She had not even heard of activations when she stepped into an out of home media company – yet carved a career trajectory that will inspire countless young women.
I came to my career path unintentionally. When I left the University of Pretoria and moved to Johannesburg, I joined an out of home media company, initially as a data analyst assisting the sales team. I soon discovered that I preferred to be in front of the client, and that I had a natural flare for client service and sales, so I became an account executive in the sales and marketing department instead. This is where my passion for media really started.
I was eventually offered the role of country specialist: sales and marketing account manager for Botswana and Kenya, which gave me the opportunity to travel to other countries to meet with clients and gain a proper understanding of their business. This was a real highlight, and an eye opener; it taught me the value of knowing your clients and treating their business as your business.
In 2011 I moved to ProActive, an activations agency within Provantage. Since then, I’ve held various positions within the company. When I first interviewed for the position, I wasn’t familiar with the term ‘activations’, but it sounded like something that I was passionate about – events and project management. I have always loved organising and hosting social occasions: I was the resident host of friends’ baby showers and stokvel get-togethers, and an MC at weddings. Now I had found a profession that let me put my passion to work, and I have never looked back.
I have been fortunate to have experienced several highlights in my career. One of the most memorable of these was when a client requested that we facilitate a conference for the merger of two organisations. I was selected to present their various brands, strategies and plans to their employees – even though I didn’t work for either of the two organisations.
Although presenting meant that I was on my feet for an excruciating six hours, this was a hugely empowering and rewarding experience, especially as I had represented both organisations so well, most employees asked which department I worked for, as they hadn’t seen me in their offices yet!
MOTIVATED BY A SENSE OF PURPOSE
I have recently taken up the position of head of sales and client service for ProActive, and I’m excited by the many opportunities that this brings, including the chance to lead in an encouraging manner – one that gives everyone a share of voice. I know that a lot is expected from those to whom a lot is given, and I have no doubt that I will be held accountable for the many responsibilities that come with this role. Nevertheless, I’m particularly excited that this role will give me the chance to make a positive impact in people’s lives, especially through the rollout of Spaza Media, which we recently launched.
With this, we want to disrupt the landscape of the informal spaza market through innovative branding solutions. We partner with spaza shop owners to offer advertisers the opportunity to brand entire spaza shopfronts, which brings consistent remuneration to the shop owners and also develops small to medium enterprises within the informal market. These businesses are responsible for managing aspects such as rental collection and branding maintenance, to ensure messaging stays pristine throughout a campaign.
I think this is a valuable innovation, one that transforms media opportunities to bring value to the surrounding communities and gets our partners involved in the country’s economic transformation. So, from a personal perspective, I’m really excited that my new role gives me an opportunity to give back, and proud to be in a position that allows me to make a tangible difference that allows a family to put food on the table. This is what drives me and gets me out of bed each morning.
LESSONS LEARNT
This is the advice I would give to my younger self, or any other woman looking to enter my industry:
Use every opportunity to bank experience
Always keep learning on the job. In our industry, no two campaigns are the same – although the objectives might be similar, the execution is different each time. So, every day is an opportunity to learn something new. In addition, I treat every campaign as an opportunity to ‘bank’ experience and grow my knowledge of my own and other industries, and this pays off: I find that clients take comfort in dealing with someone with experience. Try to keep abreast of industry news and grow your general knowledge. And don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help and mentorship; there are always more people rooting for your success than you think.
Victory loves preparation
I learned very early on in my career that victory loves preparation. Whether it’s a presentation, an activation, a workshop, a meeting – no matter what the situation or challenge, if you want to succeed, you must prepare well. Have your elevator pitch at the tip of your tongue, and always practice your presentations; if you haven’t practiced, it will be noticed. Also: never take any engagement for granted, because it could change the whole trajectory of your career. Whether it’s a Teams meeting, a lunch, or Friday afternoon drinks, always be prepared with what you want to get out or put into the engagement. People’s time is precious, don’t waste it.
Always be yourself
When it comes to building a relationship with clients, be genuine. Don’t pretend to be someone that you are not, as you will have to carry that façade for a long time. Clients are people just like you: they are parents, spouses, they get stuck in traffic and experience load shedding – and they are very quick to call a bluff. Put your best foot forward at all times, but be yourself.
Make their business your business – take time to really get to know your client and their brands. Research what their competitors are doing, look at what’s being done globally by similar brands, and always look out for the best way to make their money go further. Don’t just be about getting the business, but focus on maintaining the business and relationship over time.
Take up space
A final piece of advice that I would give to any woman considering a career in media – or any other industry – is something the former Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi, once said: “Don’t be afraid to take up space.” This is something I feel all women should take to heart: let your voice be heard. Pitch that idea, write that article, pick up the phone and make that cold call… if nothing else, you will add to your bank of experiences – which you can then call on throughout your career.
Makhetsi Phakoa joined Provantage in 2011 as an account manager, later serving as senior account manager and business unit head before her recent promotion to head of sales and client service for ProActive, a division of Provantage.
