits for communities”.

Here Pertunia tells us what it takes to make a brand successful, what she’s learnt from Tony Frost, what lessons she shares with her mentees and more.

What makes for a successful brand?

In order to provide a service that makes a real impact in the market, it is imperative that you understand your target market, their needs, and their expectations. In addition, consistency is essential, as it defines a brand and gives an indication of the brand’s culture. This may help give the consumer a comprehensive picture of what the brand promise is to them. In the industry in which I work, engaging with customers is critical because it builds trust, credibility, and transparency. If you actively engage with your customers, they are more likely to buy your products and services.   

Why did you think it was important to learn from someone like Tony Frost?

As Jim Rohn stated, “My mentor said, “Let’s go do it,’ not ‘You go do it.’ 

How powerful it is when someone says, ‘Let’s!” 

I am very grateful to my mentor, leadership and strategy guru, Tony Frost who, when our journey started, noted that he wanted to mentor me not only to take on the role of CEO but to help unleash my potential as a parent, daughter, partner and person in society. He regularly facilitates me by taking me out of my comfort zone and learning from him as he has walked this journey himself. He makes me think about my career path and I in turn learn how to follow through with his sage advice.

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What have you learnt from Tony Frost?

Tony Frost has taught me the essence of being a good and reliable leader. He unlocked his valuable networks in the motoring industry and we walked a path together. Being a mentor is about being a selfless leader, it is not about you. I’ve learnt how to network and put in place the most effective strategies for supporting businesses to realise their full potential.

What lessons have you learnt in your years of managerial experience? 

I have had many leadership lessons through my managerial experience since 2020, being a challenging year both personally and professionally with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I am learning to be a resilient and agile leader. The first hard lockdown brought a lot of uncertainty and fear of the unknown and I needed to make decisions very quickly with limited information utilising my gut feeling mostly. 

I needed to inspire our dealerships to accelerate and adopt a change in their business model to a digital platform. Empathy is an important lesson. People were going through so much from a mental health aspect. I needed to check up on the team and be more caring about things. Life is too short.

What trends have you noticed in the retail sector?

In the automotive space, consumer buyer behaviour is shifting. Their buying journey starts online and not at the dealership. As players in this market, we need to focus on personalisation and being able to provide the customer with what they want, when they want it, and how they want it delivered to them. From the start of their buying journey right up to their home test drive and ultimate delivery of the vehicle to a place that suits them, at a time that suits them.

What are some of the lessons you share with your mentees?

You’re never too old to learn new things. Try and find a mentor who will help you through the journey. Be eager to learn and welcome new ideas to be innovative. Failure is not the end, it’s just another way of mastering and improving your skills. Remember, that competence builds confidence. You are on a journey and it doesn’t end.  As a leader, it is important that you have your own set of leadership values that you lead by. I always say to mentees – know the game, but don’t play it.

What challenges have you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?

My career has been challenging because of societal expectations and beliefs about women’s leadership abilities, particularly in an industry dominated by men. Knowing and valuing myself, building my personal brand, and having a purpose (a why) has allowed me to enter most challenging positions with more confidence and be comfortable by making mistakes that I can learn from. As a result of being true to myself and working hard to eradicate the stereotype that women can’t be leaders, I have overcome these challenges.