A self-made force in South African storytelling, Flavia Motsisi, 33, is redefining what it means to be a creative entrepreneur. As founder of Flavia Motsisi Media, she crafts powerful African narratives for local and global screens, and as executive producer and showrunner, she’s worked on major hits including The Wife, Shaka iLembe, and the Emmy-nominated The River. Her career includes a stint as one of South Africa’s youngest broad- cast executives at MultiChoice and Showmax. Now, she steers her own empire — including Flavia’s Boutique, her fashion label, and Bempowered Africa, a pan-African solutions company. Recognised by Forbes Africa and a founding member of SWIFT, she is a committed mentor and public speaker advocating for gender equity and transformative leadership in film, business and fashion. Flavia’s journey, marked by moving more than 24 times during her childhood, taught her adaptability, empathy and resilience. She channels those experiences into layered, human-centred stories that resonate with audiences worldwide. Her creative intuition is rooted in faith, community and purpose. Whether producing content, running businesses or mentoring the next generation, Flavia leads with conviction and clarity.
There is no one I admire more than my mother; she is my north star. A fearless single parent, an anointed woman of God, entrepreneur and pastor, she does it all with unwavering grace. I watched her make a way where there was none, sell whatever she could craft with her own hands or make a profit from, lead in ministry and still have time to nurture me and my siblings spiritually and emotionally as a single mother. Her strength taught me that being grounded in faith does not mean playing small. It means owning your power, even when life does not hand it to you. Watching her build, be enterprising and lead gave me the deep desire to be great at whatever I chose to do — not just successful, but to take up space as an entrepreneur and woman of God. Mo Abudu is definitely a role model for me; what she has accomplished in the industry is unmatched and truly admirable. I am also deeply inspired by Rihanna, particularly how she successfully pivoted from being a pop artist to becoming a billionaire entrepreneur. Her journey is incredibly motivating. Bringing it back home, someone who inspires me greatly is the phenomenal Thando Thabethe. I have so much admiration for her talent, drive and unwavering work ethic. Lastly, I am truly inspired by Andrea Iyamah and how she has built a world-class fashion brand out of West Africa, achieving impressive global expansion while staying rooted in her identity.