Theresa Szejwallo is the Managing Director of Travcorp South Africa, including Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Contiki & Uniworld Boutique River Cruises. She is married and has 4 grown children.

What unique value do you think a woman brings to the workplace?

The travel industry is made up mostly of women. This is because they have the unique ability to consider the entire circumstances of people’s home and work life. They can be both caring and professional at the same time. They are also very creative and forward thinking and not to forget woman’s intuition and their ability to multi-task.   

What advice would you give someone starting out in their life/career?

Don’t rush ahead. Many young people today have just started working and are already looking for a promotion and how they can get ahead. I would advise young people to focus on getting a good grounding and the best experience every step of the way. Also, those starting out should realize that even when they have got their degree they should not stop learning and developing themselves. Continue growing all the time and be willing to share your knowledge and experience with others along the way. 

What has been the hardest lesson you have learnt in business?

There have been 2 main lessons that I have had to learn:

The first is to make a decision and stick to it and see it through. If it was the wrong decision; you should admit your mistake and move on knowing that it was not the right option if things didn’t turn out the way you expected.

The second thing is not to put off for tomorrow what you can do today.

What is the secret of your success?

There is no such thing as a 9 to 5 job. If you are passionate about your work, it fills your whole life and is with you all the time in a positive way. I love what I do and so no matter where I am or what I am doing, my passion for travel is always on my mind.

I also believe that you need to lead by example and share your vision with others.

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