The Room She Built

Tennille Gay | Building a Brand Authentically

What does it really take to build a brand that people connect with? And what happens when you stop trying to be polished and just show up as yourself?

In this episode of The Room She Built, we sit down with Tennille Gay, founder of Salty Red, a proudly South African clothing brand known for its bold prints, playful personality and loyal community.

After 13 years in corporate and three children, Tennille decided to take the leap into entrepreneurship. What started as a children's clothing brand has grown into something much bigger, with plenty of expensive lessons, unexpected setbacks and a whole lot of hard work along the way.

But what makes Tennille's story particularly interesting is how she's built her brand. No perfectly curated online persona, just a willingness to show up, have a laugh, share the disasters alongside the successes, and let her customers get to know the person behind the business.

We chat about the realities of manufacturing locally in South Africa, building a community through social media, the challenges of running a small business, and why authenticity might just be your biggest competitive advantage.

We also get into motherhood, her fiercely competitive sporting streak, and what drives her to keep pushing herself, both in business and in life.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Leaving a successful corporate career to start something of your own
• The very real learning curve of launching a clothing brand
• Why being vulnerable, funny and unapologetically yourself works on social media
• Building a loyal community rather than just chasing followers
• The challenges and rewards of manufacturing in South Africa
• Balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship and personal ambition
• Why sometimes the best marketing strategy is simply being human

Tennille is funny, refreshingly down to earth, and a brilliant reminder that building a successful brand doesn't mean you have to take yourself too seriously.

If you enjoy this conversation, follow The Room She Built on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, subscribe on YouTube, and share it with someone who'd love it too.

Every bit of support helps us keep sharing incredible women's stories.

Follow Salty Red on Instagram  Instagram.com/salty_red_clothing_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaltyRedClothing/

Or shop online: https://saltyred.co.za/

Seanice started her first “business” at seven, selling her neighbour’s guavas so she could buy herself a burger. She went into radio at 16 and went on to build a digital agency operating across six countries, alongside ventures in training and property.

But this episode isn’t really about her impressive rap sheet.

We dig into our relationship with money: the beliefs we inherit, why women often struggle to ask for more, the link between money and self-worth, and the invisible financial ceilings we place on ourselves. Seanice shares why she believes everyone should know their “freedom number”, why she’s literally named her money Cindy Lou, and how she has learned to make money something to work with, rather than fear.

We also talk about the less glamorous side of entrepreneurship: failure, burnout, making very expensive mistakes, knowing when to walk away, and learning that success is rarely a straight line.

Seanice is refreshingly candid about all of it, including the moments when things have gone horribly wrong and the mindset that has helped her keep moving forward: “Everything is working out for me.”

This is a conversation about money, yes. But it’s also about ambition, resilience, self-worth, and giving ourselves permission to want more without being ashamed of it.

We need to talk about money. So we did.

Follow Seanice on Socials:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanice/
https://www.instagram.com/seanice_kacungira/

Learn more about her ventures:
https://seanicekacungira.com/
https://bluflamingo.net/
https://chandelierproperties.africa/
https://digicon.academy/

What Five Conversations Have Taught Us

Six episodes in, we’re taking a seat on the other side of the conversation.

In our first Between the Rooms episode, it’s just the two of us, reflecting on the incredible women who have joined us so far, the conversations that have stayed with us, and the themes that keep appearing, despite every story being completely different.

We talk about reinvention, and the idea that choosing a path doesn’t mean you have to stay on it forever. About the people in our corner who give us the confidence to take the next step. About ambition, and how our definition of success changes as we move through different seasons of life.

We unpack the constant juggle between work, family, relationships, health and everything else we’re trying to hold at once, and the uncomfortable truth that sometimes, something has to give.

We also come back to one of the ideas at the heart of The Room She Built: permission. Are we waiting for someone else to tell us we belong in the room, or are we willing to trust ourselves enough to walk into it anyway?

One of the biggest things we’ve noticed is just how quietly so many accomplished women carry their success. Again and again, women we find extraordinary have questioned whether their story is interesting enough to tell.

And perhaps that’s exactly why these stories need to be told.

We also share a little of what it’s actually been like building this podcast, from the joy of the conversations to the tech, editing, scheduling, guest wrangling and occasional panic behind the scenes.

Six episodes down, we’re even more convinced that there are incredible stories everywhere. They don’t need to be polished, perfect or attached to hundreds of thousands of followers. They just need to be real.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Reinvention and allowing yourself to change direction
• How our definitions of success and ambition evolve
• Confidence, self-trust and the importance of having people in your corner
• Creating systems that support the way you work and live
• The myth of having everything perfectly balanced
• Giving yourself permission instead of waiting for someone else to give it to you
• Consistency versus complacency, and continuing to show up with purpose
• The question driven women rarely ask themselves: when is enough, enough?
• Why so many successful women downplay what they’ve achieved
• Vulnerability, authenticity and the messy reality behind the glossy version of success
• What we’ve learned from making The Room She Built so far
• Where we hope to take the room next

This is Between the Rooms: a chance for us to stop every few episodes, look back at the conversations we’ve had, and ask what they’re teaching us.

