Etiquette With Sammy

Call Contact the business

Etiquette With Sammy I transform lives with social skills, confidence, personal growth, and purpose discovery.

SELF-AWARENESS REQUIRES UPDATING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF.We often speak about “knowing ourselves” as though it is s...
21/09/2026

SELF-AWARENESS REQUIRES UPDATING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF.

We often speak about “knowing ourselves” as though it is something we accomplish once but the person we knew five or ten years ago may not have the same priorities, boundaries, aspirations or understanding of life that we have today.

We evolve, experience changes us, responsibility stretches us, success teaches us, disappointment teaches us too and sometimes what feels like “losing ourselves” may simply be the discomfort of recognising that an older version of ourselves no longer completely fits.

This is where self-mastery becomes an ongoing practice. It requires us to keep asking:

What matters to me now?
What do I value now?
What needs to change?
What needs to remain?
And how do I want to show up in this season?

Because intentional living cannot be built entirely around an outdated understanding of who we are.

At The Etiquette Class, our work around self-mastery and professional presence continually returns to one principle:

How we show up begins with knowing who is showing up and that person is allowed to evolve. Self-awareness isn’t always about finding your way back to yourself. Sometimes, it is about having the courage to meet yourself again.

For many years, one of the easiest ways to describe myself was through my career. I worked in banking.It was familiar. I...
18/09/2026

For many years, one of the easiest ways to describe myself was through my career. I worked in banking.

It was familiar. It gave structure to my days, shaped part of my professional identity and, like many careers do, became part of the way I introduced myself. Then life changed.

I left banking and eventually stepped into self-employment. Suddenly the familiar title was gone but I wasn’t. The skills I had developed over the years were still there. My values and experiences were still there and most importantly, there were parts of me that finally had room to emerge.

The writer.
The etiquette teacher.
The mentor.
The transformation coach.

And yet, even these titles are not permanent definitions of me. That is something I understand much better now. Life will continue to change, careers evolve, children grow, relationships enter different seasons, dreams change, priorities shift and we change too.

Knowing ourselves isn’t about finding one identity and holding onto it forever. Perhaps it is about developing enough self-awareness to recognise ourselves through every version we become.

So today’s question is when the titles change, what remains?
For me , it is not the title, it is the person carrying them. May we embrace the seasons we are in and continue to give ourselves grace while enjoying the journey of self discovery.

There was a time when I wondered whether, somewhere along the way, I had disappeared behind the roles I carried.I became...
16/09/2026

There was a time when I wondered whether, somewhere along the way, I had disappeared behind the roles I carried.

I became a wife, a mother, a businesswoman, a writer, an etiquette teacher, a mentor and for a while, I thought finding myself meant discovering an identity separate from all of those things.

Today, I see it differently, I don’t need to reject my roles in order to know myself. I love being a wife. I love being a mother. I value being a daughter, a sister, a friend, and I am deeply grateful for the work I get to do.

These roles have shaped me. They have stretched me, taught me, challenged me and added meaning to my life but I have also learnt this:

My roles are expressions of who I am. They are not the sum total of who I am and perhaps that distinction is important.

Maybe the question isn’t always, “Who am I without these roles?” Perhaps sometimes we need to ask: Who am I within them?

What values do I bring into my relationships?
What parts of myself do I express through my work?
What brings me joy?
What do I believe?
What do I need?
And who am I still becoming?

Maybe self-discovery isn’t about removing all the petals.

Maybe it’s about getting to know the woman from whom they grow.

WHO AM I NOW? A Reflection SeriesYesterday, I had the privilege of facilitating a conversation that is deeply personal t...
15/09/2026

WHO AM I NOW? A Reflection Series

Yesterday, I had the privilege of facilitating a conversation that is deeply personal to me at The Whole Woman Summit:

Who Am I Now? Beyond the Titles ; Wife, Mother and Job Title.

What began as preparation for a masterclass became a reminder of something I believe we all need to revisit from time to time. Identity is not a conversation we finish.

We evolve.
Our roles change.
Our priorities shift.
Life happens.
And every so often, we need to meet ourselves again.

There was far too much in yesterday’s conversation to leave it in one session, so over the next few days, I will be sharing some of the reflections and questions from the masterclass here.

