Creative Entrepreneurs by Botaki Youth Magazine

Perception Vs Perspective ISSUE 5

Creative Entrepreneurs FROM

THE

BOTAKI

YOUTH

MAGAZINE

creative " /kriːˈeɪtɪv/ " noun > a person whose job involves creative work entrepreneur " /ˌɒntrəprəˈnəː/ " noun > a person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit

creative entrepreneur someone who uses their creative or intellectual knowledge and skills to earn a living

CONTENT COVER FEATURE - 33 TANDEKILE MKIZE CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS

PAGE

Lulama Njapa

Banesa Molauoa Tseki

Thabo Mshengu

Sifiso Temba

Neo Seletisha

Katlego Tshuma

Andy Mkosi

Yamkela Mahlehlele

Tsoloane Ntsane

Souvenir Geans

Luladey Takele

Botaki Youth Magazine Team

Editor In Chief Onkemetse Gomotsegang Lekone Deputy Editor Promise Khoza Writers Mmanoko Tauatswala Luvo Disane Thuto Malesa Social Media Managers Mahlatse Mokgope Charlie Antonio Curator Caroline Mashapa

EDITORS NOTES Starting off the year with a great note, new team, fresh ideas and learning new things from each member has been nothing but a blessing including having a business partner Promise Khoza. Having a partner has made me realize that you cannot do everything by yourself so if you have a partner, things will work out in your favour. On Issue 5, we are featuring Creatives, not only are they creatives but they are also Entrepreneurs. Being a Creative Entrepreneur you need to be a number of things; persistent, resourceful, creative and tolerant to risk. As a Creative Entrepreneur I have learned to make important decisions and introduce myself to new people and source of knowledge to tap into. Not only that, but we experience mistakes first hand. As a creative entrepreneur, you need to ask yourself these questions: Do you have experience leading a team of people? Do you have experience managing personal budget? Do you have experience reading emotions and negotiating? Those are the key questions to being a Creative Entrepreneur. To those who want to be entrepreneurs, partner up especially if you don't have much business experience on your own. If you don't know what you're doing, you can't assume that you're going to make all the right decisions ( ofcourse talking from experience ). You need to compensate for your lack of experience in a meaningful way to give your business the greatest chances of success. Setswana sa re kgetsi ya puo ga e tlale. Pula Onkemetse Gomotsegang Lekone

"Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way"

- Edward de Bono

L U L A M A

Njapa

Lulama Njapa is a freelance writer and a speaker whose inspiration has always been the African continent. From the time she read Kwame Nkruma's speeches and listened to Thabo Mbeki articulate the African Renaissance dream, she knew she wanted to travel the continent.

She states that, "Writing about it was by happenstance because her friend was profiling some black female travel influencers for an American magazine and she suggested travel writing as something to look into. I was immediately sold to the idea. I've always been a writer but it took a while for me to find the subject I would love to write about the most."

What's your travel style?

Having to travel all around, experiencing different ethnicities and diversities, what is the most common teachings from all? Most of my travels have been on the African continent, with exception of a couple of European destinations. The most important teaching I have learned on the African continent is that we are all one. One people. Our similarities far outweigh our differences. What is the best experience you've encountered when it comes to tasting different cuisines. ? What I have encountered when it comes to tasting different cuisines has to be the Ghanaian Jollof rice!! For some reason, I expected that it would taste like regular fried rice but I was quite pleasantly surprised by its spicy flavour that reminded me a little bit of Durban Briyani, my other favourite dish. Ghanaian Jollof Rice is served with a fish flavoured pepper sauce called Shito, which just explodes in your mouth. I haven’t tasted any food anywhere that I loved more than Ghanaian Jollof.

