Meet Mary
Curious then. Purposeful now.
I used to believe that life would happen for me if I just worked hard enough. That curiosity alone would carry me forward. But somewhere between the big dreams and the hard losses, I learned something deeper: life doesn't wait for permission. It shapes you, breaks you, and rebuilds you into someone new.
Mary and her sweet mother Joyce Makite
Baby Mary sat on a coach
Baby Mary and her parents, the dad holding her tiny hands
Mary and her sweet mother Joyce Makite
"Curiosity was my compass. I just didn't know yet where it would lead me."
The Curious Little Girl
I don't remember much about my childhood. The years have softened many of the details, leaving behind only fragments, feelings, and the occasional snapshot that surfaces without warning. Most of what I know about who I was as a child comes from the stories my parents told me. Now since they are gone, I just don't know who will be telling me more about myself as a kid.​
​
They often spoke about my curiosity and how eager I was to understand the world around me. They encouraged that curiosity, supported my interests, believed in my ideas, and gave me the confidence to explore whatever captured my attention. Looking back, I realise what a gift that was.
Loss Changed Me
There's a kind of grief that doesn't ask permission. It arrives unannounced and reshapes everything you thought you knew about yourself, about love, about what matters.
I lost people who taught me what it meant to live fully, and in losing them, I had to learn it all over again.
​
Before loss, I was the daughter of two people who were my biggest cheerleaders. They never missed an opportunity to brag about me. My mum called me kamjanja; her affectionate way of saying I was sharp, always observing, always trying to figure things out. They encouraged my curiosity, believed in my ideas, and gave me the confidence to explore the world with wonder.
​
After losing them, I felt like I was walking through fog. Everything was muted. But over time, I realized that grief is simply love with nowhere to go.
So I chose to carry that love forward through my work, my words, and the way I show up in the world. That's when I stopped waiting for life to feel "right" again and started creating, building, and loving anyway.
I Chose To Build Anyway
Growth
Embracing transformation as a continuous journey, not a destination.
Learning
Staying curious, asking better questions, and sharing what I discover.
Purpose
Living and working with clear intention, aligned with what matters most.
Building
Creating meaningful work that serves, heals, and inspires others.
I Help Brands Grow. I Share Lessons That Heal. And I Keep Becoming.
Today, I work with brands and leaders who want to grow with purpose. I write about the messy, beautiful journey of becoming; about grief and growth, creativity and courage, strategy and soul. And I keep showing up, keep building, keep choosing to create a life that honors both the joy and the heartbreak.