Not because there is one perfect answer to “Who am I?” but because perhaps we should keep asking the question as we grow.

So, let’s begin where we began yesterday:

If you couldn’t tell me your occupation, qualifications, marital status, whether you have children, or any of the titles you carry… how would you introduce yourself?

Who are you?

And perhaps the more important question: Who are you now?

Over the next few days, we’ll explore this together.

Just a reminder to join us for The Whole Woman Summit, hosted by Samu MaZikhali Gumbie and taking place online from 14–1...
12/09/2026

Just a reminder to join us for The Whole Woman Summit, hosted by Samu MaZikhali Gumbie and taking place online from 14–18 September.

Our founder, Sammy Matlhagela, will be speaking on a topic that sits very close to both her personal journey and the work we do at The Etiquette Class:

Who am I now — beyond the titles?
Beyond being a wife.
Beyond being a mother.
Beyond a profession, a career or what we do for a living.

For Sammy, this is not simply a conversation to facilitate. It is one she has had to live.

Through different seasons of transition including moving from a career in banking into entrepreneurship she has had to rediscover who she is when familiar titles, roles and definitions begin to change.

And therein lies one of the foundations of self-mastery.

Before we can become more intentional about how we show up ; in our relationships, our workplaces and the world, we first have to understand who is showing up.

That is why self-mastery forms an important part of the work we offer at The Etiquette Class: creating space for people to understand themselves more deeply, live more intentionally and develop a sense of identity that isn’t held together solely by titles, achievements or the roles they fulfil.

We look forward to being part of this beautiful gathering of women as we explore what it means to know, embrace and continually become the whole woman.

Join us online from Monday, 14 September to Friday, 18 September.

See the flyers for further details.

https://chat.whatsapp.com/IDCCGRNiPC1AEijI4jotMD?s=sw&p=a&mlu=4&ilr=4

As I celebrated my birthday yesterday 09-09-26, I was reminded that one of the greatest gifts of getting older is becomi...
10/09/2026

As I celebrated my birthday yesterday 09-09-26, I was reminded that one of the greatest gifts of getting older is becoming clearer about what truly matters.

I reflected on the kind of life and energy I want for myself and realized that these days, I am less interested in doing more, having more, proving more or being everywhere. I am learning to appreciate a life that feels good on the inside, one filled with love, meaningful work, beautiful relationships, laughter, peace and the freedom to simply be and that’s really what The Etiquette Class would love to help others with.

I enter this new year of my life deeply grateful for the woman I have been, proud of the woman I am becoming, and excited about everything that is still unfolding.

My prayer for this chapter is simple: less, but better.
Less noise. More meaning.
Less rushing. More presence.
Less proving. More living.
More love. More laughter. More beautiful ordinary days.

Here’s to another year of showing up for my life; fully, intentionally and joyfully. 🥂

Quite often, I get asked what I do, or what exactly The Etiquette Class does.And in simple words, we are about how we sh...
08/09/2026

Quite often, I get asked what I do, or what exactly The Etiquette Class does.

And in simple words, we are about how we show up.

Through Self-Mastery :- how we show up for ourselves.
How we understand ourselves, manage ourselves, make intentional choices and become active participants in the lives we are creating.

Through Etiquette:- how we show up in the world.
How we treat people, communicate, carry ourselves and navigate different spaces with confidence, consideration and grace.

Through The Self-Led Professional:- how we show up in our professional lives.
With self-leadership, professional presence, confidence, accountability and an understanding that how we conduct ourselves matters just as much as what we know.

Through curated events and experiences:- how we show up for ourselves and in our relationships.
Making room for friendship, connection, celebration, new experiences and simply enjoying this life we work so hard to build.

And through Living the Golden Years:- how we prepare to show up for our future selves. Because ageing well, living well and creating a fulfilling life in our later years begin with the choices we make today.

The more I look at the work I do, the more I realise that it has never been about etiquette alone. It is about how we live, how we relate, how we grow, how we carry ourselves and ultimately, how we show up.

Life asks different things of us in different seasons. Perhaps part of living it well is learning to recognise the season we are in, and knowing how we want to show up for it.

The Etiquette Class
Transformative change, one gesture at a time.