I'm a solo budget traveller. I look for budget accommodation which usually enables me to spend more money on experiences. The experiences I look for are more cultural and historical. The pandemic has taught me a bit about slow travelling. I've been in Malawi since December 2019 and when I couldn't travel I decided to slow down and travel Malawi at a slower pace. That meant I had to find long term accommodation and live amongst the locals. That has been an incredibly fulfilling way of travelling which was new to me. How does travelling help your growth? Be it mentally, spiritually? The thing about travel is that it keeps showing you how much you don't know. From learning a new language to seeing how other people live. It's an overall enhancing experience. Spiritually, it teaches you to look within yourself a lot more even as you see and experience the newness of things. As a solo traveler you even find more time to reflect as you travel.

How do you divide your time between delivering ideas and creating them? I don't have a formula for this. All I do is go to the places that I would eventually write about and enjoy myself. I take photos is anything that inspires me and just take in the experience. I then sit down and write the story. Sometimes weeks after coming back from the destination. As a writer, what are you trying to accomplish? Does the aim of the work affect the way you portray the journey? My most immediate aim is to help South Africans to see more of the rest of the continent and travel more. At the same time I would love to show people that travel doesn’t have to be expensive. There is always a cheaper option. If you cannot fly, then take the bus. If you cannot afford a hotel, look into cheaper accommodation. I do have biases towards using black suppliers and informal vendors. I’m also biased towards showing readers a different Africa from the one the world has been seeing; to rewrite the our story as Africans.

How do you divide your time between delivering ideas and creating them? I don’t have a formula for this. All I do is go to the places that I would to eventually write about and enjoy myself. I take photos is anything that inspires me and just take in the experience. I then sit down and write the story. Sometimes weeks after coming back from the destination. As a speaker, in what ways does the relationship between speaker and audience sustain you, and in what ways not? I’m a newcomer in public speaking but what I have learned is that I need to accept speaking engagements on subjects that I am passionate about and that always works out well. It is imperative that the audience engages and that is what sustains me. And engaged audience.

What's the best advice you have been given in your career? “Pitch, pitch, pitch”. As a newcomer in the industry, it’s not always easy to get paying work but a lot of experienced writers always advise me to keep pitching my ideas and stories to travel publications.

BANESA TSEKI

Banesa Tseki is a young entrepreneur who mainly focus on wellness and entertainment industry. Banesa is a meditation and yoga teacher who also does life coaching and vegan cooking. The young creative entrepreneur is also the co-owner of a yoga wellness centre called @thenetspace. She also has a creative agency called @becreative where she hosts events and manages artists. 10

What has been your inspiration towards your line of work? I think fundamentally, the first time I heard a quote, "Do what you love and find the way to get paid for it" I felt like that was my life motto to follow my dreams and goals. I also look at other things that bring me happiness. I always try to find a way to make money in order for me to sustain my life. Overall it s been awarding though it is full of ups and downs, feels crazy but I love working with people, I love healing and having fun. Do you think you have found your purpose? No I don't think so because if I would have found my purpose I don't think there will be excuses. I'd be killing it! I'd be what I'm aligned to do and I believe everything will rocket from there but I think I am very much on the path to. Each and everyday I feel closer and closer to discovering my purpose. So I feel like it's not a destination but a journey.

As a yoga teacher an a manager of several motifs, how do you juggle all of that? I don't know if that's the case. I honestly think I do drop balls many times and also keeps balls up, and it's just the urban flow of life. As a yoga teacher it enables me to juggle more than I'd be because it helps me stay grounded. So it works well on that but it's still a process.

When you started the agency, what was the reason and the vision behind starting the netspace yoga studio? I started the Netspace with my partner Anesu, and the reason for us starting the studio was because we had been practicing and training in various types of yoga for many years. We both started in Cape Town and then moved to Joburg, and in both cities we found that yoga studios were very non-inclusive; we were always the only person of colour in the studio. We had done it for so long and it had been such a revolutionary tool for healing that it was an atrocity to not have this accessible to the people who needed it the most on this continent. So we wanted to start a space of healing that people could feel welcome, where they could get introduced to holistic practices such as yoga, meditation, reiki, vegan lifestyle; all of these things that are quintessentially dubbed as white and reintroduce it to our people, our market, from black people, by black people and that’s the ethos behind the Netspace.

