Season of Thanks: Leading with Gratitude and Heart

Nov 13
3 min read

By Shadikana Makaranga

Founder and CEO, Tlou Property Group

“When gratitude guides our leadership, we don’t just build homes, we build legacies that nurture lives.”

Leadership often begins as a pursuit of achievement, but for me, it became a journey of the heart. When I first stepped into leadership at Tlou Property Group, I believed success was measured by milestones and numbers. My initial goal was to shift how clients viewed property. To see it as a foundation for their lives, not just an asset. But the greatest shift happened within me. I discovered that leadership is not defined by performance but by presence, by heart, empowerment, and the legacy we leave behind.

Embracing gratitude has grounded me, strengthened my resilience, and allowed me to lead authentically; for my team, my clients, and myself. Leading as an African woman in a space still dominated by white male counterparts has tested me in profound ways. Yet gratitude became my quiet resistance. A reminder that I am enough, that my perspective matters, and that my leadership can be both soft and strong.

Creating Spaces for Soul Security

At Tlou Property Group, our mission goes beyond building structures. We create spaces that ground and nourish the soul. Homes where people feel seen, supported, and safe. Feeling rooted gives clients a foundation they can trust, a space where they have the freedom to flourish.

I witnessed this firsthand with a client who was initially hesitant to invest in her home. Amid competing financial priorities, she chose to begin with her space. I remember her pausing by the doorway, smiling as the afternoon light filled the room. That moment wasn’t about property; it was about peace. Her children now walk taller, sensing that same security, which inspires them to take pride in their surroundings. Gratitude shapes not only how we build but how we care, guiding every space toward a lasting legacy.

The Power of a Sisterhood

The care and grounding we foster in spaces mirrors how we nurture one another as leaders and women in business. Around the same time, I joined the Feminine Frequency Business School (FFBS), seeking growth but finding transformation. Mentorship through FFBS offered guidance, courage, and a safe space to be fully seen. Women from different industries shared wisdom, challenges, and victories, holding space for one another to rise.

Through this experience, I learned that leadership grows when we uplift others. Gratitude becomes energy. What we pour out returns multiplied. In acknowledging what already exists within us, we create room for more to unfold.

Empowerment, Ownership, and Legacy

Leading with gratitude cultivates empowerment and ownership. Recognizing the strengths and efforts of our teams and communities instills pride and encourages growth. Each home, investment, or initiative becomes part of a larger legacy, one that honours values, nurtures potential, and inspires future generations.

At Tlou, this philosophy is deeply African. Guided by ancestral wisdom, we build spaces that harmonize heritage with innovation, balancing spirit, sustainability, and progress.

Leadership grounded in gratitude transforms not only individuals but entire communities, leaving a ripple of empowerment and ownership.

Building Impactful Communities

Gratitude-driven leadership extends beyond individual success. It creates environments where people feel supported, valued, and inspired to contribute. Through collaboration, mentorship, and authentic connection, we lift one another while building thriving, empowered communities. I often walk through neighbourhoods we’ve shaped, seeing laughter echo across courtyards and children learning to claim their space with pride. These moments remind me that legacy is lived, not just built.

This season of thanks, I celebrate the women who mentor and encourage me, the communities who trust and grow with us, and the journey that continues to teach me the profound power of gratitude.

Even on challenging days, returning to thankfulness reorients me toward purpose.

At Tlou Property Group, gratitude doesn’t just guide our work, it shapes communities, builds legacies, and transforms lives.

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