“The business breakfast felt like walking into a room where possibility is alive….” This was how attendee Tabisa Konyashe, one of gsport’s valued guests, described the event held at Henley Business School Africa in Johannesburg, on Thursday, 27 November 2025.
The event highlighted the #PowerOfCollaboration, as gsport continues to advocate for greater investment and progress in women’s sport.
Konyashe, who is a social cyclist and well-known for her impact cycles, waxed lyrical about just how striking the gsport Business Breakfast was, and what it meant to be in attendance.
“It was professional, warm, intentional, and threaded with purpose. I experienced serious groupie moments. The energy was elite, the kind of energy I described in my social posts: ‘Vibes were high. Energy was elite!’
Social Cyclist and Social Media Personality, Tabisa Konyashe
“What I appreciated most was how it wasn’t just another event; it was a space designed for women to build economic value around sport. You could feel the momentum. Women were ready to scale, invest, and lead.”
gsport knows the importance of networking and how it can elevate one’s perspective as well as their career opportunities. Konyashe spoke to this fact and says feeling a sense of community that builds one another feeds her soul.
“It felt like I had finally stepped into a circle I’ve prayed for. To meet women who are excelling and still uplifting others is rare. I feel that community makes us unstoppable, and that’s exactly what it felt like. The generosity stood out; everyone was open, curious, and intentional. You leave a room like that taller, because you’ve been seen by women who understand the journey.”
She also added how validating it is to be invited to such an event with such esteemed guests.
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“As cyclists, especially social cyclists, we don’t always see ourselves centred in the broader sporting narrative. Being invited reminded me that the early mornings, long rides, fundraising, and community-building all matter. It also reminded me that my voice belongs in these spaces. Cycling is more than a physical act for me—it is purpose, representation, and impact.”
Konyashe says events like this are important, women’s sport needs to continue with this growth when it comes to the financial side of things, and the gsport Business Breakfast aids this cause.
“Women’s sport is ready for the next level, and economic conversations are the bridge. These rooms answer the real questions: Who is investing? Where are the opportunities? How do we build careers, not hobbies? How do we commercialise women’s sport? How do we ensure women can earn, lead, and build? This is where visibility meets strategy. I feel women’s sport is gearing up for a major commercial breakthrough. The momentum is here, and now we scale it.”
She went on to say that the gsport impact on sports women in the country goes without saying. The fact that women are the focus allows the gap in the industry to continuously get narrower.
“gsport has given women something we fought for, for decades: a platform, a voice, and an economy.”
“They’ve professionalised visibility, built networks, connected athletes to the media, and opened doors to sponsorship,” says Konyashe. “They’ve centred women as the main story, not a side narrative. For women like me, coming from humble beginnings and finding purpose through sport, gsport is a bridge between courage and career.”
Konyashe’s cycling career began after the death of her mother. She got onto a bike as she tried to navigate the immense loss and the grief that came with it, as she explains.
“My cycling journey began in one of the darkest seasons of my life. We had just lost our mom, Nodoli, everyone called her Dolls. She had such a strong spirit, and losing her at 61 shook my world. I needed something that could hold me together. Long-distance running was too hard on my grieving body, so I turned to something that had always been on my bucket list: learning to ride a bicycle.”
Since taking up cycling, she did the Jozi to Queenstown ride twice in 12 months, as she and her Dirty Chains team cycled 900km in 9 days between the two cities, raising R30,000 for education.
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She went on to say how cycling helped her rekindle her enthusiasm and gave her a new passion, as she explains.
“The true spark came when I attended the Province to Province event hosted by Matsimela Ladies Clinic. It was the first time in my life I’d seen so many Black women on bicycles. My heart opened, I call it my ‘Jesus moment.’ I saw myself in them. I felt hope. I bought a bicycle shortly after, at age 44, and that was the beginning of a life-changing journey. Four years later, I’ve completed all the major races, including Cape Town Cycle Tour, Amashova, 94.7, Emperors, Monte, and more.”
She also feels that cycling has become more popular among women and girls, and she feels this is because cycling gives its participants confidence, community, and control.
“Women gravitate to spaces where they are seen, supported, and celebrated, and cycling offers all of that. When you ride with other women, especially Black women, you feel powerful. You realise your body is capable of far more than you ever imagined. And the economic empowerment side is massive: cycling opens doors for business, partnerships, travel, sponsorship, and entrepreneurship, like my own brand, Mare-Mare Luxe.”
Training for long-distance rides as well as running your own business is no easy feat, but Konyashe says both these careers feed her in a different way.
“Cycling keeps me disciplined and mentally strong. Entrepreneurship keeps me creative and ambitious.”
Konyashe hopes to use cycling to drive impact through 1965Ride and raise funds for education bursaries in Komani, as well as grow her business.
“I know what education did for my life; giving children the same opportunity is deeply personal. On the business side, I’m growing Mare-Mare Luxe and Saddle Swag into full lifestyle brands: leather goods, fashion, apparel, accessories, gifting, and curated experiences.”
“As a woman in sport, I want to take up space in the business of cycling. In March, I exhibited at the Cape Town Cycle Tour, and in June, in Durban, I exhibited at the Comrades Marathon because access to market is key! I want to tell stories, build community, and open doors for more women.”
Main Photo Caption: Social cyclist and business owner Tabisa Konyashe loved the ‘elite’ energy and intentional focus on scaling women’s sport at the 2025 gsport Business Breakfast, held on Thursday, 26 November 2025, at Henley Business School Africa. All Photos: Supplied
Photo 2 Caption: Konyashe said the Business Accelerator event felt like a purposeful community designed to build economic value.
Photo 3 Caption: The social athlete is a go-getter! ‘Cycling keeps me disciplined and mentally strong. Entrepreneurship keeps me creative and ambitious.’
Photo 4 Caption: A late cycling bloomer, Konyashe relishes opportunities to build her success while building others through her education charity campaigns.