As we are in the middle of the pandemic, how has the businesses been since the pandemic? Firstly, we were the first studio to close down including the restaurant and that was a huge financial set back. I believe as an entrepreneur this is the life we choose, either we react, build or create a strategy. Therefore we moved our business online and created a system where people can book or order and pay online. Also the lock-down gave us the opportunity to be hands on more especially in things we always wanted to do like opening the yoga school. We did that and now we are about to start our second intake in March. We will be training yogis to be yoga teachers and that has been As a business woman, what has been such a gratifying, beautiful experience and that has kept us afloat during the pandemic. your perks and reparations? As a businesswoman, the biggest perks have been being able to control my time Any future plans? And what can we and life especially the decisions I make for expect in 2021 from you? the betterment of my life. Working for Yes there are future plans. The netspace and others and being bossed around I'd say it my businesses is to serve. So I am here to is great because there's nothing more serve as there is always a need. So the last few valuable like time. The greatest thing has years that's what basically been us trying to to be the amount of responsibility and determine the need of our communities that employing people. Though things like we could fulfill. We are working towards covid and finances not coming together is getting more retreat places also looking at really a huge burden because you have to different offerings that we can serve our make sure that your people are paid and community. 2021 expect the unexpected. We taken care of as they rely on you. I must will be doing things for the first time. It is really say you can read as many business books hard to make plans during the pandemic as you want but in real life it doesn't work because nothing can change in a second but I like that. You have to be very agile to have do believe big things are coming and it's money one day and not have the next already happening. day. Lack of consistent capital has been a set back for us. How has it been received within the black community? It has been absolutely incredible amongst the black community. When we were busy putting our business model together, we would have people asking if we have vegan food or alcohol sold in our restaurant. So when we first opened till covid happened, every weekend our buffey was completely sold out. There's also a misconception that people of colour don't want to take care of their bodies, heal or find alternative ways of helping the environment. So the biggest support was from our black community.

“There is one thing the photo must contain – the humanity of the moment.” – Robert Frank

INTERVIEW WITH

THABO MSHENGU

He claims that music is the core of all his purposes and has his sound exposed on music platforms such as soundcloud. He is a creative because he lives and creates from the heart and more so an entrepreneur as he creates a demand he immaculately meets, hoping to pass down the skill to the generation after him.

The Creative Entrepreneur, Thabo Mshengu not only runs various thriving businesses such as amen concepts and popupparty but is also an artist. A creative indebted to story telling using art as an instrument of connection, with his photography being an epitome of all this. The DJ/Photographer is inspired by innovation who feels analogue innovation was 'built not to break from workability to physical functionality.' The entrepreneur states creative entrepreneurship to be a long and taxing journey due to lack of collaboration yet his businesses remain functional and offering services that people need.

I see most of your pictures are film portraits. What inspired film and vinyl photography? Well I'm someone who's inspired by innovation and i feel like analogue innovation is one of the best to ever happen as they were built not to break from work-ability to physical function. I was drawn to analogue in my early years of my existence in life that was the mode of use at the time. So as a DJ and photographer I wanted to tell a story by sharing important information that's often slept on about vinyls, creative direction and production of the music through my creative way. How would you describe the difference between generally taking pictures and being a photographer? Taking pictures is when someone takes images with no creative motive. Photography is when you make an image to have a voice and tell a story.