And if there’s one thing we know already, it’s that we’re only getting started.

If there’s a woman whose story deserves a seat in this room, send her our way. She doesn’t need a huge following or an impressive title. We’re interested in the story behind the person.

Wherever the story takes us, we’ll build the room.

This conversation follows Becky’s path from a family rooted in South African music and entertainment to a career built on reinvention across corporate, tourism, sports, broadcasting, and media. It’s a story about adaptability, self-belief, and how saying yes to the right opportunities can open doors far beyond your original plan.

From growing up surrounded by some of South Africa’s biggest names in entertainment, to building a career across marketing, tourism, television and sports management, Becky’s story is one of curiosity, constant learning and being willing to say yes before you necessarily know exactly where it will lead.

She takes us behind the scenes of becoming Caster Semenya’s manager, and what began as a professional relationship that grew into something far bigger. Becky has stood beside Caster as manager, strategist, advocate and friend through a battle that became one of the most controversial and closely watched stories in international sport.

But this conversation goes well beyond sport.

We talk about the relationships that shape us, the importance of education and continuing to learn, motherhood, friendship, navigating difficult rooms, and what happens when your work becomes deeply personal.

And through it all runs a theme that seems to define Becky’s life: staying open to possibility.

Because sometimes you don’t need to know exactly where you’re going. You just need the curiosity to ask, “what next?” and the courage to say yes when the opportunity arrives.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Growing up around South African entertainment royalty
• Why Becky has never been afraid to change direction
• Building a career through relationships, curiosity and learning
• How she became Caster Semenya’s manager
• What it means to advocate for someone when the stakes become deeply personal
• The fight around Caster’s right to compete
• Navigating power, politics and difficult rooms
• Motherhood, friendship and the people who keep you grounded
• Why Becky believes so strongly in education and lifelong learning
• Saying yes to opportunities, even when you don’t have the whole plan
• The excitement, and uncertainty, of asking: what comes next?

What does it take to compete at the highest level, build a business from scratch, raise three daughters and still keep looking for the next challenge?

Cheyna Wood has been competing for most of her life. She represented South Africa in squash from just 12 years old, went on to become the country’s number-one ranked player, reached a world ranking of 60 and later returned to captain the national team.

But what stands out about Cheyna isn’t simply what she’s achieved. It’s the drive behind it.

In this episode, Cheyna talks candidly about the discipline and sacrifice behind professional sport, the self-doubt she experienced even while competing at an elite level, and why she now realises that her world ranking was only a small part of what the journey gave her.

We also talk about the role her mother played in creating opportunities for her, and the lesson Cheyna resisted at the time but carries with her today: people need to know what you need, and sometimes you simply have to ask.

That same willingness to put herself out there eventually found its way into business. Cheyna shares how she grew her activewear brand, Cheyna Dot, despite knowing very little about clothing manufacturing, eventually opening her own factory at home and quite literally figuring it out alongside her team. As she puts it, much of the journey has been about “throwing myself in the deep end and hoping that I can swim.”

We talk about the realities of building and manufacturing locally in South Africa, moving beyond survival mode as an entrepreneur, motherhood, ambition, and what happens to the competitive instinct when your professional sporting career comes to an end.

Because for Cheyna, it never really did.

The court may have changed, but the desire to work hard, grow and be better than the day before is still very much there.

This is a conversation about discipline, perseverance, putting yourself out there and the relentless pursuit of better.

Follow Cheyna on Socials:

https://www.instagram.com/cheynadot/
https://www.facebook.com/cheynadot

And shop online: https://cheynadot.co.za/

Professional golfer, coach, SuperSport commentator, mom, and a woman who has spent nearly two decades building a career in a sport that has not always made it easy for women to succeed.

Tandi MacCallum started playing golf seriously at 14, after the death of her father, and went on to represent South Africa, compete in Europe, win the SA Women’s Open, and most recently make history as the first woman to win the PGA National Order of Merit. She is also a back-to-back Women’s PGA National Champion.

But this conversation is about far more than golf.

Tandi opens up about the financial reality of being a female professional athlete, the enormous pressure she placed on herself to make the career work, and the surprising way that taking some of that pressure off actually helped her become a better player.

She shares the moment she almost walked away from golf completely, only to play some of the best rounds of her life the very next day, and the lesson that followed: sometimes giving in is very different from giving up.

We also talk about motherhood and returning to professional competition just eight weeks after giving birth, the reality of mom guilt, the importance of a strong support system, and how her definition of success has evolved as her life has expanded.

