Matthew Buckland

Izimvo has the pleasure of introducing South African Internet maven, Matthew Buckland.

Named as one of South Africa’s top 100 most influential media and advertising people, Matthew’s illustrious career includes founding 20FourLabs.com and heading up Mail & Guardian Online.

Matthew has recently left the corporate world to start his own company,  Creative Spark. He has also recently launched Memeburn.com, an online publication focused on startup news and analysis.

Websites: http://www.matthewbuckland.com
http://memeburn.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/matthewbuckland
Location: Cape Town

Matthew was kind enough to answer the following questions:

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: This is Matt – he’s somewhat of a geek. He’s now 35. He’s left the corporate world and now runs his own company Creative Spark, which builds websites, mobile sites and apps, but also publishes memeburn.com and amatomu.com.

Interesting fact? He started programming at the age of 7 (ZX Spectrum 48k in BASIC), did a journalism degree specialising in new media and has a wife, two little daughters and a Weimaraner.

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 a real issue with Parktown Prawns. I get irrational about them. I can be slightly OCD sometimes.

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

A: Playing squash. Spending time at the family farm just outside George at the top of the Outeniqua pass in the W Cape. Playing the odd game of geek cricket. Travelling. Playing with my two naughty daughters, Isabel and Stella.

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South African would you like it to be?

A: It would be right here in Cape Town, one of the best places in the world to live. I might opt for Kommetjie though, and it would have glass walls.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property. Looking for the home that has it all? Well this R6.15m 5 bedroom home in Noordhoek has top finishes throughout the house, views, pool, underfloor heating, fireplace and much much more.

South Africa Online

Q: Congratulations on the successful launch of Memeburn. What was the impetus for starting the site and what have been the greatest obstacles in bringing the idea to fruition?

A: Thank you. There were two major reasons for starting Memeburn (pronounced “Meem”).

One: I’m just doing what I enjoy, which is writing and reading about emerging technologies, start-ups, new media and social media trends.

Two: I felt there was a gap in the market for a site that analyses social media and emerging technology trends in South Africa, Africa and broader emerging markets.

The biggest obstacle has been budget and time. Memeburn is 30% of what we are doing — but as the site grows and generates more revenue, we’ll bring onboard more journalists and a full-time editor and begin expanding to Africa and emerging markets. We have signed up some quality advertisers on the site and the site’s done solid traffic for its very first month — so it’s very promising.

Q: What advice would you offer those wanting to start an online business and is an advertising-only business model a viable option here in South Africa?

A: I think you should look at multiple revenue models, which include advertising and transactional revenue. There has been quite a bit of criticism about the banner ad (from yours truly too), but the reality is that this is what the industry knows and understands at the moment — and broadly they work.

The advertising model needs to evolve and adapt however. There isn’t enough innovation happening here. All the advertising innovation is happening at companies like Google and Facebook. The online publishing industry seems to be stuck in a rut, not sure what to do here.

Efforts to create paywalls just show a lack of imagination. Media companies can go ahead and paywall themselves into extinction: It’s a fundamental misunderstanding of what the internet is.

Q: Give us an insight into the daily running of the site. How are stories selected, how many writers do you have contributing to the site and who clicks the final publish button?

A: We have more than 70 contributors signed up, of which we have published just over half. Our contributors are industry leaders and contributors who can write well and have interesting things to say. We have a freelance writer who does the news too. I also sometimes compile the news reports. We have a project manager who subs the stories and puts them live.

Q: What were your initial traffic goals for the site and have your readership numbers been inline with your estimations?

A: I wanted 25k uniques and 50k PI’s in the first month — and it looks like we are on track for this. It’s been an amazing experience because this is a site that has been launched and marketed solely via social networks and the blogosphere. It seems to have worked.

Q: As one of South Africa’s most influential new media specialists, what are your predictions for an online South Africa? Do you think we are capable of producing the next Google or Facebook?

A: I think there are many opportunities for niche social networks. I also think that all major websites should start seeing themselves as “unrealised social networks” and build social layers on their offerings: bespoke and integrated with the world’s major networks like Facebook and Twitter. Networking and sharing is a fundamental part of humanity, why shouldn’t it be a part of the sites we read too?

Q: What can we look forward to from Memeburn in 2010 and beyond?

A: Once the revenue model has stabilised and I have a full-time editor we’ll look at Memeburn Phase 2. We need to separate opinion and news, we need to get more news and interviews. We’ll also expand more aggressively into Africa and key emerging markets elsewhere. We need to think about it though, because the current format is working well. I’ll also start paying some of our top contributors.

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: Yes we have, but luckily nothing severe. We had an attempted burglary in Hout Bay that was, luckily, averted. In Joburg we had a break in and car radios stolen. It just means we are more careful and take more precautions to secure our properties. It would be naive to not be aware of the vast socio-economic inequities we have in this country, which I believe is a cause of the crime problem. I’m not angry at anyone: it’s our reality.

It’s none so apparent in the place I live, Hout Bay, which features simultaneously some of Cape Town’s wealthiest houses and the very poorest. Somehow the community manages and there is a good spirit.

Hout Bay gives me hope for the rest of the country. We’ll work it out.

Q: If you were asked by the Minister of Communications for advice on how to improve Internet adoption and usage in South Africa, what recommendations would you make?

A: Aggressively promote competition. Open up regulation. Provide tax breaks and incentives for those that are contributing towards building our information economy. It’s the backbone of all business. And move at internet speed, not government speed.

Q: With less than 50 days to the first African Soccer World Cup, what advice would you offer to first-time visitors looking to sample the best in South African cuisine?

A: I’d tell them to head off to Moyos, do a “township tour” and dine out at some of Cape Town’s best such as Belugas, Five Flies, Katimas etc

Q: If you could wave your magic wand and change one thing about South Africa, what would it be?

A: The inequitable socio-economic situation we find ourselves in. We need to build a strong middle-class — this is the foundation of all successful democracies and integrated societies. This is what we should aim for.

Life in Cape Town

Q: What do you most enjoy about living in Cape Town?

A: I enjoy the tech entrepreneurial scene that appears to be growing here — and it gave me the desire and confidence to finally go it on my own. Julius Malema feels a million miles away when I drive from Hout Bay on Victoria avenue to Town, with the vast Atlantic ocean on my left and a beautiful mountain on my right.

Q: Favorite destination for a fun outing with a group of friends in or around Cape Town?

A: Groot Constantia, Llandudno beach, Betty’s Bay.

Q: If you were tasked with the building of a new tourist attraction, which other cities would you draw inspiration from?

A: I’d look at Berlin. It’s an amazing city from a historical perspective. So much happened there and so much of it is preserved and celebrated in memorials, exhibitions and museums. The whole place is like a living museum. My best city in the world, apart from Cape Town.

General

Q: If you could invite any three personalities to a poker game, who would you invite and what snacks would you serve?

A: Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and Albert Einstein. We’d serve nachos with a healthy dose of guacamole and chilli.

Q: Which book would make required reading for all school-leavers and which book would you say has influenced you the most?

A: Netocracy. It helped me understand on a very fundamental level how the world is changing as a result of the information revolution. Also Lord of the Rings: one of the best reads ever.

Q: Given a free hour at home, which would you rather do, put your feet up and relax or look for something productive to do?

A: I like being productive. More often than not I’m working. I don’t understand what 9-5 means. My perfect situation is working on my laptop with the Test cricket in the background. I’m trying to cut down on the late nights though.

Q: What advice would most like to give the 18-year-old you?

A: Be bold. Don’t join a corporate. Start your own business. Believe in yourself more. Seek out mentors and don’t be afraid to hound them down.

Q: Who would you most like to read about on Izimvo and what would you ask them?

A: Pete Cashmore. Got any traffic to share with me mate?

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

Reminder to follow @izimvo on twitter for regular updates and our Facebook page to submit question and interviewee suggestions. You can also read all of our interviews on your iPhone using the Izimvo iPhone application.

Michael Sutcliffe

Izimvo proudly introduces the man behind the city, Mike Sutcliffe; eThekwini City Manager.

Dr Sutcliffe grew up in Amanzimtoti, part of a large, conservative family, with six siblings, raised by a stay-at-home mother and an accountant father. In 1978, Dr Sutcliffe moved to the United States with his wife, Felicity, in order to complete his PhD in Geography at Ohio State University. He and Felicity returned to Durban in 1982 where he has worked hard to build a formidable reputation as an academic and activist.

In 1994, Mike Sutcliffe was elected as an ANC member of the provincial legislature and has since held a chair on the Local Government Portfolio Committee. He has been Chairperson of the Municipal Demarcation Board since 1999 and is credited as an associate professor at the University of Natal.