Is it hard to turn creativity into a business? In South Africa i believe it's a bit hard because i. we don't have institutes that are socially acceptable and accessible that accommodate and push creative faculties from just a skill set to a business. So you need to learn as you go and that makes the journey even more longer and taxing. ii. we have a pandemic of people not wanting to collaborate and building teams. In most cases, a group of 5 wouldn't want the spotlight and with no one wanting to work behind the scene by virtue of that, it makes our industry stagnant with minimum platforms and this results in less creative businesses. What about your childhood? How did Thabo grow to be @thabo_housecatz? I guess it was the moment I realized that I had created a substantial base and following. I had to build a character that's different from the personal one to the social one. I remained a student of life. You dabble a lot with the i.feel.like.analogue portraits, the popupparty and now amenconcepts. Would you say business is successful? I wouldn't say successful because that portrays as one has reached a final point but what I can say is that the journey is GOOD and thriving. Why music? Music chose me. Music is the core of my purpose(s) in life. If it wasn't for the music, all I know and do wouldn't be in existence.

What does art mean to you? As someone who's indebted to storytelling, art is an instrument that engages me to other creative's expressions and their perspectives of life. Art connects me to people who vibrate in the same frequency as I. Do you think creative entrepreneurs are underrated? I don't think they are underrated but they are taken for granted. Creatives are the architect of life, so much is taken away from them but hardly put on the pedestal. What makes your business unique? My business is functional, it service people's needs that are often not serviced respectfully. What makes a creative... let alone a creative entrepreneur? What makes a creative is living and creating from your purpose, truthful, honest work from the heart. Sharing and impacting with your uniqueness. What makes a creative entrepreneur is when you become a living example simply by pursuing your purpose to the point you create a demand and be able to meet those demands by expansion of your purposes that leads to business. importantly passing down the skill to the next generation.

Sifiso Temba Meet the creative entrepreneur Sifiso Temba, a young artist from Johannesburg, South Africa who discovered his talent from a young age but only got to pursue it in his 20s. Temba is a painter, print-maker and visual artist amongst the many skills he has. Temba has had a recognition in exhibitions and Arts Fairs in Johannesburg and Cape Town and also had the privilege to participate as one of the finalists for The Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards 2019 and ABSA L'Atelier Top 100 finalist 2018 . Not only focusing on the recognition, he has also been involved in projects that are to empower the youth especially in his community.

Tell us more about what is it that you do as an artist I am visual artist that make drawings, prints, paintings and sculptures. How has the journey been? My journey has been inspiring, challenging and fruitful to me knowing it’s possible to do what I love. Do you think you have found your purpose? Yes, as an agent of change, with my work have always aimed to create artworks that bring justice and enlightenment. The creative industry is a dog eat dog world, what motivates you to keep yourself grounded in this cut throat faculty? I believe in myself and what I do. The practice has been good to me and challenges have. I think being conscious of what you doing, will always find truth and happiness.

Your work mainly speaks about crime,spirituality and social motif , what came about the decision to be specifically in that field? The topics that I explore through my work are part of my life as a black South African youth, I always thought the truth will serve its purpose. I can only speak about what I know and experienced. In your work you always mention personal experience, how do you relate to your work? I observe my community and world beyond with a lens that tells a unique story. I create works that offer multiple entry points into the lives of ordinary people. My interest is to highlight the censored issues. Interestingly your work has the use of physiognomy, what came about using animals and not a different character? The use of animal’s expression and human form is different and interesting approach. The subject becomes an unknown character with specific ethnic group. This is to create a generic reference in the context.

MbuziArt Corner

As a creative entrepreneur what is it that you do? I create products such as prints paintings and drawings which are inquired for purchase from directly myself or a gallery that has my work on consignment. What is your vision as a creative entrepreneur and how has the journey been? The vision is to have establishment that will house and offer services of the practice in both local and international networks, to create self-sustained opportunities. As an entrepreneur you have to become belligerent, tell us more on that determination and how you keep it going? Every complete project is an accomplishment leading towards the manifested vision. The mission to inspire and challenge narratives of injustice keeps me going. What advice do you have for creative entrepreneurs in this pandemic? Let's not lose hope and lets keep working.

