Typing an MBA assignment with one hand while holding a newborn shouldn't be the recipe for graduating with distinction. But for Rionna Roni, it was the reality that proved the impossible can be done.
There was a lot going on in the four years that Rionna was doing her MBA between 2020 and 2024. She fell pregnant, moved house, changed jobs, navigated a global pandemic, and faced down a CCMA case. Yet the KZN-born Senior Manager of Business Analysis & Process Engineering at one of South Africa's top banks emerged from the crucible not just with a first-class degree, but with a profound sense of self-awareness – and fresh career direction.
'The biggest and most surprising lesson was that as a working mother, you really can achieve your dreams,' she reveals. 'You don't have to fit into society's boxes or let get of parts of yourself. You can be a mom, a leader, a wife, a sister, and pursue your ambitions. It's all achievable with the right mindset.
Long before she was navigating corporate structure, Rionna learned resilience by watching the women who raised her.
Growing up after her father's death, life was exceptionally lean. With no television at home, she would watch at a neighbour's house. Her mother worked gruelling hourse as a seamstress, but she was fortunate to have the steady support of her five aunts helping the family through those challenging years.
'I have been lucky to have always been surrounded by strong women,' she recalls. 'None of them finished high school, but they used exactly what they had at their disposal. One taught me about faith, another about resourcefulness, and another about the absolute importance of family. I picked up good traits from each of them, just by watching silently.'
That quiet observation translated into a relentless work ethic. Funding her own studies, she earned a BTech degree and a project management qualification, steadily climbing the ranks in the banking and financial services sector from an entry-level sales position to senior management.
When Rionna found Henley Business School, it marked the beginning of an entirely new chapter in her life. Starting with the PGDip, she rapidly advanced to the MBA programme, and the timing couldn't have been more critical. When she faced uncertainty at work, the skills she was acquiring helped her navigate the ambiguity and stress with newfound clarity.
'Doing the MBA was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,' she says. 'For the little girl who grew up with so very little, to be able to fund a programme of this nature, was deeply empowering. It built my confidence and reminded me that growth isn't about where you start, but how far you are willing to go.'
The conventional wisdom is that an MBA is strictly a tool for climbing the corporate ladder. Rionna's experience shatters that cliché. During a core module assignment, an idea sparked that had nothing to do with banking: a children's book. That idea became Butterfly Wishes, a published book and journal designed to help kids grow in confidence and kindness, that subsequently launched her own business, Just Believe, dedicated to empowering children to realise their dreams.
Balancing the demands of business school with the realities of raising two small children requires more than just personal grit; it requires institutional support. Rionna credits the flexibility and empathy she found at Henley for making the demanding journey manageable.
'The Henley support made the journey not only achievable, but deeply rewarding. For anyone considering it, do it. It won't just change your career; it will change how you see yourself.'
Today, Rionna channels her experiences into mentoring and coaching children especially those from under privileged areas – even though she is a busy working mother.
'I am motivated by that feeling of having almost nothing,' she explains. 'It has made me work three times as hard at anything I do. My passion is empowering others to grow. I find great joy in helping others see their own potential.'
Looking back, her only regret is the self-doubt that sometimes held her back. If she could give her younger self one piece of advice, it would be to trust herself sooner and make braver choices. It's a philosophy she carries into her leadership style today, heavily inspired by Nelson Mandela's belief that everything seems impossible until it is done.
'I believe in leading with purpose, resilience, and heart,' Rionna says. 'And creating spaces where others can do the same.'