From the newsroom to entrepreneurship, Nomsa Mdhluli's journey is a testament to resilience and empowerment, as she transforms challenges into opportunities and inspires women to shine, unapologetically, in business.
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Nomsa Mdhluli never planned to become an entrepreneur.
“I didn’t harbour dreams of being an entrepreneur some day,” she said.
Her move into business began while she was working in journalism, after someone approached her for help with a public relations project — a field she had studied at an undergraduate level. The work went well, and the client returned year after year.
In 2018, a friend suggested she register a PR company in case she landed a major client. Mdhluli took the advice and registered Tishala Communications while continuing her broadcasting career.
Eight years later, the company has grown from a home-based side business into an integrated communications agency offering public relations, digital marketing, media relations, stakeholder engagement, content development, media training and reputation management.
Her message to women entering business is simple: “Be confident in your talent and your skills. And please, don’t dim your light, especially not because you’re a woman.”
Mdhluli began her media career with the Primedia Group in Cape Town in 2010, working as a news anchor, reporter and producer across CapeTalk, KFM, Radio 702 and Eyewitness News.
In 2014, she moved to Primedia’s Johannesburg headquarters before joining the SABC in 2015 as a news anchor and journalist.
She later anchored morning news on SAfm and covered major political, economic and social developments. Her work earned her the Liberty Radio Award for Best PBS News Reader in 2017.
While building her broadcasting career, Mdhluli continued taking on PR work that would eventually become her full-time business.
The early days of Tishala were modest. She created an office in her home with a laptop, an internet dongle and a red office chair, reflecting the company’s brand colour at the time. She bought the equipment with her SABC salary, while Tishala remained a side hustle.
“As I gained more clients, I was able to use the funds to register a domain name and build a website,” she said.
The agency has since worked across technology, artificial intelligence, fintech, financial services, education, public health, entrepreneurship and youth development.
Its clients have included Allan Gray Makers, Sumsub, Old Mutual Alternative Investments, the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation and the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa.
For Mdhluli, quality service has been central to the company’s growth.
“One of the successes of a company is when it provides quality service and goes above and beyond what is expected,” she said.
Taking a leap of faith, Nomsa Mdhluli transitions from a celebrated broadcaster to a dynamic entrepreneur, proving that courage and confidence can redefine one's career path and inspire others to follow suit.
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Technology and innovation have become an important part of Tishala’s work.
Mdhluli points to the agency’s work with global verification company Sumsub, including localising international reports on identity fraud for audiences in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Mauritius, Ghana and Tanzania.
“In South Africa identity fraud still largely revolves around the forging of green ID books, while in Nigeria identity fraud might take on a different flavour,” she says.
“We take complex messaging and on behalf of our clients simplify them for the man on the street.”
Tishala’s technology focus was strengthened after the agency handled PR for the AI Expo in 2019, connecting Mdhluli with the global technology ecosystem. Those relationships became valuable during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Those connections helped us survive Covid-19 because during this time tech companies were booming,” she says.
The agency later won a Gold Prism Award for Best PR Campaign in the Technology category.
Mdhluli’s biggest entrepreneurial leap came in 2023, when she left full-time employment to focus on Tishala.
“I did not plan to become an entrepreneur, so leaving full-time employment in 2023 to run Tishala was the most courageous thing I’ve done so far,” she says.
“Since taking that leap of faith I have not looked back and now my focus is on growing the business, supporting our clients and building a meaningful legacy.”
Building the right team has been one of her biggest challenges. Her advice is straightforward: “Get a great accountant and build with people [who] have the same values as you do.”
For Mdhluli, leadership also means challenging assumptions about women. She rejects the idea that women leaders must choose between empathy and effectiveness, arguing that collaboration, emotional intelligence and inclusiveness can be strategic strengths.
“Leadership is not about fitting into a traditional mold but it is about delivering results while bringing people along on the journey,” she says. “Women are proving every day that empathy and ambition are not opposites but they are a powerful combination.”
She also believes women should not feel pressured to become smaller or less confident in professional spaces.
“You don’t have to be loud or aggressive. Just don’t disappear. Stand in what you know. Trust your gifts. Let your work speak and let your presence be felt gently, firmly and unapologetically.”
That belief in using one’s voice shapes how Mdhluli reflects on her broadcasting career.
Looking back, she wishes she had understood sooner the power of the microphone.
“I wish I had understood earlier the importance of being intentional about the power of the microphone and using that platform to create meaningful change in people’s lives,” she said.
“The realisation that journalism can be a powerful tool for social impact came later in my career than I would have liked.”
Nomsa Mdhluli's remarkable journey from SABC broadcaster to thriving entrepreneur showcases the power of ambition and innovation, as she paves the way for future generations of women in business.
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Mdhluli’s interest in communication continues through academia.
She holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom and is pursuing a PhD in Communication Research at the University of Johannesburg.
Her PhD study explores social media, political communication and the ethical implications of algorithms that determine what users see online, particularly whether they reinforce existing beliefs or contribute to ideological “echo chambers” that limit exposure to different perspectives.
She has also lectured and mentored aspiring communications professionals.
A strong sense of purpose keeps Mdhluli driven, while her understanding of leadership has shifted towards creating impact beyond personal success.
“Entrepreneurs play a vital role in building economies, creating jobs and opening opportunities for others,” she says.
She now sees every opportunity, project and new hire as a chance to create impact.
“Meaningful change often happens one door at a time.”
Her days begin early, often at 4am, with time to meditate, reflect and plan before turning to the business. Family and faith remain important parts of her life.
“I have always strived for excellence, a fire that was lit in me by both my parents. That work ethic is my foundation,” she said.
But she also makes room for rest.
“True success knows that rest is not the opposite of progress, it is part of it.”
Mdhluli’s journey began with a PR project and grew from a home office, a laptop and a red chair into Tishala Communications.
For the former SABC broadcaster, the next chapter is about more than growing a business. It is about using leadership, communication and opportunity to create a path for others.
Today, she is not only telling other people’s stories. She is building one of her own — while working to create space for women and young people to rise with her.