How has it been as a creative entrepreneur in the pandemic? It’s a global pandemic affecting people in ways never imagined it would be. In the words of Elizabeth Gilbert ‘’we simply do not have time anymore to think so small’’, I can only say to art practitioners lets work even harder in these hard times.

What plans do you have for the future?

Well, at the moment I’m working on making my practice more eligible for international organisations.

NEO SELETISHA

'Edgy Jewellery with a spin' , is how a jeweler and founder of a pioneering brand Iets'ene Designs, Neo Seleteisha, describes his craft.

The idea explores the business of accessory production was prompted by a keen interest from his friends in a bracelet that he had designed and crafted after spotting the young businessman rocking it to campus. Neo then had another enlightening encounter whilst doing laundry; a light bulb moment struck him to utilise pegs in his creations. These candid occurrences led to the establishment of the official company in 2017 which sees the business operate from Pretoria with a nationwide reach. The innovative brand makes use of pegs amongst otherwise eccentric materials to produce unconventional jewellery. The name, Iets'ene, directly translates to a question of 'Is it in?' Which Neo goes into detail on its multifaceted and witty intention in the interview. Iets'ene Designs pride themselves on creative expression with an appreciation for artistic collaboration as a cornerstone of their ethos. " so wena o tsene mo iets'ene? " is the golden question.

" so wena o tsene mo iets'ene? "

What inspired the thought and idea behind "from the washing line to the fashion line?" The idea came about because we wanted to have a catchy slogan associated with the brand. And fortunately, this slogan pays tribute to the history of how iets’ene designs was put together and also of where it is, we’re headed with our concept.

How has the pandemic regulations challenged your approach to business and creativity? We were hard hit when the lockdown restrictions were imposed. When it happened, we were currently busy with an Art-Reach programme. An outreach programme aimed at providing after school art classes to pupils from previously disadvantaged schools in Tshwane. Another aspect which was affected was the way we operate our business. Our business thrived on crafter market events, this is where we primarily find our clients. What we then did to keep our clients engaged with us was to conduct interviews and establish heavier presence on social media. Another strategy we incorporated was to nominate the brand ambassador who would keep creating content for the brand and themselves too. 24

What are the joys of merging entrepreneurship and creativity? The reactions we get to witness when clients engage with out products. They say things like “wow, I wish I had thought of that.”, “you’re very creative. How did you think of this?” this in turn validates our work, especially when they buy our craft jewellery. You would also find that clients are inspired to generate ideas of their own and with the hope that we add to our product offering. Also, through our entrepreneurial journey we get to meet different creatives who have very interesting ideas and we learn a lot from one another, in terms of information, idea generation, and new techniques.

What inspired Iets'ene Designs as a name for your business? It has a lot to do with mechanism of how our crafts are worn (the linking mechanism). And once an iets’ene designs piece is worn we say “e tsene”, meaning ‘something is inside’ but in context it would be more of an expression, a eureka, an exclamation to say something is inside. To add onto the mystic of the name, iets’ene, this word/phrase poses a question to the brand asking whether the brand is the ‘in-thing’, and where (location/area) is it in, and by who is it in with first (the trendsetter), and which part of the body are we adorning? Iets’ene?

Where do you currently draw your inspiration from?

My childhood experiences. I was raised in the 90’s. One sentence to define art Art is the human experience told in different mediums/media with the intention to evoke emotions or feelings to those who come and engage with the artworks.

To what extent is collaboration important amongst creatives? Collaborating is essential for growth; it can help stretch your mind as a creative. It will help you to think broader and it’s great for generating fresh ideas and approach. Through collaborations you get to learn about other disciplines and it is also an opportunity to teach others about your crafts. With collaborations you get to reach new clientele because your work will be exposed to a different market base.