Newsletter: http://www.durban.gov.za/durban/government/media/cmn
Location: Durban

Dr Sutcliffe was kind enough to answer the following questions:

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: Michael Sutcliffe, 54 years, City manager: eThekwini, striving to get advantaged South Africans to chill out and realise that they are actually Africans in love with Durban, Africa.

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

A: I don’t like pompous idiots. Loved Bolero, the movie.

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

A: Watching game, reading, thinking.

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South African would you like it to be?

A: Addington Beach, Durban.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property

Durban

Q: Can you give us an insight to what the average day is like as the Durban City Manager?

A: Up around 5:30 a.m, walk a few times a week along the beachfront, City Hall around 6:45; meetings, talks, discussions until 7pm, home and either cook dinner or go out with Felicity, watch TV, do eMails, listen to music (from Eminem to Janis Joplin to Chopin), watch DVDs (love the latest Leonard Cohen one) friends pop over, get to bed between 12 midnight and 1am

Q: What are the greatest challenges facing Durban today?

A: Getting those who have (education, jobs, money) to own their city and work with us to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment and AIDs.

Q: What can the average Durban resident do to improve the city?

A: Start by saying I want to be part of the solution, clean your mind, empathise with those who are poor, do anything (small acts of kindness to larger acts of development) to make a difference, keep talking up our city, country and continent.

Q: What are your predictions for tomorrow’s municipalities?

A: 10 years ago over two-thirds of our country did not have a municipality and had poor sanitation, housing, electricity and water. Today we have reduced these basic levels of underdevelopment so that over 50% of our people have better housing, water and sanitation. But now we need also to focus on citizenship, building a non-racial, non-sexist, united and democratic South Africa.

Q: What are the must-see attractions in or around Durban for visitors to the Fifa World Cup?

A: uShaka, Harbour, Moses Mabhida stadium, Inanda heritage trail (Gandhi settlement, Ohlange where the ANC was born and Nelson Mandela voted in 1994), beaches, Valley of 1000 Hills, Inanda/Clermont/Umlazi, Florida Road, davenport and other nightlife areas.

Q: Can you tell us about some of the projects that are as a direct result of the Fifa World Cup?

A: (i) The Moses Mabhida stadium and its precinct – we have built the only stadium in Africa which can host a Commonwealth games or Olympics,

(ii) Public Transport – starting to get an integrated system in place with 3 hubs and then an Inner City Distribution System,

(iii) Infrastructure – stadia, roads, beautification projects, etc.,

(iv) ICT – rolling out fibre throughout the city,

(iv) Beachfront upgrades,

(v) Eventing strategy

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: Yes. No, has not changed the way we live, in fact made us realise that the more we surround ourselves with security technology the more unsafe we feel.

Q: What would you say to South African’s considering emigration?

A: If you’re stuffy and stuck up, please go. If you are unsure of the future, talk to us and please stay.

Q: If you could change anything about South Africa by waving a magic wand, what would it be?

A: The mindsets of those who have education, jobs, houses and security – simply asking them to stop whinging and whining and to become part of the solution.

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

A: Central Beaches (the most non-racial place in our country), uShaka (one of the greatest Marine Parks in the world), Gandhi settlement and Dr. Dube’s grave.

General

Q: If you could invite any three South African’s from any era to a dinner party, who would you invite and what would you serve?

A: Albertina Sisulu – how did she remain so lovely having lived through such hardship; Beyers Naude to thank him for what he was and did for us, and Brenda Fassie so we can finish the conversation and drinks we had one day on a flight from Johannesburg, just before she died. I would serve a garden salad, my oxtail potje and baked cheese cake for dessert, with lots of good red wine.

Q: Favorite South African brand?

A: (i) ANC and Nelson Mandela, (ii) our wonderful people, (iii) great leisure opportunities.

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

A: Durban.

Q: If you had to pick one South African as a mentor, who would it be and why?

A: Oliver Tambo – he led us through the toughest of times but kept his dignity and made sure our African humanity won out.

Q: Who would you most like to read about on Izimvo and what would you ask them?

A: Passionate people who live their dreams, committed people who know this is their place and loving people who like chilling out

We’d like to thank Dr Sutcliffe for taking the time to answer our questions and wish him every success for the future.

Reminder to follow @izimvo on twitter for regular updates and our Facebook page to submit question and interviewee suggestions. You can also read all of our interviews on your iPhone using the Izimvo iPhone application.

Lungile Zondi

Izimvo has the honour of introducing the founder of MyShuttles.com: Lungile Zondi.

MyShuttles.com is a recently launched Internet Startup looking to change the way people travel. Their slogan, “Travel Safer, Greener and Cheaper” is the perfect description for their unique offering.

The site, which has been in development for two years, launched in January and has already garnered the interest of the local travel industry. With the Soccer World Cup only months away, MyShuttles.com is perfectly poised to take the industry by storm.

Website: http://myshuttles.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/myshuttles
Email: lungile.zondi@myshuttles.com
Location: Durban

Lungile was kind enough to answer the following questions:

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: My close friends will introduce me as Lungi, she is 26 and a bit of a dreamer. I have always had a deep desire to do something special with my life. Recently I was given the opportunity to be involved in creating a new virtual market place in the private transport industry. I am still learning and really enjoying the exciting journey of being an entrepreneur.

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

A: I am extremely terrified of cockroaches. They seem to be around a lot more in summer especially in Durban. I’ve also never told anyone that I’m still afraid of the dark which I’m extremely embarrassed about especially at my age!

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

A: I love going on weekends away with my partner. The Drakensburg is one of my favorite places to go to get away from it all. I’m really not a person that enjoys the outdoors although every time we drive to the Drakensburg we make it a point to stop at one those of the cheese farms in the midlands area. It’s my favorite place to go when we travel on weekends away. I enjoy making small visits to some of the places en-route to Drakensburg.

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South Africa would you like it to be?

A: My dream home would be a home near the beach in Durban somewhere along the coast like Ballito or Zimbali. Any home or house where I can wake up in the morning, open the curtains and have an amazing sea view would be my dream home. It wouldn’t even have to be a mansion, just a decent house with a beautiful view.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property

Internet Entrepreneurship in South Africa

Q: You’ve recently launched your internet startup, MyShuttles.com Tell us about the site and how you come up with the idea?

A: While I was at university studying tourism, I could not stop dreaming about one day starting my own business up. Knowing the world cup would be coming to SA I wanted to somehow get involved.

My partner and I brainstormed ideas from hotel listing websites to adventure package holidays but they had all been done before. We then sat and really thought about South Africa and its problems, especially for people traveling to South Africa for the first time. South Africa’s public transport system is not as regulated as it is in more developed countries. Everyone uses cars to get around so how do people actually get around if they can’t afford to rent a car and don’t want to use the dangerous taxis, that have no timetables or route plans?

We did some research into shuttle/transfer/taxi companies in SA and realized that hundreds of these businesses exist. After doing more research we noticed that a large percentage of these companies are not able to take online payments on their websites. As a traveler there is no means of comparing the different prices of other travel operators, other than to ask for quotes from each one in turn.

We had found a new virtual market in South Africa (and the rest of the world). There is no price comparison websites where the customer is able to make payments directly to the travel operator and compare prices in once place.

Key features of the site being:

If the route the customer requests does not exist in the system, all the travel operators will be informed of the request and can make a bid for the customers business. The customer can then choose the one they prefer and buy directly.

If the route does exist in the system and travel operators have added times and prices the customer can compare and purchase then and there. MyShuttles.com was born. What came next was the hardest two years of mine and my partner’s life. Making MyShuttles.com a reality.

Q: What have been the biggest challenges in getting the site ready for launch?

A: What hasn’t been a challenge?  My partner is a software engineer by trade. He has worked tirelessly building the software with a friend. I don’t fully understand the intricate difficulties they have faced, but software has taken a long time to come to life. The software is amazing better that I could ever have imagined. It’s been worth the wait. MyShuttles.com was developed on a shoe string budget we have not borrowed any money to get to where we are today. It’s taken two years to get off the ground that’s plenty of time to question everything over and over again. Keeping focus when everything seems to be taking so long has been really difficult.

Q: Do you feel that the government is doing enough to assist small businesses such as My Shuttles?

A: I don’t really feel government does enough to assist smaller businesses. There are ways to improve your business by using government agencies. Although they do play their part, they may not do it as quickly as they could. It may sometimes take a long time for them to accomplish something that you may have requested to be done or when you have asked for help.

Q: If you were granted a single wish, how would you use it to improve your business?

