Dave's Story | The Power of Initiative: A Journey of Purpose Over Pay

When I finished high school, I was absolutely certain of one thing—I wanted to be an advocate, an attorney in the High Court. Law came naturally to me, so I spent six years at UCT earning two law degrees and stepped out ready to conquer the courtroom.

But six months into my legal career, running documents to the High Court for a candidate attorney’s salary of eight thousand rand, I realised I was chasing the wrong dream. I didn’t hate the work, but I couldn’t see a future that made me feel fulfilled.

Then something unexpected happened—I felt called into ministry. I studied, became a pastor, and spent ten incredible years leading and serving in the same church. The money wasn’t great, but the purpose made up for it. It gave me a sense of meaning that law never had.

But by 2019, even ministry had begun to feel more like an institution than an inspiration. The politics were heavier than I imagined, and I knew it was time to move on. So, I drew a three-kilometre circle around my house and decided, “I’ll find a job within this radius.” It was a silly idea—but sometimes silly ideas change everything.

OneDayOnly was hiring for warehouse staff. With two law degrees and a decade in ministry, I applied to pack boxes. The interviewing team didn’t understand why, but I just wanted to start somewhere new. That R9,500 paycheck marked the start of a completely new chapter.

I soon noticed a problem—the business kept losing stock. Instead of complaining, I built a system to identify missing items and notify customers automatically. I wasn’t paid extra for it, but it mattered. Eventually, management recognised its impact and created a new role for me.

When COVID hit and the company hired new support agents, there was no training program—so I built one. Again, no title change, no salary increase, but I stepped up. Over time, I became the go-to person for training, leadership development, and operations. One by one, managers above me left, until I found myself leading the department. Not because someone gave me the title—but because I kept filling the gaps no one else would.

That’s the truth about growth. You can’t depend on company promises or job descriptions—they’re starting points, not finish lines. Real advancement happens when you stop worrying about titles and salaries and start focusing on contribution and consistency.

If you put your head down, find a need, and meet it, you’ll move up—maybe slowly, but definitely. And if you don’t? Then the choice is simple: stay and make it better, or move on and find a place where you can.

My parents still joke about my career path—ex-lawyer turned pastor turned customer service leader—but this industry has given me more fulfillment than either of those worlds ever did. Because here, hard work, initiative, and empathy for people make all the difference.

That’s my message to anyone starting out: opportunities rarely come with a title. They show up disguised as problems to be solved. And if you’re willing to step up, you’ll go further than you ever imagined.