What has been Iets'ene's proudest accomplishment? Having the intellectual property rights to our design ideas and concepts. With this, our hearts are content because we want to pioneer something great and this, iets’ene designs is great. The field here is open and vast, there is lots to do. If we can find ourselves having achieved our goal to being renown for inspiring and encouraging creativity and innovation through our expression of art. Your first collection was boldly titled 'Raw', any hints on the next one's title? The current collection, the 4th collection, incorporates glass marbles. The collection is called ‘Nostalgic Marble’. Growing up in the 90’s; one of the games we used to play called “di Ali”, we used marbles to play and to distinguish the different players. The one who had the rarest marbles was automatically deemed to be cooler because there was a lot of aesthetic value associated with the marbles. With this collection the intention is to revisit those nostalgic years of childhood play. The collection includes: earrings, neckpieces, pendants and amulets, keyrings, chokers and collars, headpieces and diadems.

How do you incorporate spirituality into your creative process? A person who practices spirituality is a person who cares about people, animals and the planet. A spiritual person knows that we are all one, and consciously attempt to honour their oneness. With our craft business and brand, we are in the business of uplifting the human spirit through inspiring creativity with our craft work. Through creative thinking and innovativeness, we can solve the world’s problems. And personally, this feels like I am fulfilling what I feel is my purpose. Any advise for upcoming designers/jewellers? Find your unique signature (style), be consistent with it. Refine it and make it shine so much that it speaks for itself. And with everything you do, be honest and genuine with yourself. Be your worst critic and best advocate.

"Creativity is intelligence having fun"

- Albert Einstein

Katlego Tshuma The self-taught multidisciplinary conceptual artist with an emphasis on design as a vehicle for driving ideas, solutions, conversations and messaging in public and private spaces. Katlego started his creative career in 2013 after quitting his job at the airport and taking up photography. Six months later down the line, he published his first body of work titled "Seeds, a township monologue. "

While working on Seeds, he launched and ran shots 11.com, a photography website geared towards helping emerging artists navigate the South African art industry between 2015 and 2018, which he closes down after moving into the advertising space. In te advertising space he worked on and with brands such as The Market Photo Workshop, Corium skincare, Telkom, Vodacom, Mondelez and other well established brands and agencies such as Wunderman Thompson and Joe Public as an art Director, Motion Graphics Designer and 3D Artist. 29

How did you get your idea or concept for this project? Being Tsonga myself, I wanted to show my heritage and who I am. Hence the name and the idea behind it. The inspiration behind the Sangu Bench, tell us more about it? Sangu is the Xitsonga name given to the traditional African Grass mat. The Sangu Bench is inspired by the organic forms found in the movement and shape of the traditional African grass mats which have been used across various African cultures as carpets, mats, screens and room dividers. What design software do you prefer to work with and why? As previously stated, my experience is from advertising so I still use the tools used in that space such as Adobe’s creative suite and Cinema4D for 3D modelling and Vray for my renders. From the Adobe suite, my go to software is illustrator when I want to play with drawing and illustrations, Indesign for layouts. Premiere and After Effects for video and motion graphics respectively.

What did you learn during the competition of nandos_hyd talent search? Before the winner’s announcement, we were booked into The Home Suite Hotel in Rosebank and we spent the night there. That was my best experience. Being in a space with such a high standard of design solidified my conviction that I could tackle furniture and product design and I was excited that Nando’s would be a stepping stone in helping me achieve that. How would you estimate the time it would take to complete a project? For the Nando’s brief, it took me two months to solve the brief. However, every project is unique. Each project is solving a unique problem so I do not estimate how long each solution will take. I usually work with the deadlines provided by clients and from there I discuss realistic timelines once I have the brief and have understood the problem at hand.

What Ignited Your Spark? When I left the airport in 2013, I knew then that I wanted to pursue a career in the creative space. I think that’s when the initial spark started. I have been on that path ever since. 30

" Design isn’t art. It’s problem-solving. So, start learning as many skills and tools you can use to create authentic and innovative solutions. Do not limit yourself to the knowledge you acquire at school or in your specific industry. Venture into other industries and see how they are solving problems and then bring that back into your design process.