A: I wish everybody in the world knew MyShuttles.com existed and what we are all about. It’s all about the advertising. I would like to have access to more money for a larger marketing campaign. This is one major way I would improve the business. Traffic, Traffic and more Traffic.

Q: What advice would you offer other would-be internet entrepreneurs?

A: To conduct as much research as possible. Have a strategy ready for when it comes to advertising and marketing. Think of and find ways to market your business online for free. Think of the costs involved in the marketing as this is extremely important because you can have a good product but this will be no good if nobody even knows it exists. Surround yourself with motivated intelligent people. Be decisive. Work hard, dream big and make it happen, if you don’t make it happen nobody is going to do it for you.

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: I personally have never been affected by crime. My partner had his car stolen once. I cannot complain as some people have experience far worse in terms of crime. If something very serious had happened to me I believe I would have a different perception of the country although there seems to be crime anywhere in the world.

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

A: I am one of those people that believe the grass is not greener on the other side. I love to travel and experience new cultures although I would not like to emigrate. South Africa is my home and I would probably complain about everything in that country if I ever left. I’m used to a certain way of life and certain types of foods. I find that even when I travel to other countries I tend to complain and be very critical about everything such as the food and even the people etc so, no I would not leave South Africa.

Q: If you were given the opportunity of sitting down with the president, what advice would you offer him?

A: I would like to ask the president to make rape and the abuse of women at the top of his agenda. Awareness campaigns have been put in place but it does not seem to be making much of a difference to men who rape and abuse women. Since this is the case, other ideas should be put in place to ensure that men change their ways. This could begin with more harsh sentences for men who rape and abuse women and not simply letting them out on bail as soon as they arrested. The rape and abuse of women in South Africa I’m sure makes many women more wary of the men.

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

A: Old History Museum in Durban is must for international visitors. Another attraction I would take them to is Robben Island as well as Kruger National Park.

Q: South Africa’s greatest export is?

A: South Africa’s biggest export is ‘South Africa’. Tourists visit the country because of its beauty, animals and people. South Africa has attractive scenery and rich cultures as well as friendly people. It has cultural experiences that the rest of the world does not have to offer. When people visit our beautiful country they will take back with them a little bit of South Africa.

Life in Durban

Q: What do you enjoy the most about living in Durban?

A: Durban has a really calm atmosphere about it. The people I find are friendlier than in other parts of South Africa I have lived in. And of course there’s the beach! Durban is also a very cultural place. There are also a number of activities one can do without having to pay a lot of money for.

Q: Favorite restaurant in or around Durban for a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch?

A: The one place I can never get enough of is Taco Zulu on Florida Road. The food is fantastic and the vibe is relaxing. It’s a very casual place and good for hanging out with a group of friends especially on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Q: What is the one place in Durban that is a must visit for all tourists?

A: The local History Museum in is must see for all visitors n Durban. The museum holds a rich array of individuals and cultural groups past and present that made their mark and contributed to what Durban has become today.

General

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

A: Khanyi Dhlomo has always been an idol of mine. Although she grew up in a greatly advantaged family, she seems to have worked extremely hard to get to where she is today. I believe she has set a very good example to black females in South Africa in terms of being your own boss.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: I would recommend “Capitalist Nigger” by Chika Onyeani. When I was in matric a few years ago we read books that one was able to analyze and agree and to disagree on. This book would give learners an opportunity to be able to express their own opinions. Although I do not agree with all that the writer states, it gives people something to think about. It is a good book to analyze because some people might not agree with the author about how Africans particularly are when it comes to setting up our own businesses. It is a controversial book by many means.

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

A: Tomorrow I would love to wake up in a 5 start hotel overlooking the beach in Cape Town with a full English breakfast by my bedside ready and waiting for me!

Q: Who would you most like to read about on Izimvo and what would you ask them?

A: Caster Semenya. I would love to have an account of her thoughts and feelings about what she went through last year.

We’d like to thank Lungile for taking the time to answer our questions and wish her every success with MyShuttles. Judging on the execution of this great idea, the attention to every detail and the rate at which suppliers are signing up, the future sure does look bright for My Shuttles.

Reminder to follow @izimvo on twitter for regular updates and our Facebook page to submit question and interviewee suggestions. You can also read all of our interviews on your iPhone using the Izimvo iPhone application.

Herman Heunis

Izimvo is truly honoured to introduce the founder and CEO of MXit, Herman Heunis.

MXit, a true South African success story, was the first mobile instant messenger of its kind in the country. Today, it is used by over 15 million users in 120+ countries and transmits upward of 250 million messages per day. Since launching in 2005, the product has evolved to include various other services including e-commerce, music, dating and gaming.

Website: http://www.mxitlifestyle.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HermanHeunis
Location: Cape Town

Herman was kind enough to answer the following questions:

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: Knowing some of my friends, this could be embarrassing as their introduction would most probably be “This is Herman, he used to be normal before he started MXit, but now I’m not so sure ….” :)

Anyway, I have been a software engineer since 1980 but for the past few years I had to exchange that wonderful life for a management role, which has its own challenges and rewards. In my spare time I’m a very keen wildlife photographer and I am also keen on windsurfing and mountain biking.

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

A: At heart I’m an artist, hence my love for software engineering – one of the ultimate forms of creativity. All my aptitude tests at varsity confirmed that I should have become an artist – a sculptor or painter to be exact and shortly before varsity started, I was still seriously in two minds as what to study, a degree in Arts or B.Comm. It was a matter of head overriding the heart– I did the B.Comm as the employment potential for artists at that stage was not great.

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

A: Traveling and exploring new places is certainly at the top of my list and when you can combine it with photography, even better. My wife and I have traveled more than 100,000 km, (mostly by adventure bike) through various parts of Southern Africa over the past four years and I wish we could do more.

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South African would you like it to be?

A: Where I live and work now is the ultimate for me. Somerset West with the Helderberg in the background, vineyards almost on our doorstep, and the ocean on the horizon -it’s really a great place to live. Working in Stellenbosch is also very special – one of the most beautiful towns in the world with so many creative minds walking its streets.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property

MXit

Q: Can you tell us a little about the R&D project that lead to the development of MXit? What were the goals of the project and when was the eureka moment?

A: We had this “urge” to create a community using mobile phones and we thought a massive multiplayer game would do it, but we were wrong. The game was re-shaped several times but eventually we realized that the number of hurdles were just staggering, so we parked it.

Months later, we hit upon the idea of a mobile search engine with social aspects that was followed by a community classifieds element – but also no joy here.

Then one day we decided to drop all the fluff surrounding our offering and just focus on IM. If you look carefully at what we did, we just switched the primary and secondary objectives. Initially it was a) offer gaming (or search or classifieds) and b) offer messaging as a secondary. With MXit, we a) offered messaging as primary and b) used the IM to offer gaming, classifieds, etc.

Q: Since launching in May 2005, MXit has shown explosive growth and has introduced many new products including classifies, music, gaming, counselling etc. Which of these products are you most most proud of and what can we expect in 2010 and beyond?

A: Every product was special in some way, some more than others. If I have to rate one highly, it would be our latest, a multiplayer game called tiXi. You play the game within MXit which is great -a brand new game and a brand new concept. I’m really looking forward to seeing what will happen when we start promoting the game, especially since it has an education value to it.

I think MXit Xchange, our classifieds, was also a highlight. It started off as a simple prototype developed within a very short timeframe. We learned quickly that user moderation does not always work and we had to change the software numerous times to allow for moderation before the ads go out. Today we have more than 1.3 million users of MXit Xchange which is quite an achievement for a product only 6 months old. With regards to the future, we hope to focus on more entertainment offerings.

Q: Question from Mike Sharman (@mikesharman) – What are your thoughts and plans for location-based services, considering future trends of Twitter / Facebook as outlined by @mashable?

A: I have not looked in detail at the Twitter and Facebook plans, so I cannot comment. Our own plans will revolve around the importance of location-based information to our users when it comes to searching for, or engaging with, other people or products. One obviously needs to be aware that there are privacy/security issues when it comes to location-based information.

Q: How do you hire great talent?

A: This is really difficult and requires a tremendous effort but is worthwhile when you get it right. Great companies are made up of a collection of great people with great ideas and lots of energy and passion. Hiring the right skills and personalities is probably the most important aspect of a company. We have learned that a process must be in place to enable you to choose and then to screen vigorously until you find exactly what type of individual you are looking for – from an experience, talent, attitude and personality perspective. If you can’t find the right person, you might be better off not employing anyone.

