How Lwando Xaso is bringing the constitution to life

The first thing Lwando Xaso tells people about herself when she first meets them that she’s her grandfather’s granddaughter. “He was a messenger at a law firm and he always made me believe that I could do anything,” she explains to Mark Sham in this week’s inspiring episode of The Small Business Showcase. “He was one of the wisest people I knew, and even though he didn’t get to live his dream of becoming a lawyer, he has inspired me to make the most of every opportunity I’ve been given – he taught me you camn do a lot with a little. I imagine what he would have done with my opportunities and I know I have to make a difference in the world.”

Lwando did become a lawyer, but now she’s transitioning away from only focusing on the law and using her legal background and constitutional law degree to create content that speaks to more than just civic life and activism but how we as South Africans can develop ourselves as citizens.

Her goal? To help our society realise the ambitions of our constitution through her business, Including Society, a platform that is bringing the constitution to life for individuals and businesses.

It’s an ambitious mission and one of the reasons why we love entrepreneurs and have made it our mission to support them – entrepreneurs don’t talk about the need for change, they find the solutions that will drive and support change.

Matching solutions to problems

Lwando was working at a large law firm when she first developed the idea for Including Society. “I kept thinking that as a law firm there was more that we could do to embody the principles and the values of our constitution. I think that there are many people in the private sector who view the constitution as a weapon to wield against government. They don’t view it as something that applies to them and that we all have a duty to bring the values of the constitution to life.”

Lwando has a powerful belief that the constitution has the ability to make each and every member of our society feel like they belong.

“I launched the Including Society to help private clients create an environment that I saw at the

constitutional court, which paid attention to the smallest details when it comes to creating that belonging and togetherness.”

Taking a crack at big, audacious goals

Lwando is not thinking small, but she is learning entrepreneurial lessons from the ground up:

• If you’re going to strike out in your own, do your research and be informed. You don’t know what you don’t know, so make it a habit to ask questions.
• Be willing to move into a new phase in life. We grow and change and that’s okay – embrace every change and make the most of it.
• See yourself as part of a much bigger story. We are all connected, working with multi-faceted individuals. When we embrace that diversity, we can have transformative experiences, together.
• Find mentors and learn the practical side of running a business – the idea is one thing, but you need to be able to bring it to life.

You can support Lwando’s business by:

• Liking and sharing this video
• Visiting her website
• Following her business on Facebook

Watch the full video here: