What does it really mean to be brave? For Women’s Month, nearly 500 of us gathered in Jozi for Fortune Favours the Brave, a space that encourages women to take ownership of their lives, face the uncomfortable stuff and have the courage to do things differently. I was there, and these are the lessons that stuck.
Johannesburg, South Africa (13 August 2026) – Last week, the Good Things Girls attended the Fortune Favours the Brave event in Bryanston. Hosted annually by the Brave Collective, the Women’s Month event is all about stepping into bravery and owning the life you deserve to lead.
Each year, a cohort of incredible speakers addresses a room full of women about what being ‘brave’ really looks like. This year, nearly 500 women walked through the doors.
The word ‘brave’ might make you think of being unwaveringly bold, loud, confident or clear about what you want.
That wasn’t the message this year.
Instead, it was about what the real, unedited version of being brave looks like. The version where you climb the mountain. You do the hard thing. You do it even when you’re scared. You choose to show up for yourself, even when that means confronting the things you would much rather avoid for the sake of comfort.
That is what real bravery looks like.
There were countless lessons shared at the event this year. And I think, depending on what season of life you’re in, some will inevitably stand out more than others.
For me, these four did.
Recognise That Resilience Isn’t Strength
Khensani Nobanda took to the stage first that day. Right from the jump, she carried herself unapologetically. Her role as a Group Executive at Nedbank is one she fills with unmistakable confidence – the kind that only comes with being truly comfortable with who you are, rather than with the version others might expect of you.
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She has also climbed Kilimanjaro.
Her talk shared an inspiring account of that experience. What struck a chord, for me personally, wasn’t that she had reached the summit of the highest mountain in Africa. Although, that is quite the feat. It was everything that she had to go through to get there.
Fear had caused a major mental block for her. There were sections of the hike that she felt she could never make it through. Parts of the journey that felt too close to the edge. Leaps that felt too big to make. Days that felt too far from the end. The journey came with many tears and moments of wanting give up. But she summited in the end, and that became a beautiful metaphor in her story about overcoming ‘the mountain’.
You don’t necessarily conquer fear by suddenly becoming fearless. Sometimes, you just take one more step. Then another. In my eyes, that is the most honest picture of resilience.
As Khensani said:
“Resilience is not feeling strong. Resilience is continuing when you don’t feel strong. It’s taking the next step when no one is applauding. When quitting feels understandable. When the outcome isn’t guaranteed.” she said.
Look Inward More Often
Rachel Kolisi – speaker, director and author of the bestselling book Falling Forward – shared her account of starting again. Navigating change. Finding strength through reflection. Reconnecting with who you are and what you want.
As many will know, Rachel and her family have been in the public eye for the last decade or so. As the ex-wife of a Springbok rugby world champion, there is very little of her life that has not been scrutinised publicly. She has been at the eye of the storm.
What I took from Rachel’s talk was that sometimes moving forward starts with looking inward.
When you’re in a difficult season, there can be a temptation to immediately look for the next step, the next answer or the next version of yourself. But before you can figure out where you’re going, it helps to understand where you are – and who you are now. Reflection can be uncomfortable. It asks you to sit with things you might rather avoid. But it can also give you the clarity you need to make decisions that actually belong to you.
Internal clarity is often the first step towards moving forward.
As Rachel asked:
“How seldom do we just close our eyes in the middle of the day and take a second to breathe and reflect on our lives, and where we are, and where we land.”
Own Your Future Wealth (It’s Not Scary)
Listening to Carla speak was like being back in maths class, in the best way possible. Her talk was practical and loaded with helpful information. She used every minute to our advantage. If you ever get the chance to hear her speak – or to join her masterclass via her platform, Money With Carla – I recommend it!
Carla encouraged that building wealth is not as intimidating as it may seem, and with the progression of technology and AI, taking control of your financial future has become incredibly accessible. You do not need to pay fancy suits in Sandton to start growing your wealth. Index investing is a great place to start – and you can literally do it all from an app on your phone. There are, however, some basics you need to know first – Carla demystifies it all in this blog post.
It was encouraging to hear that taking charge of your finances doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated or intimidating. You can start where you are, learn as you go and take a more active role in your own financial future.
Bravery is not leaving something as important as your financial future in the hands of someone else simply because it feels too complicated to understand yourself. Do the math yourself, girl.
But Do It Scared Anyway…
Taryn Sharman is the co-founder of the Brave Collective. She and Perri King started the movement, and for eight years, they have hosted these ‘Brave’ events.
In her opening talk this year, Taryn spoke about countering. She said that you cannot overcome what you do not counter. You can’t land on the other side of fear without walking through it.
What I love about Taryn’s message is that she always encourages her listeners to face the thing that scares them. It sounds obvious, but it is much easier said than done. Fear has a way of convincing us that waiting is safer. That we need more confidence, more certainty or a better plan before we can take the leap. But sometimes the confidence comes after you take the step, not before.
Nothing changes in your comfort zone. And while stepping outside of it can be uncomfortable, that is also where you can discover what you’re capable of. Magic happens when you choose to do the brave thing – whatever that might be for you – and you do it scared.
As Taryn puts it:
“Fearless people don’t change the world, fearocious people change the world.”
by 