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

A: We have learned so many lessons over the years – some of them were VERY expensive which I would never wish to repeat again. To highlight just a few:

• Do your market research and make sure that your product is much more than nice pictures and a cool website.
• Make sure you have something that has a very unique appeal to a vast number of people. Bottom line, how will your product or service be different to what is currently available and what will entice people to use it? Price is not always the best differentiator.
• You have to think “out of the box” when it comes to revenue generation. With so many fantastic free services out there, you might have to think about other ways (sometimes unconventional) to generate revenue. In our case we make tiny amounts, but the volumes are high.
• If you cannot compete in a certain category, create a new one.
• Be prepared to fail before success is achieved. The fact is, to be an Internet entrepreneur (today) is not the easiest of jobs and where it was virgin territory in the 90s and early 2000s, today it is a super- overcrowded red ocean where you will compete against hundreds or even thousands in certain areas.
• Funding is mostly a major issue for startups and dealing with VCs, banks or other investors can be stressful. My advice is, do your homework and prepare a proper business plan before you engage with them. Focus on things such as amount of funding required, competitors, your unique offering, potential revenue projections and so on. There are many examples on the internet of how to do this. Also, be careful who you approach for funding and see if you can rely on references – the last thing you want is to be involved with a bunch of unscrupulous people in your business. Make sure your funding partners can add more than just money.
• Make sure your paperwork is in order right from the word go. Sort out company structure and shareholder agreements and especially what happens when you have differences with your partners. Make sure you have written documents and contracts with whomever you working to avoid expensive misunderstandings/interpretations in the future.
• I cannot stress enough the importance of choosing the right partners/co-shareholders – things tend to get tough at times and the last thing you want is a partner (or funder) who does not have the stomach for it and wants to bail out during the launch or at some other inconvenient time.
• Be aware of hidden costs when it comes to hosting, bandwidth, development, IP, software licences and so on. The reality is that certain parts of the solution such as bandwidth are quite expensive in SA.
• Marketing your idea (or company) once it is launched is the golden key. Traditional advertising might not work or it could be horrendously expensive. Buy yourself a book on guerilla marketing and try to get into that way of thinking.

Q: What advice do you offer parents of young children using services such as MXit, Twitter and Facebook?

A: The concept of privacy and personal information is something young people don’t always appreciate and since they don’t always comprehend the full implications of personal information in the wrong hands, they get into all sorts of trouble. If I had to highlight one bit of advice, not only for kids, but for all Internet users – it would be that a significant percentage of Internet users are not who they say they are. Role- playing is a big thing and will continue to be – and, sadly, criminals are using it too.

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: Yes, but thankfully not seriously. We have some immense challenges in this magnificent country of ours and crime is right at the top of the list. Until now, government has failed in solving this and as a result it impacts everything, from job creation to economic growth. I think we need to re-look at the entire system, from our justice system to correctional services and ask assistance from countries that have solved these problems. Maybe we need to introduce a form of national service for all jailed criminals or hard labour as it looks like jail terms are not enough of a deterrent.

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

A: Never. I’m an African and Africa is in my blood – the sky is different and the land smells different and we have so much space. I cannot see myself living in another country.

Q: If you were given the opportunity of sitting down with the president, what advice would you offer him?

A: It is clear that many departments in government need all the help they can get as they are failing him and the people of this great country. If I was him, I would re-structure government departments to enable them to implement the knowledge and processes of the private industry. I would employ ex-CEOs of very successful companies, and give them the power to turn the dysfunctional departments around.

Q: In your opinion, what is South Africa’s greatest technological export?

A: Sadly, it is expertise. We have lost, and are still losing, people with vast spheres of invaluable knowledge that is, in some cases, impossible to replace. You know, there are great similarities between people and trees in forests. Every knowledgeable person is almost like a mini eco-system, similar to big trees in a rainforest, under which new talent is born and growth is stimulated. Look at the devastation of some of the rainforests in the world and see what remains – deserts. Quite sadly we have vast areas of deserts in certain areas such as education, safety/security, ICT, health and many others. We need to keep people here and we need to persuade the ones that have left to come back – at all costs – unfortunately most left because of crime and crime is still unacceptably high.

Life in Cape Town

Q: Best spot for a romantic night out?

A: A wine farm in Stellenbosch.

Q: Favorite venue in or around Cape Town for team building?

A: I like to support Stellenbosch and the surrounding areas.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Silicon Cape Initiative?

A: I have not had the opportunity to attend any of the meetings due to my hectic traveling schedule but I think any attempt to bring the ICT fraternity together has merit. Time will tell how successful it will be.

General

Q: Which South African blog do you read on a daily basis and why?

A: I wish I had the time to do that :)

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

A: Richard Branson. Obviously he is a very successful entrepreneur and when you read his autobiography, you cannot but have respect for what he has achieved. I always liked the fact that he’s a maverick.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: “Multiple streams of Income” by Robert Allen.

I would also make chess a compulsory “subject” from primary school. Many of our kids have not mastered the art of thinking for themselves. We have launched a chess initiative on MXit now and we hope it will gain significant traction.

Q: Favorite South African brand?

Q: Mrs Balls chutney / “Rust en Vrede” wines / Rooibos tea

Q: Who would you most like to read about on Izimvo and what would you like to ask him?

A: Richard Branson. How would he fix the myriad problems we have in this country of ours.

A massive thank Herman for taking the time to answer our questions. We’d like to wish him and the team at MXit every success for the future. If you have not tried MXit, be sure to download it from this address: http://www.mxitlifestyle.com/how-to-get-mxit

Rich Laburn

We are thrilled to bring you the very first Izimvo video interview with founder of North Pride Male consulting, Wildlife Filmmaker and Writer, Rich Laburn.

Rich, online marketer at Londolozi, has not only taken the time to answer our questions but has also produced a breathtakingly beautiful video giving us an insight into what life is like at one of South Africa’s most treasured game reserves.

With Londolozi as the back-drop, Rich answers our questions and shares footage of some of the more memorable moments at the reserve. Be sure to watch the video at the end of the interview.

Website: http://www.northpridemale.co.za
Blog: http://blog.londolozi.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/northpridemale
Location: Londolozi

Rich 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: Rich Laburn, Founder of North Pride Male consulting, Wildlife Filmmaker and Writer.

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

A: I once harbored huge ambitions to play lead guitar in a rock band….just like Slash from Guns n Roses.

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

A: I enjoy living out in the bush which is pretty away from it all in the first place, however walking in the bush and surfing are the two things that I enjoy the most.

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South Africa would you like it to be?

A: My dream home would be in the middle of the bush with a beautiful view, some river frontage and the interior design you see in the Conde Naste magazines.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property

Conservation in South Africa

Q: Can you tell us about an average day at Londolozi?

A: There is no average day at Londolozi, the lodge environment is constantly changing and presents different challenges everyday. However there are definitely elements of fun, innovation and empowerment that occur on any average day.

Q: When did Londolozi first start using social media to promote itself and has it been successful?

A: Londolozi has had a long time tribe of past guests and alumni and so our shift this year to the online world has been a successful start. We have created a virtual space with our blog (http://blog.londolozi.com) where everyone has the opportunity to feel like they are at Londolozi despite being elsewhere in the world. So far we have had a great response, but we are really going to kick things up a notch in 2010.

Q: You must have witnessed some amazing things during your time in the bush. Can you tell us about some of your most memorable experiences?

A: The three things that I love most in the bush are sunsets, big cats such as lions and leopards as well as elephants. This footage of this leopard cubs and this elephant bull swimming was also pretty special.

Q: Do you think our government is doing enough to protect our parks and wildlife for future generations?

A: I think that the government have shown a huge amount of foresight in their conservation achievements so far. Londolozi is part of a greater peace park that is a little of 6 million acres in size and will continue to grow. The emphasis and value that has been placed on these wild areas is priceless. I hope that an attitude of care and conservation will continue to be a primary point of focus for the government in years to come.

Q: What advice would you give those wanting a career in conservation?

A: My advice would be to start looking at doing things dynamically and differently. Conservation can sometimes get stuck in an old world mindset when in fact it has the potential to be completely original. All it needs is more people to bring contemporary ideas to the table. My other piece of advice would be to remember the importance and value that the internet and technology offers, despite living and working in wild isolated areas.

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: No fortunately not.

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

A: I have not, however I am very keen to travel nonetheless.

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

A: I think that President gets so much advice anyway, that I would rather engage in a dialogue rather than try to impress upon him my opinions and advice. I would offer him encouragement and support more than anything else.

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

A: At Londolozi I would take them to watch a leopard cubs in the North, visit a Grade 1 Graduation ceremony in the surrounding community and then take in the sunset in the evening. In the broader sense of South Africa I would visit the bush, the Apartheid museum and Cape Town.

