Sebenele Radebe CA(SA) turned a floral-arrangement course into LND Decor Design, a Midrand floral styling and event décor business. Drawing on her experience in audit and finance, she is building the company while continuing her career as a chartered accountant. She plans to grow LND Decor Design into a luxury South African brand, create jobs and show how CA(SA) training can give women the commercial skills to pursue opportunities beyond traditional finance roles.
LND Decor Design reached a turning point when Sebenele Radebe received her first order from a complete stranger. Until then, relatives, friends and acquaintances had made up most of her client base. This customer had discovered her work independently and trusted her to deliver. For Radebe, it was proof that the business could stand on its own and attract clients well beyond her personal network.
Radebe launched LND Decor Design in 2025 after completing a floral-arrangement course at the South African School of Weddings and Events. She signed up looking for a creative outlet outside accountancy. By the end of the course, she had a business idea.
“I never imagined that I would leave it with so many ideas,” she says. “As I learnt more about floral design and event styling, I saw an opportunity to turn something I enjoyed into a business.”
Based in Midrand, LND Decor Design styles weddings, corporate functions and private celebrations. The business also creates personalised stationery and signage.
More than one career
Radebe grew up in a rural community near the Oshoek Border Post in Mpumalanga. The surrounding mountains, rivers and forests fed her early interest in flowers and beautiful spaces.
Accountancy caught her attention at school, when she heard a Ligwalagwala FM discussion about the profession and the shortage of women entering it. She enjoyed working with numbers, while a Thuthuka career publication her sister brought home showed her how to become a CA(SA).
Her parents ran small businesses to support the family and encouraged their children to look beyond the opportunities available locally. Her father died when she was in Grade 9, leaving her mother to support her education.
The move from rural Mpumalanga to the University of Cape Town was a major academic and cultural adjustment, and Radebe sometimes questioned whether she belonged. Her CTA year brought further personal loss when her mother died, making an already demanding period even more difficult.
Radebe went on to complete her BCom and postgraduate accounting studies before joining PwC for her training contract. She has since built a career in audit and finance, mainly in financial services.
Throughout those years, her interest in design continued to grow. At events, she studied the décor and wondered how each element had come together. The floral course gave her the practical skills to take that interest further.
“I eventually realised that I did not have to choose between being analytical and being creative,” she says. “The two can complement each other.”
Turning ideas into events
Radebe starts every LND Decor Design project by asking about the occasion, the client’s ideas and the budget. She then develops the concept, sources the materials and plans each detail.
“It starts with listening,” she says. “Every client has their own vision, style and budget, so it is important to understand exactly what they hope to achieve.”
Bringing that vision to life takes more than an eye for colour. Flowers are perishable, preferred varieties may be unavailable and event dates cannot move. Radebe plans ahead and maintains strong supplier relationships, which help her respond when something changes at short notice. She sets clear terms from the outset and discusses any substitutions with the client. Rather than impose her own style, she interprets what the client wants and finds a way to deliver it within budget.
“When clients see the final result, I want them to feel that I have brought their ideas to life,” she says. “Their reaction is my favourite part of the job. Satisfied clients are the best measure of success.”
The CA(SA) advantage
Radebe applies the commercial discipline of her CA(SA) training to LND Decor Design. Pricing is one of her toughest decisions. She must work within clients’ budgets while covering her costs and protecting the business’s profit margin. She also needs to invest in equipment as the company grows. Her professional experience helps her make those decisions and put sound systems in place.
“My training has helped me in many ways,” she says. “It taught me discipline, financial management, time management and the importance of compliance.”
“Entrepreneurship allows me to combine my accounting knowledge with my creativity while building something meaningful that reflects who I am,” she says.
Her focus now is attracting more clients. She uses Instagram, TikTok and Facebook to share completed projects and show what LND Decor Design can do.
Building something that lasts
Radebe plans to grow LND Decor Design into a South African luxury floral and décor brand, expand its services and eventually open an events venue. She wants that growth to create jobs.
“I hope the business can become self-sustaining and create jobs,” she says. “South Africa has a high unemployment rate, and one of my long-term goals is to grow this into something that provides employment.”
She also wants to introduce young people from rural communities, particularly girls, to professional opportunities they might not otherwise discover.
For Radebe, the CA(SA) designation creates choices rather than limiting people to conventional finance roles.
“Do not feel that you have to fit into one box,” she says. “Being a CA(SA) gives you an incredible foundation, but it does not mean you must limit yourself to one career path.”
