About Me

About Me

Hi, I’m Helena, and my life runs on two fascinating tracks that often overlap. Since 2009, I’ve been a leadership and resilience coach through my company, Grey Matters, helping people lead themselves and others with purpose while staying healthy and motivated. Then, in 2019, I co-founded the nonprofit LoveLegacyDignity with my dear friend Mapi Mhlangu. Our mission? To help people live fully while preparing for life’s inevitable end. We share weekly thoughts on this through our Live By Design column on News24.

So, how did I end up here? My journey began as a land activist, working in rural development and land reform. I’ve held roles like MD of South Africa’s Land Bank, where I learned that leading people is just as challenging as transforming systems. Later, I shifted gears, earning a Master’s in Coaching and diving into the fascinating world of personal and team growth.

Loss and grief have deeply shaped me too. After losing my husband, Joe Slovo, and other loved ones, I realized how unprepared I was for those difficult moments. That experience drove me to train as an end-of-life guide and start conversations about living and dying well. At LoveLegacyDignity, we run workshops, host Death Cafés, and provide resources like our free Purple File to help others feel ready and resilient.

I’ve always loved writing—it’s where I find my flow. My first book, Banking on Change, was about my time at the Land Bank. Since then, I’ve written on coaching, leadership, and life’s tougher topics like grief and loss. My latest project, Facing Loss, explores how we reshape our lives when facing all kinds of goodbyes, whether it’s a person, a career, or our own health.

When I’m not working, you’ll find me reading, cycling, or traveling with my husband, John Perlman, who I was lucky enough to meet at a book club. Between us, we’ve got two daughters, five wonderful grandkids, and a shared love for wine farms and game reserves. Tai Chi and swimming keep me grounded, while my family keeps me inspired.

Life, for me, is about showing up fully—for the good, the messy, and everything in between.