Life at Londolozi

Q: Can you give us an insight into the logistics needed to run a private game reserve such as Londolozi?

A: The logistic of running a Private Game Reserve are huge and constantly shifting. It requires and agile and flexible approach and most important to not take yourself too seriously.

Q: When not working, what do you enjoy doing in or around Londolozi?

A: Filming wildlife and writing.

Q: Living in a city is synonymous with traffic, crime, busy malls etc. What are issues that concern you while living in the bush?

A: Large and Venomous snakes, bumping into elephants late at night and the occasional bout of malaria.

Q: The 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup is said to being 500 000 visitors to our shores. Have you seen an increase in demand for destinations such as Londolozi?

A: Without a doubt there has been a major increase in all lodge bookings, both at Londolozi and for the hospitality industry as a whole. If the travel forecasts are true then South African tourism in general is heading in a great period for the next three years as a result of the Soccer World Cup.

General

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

A: Right here in the middle of the bush.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: Synchronicity – Joseph Jaworski. The sooner people learn the benefit of being of service to life the better for themselves and for the world.

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

A: I would like to read about people who are blazing their own trail in life and who are doing things in a unique way.

Not only was Rich kind enough to answer our questions, but he took the time to produce an amazing video answering the questions above. It is nothing short of brilliant and gives a great insight into what life is like at Londolozi. Many thanks to Rich and the team at Londolozi.

Direct link to video on YouTube

Andy Hadfield

Izimvo is honoured to introduce Online Strategist at First National Bank, Andy Hadfield.

Andy, who is currently responsible for First National Bank’s personal banking digital strategy, co-launched www.gAL.co.za while studying communications at UCT. The site, which become the largest national student portal, is considered by some to be South Africa’s first social network.

Andy has also spent 4 years as the COO of The Virtual Works where he pioneered South Africa’s first niche social network for designers, www.designmind.co.za.

Website: http://www.andyhadfield.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/andyhadfield
Location: Johannesburg

Andy 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: This is Andy, he looks older than he actually is. I don’t quite know what he does – but it’s got something to do with the web. He likes beer, buy him one…

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

A: I’m a devastating leg spinner. Sometimes devastating to the batsmen, other times to the score line. Our team, The Fine Legs, challenge for greatness every Saturday in the Joburg Last Man Stands T20 league.

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

A: Unplugging. It’s so important to get out of the city when you can – go hiking, biking, sailing, diving… If you’re stuck in the city, do what most immigrant Gautengers do, support the Stormers!

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South African would you like it to be?

A: I’m really loving Joburg at the moment, and will probably be around for a good couple of years to come. Dream home? It’s probably a combo. I’ll forgo the R20 million mansion for a luxury flat in Joburg, Cape Town and a small holiday house in the Eastern Cape. Best of all three worlds.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property

Banking in South Africa

Q: When you joined First National Bank, your were tasked with driving digital adoption in the personal banking segment. How have you found working for a large corporate and what are the biggest obstacles facing you in meeting your objectives?

A: I’ve actually been blown away by how much fun I’ve had at FNB. No lies, I thought I’d struggle inside a corporate structure, but First Rand as a group has an (wait for it, the last word you’d probably expect) extremely entrepreneurial culture. It’s a bunch of businesses inside a mother brand – driving hard to deliver great products to the customer. Inside that, it’s really easy to get ear-time for the channel of the future.

In terms of obstacles, I’ve been lucky to work with bunch of really visionary people. From the Online and Mobile teams to the Product Houses – obstacles aren’t really the biggest worry in my life at the moment.

If anything, it’s been trying to convince people that while digital platforms aren’t delivering the “real numbers” at the moment – they will be the sales destination of the future. We’d better prepare now, make our mistakes, bump our heads and get our internal people excited so we’re ready when the floodgates open.

Q: South African’s have a love-hate relationship with their banks. What are some of the ways that you are trying to address this using social media?

A: Doesn’t FNB have just the greatest strap line in the world? How Can We Help You? Social media is just a logical extension of this brand positioning. We try help people. Openly. Honestly. And with a bit of FNB flair.

Q: Do you use social media as just a customer acquisition and retention tool or just another marketing channel?

A: Not a marketing channel yet. You have to be so careful. Social media is that conversation you used to have around a braai on the Sunday, brought online. Who likes the guy who rocks up at the Sunday braai to sell Amway?

Social media is about engagement above all else. As a company, you will sell more and retain more customers if you build valued relationships with them. Building online relationships is about open conversation, not pushing marketing messages.

That said, there is a space to build marketing messages to opt-in communities that are targeted and relevant. The trick is always relevance…

Q: What are your predictions for how companies such as FNB will use social media 5 years from now?

A: FaceBook was only invented 6 years ago. I’d be silly to even suggest I can imagine where the Internet will go in 5 years time.

FNB has always been fairly on top of the adoption curve – so if I had to hazard a guess – I’d go with more contact points via more channels and providing faster turnaround times. Brands will become conversation hubs in the social space. You’ll either be in the centre of that conversation, or on the outskirts.

Q: What advice would you offer to companies who have not yet started using social media?

A: Don’t. Listen first. Do a whole lot of listening. There is a conversation going on out there that is loud, vociferous, skewed to a certain population group, valuable and also downright worthless. You’ve got to understand what people are saying and the context of that conversation before even venturing down this path.

We truly understood the future scope of the social sphere by doing a Twitter search of the term “FNB”. Bearing in mind that Twitter is a micro community of SA’s privileged Internet users, it’s frightening to see the level of conversation going on. It’s exciting to see what kind of marketing intelligence you can gather from that conversation.

Once you’ve listened, listen some more, and only then venture forth. Start a conversation with a customer. You’ll be amazed at the warmth you can generate when you help someone. You’ll be more amazed at how these conversation shape your products and services as they develop.

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: I’ve lived in a crime bubble – and it scares me. Couple of minor break-ins is about the sum total of it. I do remember a shoot out in my street, but again, I was behind two brick walls and tweeting as opposed to being in any grave danger.

It really worries me how I’d react if myself or my family was a victim of violent crime. I know it happens and I know it’s out there – it’s all the media talk about these days. But until it happens to you…

Sad, really.

I think South Africa’s number one priority in the next 10 years should be PR. We need to fix those base economic factors that cause crime, and while we’re fixing them, shout it to the world. Some ghettos in America will make Hillbrow look like a picnic, yet tourists flock there without a predetermined destiny of death.

PR.

Now.

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

A: Not seriously enough to have considered a country. Perhaps a beach bar in Zanzibar? I kid… South Africa’s way too much fun to leave.

Q: If you were given the opportunity of sitting down with the president, what advice would you offer him?

A: Make decisions and be a strong leader. South Africa seems to like you. You’re a personable chap with a funky Umshini Wam thing going. We like that – it fits with our African style.

Keep the flair, but now take sides, make decisions, get your house in order and move us forward. Be the link between the personality of Mandela and the policy of Mbeki. And seriously, I know Malema diverts attention away from you, but the guy needs a good spanking.

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

A: Strandloper, the beach restaurant in Melkbos, Cape Town.

Any game farm in Joburg. Long, boozey game drive as the sun goes down.

Soccer City. Chiefs vs Pirates makes Man U / Chelsea look like a garden party.

Life in Johannesburg

Q: What do you most enjoy about living in Johannesburg?

A: The people and the weather. Joburg weather beats even Plett (IMHO) and the people are amazing – driven, friendly and always willing to do stuff. It takes an earthquake to get a Capetonian to drive more than 8km, while Jozi folk will pop out to Krugersdorp for a quick round of golf without blinking.

Joburg. Stuff happens.

Q: Favorite restaurant for dinner out with a group of friends?

A: Kong Roast, just off Witkoppen in Fourways. It’s Kong (Asian) and Roast (Western) – two completely different restaurants designed inside the same space. Amazing food, brilliant service and an interesting view over the Lonehill pond!

Q: Who make Johannesburg’s best breakfast?

A: Chocolat Cafe, Cedar Square, Fourways. And that Gingerbread Coffee ain’t half bad either.

Q: Which are your favorite venues on or around Johannesburg for a quick weekend getaway?

A: Mabalingwe. It’s a beautiful private game farm with a golf course tacked on the end. My rubbish handicap was adversely affected by an amorous ostrich. Where else can you get that?

If I’ve got the opportunity to go a bit further out, it would have to be a diving site. 75% of the world is underwater. I’ve got a lot of exploring to do.

General

Q: If you could invite any 3 South Africans to dinner, who would you invite and what would you serve?

A: Julius Malema, Graeme Smith and Mark Shuttleworth. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the guest list puts politics, leadership and technology at the same table. Graeme has the English Test Series so he’ll be on boiled chicken, but prawns and a fine Ernie Els red for the rest of us.

