Business Ownership in South Africa & Starting 2026 Right.

Janais van Eck
Feb 9
5 min read

The start of a new year always feels like a reset for me. After a good break, I’m feeling refreshed, energised, and — like many business owners and entrepreneurs — full of ideas. Growth plans, changes, new ventures… that familiar mix of excitement and inspiration is definitely in the air.

This holiday period gave me space to slow down, reflect, and feel deeply grateful. Grateful for the work I get to do, for the ideas still unfolding, and for the opportunity to share this journey with others who are navigating similar paths.

Over the years, I’ve created this little corner of the internet because I believe there aren’t enough honest conversations about work-life balance within the context of South Africa. There’s plenty of content available from a global perspective, but very little that truly reflects the nuances of living here and running a business in this country.

Part of what I share here is my own experience — the challenges of running a business, the lessons I’m learning along the way, and the realities that don’t always make it into highlight reels. That will be especially true this year, as I’m in the process of setting up another business alongside my existing work, all while consciously trying to reclaim and protect my physical and mental health. So yes — it’s shaping up to be a full year. But also a deeply intentional one.

I’ve been self-employed for five years now, and I’ve worked closely with dozens of small business owners and start-ups. Over time, I’ve grown increasingly uncomfortable with how success in business is often portrayed. We’re shown the growth, the revenue, the wins — but not the cost behind them. The long hours, the isolation, the emotional load, and in many cases, the complete loss of work-life balance.

While hard work is often part of building a business, I don’t believe it should come at the expense of our wellbeing. What matters to me — and what I keep coming back to — is how we achieve our business goals without getting lost in the beast of business altogether.

The mental health reality of business ownership in South Africa

South Africa is slowly starting to acknowledge the mental health crisis facing business owners and entrepreneurs. Last year, Old Mutual released the SMEgo Entrepreneurial Wellbeing Report (2025), which felt like an important step in that direction.

The report sampled 138 South African entrepreneurs. While that’s a relatively small sample compared to the millions of businesses operating in the country, it’s still a meaningful starting point — especially because it’s based on local data rather than international statistics that don’t always translate to our lived experience.

What stood out most to me was how clearly the report connects individual wellbeing to broader economic sustainability. It states that:

“Mental wellbeing is not separate from business success — in fact, psychological resilience and operational readiness are deeply connected. Providing structural support, tools, and access to finance can directly reduce burnout and anxiety among business owners.”

For many business owners, this won’t be surprising. The pressure of trying to grow something while holding your life together is very real. Still, I think there’s value in seeing this reality acknowledged in data. Even if it only serves as a reminder that if you’re struggling, you’re not alone.

The report also highlights gendered differences in how stress is experienced. Female entrepreneurs (56.5% of the sample) reported greater challenges with work-life balance but were more open to seeking help. Male entrepreneurs (43.5%) tended to cope more independently, with only 23% indicating a willingness to discuss emotional stress.

I won’t unpack the full report here, but if you’re a South African business owner, I’d really encourage you to read it. It offers a validating snapshot of what many of us are navigating behind the scenes.

Where do we go from here?

Acknowledging the problem is only the first step. The bigger question for me is: where do we go from here? How do we recognise this crisis and then make changes that support ourselves, our businesses, and — ultimately — our economy?

I work with business owners who are constantly creating thoughtful, innovative products and services for their communities. Over the holidays, my family from Australia came to visit, and one evening I found myself chatting to my aunt about the differences between South Africa and Australia. While it’s easy to assume things are “better” elsewhere, what struck her most was the sheer number of small businesses here — and the creativity and resilience behind them.

She was right. There is something incredibly powerful about the entrepreneurial spirit in South Africa. It’s inspiring, yes — but more importantly, it’s essential.

Small, micro and medium enterprises employ between 50 and 60 percent of South Africa’s formal workforce, and around 90 percent of formal businesses fall into this category. In a country facing persistently high unemployment, employment creation plays a vital role in poverty reduction and social stability.

With all of this in mind, protecting the SME sector isn’t optional. And to do that, we need to protect the people behind it — the business owners carrying responsibility, pressure, and emotional weight every day.

Starting the year with intention

If we’re serious about protecting ourselves as business owners, the start of the year is a powerful place to begin. Not by doing more — but by doing things with more intention.

Even though we’re already past January, it’s never too late to set a foundation that will actually sustain you. I’ve spent time recently reflecting on the year ahead, and I wanted to share a few prompts that have helped me approach 2026 with more clarity and care.

1. Start with reflection, not goals

Before setting new goals, I always pause to reflect. We move so quickly from one year to the next without really processing what worked, what didn’t, and what it cost us.

Some questions I’ve been sitting with:

What actually worked well in my business last year?
What drained me the most?
What genuinely added value — for me and for my clients?
What am I proud of, even if it didn’t look like “success” on paper?

Reflection isn’t about judgement. It’s about information. Without it, we risk repeating the same patterns with a fresh diary.

2. Set fewer, clearer goals

Once you’ve reflected, then it’s time to set goals — but with restraint. Instead of long, overwhelming lists, I recommend choosing three core goals for your business.

I ask myself:

If these were the only things I achieved this year, would my business be better off?
Do these goals support the kind of life I want to live, not just the kind of business I want to build?

Clarity creates calm. And calm leads to better decisions.

3. Veto what no longer serves you

This is the step we often skip — and yet it can be the most powerful. Alongside your goals, write down three things you’re not doing again this year.

These might be:

Tasks that took time but didn’t create value
Ways of working that led to burnout
Clients, boundaries, or expectations that felt unsustainable

Growth doesn’t always come from adding more. Often, it comes from consciously removing what no longer serves you.

4. Try something new, intentionally

To support your goals, choose three new things you’re willing to try this year — not because they’re trendy, but because they align with how you want to work.

This could be: