Michelle's Story
Born in the Mother City in the mid 70's, my determination and strong will was evident in my refusal to attend nursery School.
My journey in the freight industry began at the tender age of 3 when I started going to work with my mom.
I took a short sabbatical from freight during my schooling years. It became rapidly apparent that traditional schooling was not stimulating enough to capture my energy and imagination. I dabbled in a few things but only felt at home when I returned to my passion and calling in late 1994.
"What I know today I learned from working beside my mother"
Helen was a pioneer woman in the freight industry. She privately owned & funded a business that supported her family and uplifted many who worked for her. After losing my father she grew the business through sheer determination and a resolve that giving up was not an option. These values have shaped my own guiding principles. I gained invaluable knowledge from her until her retirement in late 2010 due to sudden illness.
"Sheer determination and a resolve that giving up is never an option are the values and principles that have shaped who I have become."
In June of 2012 I left the familiarity of the family business and took employment and consulting work within the freight industry from 2012 to the end of 2017. Although successful in each endeavour there remained within me a restlessness to follow in my mother’s footsteps
"A burning desire to follow in my mother’s footsteps."
In my nearly 3 decades in the industry I have worked in almost every division/department of a freight forwarding and customs clearing company/agency. I started at the bottom and learning from others, I developed industry knowledge & skills resulting in senior management positions.
"What I know I have learnt from the bottom up."
I have gained international experience through membership in global forwarding networks. Attendance at these annual conferences has afforded me the opportunity to partner with top agents worldwide.
"Longstanding relationships that I have formed along my journey have been key to the opening of JETAM's doors."
Working in a family owned & run business afforded me the opportunity to expand myself. Allowing me to be key in taking my mom's business from being a predominantly customs clearing agent/service provider only to a player in the international forwarding realm. During my time in the family business our company was nominated and awarded, multiple times, as the leading agent in Africa in this large global agent’s network.
Prior to opening JETAM I was instrumental in the opening and success of two Cape Town branches of Johannesburg run freight forwarders, turning their Cape Town branches cash positive in a matter of months.
"On the 1st of January 2018 I realized my dream of walking in my mother’s footsteps despite the risk and those who said it would not work."
I took a leap of faith. With the support of a loving husband, my partner in every way since 2000, awesome kids (3 of them), extended family & close friends, the doors of JETAM were opened.