Meet the women who are building cool things (and working from Neighbourgood while doing it)
There’s just something magical about working alongside women who are doing the most and doing it with heart. At Neighbourgood, our workspaces are where laptops meet good vibes. They’re homes to bold ideas, creative experiments, career pivots, and thriving businesses led by women who’ve turned side hustles into full-blown empires.
This Women’s Month, we’re proud to spotlight a few of the inspiring entrepreneurs in our Neighbourgood network. From beauty brands to PR powerhouses, here’s what it looks like when women build their own tables (and invite others to sit with them).
“Don’t overthink it - just do it.”
Leandi Ward – Butter Knife PR, based at Neighbourgood 129 Bree
After a few years in the traditional PR world, Leandi took the leap to start her own agency - one that lets her do things her way, with brands she actually vibes with. That leap (at just 23 years old, mind you) became Butter Knife PR, a boutique agency known for its creative, left-of-centre campaigns.
For Leandi, being a female entrepreneur doesn’t feel like a title; it feels like building something meaningful every day, alongside a team that sends her “thank you” texts and shares her passion.
Her biggest lesson? You don’t need every client. Staying true to your values will attract the right ones.
“Fail fast and pivot.”
Mona M – Qunected
For Mona, Qunected started as a simple (and slightly frustrating) realisation: she was spending more time vetting service providers than actually doing her job. That’s when the idea clicked: why not create a platform that connects purpose-driven people through a vetted, verified, and exclusive community? Qunected - now in development - is designed to take the guesswork (and stress) out of finding trusted professionals, freeing people up to focus on the work they actually love.
For Mona, being a female entrepreneur means being bold enough to challenge limits - both the ones the world sets and the ones we set for ourselves. She sees her gender not as a hurdle, but as a superpower.
Her biggest challenge so far? Building a grand vision on very limited resources while wearing every hat in the business. Her solution is leaning into her community. From friends pitching in on app development and design to her sister manually vetting members, Mona’s support network has been key to keeping Qunected moving forward.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to fail fast and pivot. She’s already had her share of early stumbles, but each one brought clarity, stronger strategy, and a better understanding of what her members truly need.
“Be brave enough to start before it’s perfect.”
Kim Clark – Neighbourgood
Kim’s entrepreneurial journey with Neighbourgood began in the middle of global uncertainty - July 2020, to be exact. But instead of leaning into fear, she leaned into something bigger: community. Alongside co-founders Murray Clark and St John Gardner, Kim helped shape Neighbourgood into what it is today: a connected living, working, and experience model rooted in purpose.
For Kim, being a female entrepreneur means leading with empathy and creating with intention. It’s about designing spaces that feel good emotionally, socially and visually – and making sure her team feels just as seen and supported as the people who walk through Neighbourgood’s doors.
Her advice? Be bold with your boundaries, your time and your energy.
“Legacy, resilience and resourcefulness - not gender.”
Rabia Ghoor – Swiitch Beauty
At just 14, Rabia Ghoor founded Swiitch Beauty because she saw a gap: South Africa needed a beauty brand that was cool, accessible, and created with intention. Fast forward a decade, and she’s built one of the most recognisable internet-first beauty brands in the country, with a cult following to match.
Rabia doesn’t frame entrepreneurship around gender. She frames it around hustle – a value passed down by generations of women in her family. Her biggest hurdle? Imposter syndrome. But she sees every challenge as a character-building workout.
Her words to live by: Confusion and fear are part of the process. Start anyway.
“Start before you feel ready.”
Kelsey Lyn Gouldie – Something Social
Kelsey’s business journey started with a few freelance gigs and a whole lot of storytelling talent. Something Social grew out of a love for beautiful, strategic content and a desire to help local brands find their voice in an increasingly noisy world.
Kelsey believes that being a female entrepreneur is about leading with confidence and care, while also making room for others to rise. Her toughest lesson? Boundaries! Learning to say “no” allowed her to build a business that’s sustainable, joyful, and aligned.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: Trust yourself – and stop waiting for the “perfect moment.”
“You don’t need to have it all figured out.”
Holly Meadows & Cleo Marcopoulos – MOOD Creative Agency
Former Cosmopolitan editors Holly and Cleo went from shaping editorial pages to creating full-blown brand campaigns with their agency, MOOD. Since launching in 2019, they’ve worked with brands like Estée Lauder, Guess, and Cadbury – and they’re bringing a distinctly female perspective to an industry that’s long been run through the male gaze.
The duo’s biggest challenge is wrapping their heads around the not-so-glamorous side of entrepreneurship, like taxes, legal stuff, finance. But they powered through, leaned on experts, and made it work.
Their no-nonsense advice: If your idea meets a real need, go for it. You’ll figure out the rest as you go.
Who runs the world?
These women didn’t wait for permission. They didn’t wait until they had all the answers.
They started with what they had – a story to tell, a problem to solve, a desire to do work that mattered – and figured out the rest along the way.
Neighbourgood is proud to be part of their journey, and we’re here to champion more women creating magic in our spaces. Whether you’re freelancing, building a business, or plotting your next big idea, there’s a spot here with your name on it.
Need a workspace that gets it? Come work with us.