Q: Favorite South African sporting moment of the last 10 years?

A: The Protea’s Test Victory over Australia in Australia. Possibly the greatest Test Series across the world in the last 10 years. It was the perfect mix of grit and heroism, balanced teams and edge of the seat excitement. It put Test Cricket back on the map in a big way.

Where were you when JR died? Where were you when 9/11 happened? Where was I when JP Duminy went to 150 and Dale Steyn was staring down the barrel of a test century!?

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: A Million Little Pieces by James Frey. I don’t care that he made it up. So it’s fiction and he cheated on the marketing. It remains one of the most inspired and intense novels I’ve ever had the “pleasure” of experiencing. This isn’t an anti-drug book, it’s a pro-living book. Kids need to read this stuff.

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

Q: At home, with my wife. Perhaps the cats (Dexter & Phoebie) can be there too.

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

A: I’d like to see the unsung heroes of South Africa getting their 15 seconds of web fame: the innovators within Government, the leaders within Education and just about anyone who’s trying to make a difference to this beautiful country of ours.

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

Anna Vaulina

Izimvo is honoured to introduce DStv Online’s Marketing Manager, Anna Vaulina.

Anna recently joined MultiChoice as the DStv Online Marketing Manager. She is responsible for all online marketing of the MultiChoice websites including SuperSport, Vuzu, Mnet, DStv and the new African Film Library.

Be sure to check out the new Mnet website which is currently in beta testing. http://beta.mnet.co.za/

Google Profile: http://www.google.co.za/profiles/AnnaVaulina
Twitter: http://twitter.com/annaling
Location: Johannesburg

Anna 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: Well, it all largely depends on who that friend is, friends that I’ve grown up with generally introduce me as Anna or Annaling. I’ve been known to be introduced as the Russian and Ling too. I’ve managed to accumulate a number of nicknames mostly highly suited for short, blonde girls.

In a nutshell, Hi, My name is Anna and I’m clutching on-to the last few days of being 26 and I am Russian. Wait, Estonian, no Russian. Actually I am more South African…

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

A: I’ve attended 7 different schools on two bi-polar continents. I’ve worked as a professional interpreter to earn money at Varsity and used to interpret mining lectures for Russian engineers at Wits and participate in underground coal mining trips. I’m partial to chocolate. I have to smell everything which means I end up with food or whatever else it was I was smelling on the tip of my nose, usually unbeknown to me.

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

A: I have more energy than what I know to do with, so anything outdoors, preferably near water makes me incredibly happy. If I can get out-of-town, a weekend at the coast or in the bush will do wonders for your energy and soul. If it’s just an afternoon in the city I will have to bundle up Boris-the-Magnificent (http://www.twitpic.com/mplc7 ) and head off to Emmarentia for a long stroll.

Q: How would you describe your dream home and where in South Africa would you want it to be?

A: As a future property mogul, the first of my two main homes will have to be on the Atlantic Seaboard between Bantry and Camps Bay, the type with a 180 degree view of the pink Cape Sunset and the ocean, floor to ceiling glass windows and heavy wood or aluminium settings. I want to be able to have friends around and be surrounded by the mountains and the fresh breeze from the ocean.

My second ‘main’ home would be on the Westcliff hill, with a view of the Jacarandas stretching over the Johannesburg horizon and the rolling hills with the CBDs popping out amongst the trees.

My other holiday homes would include: Knysna (with a view of the Knysna heads), Mozambique border and Limpopo so I can be close to the Giraffes. The lions can protect me there.

This question was proudly sponsored by Private Property.

Digital Entertainment in South Africa

Q: Congratulations on your recently appointment as marketing manager of DSTV Online. Can you tell us a little about the position and what attracted you to it?

A: I love being the Marketing Manager for DStv Online. I feel incredibly lucky to be in this position at such a young age and I can’t wait to shape the role and make a difference for the group. I look after all the online marketing aspects of the MultiChoice set of websites, www.Supersport.com, www.Vuzu.tv, Mnet.co.za, www.dstv.com and www.africanfilmlibrary.com amongst others. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be involved in the company as there are a lot of new things coming from the group.

I also look after most of the Mxit presence and advertising, PR and comms for the websites and DStv Online, as well as looking after the internal comms of the DStv Online team. I love the challenge and the volume of work keeps me motivated and out of trouble. We’re also trying out new things in the social media space which is exciting as I feel extremely fortunate to be able to run all these projects and be involved in so many aspects of the company. Obviously not to mention the SEM and SEO campaigns that we are busy putting into place for the sites.

I think originally I was hired to only do the strict online marketing but now my responsibilities have grown to include anything remotely marketing related for DStv Online. I’ve always been a closet geek and the fact that I could be exposed to so many talented people and this innovative online space in South Africa is what originally attracted me to the position.

Q: Can you tell us about some of the advances DSTV Online has made in recent years?

A: We’ve recently launched www.Africanfilmlibrary.com which is in its Beta stage until early next year. We’ve secured the rights to over 600 African film titles; movies that have made an impact on the African cinematography and in most parts have won accolades for the filmmakers. It is an incredible online space and we have a chance to preserve the African heritage and share it with rest of the world. It will be one of the first fully fledged Video-on-Demand spaces where users can download and watch the movies as a rental service.

Q: DSTV Mobile has been in trial for a number of years. Can you give us an update as to its progress and future plans especially in regard to the 2010 Soccer World Cup?

A: As with the rest of South Africa, everyone has special plans for the 2010 Soccer World Cup and I am sure so do DStv Mobile. Unfortunately I am not privy to all their information, but they are an awesome bunch of people and I’m sure that they have a lot of things up their sleeves.

Q: Can you tell us about some of the features of DSTV.com that we might not know about?

A: e DStv.com forum (http://forum.dstv.com/ ) is incredibly successful. We have a panel of experts throughout the business to answer users questions and it acts as first contact point before users approach the call centre.

It is encouraging to see so many DStv advocates helping fellow members address their queries and help each other out. We monitor the Forum very closely but we allow our users to democratically exercise their freedom of speech, which is not always very welcomed by most corporates and often ends in tough questions having to be answered by the group.

Q: When do you think services such as Hulu.com and the BBC’s iPlayer will be viable in South Africa?

A: This is a tough question, as a lot of the content that these services provide is rights secured for certain geo-locations. Until the content providers change their rights we will not see these services in South Africa. This is a major political and commercial game for the production houses and in this day and age where all the content originators are trying to make online content commercially viable (or not run at a flat-out loss) they will need to see scale and commercial gains before they would launch anything in South Africa.

If you look at online properties like the BBC iPlayer, it is a VOD extension of the BBC brand, which provides the users with a catch-up service. We are not a key territory for them so I don’t see why they would want to spend resources rolling it out in South Africa (but I am not on their board of directors so who knows what they have in store).

Another major shortcoming of the SA online space is the lack of bandwidth. How many times have all of us wondered if we can download that latest episode of Californication or is that going to leave us capped 3 days into the month? What about the irritating buffering beach ball of hell? The speed alone is a barrier to entry into this market. You can’t grow scale for an online property if you only have 10% of the population with limited, handicapped access to the Internet. Imagine watching Egoli on a Vodacom 3G. I’d rather poke my eyes out – on both counts.

I would suggest that you closely watch this space for new video developments in the South African market from our own local brands.

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: Is there anyone in South Africa that hasn’t been affected by crime? Has it changed our perception? Of course it has, but I like to think that it does not dictate the way I live my life. Yes, I am more vigilant and may think twice these days before driving into downtown Joburg late at night alone (something I used to do freely in the past) but I refuse for it to get in the way of my life. If anything, I think it has made us be more protective of our country and care so much more about what happens to all of us as a nation.

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

A: Yes and No. Yes, because essentially we are immigrants in South Africa as I was born in Estonia. No, because even though I lived in England for a very long short time, I couldn’t think of a better place to live than in South Africa. I feel very sad for the people who fail to see the natural beauty and the business opportunities that this country provides. Wake-up people, wake-up!

Q: If you were given the opportunity of sitting down with the president, what advice would you offer him?

A: Set-up computer labs and educational facilities in low-income areas. Being computer literate and online savvy will take you very far in business and in life and will aid young entrepreneurs to achieve their dreams.

Also I’d thank him for not wearing Madiba shirts and ask him if the shower really helped.

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

A: Three attractions would never give this country justice. Can I make it three days? Sweet. And money is not a concern of course…

Day 1: Wake up at the Ellerman Villa in Bantry Bay and take a helicopter trip over the Cape Peninsula to stop for lunch in the winelands with some highly drinkable wine like Kanonkop. Afternoon on Table Mountain followed by cocktails in Camps Bay and dinner at one of the many scrumptious restaurants.

