Operator first. Coach second.

Over the past decade, I've been involved in building multiple beverage brands — mostly by learning the hard way. The path hasn't been linear. Behind the highlights were missteps, uncertainty, and decisions that shaped me as much as the businesses themselves.

I'm the founder of The Duchess, one of the world's first alcohol-free gin & tonics. What began as a small experiment grew into a global brand, selling over 20 million units across 10+ countries and partnering with major industry players. That journey taught me powerful lessons about timing, scaling, capital pressure, and what it really means to build a category from scratch.

I later co-created Cape Spritz, a low-alcohol sparkling rosé rooted in mindful drinking. It pushed me to rethink positioning, pace, and how difficult it is to create traction in a crowded market.

Separately, I founded DOPE Drinks, Africa's first cannabis beverage brand. From day one, the work involved navigating regulatory complexity, shaping a new category, and aligning innovation with evolving investor and market realities. I led the brand through early product development, positioning, and its initial entry into the U.S. market, and today serve as a board member as it scales internationally.

Earlier in my journey, I founded Brannas Draught, the original draught brandy & cola — my first exit, and a foundational education in distribution and deal-making.

Most recently, I'm co-founding Get Lucky Golf, a golf-tech business scaling globally from a South African base. A reminder that category creation looks roughly the same whether the product is alcohol-free gin or a hole-in-one challenge.

I've been fortunate to help sell over 20 million drinks globally, open thousands of retail accounts, and raise capital from partners who believed in the vision — sometimes before the proof was there. My strength isn't certainty; it's selling ideas, building momentum, and continuing to move through ambiguity.

I'm still learning, and still ambitious. Alongside my own ventures, I now work as an Entrepreneur Coach, supporting founders as they navigate the same complexity, doubt, and possibility that continue to shape my own journey.

I did Executive Education at Cambridge Judge Business School — Funding from Seed to Exit. Based at Ideas Cartel, Claremont, Cape Town. I work with founders here and over Zoom in the US, UK, Europe, and Australia.