Patience, Perseverance, and Prayer: Laura Ratman's 20-Magazine Journey
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On JustGospel's Just Business with Lindi Tshabangu, publisher Laura Ratman shared how she built 20 online magazines despite suffering four strokes—anchored by patience, perseverance, and prayer.
The Reading Foundation
Laura's grandfather and mother read to her nightly as ritual. "When I was two, I belonged to the library. My mom took books out for me. I've read ever since." She still talks to her childhood librarian from East London. Enid Blyton books were favorites at ages 7-9.
BizBuzz Beginnings
In 2005, moving from East London to Johannesburg with her daughter's father, Laura discovered a mom magazine in northern Joburg. "I liked what the editor was doing. I thought: maybe she's not doing it anymore. Me being inquisitive, I contacted her. We've been friends ever since." The editor named it BizBuzz (business and bees). Ten years after Laura left corporate in 2013, the editor wrote the foreword for her September 2023 magazine.
Why Women in Business?
"I'm a woman myself, and business was interesting. If she's not doing it anymore, I can carry on where she left off." But Laura expanded: Mommies and Me (moms, babies, toddlers—inspired by her grown children having babies simultaneously), Teenage Magazine (her son was a teen), Crafts (her interest), Going Green (wellness, beauty, organic), True to My Heart (heart attacks and strokes—learning from experiences), and My Paws (her dog Dushi inspired it—"the only aspect of my life I hadn't made a magazine about").
The Most Successful
"BizBuzz is most successful. Everybody wants to know about female entrepreneurs—so varied, widely spread across businesses. Some you wouldn't think about. People like knowing where businesses started, why, and who's behind them. In modern times, it's important seeing the face behind the business—what they stand for, if they have children, dogs, ride motorbikes, what they do when not working. When you know a person, you connect on that level."
Her strategy? "Give businesses a platform to tell their story. Uplift individuals with solutions and proven ideas rather than doom."
Four Strokes
2020 - The First: After lunch with a friend in PE, guest house staff said she'd had a stroke. "I said you're talking nonsense—I don't feel anything. They called my daughter: 'Talk to your mother, she refuses hospital.'" Her eldest son noticed she wasn't replying to messages and alerted his dad. "If not for my family, I might not be around." Her son visited wearing a mask—pre-COVID, the only one masked. She didn't recognize him. Hospitalized two weeks. The stroke affected her left side—arm and leg not 100%.
2022 - TIA Strokes: Transitioning from no medication to three tablets daily morning, one nightly, she skipped three days. "I thought missing a day wouldn't be major." A TIA (temporary ischemic attack) occurred. Now when sitting, "I can't get up immediately—my legs go like jelly. But by grace of God, I'm here to tell my story."
Prayer as Foundation
"I've always been Christian—gave my life to God very young. I talk to Him like He's sitting next to me. Prayer is important for entrepreneurs—you go through difficult times. It's hard staying positive and on top."
Laura got Heart Foundation of South Africa's founder to write a foreword for True to My Heart. "There are so many people worried about what to do, where to go for help. Families battle with stroke survivors—you don't want to intrude on privacy but don't want them feeling neglected either."
The Breakthrough Moment
"Just when you want to give up is exactly when you shouldn't—that's when your breakthrough comes. Keep praying: 'Help me stay positive, walk this road with me, show me what to do.' Giving up is easy but not always what God wants. Sometimes He wants to show or teach you something. Stay open to messages. God's way is very different from ours."
Celebrating 12 years in September, Laura plans to resurrect all 20 magazines monthly. Contact: Email available via JustGospel for aspiring publishers or readers.
The Reading Foundation
Laura's grandfather and mother read to her nightly as ritual. "When I was two, I belonged to the library. My mom took books out for me. I've read ever since." She still talks to her childhood librarian from East London. Enid Blyton books were favorites at ages 7-9.
BizBuzz Beginnings
In 2005, moving from East London to Johannesburg with her daughter's father, Laura discovered a mom magazine in northern Joburg. "I liked what the editor was doing. I thought: maybe she's not doing it anymore. Me being inquisitive, I contacted her. We've been friends ever since." The editor named it BizBuzz (business and bees). Ten years after Laura left corporate in 2013, the editor wrote the foreword for her September 2023 magazine.
Why Women in Business?
"I'm a woman myself, and business was interesting. If she's not doing it anymore, I can carry on where she left off." But Laura expanded: Mommies and Me (moms, babies, toddlers—inspired by her grown children having babies simultaneously), Teenage Magazine (her son was a teen), Crafts (her interest), Going Green (wellness, beauty, organic), True to My Heart (heart attacks and strokes—learning from experiences), and My Paws (her dog Dushi inspired it—"the only aspect of my life I hadn't made a magazine about").
The Most Successful
"BizBuzz is most successful. Everybody wants to know about female entrepreneurs—so varied, widely spread across businesses. Some you wouldn't think about. People like knowing where businesses started, why, and who's behind them. In modern times, it's important seeing the face behind the business—what they stand for, if they have children, dogs, ride motorbikes, what they do when not working. When you know a person, you connect on that level."
Her strategy? "Give businesses a platform to tell their story. Uplift individuals with solutions and proven ideas rather than doom."
Four Strokes
2020 - The First: After lunch with a friend in PE, guest house staff said she'd had a stroke. "I said you're talking nonsense—I don't feel anything. They called my daughter: 'Talk to your mother, she refuses hospital.'" Her eldest son noticed she wasn't replying to messages and alerted his dad. "If not for my family, I might not be around." Her son visited wearing a mask—pre-COVID, the only one masked. She didn't recognize him. Hospitalized two weeks. The stroke affected her left side—arm and leg not 100%.
2022 - TIA Strokes: Transitioning from no medication to three tablets daily morning, one nightly, she skipped three days. "I thought missing a day wouldn't be major." A TIA (temporary ischemic attack) occurred. Now when sitting, "I can't get up immediately—my legs go like jelly. But by grace of God, I'm here to tell my story."
Prayer as Foundation
"I've always been Christian—gave my life to God very young. I talk to Him like He's sitting next to me. Prayer is important for entrepreneurs—you go through difficult times. It's hard staying positive and on top."
Laura got Heart Foundation of South Africa's founder to write a foreword for True to My Heart. "There are so many people worried about what to do, where to go for help. Families battle with stroke survivors—you don't want to intrude on privacy but don't want them feeling neglected either."
The Breakthrough Moment
"Just when you want to give up is exactly when you shouldn't—that's when your breakthrough comes. Keep praying: 'Help me stay positive, walk this road with me, show me what to do.' Giving up is easy but not always what God wants. Sometimes He wants to show or teach you something. Stay open to messages. God's way is very different from ours."
Celebrating 12 years in September, Laura plans to resurrect all 20 magazines monthly. Contact: Email available via JustGospel for aspiring publishers or readers.
