What does it mean to be a woman who leads, inspires, perseveres, and continuously rises?

As part of Constitution Hill’s Women’s Month spotlight on visionary leaders shaping our creative ecosystem, we celebrate Leoté Taylor—Chief Executive Officer of The South African Creative Industries Incubator (SACII), located on the 10th floor of the historic Transwerke Building (part of the Creative Uprising Hub) at Constitution Hill. Leoté is an expert in small and medium-sized enterprise development and incubation program management—a dedication recognized internationally when she won the 2026 American Express Leadership Academy Alumni Award in London. But beyond her executive title, Leoté is a musician, artist, and advocate at heart.

Under Leoté’s leadership, SACII exists to bridge the gap between creative passion and sustainable business ownership. Offering everything from full qualifications to short courses, production facilities, and mentorship networks, SACII works to democratize funding and market access for local creative products.

The incubator’s driving ethos is simple yet profound: #NormalisingAccess. By equipping practitioners with best-practice tools to manage thriving creative businesses, SACII ensures that local talent is empowered to build long-term economic independence.

Learn more about SACII’s programs: sa-creative-industries-incubator.co.za

Not many know that behind her executive leadership, Leoté is also an accomplished recording artist. Born in Pietermaritzburg and raised in Pretoria, her musical journey began belting out Whitney Houston classics at age three and has since spanned stages across thirteen countries—from Dubai to Singapore.

Her artistic highlights include:

• Performing for presidents, diplomats, and royalty.
• Reaching #1 on the New York Dance Charts.
• Crafting her own sonic identity through songwriting and production.
• Gracing the stage at Constitution Hill’s Human Rights Festival and continuously opening doors for emerging performance artists within ConHill’s creative programming.

Leoté’s story is one of strength, purpose, resilience, and becoming—a powerful reminder that every woman’s journey carries the power to inspire others.

In the SHE INSPIRES feature conversation, she shares about her personal and professional evolution, overcoming ageism and stereotypes in leadership, and how staying grounded in purpose keeps her moving forward.

Watch the full interview on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0d6sSleu_c

Connect with Leoté Taylor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leote_lee/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@leote04

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leote.taylor