Asa Smouse

About Asa Smouse

I'm an Executive Coach & Consultant by profession and come from humble beginnings. As a child, I survived horrible child labour that turned into slavery in the hands of my biological parents. This came after surviving a throw by my father under a railway while a train was in motion. After escaping from home, I had to fend for myself where university was concerned. Fast-forward, at the age of 25 I had earned my seat at the boardroom table for a multi-million euro company listed on the Euronext and headquartered in Brussels. I believe that I'm a true reflection of what can be achieved if only you are hungry enough to achieve it.

I was born and bred in Tarkastad, Eastern Cape, South Africa; I’ve had my fair share of globe-trotting with my favourite destination being France, their clothes for me certainly made up for the not so friendly culture. In Germany, I had the most unwelcoming experience that made me feel like a second-class human being. Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana were the most humbling experiences that pruned me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I love and enjoy spending quality time with my husband, experimenting with unlikely combination of ingredients in the kitchen, reading unfamiliar topics, writing my thoughts and of course being entertained by our cubs. I systematically spend a lot of time in my head; talking and crying to myself are the tools I use for my sanity, self-awareness and continuous reflection. I have got to learn that it’s A-okay to live a life that others don’t understand-at the end of the day it’s your life, not theirs. Maturity for me lies in the wisdom of knowing when to speak and when to hold my peace. I have quite a confusing personality in the sense that I’m an extreme introvert but boy I can talk. I work hard and play just as hard, for me life is about being at the equilibrium of the wheel of life, or at least close enough. My personality type is “the logistician”, and I get to share that with Denzel Washington who so happens to be my role model. I am not defined by my accolades and what I have achieved- I consider myself an ordinary being with extraordinary dreams and supernatural blessings.