Day 2: Miraculously wake up in Johannesburg at the Saxon and go on a tour through the chaotic CBD and Soweto. I’d probably take them to dinner at Moyo at Melrose Arch only because of its palatable touristy atmosphere.

Day 3: Wake up at Singita or Royal Malewane in the bush and spend the day with the lions and the giraffes in their natural habitat. I think you’ve not lived until you have been charged by 20 elephants and a wounded buffalo. True story.

Life in Johannesburg

Q: What are favorite venues for a great night out?

A: Well, that depends on the company, but I would say dinner at Cilantro or one of the other Parkhurst restaurants, followed by some drinks and takkie squeaking at Gin and Tokyo Star. Sinfully dark and full of art and film students you are guaranteed a fun night out.

Q: What do you most enjoy about living in Johannesburg?

A: I love the rawness and the organized chaos that is Johannesburg. You never know what or who you’re going to encounter on a routine trip to pick up the milk. Out of all the places I’ve lived in the world, I feel incredibly at home in Johannesburg.

Q: Favorite restaurant for a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch?

A: Once again, depends on company. For a more formal day out, nothing beats the opulent Saxon brunch. For an informal get together with friends a picnic at the botanical gardens or if I lived in the Western Cape I would head up to Kalk Bay for a luncheon. I’m also inclined to say home with loads of nice home cooked food, something I don’t get enough of these days!

General

Q: What are some of the more interesting ways that DSTV Online is making use of social media?

A: We’ve incorporated social media into all the online properties that we look after. We also have a social network underpinning a lot of the M-Net local production websites which have been very successful especially with shows like the Big Brother Africa and on Vuzu.tv as they allow users to connect, comment and interact with each other and the websites.

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

A: I could never just pick one. I’d like to think that everyone that surrounds me has something that I can learn from, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and I like to identify strengths that others have and learn how I can incorporate them into my own life, personal and professional. I would love to leave a legacy like Anna Wintour, Maria Ramos or Mother Theresa. Ok, we know the last one aint gonna happen…

Q: Favorite channel and show on DSTV?

A: Is it wrong of me to confess that I don’t own a TV? I’m planning on changing that shortly but my life is either online or completely offline, I watch most of the video online or in the comfort of my own time and will, at friends houses. Show wise I would have to pick the Big Bang Theory and Californication. Mighty Boosh is still one of my all time favourite shows.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

Q: Where’s Wally? Happy spotting! I would suggest anything on emotional intelligence or any of the more popular business books just to show the young kids that with enough drive you can achieve anything you put your mind to!

But at that age none of the business books will resonate with you, so I would like to make sure that it is compulsory to study global history and the political and economic mistakes so that we don’t produce the next Hitler, Bob or Sarah Palin.

Q: Favorite South African brand?

A: Julius Malema. Never has one adult made such a joke out of a youth organisation. Hours of amusement.

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

A: Shabir Shaik, ask him how his golf swing is going. Trevor Ncube ( http://twitter.com/3bucn) on his view of what Zim needs in order to turn around its economic conditions.

Anna together with a number of popular South African web personalities made local and international headlines in June when the Ford Ranger they were traveling in collided head-on with an aeroplane. The group were traveling home after a freeboarding outing near Krugersdorp. Fellow Izimvo interviewees, Mike Stopforth, Nic Haralambous and Don Packett were also at the scene of the accident. Luckily no-one  was seriously injured.

A massive thank you to Anna for taking the time to answer our questions. We’d like to wish her every success for the future.

Brent Shahim

Izimvo is honoured to introduce Managing Director of Aqua Online, Brent Shahim

As one of South Africa’s biggest new media agencies and with clients such as Avis, Southern Sun, Nokia, Standard Bank, Pick n Pay and MTN, Aqua Online are at the forefront of a digital South African.

Brent is a qualified Chartered Accountant having completing his articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce and an honours degree in Business Information Systems from Wits.

Aqua Online was recently sold to WPP and now is the official digital arm of Y&R in South Africa.

Website: http://www.aquaonline.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/brentshahim
Location: Johannesburg

Brent 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: Brent, 37, Aquaonline.

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

A: I am an accountant of all things, but have a latent creative streak and have been a co-author of a play in my distant past. Two of my favourite movies are Jerry Maguire and Pulp Fiction.

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

A: I am a rugby fanatic and watch at every opportunity. I love reading and enjoy eating out with close friends.

A Digital South Africa

Q: Aqua Online was founded in 1998 and was perfectly placed to take full advantage of Web 1.0. In your experience, what was the impact of the Dot Com crash on South African web development companies and what did Aqua Online do to weather the storm?

A: Aqua repositioned itself from a software development company to more of a digital marketing agency – that meant that we could tap into IT and Marketing budgets. It also meant that we were more strategic and value-add as opposed to the commoditised software development space.

Q: What are the current web trends which you believe will shape the future of the web here in South Africa?

A: I believe that increasing bandwidth and reducing costs are going to fuel an explosion in internet ecommerce opportunities and drive digital as a more mainstream marketing channel to compete with television and print.

Q: Aqua Online have been involved in a number of very large projects including BMW, Avis, SAB, Virgin Money to name a few. What projects are your personally most proud of?

A: This sounds cliché but I am really proud of all the great work we do and how we have managed to pull most of our clients into the digital age. They are seeing value from the work we do and are investing in us more and more.

Q: When it comes to the web and web development, South Africa competes in a global market place. Even with the benefit of the Rand, why do you think it is that local companies are not hired for more international projects?

A: Unfortunately, the Rand is quite strong and we struggle to compete on the off-shoring model with countries like Russia and India. That said, we are doing some significant off-shoring work and I think that off-shoring is going to continue to grow.

Q: How do you hire great talent?

A: We have a great internship program and over the years we have a designed a rigorous interview process.

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: I was held up by 6 guys in my office when I first moved in. I did start thinking about my options to immigrate. But to be honest, there are amazing opportunities here. So those plans are on hold.

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

A: Probably Sydney Australia.

Q: If you were given the opportunity of sitting down with the president, what advice would you offer him?

A: I would ask him to invest his most money and best people in fighting crime. Once the crime abates, we can deal with all the other issues we face as a country.

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

A: Cape Town, A Game Lodge, Apartheid Museum.

Life in Johannesburg

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in or around Johannesburg for a quite Sunday afternoon lunch with family and friends?

A: The Inanda Club.

Q: What is your favorite destination in or near Johannesburg for a long weekend getaway?

A: De Hoek in the Magaliesburg.

Q: What are the greatest benefits of living in Johannesburg?

A: The energy, business opportunities, entertainment and the weather.

General

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

A: I would love to pick Steve Jobs. He has had personal and professional challenges and huge successes. He is also a visionary who has managed to change the way people live.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela; The Fountainhead by Anne Rand.

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

Q: In Cape Town – the Ambassador Hotel.

Q: What question would you like us to ask our next interviewee?

A: What is the secret of happiness?

A massive thank you to Brent for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish him and his team at Aqua Online every success for the future.

Rafiq Phillips

Izimvo has the pleasure of introducing SEO specialist and popular blogger, Rafiq Phillips.

Rafiq, winner of the 2007 Top ICT Youth Innovator in Africa, works as an SEO specialist for Naspers as well as running iDrive.co.za and popular South African blog, Web AddiCTs.

Rafiq was featured on MNet’s Carte Blanche on the topic of Social Networking and Communication. Link to the video.

Website: http://www.idrive.co.za
Blog: http://www.webaddict.co.za
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rafiqphillips
Twitter: http://twitter.com/rafiq
Location: Cape Town

Rafiq 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: Rafiq Phillips, 26, work as an SEO specialist at Naspers’ www.mihswat.com consulting to some of the largest Internet companies throughout the developing wwworld during the day while at night my project www.idrive.co.za which connects learner drivers with the best driving schools in South Africa. I’ve been blogging since 1999- coding HTML in notepad.

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

A: I do not eat butter or margarine, ever. Never have, never will.

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

A: I really enjoy fishing in the mountains just outside Cape Town. Do not get there nearly enough.

Blogging in South Africa

Q: Which local blogs do you read on a daily basis?

A: I usually catch up with blogs on my mobile phone using Google Reader mobile before I go to bed. There are too many to mention. Best see my Google Reader Shared items on my profile http://www.google.com/profiles/rafiq.phillips

Q: What advice would you give to South African bloggers wanting to turn their passion into a career?

