Justin Clarke

Izimvo would like to introduce the Chairman of Private Property, Justin Clarke.

Recent runner-up in the Jump 2009 E-Commerce awards for the best property website, Private Property was started in 1999 and operated out of Justin’s converted garage for a number of years. Today, the site ranks as one of South Africa’s most popular and the first stop for anyone looking to buy or sell property.

Website: http://www.privateproperty.co.za
LinkedIn: http://za.linkedin.com/in/justinclarke
Location: Durban

Justin was kind enough to answer the following questions for us:

Personal

Q: The all important personal profile. How would a close friend introduce you at a social event?  i.e. Name, age, company, interesting fact etc.

A: Justin Clarke, Most known for his part in the Private Property story, 46-year-old varsity drop out has a serious history as a serial entrepreneur with a dangerous infatuation with risk …..

Q: Tell us something that not many others know about you. This could be anything from a phobia to your favorite movie.

A: I have used a slide rule to do calculations… and a telex for instant messaging…

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you want to get away from it all?

A: Out door action will do it for me…was totally hooked on skiing, (I say was because it was the undoing of me when I broke my back in Austria earlier this year) – it’s really insane and got all the ingredients to really take you into another world, white powder everywhere, natural speed and control without horsepower, and when you are flying down a mountain your mind is far from work stuff.  But remember not to get too much air between the skis’ and the mountain. Oh yes… and the Après Ski party is pretty good too…

Business in South Africa

Q: What advice would you give young entrepreneurs starting out with little or no money?

A: Enjoy it, you have nothing to lose and all to gain. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you are lean. If you have the passion and you really believe in the outcome you can really do anything, you just have to keep plugging at it. And don’t let go…

Q: What, for you, have the highlights been over the last 11 years for Private Property?

A: I suppose the first annual conference organised by our VC partners, meeting and mixing with some of the world internet gurus at the Four Seasons in New York. From a garage start-up in one vertical in a very small market to hanging with the big league was just insane.

Q: To what extent do you feel that marketing plays in a company’s success and what lessons do you think we can learn from success stories such as your own?

A: Private Property is the biggest search word combination for browsers searching Google for property. That means something I guess. Most of our traffic is still URL specific and that has come from an obscene amount of cash spent on marketing over the last 10 years.

But the world has changed and to get customers now you need endorsement from other customers. So it’s about positive PR and Social Networks more than it’s ever been. For a startup that’s great because it’s not expensive to get that ball rolling. Where do you see Google, Facebook, Twitter etc advertising above the line?

Q: What has the recently market slump meant for Private Property? Are you finding that buyers are doing more research and are looking for ways to avoid costs such as agent fees?

A: Interesting, the opposite is true. Sellers who are distressed are just looking for an outcome, agents deliver the outcome without any upfront fees so that is where the seller goes in a tight market. But the slump meant big changes for us! We wanted to include all the property on our portal for a better browser experience, and that meant bringing in the industry.

The tough market made the marriage easier because we needed each other. So we bought all our franchised offices back, shut them down, and let private sellers do their own online listing. Then we opened to estate agents who can now post on our site.

End result post recession – we are an internet business leading our vertical, and not a low-cost private sale estate agent like we were trying to be. GREAT comes out of bad! Hey, and it’s even better for private sellers as well.

Life in South Africa

Q: Have you or any of your immediate family been affected by crime? If yes, has it changed your perception of the country and the way you and your family live your lives?

A: My family lives in New Zealand because of crime and it’s a big challenge for us saffas. I DIG Africa, always have. We have an awesome country, rich with resources, great people filled with spirit, diversity and courage. If we just get our economy to grow faster we would have less unemployment and more of our 49 million people would be part of the system, not el-desperados’ with no hope and nothing to lose.

Q: Have you ever considered emigration? If yes, where do you think you would emigrate to?

A: Yes, I had a business venture in Swaziland in the 80’s which I lost as a result of corruption.  I was seriously pissed off and wanted to go live the American Dream, to be protected by a constitution that entrenched my rights, etc…. then some wise men wrote an equally good constitution for us and I decided to live the South African Dream. Chuffed with that!

Q: If you were South African president for just one day, what would you change?

A: Implement the recommendations of the Harvard Group.

Q: To which three attractions would you first take an international visitor?

A: Beach, Ponto de Oro in Mozambique (just the other side of the Kozi Bay border). Mountain, for you okes in the Mother city I guess the cable to the top of the Table. Bush, would have to be Phinda, KZN North Coast.

Life in Durban

Q: What is your favorite event on the Durban social calendar?

A: Do we have a calendar in Durban?

Q: When planning that perfect night out with that someone special, which Durban restaurant would be your first choice?

A: Spiga’s Florida Road. Fashionable but unpretentious, open pavement cafe vibe, lively, cosmopolitan.

General

Q: If you were able to pick anyone as your mentor, who would it be and why?

A: I could be PC, but I think I would with Richard Branson, he’s done it all without getting too serious.

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

A: Wouldn’t mind waking up standing on my legs, on a beach at sunrise!

Q: Favorite South African band? Have you seen them live and do you own at least one of their albums?

A: Hey we have some wicked local sounds, but I am big on the Parlatones. Seen them at the barnyard in Durbs, and iPod is fully loaded.

Q: Who would you most like to read about on Izimvo?

A: You okes are doing a great Job, keep up the current mix…

We’d like to thank Justin for finding the time to answer our questions and wish him every success for the future.