1 min. with a superhero: Shona Macdonald
by Fred Roed on 19/06/07 at 3:38 pm
2 comments
Our third interview in the Ideate ‘Superheroes’ series is with Shona Macdonald from Shonaquip. Shona was a finalist in the Sanlam 3-Talk Businesswoman of the Year Award, but was disqualified due to her turnover being too high! Shonaquip creates wheelchairs and postural support equipment for people with disabilities.
How did you get into this industry?
I was a frustrated sculptor who landed with the challenge of providing physical opportunity and educational solutions for one of my daughters who was born with spastic quadriplegia. I turned my creative energy into changing perceptions, improving possibilities and building opportunity in this marginalised community.
What about your job makes you lie awake at night?
I never lie awake at night – but wake up regularly with exciting ideas, grab my pen, write them down and go straight back to sleep!
What education do you have?
Nothing fancy, but I never stop learning and ‘spell-check’ remains my hero!
What is your secret to success?
Success? How does one measure that? Empowered, enthusiastic staff always striving for more information and skills? Reduced secondary deformities, chronic complications and hospitalisations of all wheelchair users? Improved access to budgets, training services and appropriate assistive devices for health care professionals?
If I ever feel we have got even close, I’ll let the world know!
What is the best business lesson you’ve learned so far?
Ensure a combination of excellent staff with lots of commitment, and efficient reliable systems.
Describe your average day…
As a teenager studying for Matric, I was told that if somebody moans that there’s not enough time in the day, then they were obviously not managing their time correctly.
I start at 6.45am and finish ….oops! I obviously don’t manage my time correctly!
[Above: Shona with Gilbert, and James the Upholsterer.]
How many people do you have in your team?
The importance of building partnerships with many service providers and stakeholder organisations is vital to our company’s success – without this networking, supplier and community development we would not to be able to achieve as much as we do. This year we have expanded to 37 staff with a head office in Cape Town and branches in Gauteng, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape.
At the moment I share my Shonaquip life with 9 therapists specialising in seating and posture management , 22 technicians and 5 admin staff and a part time research co-ordinator and part-time production engineer. 1/3 of us have disabilities.
Contact Shona via email here.
Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.
Vicky Theunissen
Aug 14th, 2011
Where can I find a Shona wheelchair for my son (11) in Pretoria? He has been diagnosed with Spinocerebellar Ataxia.
Fred Roed
Aug 15th, 2011
Hi Vicky – contact the Shonaquip team at the contact details on this page:
http://www.shonaquip.co.za/contact/