A: Don’t give up your day job. It takes a lot of patience and consistency. I’ve heard many people talk about starting their blogs for many months even years and have not gotten as far as writing their firsts posts. Jut do it!

Q: There is a fine line between promotion and spam, how did you promote your blog in the early days?

A: I didn’t :) I used www.webaddict.co.za as a testing bed for seo and blogged about technology that I was passionate about or found interesting. There was a very small tech blogging community back in 2005/2006 and we just happened to stumble upon each others blogs while Googling.

Q: As a local technology enthusiast, which South African technologies have you the most excited?

A: There is not one specific technology that really excites me. Rather the way in which technology is used to solve South African problems. A few examples would be Reconstructed Living Labs http://www.rlabs.org/ who are using a host of technologies to battle drug abuse, gangsterism and raise HIV/Aids awareness.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Silicon Cape Initiative?

A: Any initiative that focuses attention on the local tech scene is a good one.

Q: Can you tell us about some of your most popular posts on Web AddiCT?

A: You are able to view the popular posts from any page on Web AddiCT(s); A post becomes popular once it receives continuous media attention or becomes mainstream. I didn’t really answer that did I?

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: I do not believe there is a person in any country that has not been affected by crime. You should always take precaution no matter where you are. A little common sense should keep you safe.

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

A: NO.

Q: If you were given the opportunity to sit down with the president, what advice would you offer him?

A: Don’t preach what you practice.

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

A: Table mountain, Cape Point via Boulders beach and the Waterfront.

Life in Cape Town

Q: Favorite restaurant for a romantic dinner?

A: Tought one, there aren’t many Halaal restaurants in Cape Town that can be considered romantic.

Q: Who makes the best coffee in Cape Town?

A: Our coffee machine at the MIH SWAT office by far.

Q: Which of the various malls in or around Cape Town would you recommend for Christmas shopping?

A: The Internet. I don’t do Christmas shopping and am not a big fan of malls.

General

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

A: MXit CEO, Herman Heunis. I Admire the way he runs his business.

Q: Favorite South African sporting moment of the last 10 years?

A: 1995 Rugby Word Cup final.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: Robert Kiyosaki’s Cashflow Quadrant. You’d have to read Rich Dad, Poor Dad too

Q: Where would you like to wake up tomorrow?

A: Where I’ll be waking up on the 21st of December: next to my wife :)

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

A: Gavin Marshall

A massive thank you to Rafiq for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish him every success for the future.

Reminder!
Don’t forget to enter our competition as announced on yesterday’s interview with Springleap.com co-founder, Eran Eyal. To enter, simply become a fan of the Izimvo and Springleap Facebook pages. Winners will be announced tomorrow morning at 9am. Good Luck!

Eran Eyal

Izimvo has the pleasure of introducing Springleap.com co-founder Eran Eyal.

Springleap is a website where every two weeks designers get to enter a t-shirt design competition to win R7482.18 (about US$900) – half in cash and half t-shirts – plus massive exposure online and offline. They also get royalties on reprints.

Winners are selected by the site’s users who vote on their favorite designs. Springleap.com also offers free next-day delivery anywhere in South Africa.

Website: http://www.springleap.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/eranEyal
Location: Cape Town

Eran 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: Eran Eyal, 34, co-founder of Springleap.com, They are working on a crowdsourcing social media platform to compete with Ning in 2010! They also make rad t-shirts!

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

A: I play Japanese Shakuhachi, Hochiku and other transverse flutes. Also carry one in my car as well as a harmonica in case I get stuck in rush-hour traffic :) Biggest phobia I had – Clinical Vertigo. Got over it.

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

A: Playing the flute somewhere natural and quiet. Practicing Shaolin Kung-Fu and Bagua Zhang.

E-Commerce in South Africa

Q: Congratulations on winning in the best clothing and accessories category in the 2009 Jump E-Commerce awards? What does an award like this mean to a startup like Springleap?

A: Thank you! We are over the moon about it! For our brand Springleap, it means we are definitely heading in the right direction in an extremely difficult and saturated market often dominated by amazing corporate brands like Woolworths. Receiving an accolade of this sort from a jury of what we truly believe are our peers is really a massive morale boost for us as well as tip of the hat indicating we are doing something right. Oh yeah. Bragging rights :) don’t forget those! – No, seriously, it is fantastic for the shareholders to see us constantly and consistently taking the business to the next level and it gives us an excellent introduction to corporate clients.

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

A: Don’t give away too much too soon. We played it that way and are really happy. It’s tough and tempting to give away equity, but hold on as long as you can. Startups are very often a marathon, so make sure you have the emotional and mental stamina. Do regular physical activities to keep your body and mind occupied. Remember what makes you passionate about your business and hold onto it.

Entrepreneur December 2009 Article

Q: Can you give us a little insight as to what it is like behind the scenes at Springleap?

A: Wow – right now it’s quite crazy. Springleap.com is growing fast and we have really weathered the garment industry’s tiresome road. Now our major mission is to focus more on building the brand and solidifying the branding as well as hosting more corporate themed competitions (which are piling up nicely!).

We are currently moving to larger offices downstairs which are awesome and are hiring some amazing new people. The real development is actually more on our holding company’s side. Recently I raised R4m from an Angel Investor…and it’s not for Springleap. Rather it’s for the complete overhaul and redevelopment of our platform which we have been using Springleap.com as a test case for.

In the new year we will be launching multiple new brands, and more excitingly a SAAS model – you will be able to create your own mini-Springleap site via a drag-and-drop interface in a manner of minutes… For free. The platform will incorporate social media flavors you love ranging from profile pages, hosting events, making different tiers of friends, virtual gifts etc, e-commerce with crowdsourcing methodology as a focus at the heart of it all.

Of course there will be value added features at a price and full-blown corporate models deliverable with a few weeks from point of order. In the new year we will be hiring an internal development team to affect this.

Q: How do you hire great talent?

A: Wow – luckily? It can be a real lucky packet. From hiring talent over the last few years the best methodology is still word of mouth and referrals. We always try to focus more on the jockey than the horse he came riding in on.

Q: What advice would you offer to smaller sites wanting to commerce enable their sites?

A: Wait till next year when our platform launches ;) or just come chat to us! The door is always open and advice is often free. Read the E-Myth and E-marketing. They are tenement books on the matter.

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: Not my family so much, but we were affected when we had 5 break-ins in Florida Rd, Durban a few years ago when we had the eSquared shops. Very tiring stuff. Luckily no one was hurt and we were insured.

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

A: mmm. I have considered it in the past, and glad I didn’t – I studied a CELTA course with a view of emigrating to Japan. That was when I was living in Durban. Moved to Cape Town about a year ago. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. I am happy as a pig in… Well you know.

Q: Given the opportunity, which governmental department would you select to lead?

A: Good lord. None of them. I suppose it would have to be ICASA/telecoms at a push. We need some serious headway here… It’s holding us all back.

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

A: The rocks in Llandudno at sunrise/sunset, The canons of Camps Bay on a beautiful day (like the one we just had on Saturday – I took some amazing pictures – here is the link and see what I mean)  and – of course – my place if they are really nice. Scratch that – just kidding on the last one ;) The third would be for a tour of Franschhoek and walk through the mountains there. Gorgeous.

Life in Cape Town

Q: Best spot for a romantic night out?

A: Nobu restaurant at the One and Only

Q: Favorite venue for team building?

A: Go-Carting!

Q: First place you would go in or around Cape Town to put a new camera through its paces?

A: A drive through Woodstock. You won’t believe the variety of rich and lush Cape-townian life you can experience there.

General

Eran playing the flute

Q: Which South African blog do you read on a daily basis and why?

A: iMod. Chris Mills is awesome – he offers good general information, tech reviews and a break from all things mundane. He also has a good casual writing style.

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

A: Steve Jobs. He is an incredible visionary and an amazing public speakers. A man who has changed the rules on every level ranging from commerce to technology. What an amazing leader.

Q: One book that you would make required reading for all matric pupils?

A: The Business Brickfield.

Q: Favorite South African brand?

Q: Springleap. Hands down. I know it sounds egotistical, but I really do believe we are doing a great job and have an amazing product that constantly surprises even me.

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

A: Johan Rupert- I head him speaking for the first time at Silicon Cape. It was a milestone I shall soon not forget.

We’d like to thank Eran for taking the time to answer our questions and wish him and the team at Springleap every success for the future. We looking forward to seeing some amazing announcements from the team in the coming months.

Right, competition time.
Win one of the trendy Springleap T-Shirts. To enter simply make sure that you are a fan of both the Izimvo and Springleap Facebook pages. Thats it!

Winners will be drawn Wed 9th Dec at 9am. Good luck!