Today, Tandi has built a multi-faceted career across playing, coaching and commentary, while also helping to create more opportunities for the next generation of women in golf.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The journey from picking up her father’s golf clubs at 14 to becoming a professional golfer
• Competing internationally and the reality of life on tour
• The financial pressure behind professional women’s sport
• The disparity in prize money and sponsorship between men and women
• Why pressure can sometimes make us perform worse, not better
• The moment Tandi almost gave up golf completely
• Learning to detach her identity from the result
• Why she believes she is playing some of her best golf at 40
• Building a career through playing, coaching and SuperSport commentary
• Returning to competition eight weeks after becoming a mother
• Mom guilt, support systems and the reality of trying to balance it all
• Why enjoyment and fun are underrated ingredients in success
• The changing landscape for women in South African golf
• Why more sponsorship, tournaments and pathways are still needed
• Mentoring the next generation and sharing the lessons she had to learn the hard way

At the heart of this episode is a much bigger question:

What changes when you stop trying to prove that you belong and start trusting that you already do?

Tandi’s story is one of resilience, reinvention and learning to play her own game, both on and off the course.

Some careers are built by following the plan.

Others are built by having the courage to walk away from it, and venture into the unknown.

This week, we sit down with broadcaster, producer, actress and entrepreneur Kamo Moth for a conversation about identity, reinvention and what happens when you realise that the dream you've been chasing no longer fits the life you want to build.

After a decade in radio and entertainment, Kamo made the difficult decision to leave an industry she had worked tirelessly to break into. Together, we unpack the pressure of proving yourself, the cost of ambition, and why walking away from success can sometimes be the bravest decision you'll ever make.

From growing up with parents who expected excellence, to navigating heartbreak, confidence, purpose and starting over, this conversation is filled with wisdom for anyone standing at a crossroads.

We talk about:

• Why "just get in the room" became the advice that shaped her career
• The difference between your public identity and who you really are
• Why reinvention is impossible without growth
• Grieving the version of yourself you've had to leave behind
• Building confidence without waiting for permission
• The importance of community, role models and creating spaces where other women can thrive

This episode is a reminder that success isn't always about holding on. Sometimes it's about having the courage to let go, trust yourself, and build something even better.

If you've ever questioned your next chapter, this conversation is for you.

Breaking Barriers in Motorsport and Motherhood: An Interview with Paige Lindenberg

What happens when you grow up believing there are no limits? In this candid episode, Paige Lindenberg shares her inspiring journey navigating a male-dominated motorsport industry while embracing the joys and challenges of motherhood. Her story is a powerful testament to resilience, independence, and redefining success on her own terms.

Key Topics:

• Challenges of being a woman in motorsport
• The importance of resilience and mental strength
• Balancing motherhood with a racing career
• The role of independence and confidence in success
• The impact of upbringing and family support

Connect with Paige:

Instagram

LinkedIn

Shelby South Africa - https://shelbysouthafrica.co.za/

Road to Race - https://roadtorace.co.za/

Lindenberg Racing - https://lindenbergracing.co.za/

What if the stories we hear could change the way we see ourselves?

The Room She Built is a space to share the real stories of women building businesses, families, communities, and lives on their own terms.

We talk about leadership, resilience, ambition, and the messy middle of success.

If you've ever felt like you needed permission to dream bigger, these conversations are for you.

The Room She Built — Pilot Episode

Welcome to The Room She Built, where women’s stories, leadership, and honest conversations take center stage.

In this first episode, we introduce the vision behind the podcast: a space for real, unpolished stories about success, struggle, permission, and growth. We open up about why we launched the show now, what inspired us to create a platform for women’s voices, and why authenticity matters more than a polished highlight reel.

Pam shares how her entrepreneurial journey has been shaped by inconsistency, reinvention, and a deep desire to create community. Karen reflects on her career across hospitality, conservation, and fitness, and how those experiences shaped her belief in building systems, leading with excellence, and creating opportunity for others.

Together, we discuss:

• Why women need more spaces to tell their stories
• How community can replace competition
• The reality behind success and the “messy middle”
• Why permission starts from within
• The difference between masculine and feminine energy in work and life
• What it means to build a room where everyone belongs

We also explore topics we’re excited to cover in future episodes, including money, burnout, leadership, resilience, and the unspoken pressures women face while building businesses, families, and communities.This episode is a bold, vulnerable introduction to a podcast rooted in connection, courage, and truth.

Key moments

• The origin story of The Room She Built
• Pam and Karen’s personal career journeys
• Why community matters more than competition
• The role of women as leaders and protectors
• Their vision for inspiring women across South Africa and beyond

Main themes

• Authenticity
• Women’s voices
• Leadership
• Community
• Resilience
• Permission
• Growth

Best for listeners who want

• Honest conversations about entrepreneurship
• Inspiration from women building meaningful lives and businesses

• • A podcast that goes beyond the highlight reel