#WIB- Q&A With Sibabalwe Sesmani Managing Director At Unorthodox PR & Media Group
1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
A. Unorthodox PR and Media Group is a public relations company that specializes in placing its clients directly in front of its target audience by facilitating media interviews on television, radio, print and digital blogs. We also create and manage content on social media and we facilitate webinars.
2. When, how and why did you start your business?
A. The business was started in October 2014 and officially registered in March/April 2015. It was started with a mere R2000 and it was started out of curiosity at first and wanting to accomplish a childhood dream of wanting to own my own company.
3. What is your role in the business?
A. Managing Director
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
A. University of Johannesburg, Kingsway Campus. Bachelor in Commerce in Economics and Econometrics.
5. How did you finance your business?
A. The capital of my business was a one month salary from my previous job after all of my expenses were paid. Later it was then financed by our work for clients.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
A. Lol! That’s a good one. I wake up, pray and walk to my desk (I guess that’s our new normal). Then it’s the frantic juggling between ensuring that client deliverables are met, following up with new business enquiries, sourcing new business, ensuring that we remain visible and ensuring that we improve on our service provision.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
A. I don’t, I am still struggling to find the balance as work takes up all of my time. Working from home has not made things easier as well as my home is no longer a sanctuary for me. If I ever achieve that balance, which is important, I will be sure to let you know.
8. What drives you and inspires you?
A. I grew up in a township in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape where I didn’t see older women who came from a similar background as me in business and doing well. I didn’t see young black women taking huge strides in business. I aspired to then be that young black woman in business that little black girls from the same township as me look up to and giving them hope that it is possible, it will be much harder as black women, but it can be done.
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
A. Almost all of my ideas come from wanting to make the young black woman’s life easier especially through financial emancipation.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
A. We are intentional by putting out content mostly on social media, but mostly our client work speaks for us and does the advertising on our behalf.
11. What is next for your business?
A. Growing the company, making a bigger impact in transformation in South Africa and many collaborations.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
A. Do it, we often feel the pressure as women to get everything perfect then we never really move. Just start with what you have.
Contact info:
M: +27 (72) 9511484
E: siba@unorthodoxpr.com
Social media:
IG : @unorthodox_pr
Twitter : @PrUnorthodox
Facebook : Unorthodox PR and Media Group