🌸 Happy Spring Day from The Etiquette Class 🌸A new season is here ; fresh, bright and full of possibility. As nature be...
01/09/2026

🌸 Happy Spring Day from The Etiquette Class 🌸

A new season is here ; fresh, bright and full of possibility. As nature begins to bloom, may this season remind us that we, too, can begin again, grow differently and keep becoming.

As we step into the final quarter of the year, may our dreams continue to spring to life, our goals be smashed, and our energy remain positive and purposeful.

May the months ahead bring renewed focus, beautiful opportunities, meaningful connections and plenty of reasons to celebrate as we make our way towards the festive season.

Here’s to finishing the year beautifully with grace, intention and a little spring in our step.

Some time back, I came across a post asking:“Is your routine building your future or maintaining your past?”It stayed wi...
27/08/2026

Some time back, I came across a post asking:

“Is your routine building your future or maintaining your past?”

It stayed with me and got me thinking…

We give so much structure to our working lives; meetings, KPIs, budgets, risk management, wellness programmes and strategic plans. Yet how often do we apply that same intentionality to our own lives and families?

Here are 5 departments every life could use:

✨ CEO’s Office : Meet & Review
Schedule personal and family meetings. Set personal KPIs. Are we still aligned? What are we working towards individually and together? How can we support each other’s dreams?

✨ Finance : Know Your Numbers
Know what comes in, what goes out, what you owe, what you save and what you are building. Review your financial goals regularly. I know some people don’t even read their bank statements 🙂

✨ Risk & Compliance : Read the Fine Print
Do you actually know what your insurance and life policies cover? Are your beneficiaries up to date? When was the last time you checked since you took them up? Would your Risk Department be happy? 😅

✨ Wellness : Know Your Health Numbers
We keep workplace records updated , do the same for yourself. Know your important health numbers and stay on top of routine checks. We can’t afford to be nonchalant with our health, our bodies are what carries us. It goes beyond the gym and healthy eating, do those tests you have been making excuses for.

✨ Legal & Administration : Keep Your Affairs in Order
Wills, trusts, contracts, policies and important documents. And please check that passport expiry date before you start planning the holiday, we are almost at that time of the year.

Companies plan, execute, review and manage risk. Perhaps we should be just as intentional with our own lives, because ultimately, taking full responsibility for your life is part of self-mastery.

So, the question remains:

Is your routine building your future… or simply maintaining your past.

At The Etiquette Class we teach you Self Mastery, we help you with the fine print. Let’s have a meeting.

Transformative Change, One gesture at a time.

Midweek reminder: Never despise small beginnings. Zechariah 4:10 I recently had the privilege of speaking at the Omega F...
26/08/2026

Midweek reminder: Never despise small beginnings. Zechariah 4:10

I recently had the privilege of speaking at the Omega Fire Ministries Botswana Omega Fire Ministries Women’s Fellowship Ministry , where the theme was: Unlocking your potential for success and my message was beautifully simple: Every great achievement begins with a small step.

It resonated deeply with me because my own journey has been one of transition ; from the structure and security of an 8-to-5 corporate career to stepping into self-employment, building, learning and continually becoming.

Growth has taught me:

✨ Start where you are. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin.

✨ Trust your God-given potential. Sometimes your capacity is greater than you realise.

✨ Be willing to transition. Growth often requires leaving what is comfortable and familiar.

✨ Stay consistent. Small, intentional steps eventually become significant progress.

✨ Remain teachable. Every season has something to teach you, never stop learning.

I am still growing, still transitioning and certainly still learning. And perhaps that is the beauty of the journey.

A special thank you to Omega Fire Ministries Botswana Omega Fire Church Women’s Ministry for the invitation and for my beautiful personalised gift. It now sits on my kitchen counter as an everyday reminder:

“Dream Big, Start Small, Grow Stronger.”

If you find yourself at the crossroads, this is a gentle reminder to keep going. At The Etiquette Class we walk the journey with you.

Address

Plot 8531, , House Of Joss, Makganatha Way , Broadhurst
Gaborone

Opening Hours

Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00
Thursday 09:00 - 17:00
Friday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+26772439872

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Etiquette With Sammy posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Etiquette With Sammy:

Shortcuts

Share