Startup Story
Nomsa Mdhluli is the founder of Tishala Communications in South Africa, a boutique Digital Marketing and Public Relations agency. She is an award-winning broadcaster who has a knack for storytelling, and translated this skill into Public Relations through her business. In 2018, Nomsa established Tishala Communications to serve corporate clients who deserved to have their ground-breaking business ideas, innovations and successes brought to public and business attention.
Currently, she is very excited about promoting a number of key clients in the Technology Innovation, Artificial Intelligence and Healthcare sectors. With a Masters’ degree in Mass Communications and a strong media background, Nomsa leads the agency in delivering bespoke PR solutions. Known for her dynamic speaking engagements, she inspires audiences with her insights on corporate PR, media relations, and consumer campaigns. Her commitment to breaking barriers and amplifying women's voices makes her a driving force in the industry.
LoA spoke to Nomsa this month to learn more about her passion for communication, her love of storytelling, and her ambitions for the growth of her business in the future.
What does your company do?
Tishala Communications is a boutique Digital Marketing and Public Relations agency that specialises in servicing niche markets, events and campaigns. We pride ourselves on developing innovative, authentic and compelling messaging to help our clients' brand achieve the right kind of impact.
“We pride ourselves on developing innovative, authentic and compelling messaging to help our clients' brand achieve the right kind of impact.”
What inspired you to start your company?
My services as a freelance PR specialist were well sought after. I realised that I could carve my own path by establishing my agency where I could amplify the voices of my clients and tell their stories is a unique and creative way. I am also passionate about making PR accessible, more especially to start ups.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Tishala Communications’ list of achievements include a number of notable firsts for a young agency and clients have included the South African International Film Festival. Tishala has also played an integral PR role in Africa’s first-ever Artificial Intelligence event, as well as being entrusted with the PR responsibilities around bringing the world’s largest gaming trade event to Africa. The success of these accounts has seen Tishala becoming sought after among tech and event companies looking to convey their messaging to a larger audience.
“I realised that I could carve my own path by establishing my agency where I could amplify the voices of my clients and tell their stories is a unique and creative way.”
Tell us a little about your team
My team is small, but highly effective and extremely creative. My business partner Roy is responsible for business development and is the backbone of our business. He is a multi-media practitioner, a well of knowledge and a wordsmith of note. Su Hassam is our PR Account executive and social media manager, she is highly creative, and an amazing storyteller, and if you want to know the latest industry trends, Su is the go-to person. The great thing about this team is that we all come with our unique skills sets which has made our services well sought after.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Entrepreneurship is definitely a path that chose me, I was brought up by parents who were both teachers and all I wanted to do was get into a career that would offer a stable income. I worked as a broadcast journalist full-time for 15 years while freelancing as a Public Relations specialist. Demand for my PR services grew and in 2018 I decided to register my own company, but it took me a while to see myself as an entrepreneur, in 2023 I decided to resign from journalism and am now running my company full-time, I haven't looked back. Being an entrepreneur has allowed me to work towards my legacy while empowering my clients and employees. Stepping confidently into my role as a businesswoman has helped me to be intentional about putting systems in place to serve my clients optimally and to ensure that my business grows.
“Stepping confidently into my role as a businesswoman has helped me to be intentional about putting systems in place to serve my clients optimally and to ensure that my business grows.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
The sky is the limit! In a few years, I want to grow Tishala Communications into a media house, where we provide full digital media offerings to our clients.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Being able to create employment opportunities for young people really fulfils me, our business also offers internships for PR and Marketing students, which enable them to get their in-service training before graduating. It also offers them industry experience. I also get excited about telling my clients' stories on media platforms, which gives their brands great exposure - this translates to the success of their businesses.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Be brave, starting a business is not for the faint-hearted. Make sure that your start up matches your passion and always be open to learning from others.
Contact or follow Tishala Communications
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL Nomsa@tishalacommunications.com
Why LoA loves it…
We all know the importance of great communication in our businesses, it’s essential to get our brands, products and services noticed by our potential customers. But it can often be hard to get our messages heard and to stand out above the market noise. That’s when it’s good to get the specialists on board, and Nomsa and her team are certainly that. They know how to connect their customers’ brands and messaging with their target audiences, and importantly, how to keep them connected and resonating long after the campaign is over. This is a boutique PR agency with a big vision for the future, and it will be good to watch it continue to grow over the coming months and years. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa