It’s August which means it is Women’s Month and our chance to celebrate the strength and resilience of women. 

Rael Demby says, “ This month is a great opportunity to recognise all our female colleagues and the contribution they make to our company, society and our country”. 

Liz Bester is our Finance Manager and the most senior woman in our team.

We caught up with her at Head Office to find out why she enjoys the challenge of her job; what her advice for developing a successful career in Finance is and why Gold Krugerrands have a special place in her heart.

For anyone looking to pursue a successful career, in Finance or anything else, the fundamentals are the same. Set your goals and work towards them. This means studying hard - I have a B-Compt qualification which opened the door of accounting for me; then hard work is crucial - I started out getting experience in an auditing firm and then broadened my knowledge in Tax, Estates, Statutory and various accounting systems.

Since I began working I have had to navigate my path of being a female in a male-dominated field - but there are plenty of opportunities for excellent female candidates. Here at SAGCE/Scoin, we have a culture of teamwork; every member of my team knows what I expect from them - the tasks and responsibilities are clear. I believe clear communication allows us to work together to meet deadlines.

My job is all about meeting deadlines, delivering on tasks. Fixing up messes and ensuring processes, and controls work. Working together with my team, to deliver a good service. Our company culture is warm and friendly and I feel part of the SAGCE/Scoin Family which makes coming to work a pleasure. Plus every time I see a Krugerrand I get to be reminded of one of my favourite places to visit - the Kruger National Park!

Sara Joubert is our Regional Sales Manager for Kwa-Zulu-Natal.

She explains how she uses her positive mindset, listening skills and her commitment to helping her team reach their career goals to motivate her towards her own career ambitions.

Work-life balance is a challenge - especially when working in retail - but being part of a close-knit team that supports me is great. Setting boundaries is important and I do make time for my family - I love to get outside for walks in the forest, bike rides and family meals - especially to enjoy my favourite food - sushi.

The company culture at SAGCE/Scoin is supportive and like a family. I’m lucky to have colleagues that I admire and respect. I have to give a shout-out to Michele Rauf in particular! She is always pushing for excellence, is committed to upskilling in all areas of our business and she is a great teacher. She is my mentor both professionally and personally.

I love so many of the gold coins and collectables we sell … and am always excited to see the new releases. The Mandela 1/2oz Fence Medallion will always have a special place in my heart. It was one of the first gold coins I sold when joining the company 9 years ago.

Meet Elaine Chiat - one of our Sales Consultants from Sandton City.

She is the longest-serving member of our team and has enjoyed a glittering career with the business. From witnessing the launch of the very first Scoin branch in Sandton City to guiding the Brooklyn Pretoria store as Sales Manager to circling back to Sandton City, Elaine has twenty years of experience buying and selling gold coins and collectables.

I continue selling gold coins currently, and Sandton City remains one of the top stores in the company to this very day. I am the oldest and longest-serving member of the Scoin staff and I believe that I have the empathy, guidance, knowledge and experience to train and pass on all that I know about gold coins to my younger colleagues.

SAGCE & The Scoinshop are extremely upmarket brands; women employees are a big part of the team and we are all professionally trained to sell gold coins. The inclusive culture of our company means I feel confident about the working environment, enjoy coming to work and know that I am valued as a colleague.

My all-time favourite coin has always been the Natura Series, minted by the SA Mint. They have managed to produce such fine and delicate details on their wildlife coins. The leopard has always been my favourite coin, by using a magnifying glass, one can see so much detail, such as every hair on the animal’s body.

Meet Monique Kriel

Monique started her career with us, working as a receptionist. We spotted that she had talents beyond the front desk and under the tutelage of our senior sales managers she tapped into her training in customer service and has shone as a professional sales consultant, at our Scoin Shop in the Brooklyn Mall, Pretoria. Monique is excited about the arrival of Spring and the sense of renewal and optimism that brings; she has no time for binge-watching Netflix because there is always a client to call or a deal to seal. We chatted to her about her passion for sales and service and Krugerrands. 

Sales is all about relationship building, passion and honesty. I look at every opportunity as a teachable moment and this keeps me growing and developing my skills. Outdated stereotypes of money-grabbing salespeople don’t fly nowadays. I’m confident in my role because of my professional training and being backed by the market leader in gold coins and collectables. Sales are fun!

My advice to any woman entering the numismatics profession is to have the self-confidence to prove critics wrong. Women are very capable and successful in the field. At Scoin I am part of a winning team and I enjoy the challenge of breaking down certain old-fashioned barriers based on gender roles. Each human being is a “limited edition”. We are unique. The six coin Silver ZAR set resonates with me - it has a rich history and is extremely scarce. I see the similarity in this rare set and the individuality of each of us humans. My other favourites are the original 1967 and 1968 Krugerrands.