What was your mission at the outset? It was an open call to someone who could solve a problem and who could do it well enough in a competition space. That was what was important to me, to show the rest of the world how well I can solve problems. So, when I saw the brief and what it entailed, I was certain I could give it a go.

What is the best advice you've been given throughout your journey as an entrepreneur? It think if there is a book that has shaped my understanding of entrepreneurship, it’s a book called Emyth by Michael E. Gerber. It showed me the different roles an entrepreneur will have to play in their business if they want to become a truly successful entrepreneur versus an employee within your own business. I would advise every entrepreneur to check it out.

The best course I did that shaped my understanding of the design process was a free course on edx.com offered by Havard called The Architectural Imagination. It is by far the most important piece of problem-solving knowledge I have acquired and to this day, it continually shapes how I think about problems and how to find novel or innovative solutions to those problems.

What are some valuable skills you have learned throughout the years that have enhanced your productivity as an entrepreneur (from school, work, hobbies, and peers)? You don’t have to have all the answers. Just start! The more steps you take, the clearer the road becomes and that’s how you go further in your journey.

.gnivlos melborp s'tI .tra t'nsi ngiseD

To what do you attribute your success?

Style is an attribute expressed in a specific and consistent way. It is a way of presenting oneself to the world. Our own way of life reflects how we dress, recreate and associate, and Tandekile is expressing his individuality freely and courageously through style.

by Onkemetse Gomotsegang Lekone

MKIZE

TANDEKILE

COVER FEATURE

Styling by @tandekile_mkize Photographer @noncedocharmaine

He believes that ' in order to achieve authentic diversity in fashion it should extend beyond black and trans models on the runaways. ' His beliefs are portrayed through his utterly diverse and nonconforming images and style.

All his work is self-taught and he owes his businesses success to the ability of creating opportunities that amplify the voice of other young black creatives. So much so that he is continually focused on building a brand of high standard rather than being profitable.

Tandekile Mkize labels himself as an image maker, one who not only creates an image but styles it too. The entrepreneur's love for fashion stems from the early award show red carpets with glamorous outfits and photography. However his current interests are more avant garde and adrogynous, with the likes of Tilda Swinton as he describes her style to be ' super clean, super focused and iconic. '

He currently also runs a digital fashion production housed named THUG ALCHEMY, which represents a vehicle to drive change and deconstruct dated narratives. He hopes to be working with visionaries around the world further in his career. He is a creative because he is bold and passionate, more an entrepreneur because of his drive to bring his vision to life.

I fear most people do not know nor understand the title “Image Maker”. Could you elaborate exactly what an image maker is? I use the term image maker mainly for two reasons. Firstly I have a complex about labelling myself as a photographer. As much as I use the medium, it’s not what I do. I just feel some type of way calling myself a photographer when there are people who give so much of themselves to the medium and it’s a part of who they are. I just feel like it’s one of those things everyone can do, but not everyone can be. Out of respect to photographers I can call myself one. Secondly, I’m in the business of making pictures whether it’s a fashion editorial, portraiture or motion picture. The term rounds up everything I do whether it be making the image or working on the components that contribute to making an image like styling. What makes your business unique? I think what makes my work unique is the fact that I’m self taught. There’s an ignorance to the system which I feel allows me to take different approaches.

What was your first “fashion moment” experience? Basically and what made you fallin love with fashion? There isn’t one that particularly stands out but I guess it’s the memories of being in primary school and setting my alarm for like 3am to catch the red carpet of the major award shows and remembering who wore what and discussing it with friends at school the next morning. If you could style any celebrity who would it be and why? Tilda Swinton. I love her appreciation for the avant garde. There’s a mystic about her and I love her androgynous look. She’s just super unique, her style is super clean, super focused and iconic What makes a creative? Let alone a creative entrepreneur? I think what makes a creative is a story teller who is bold and imaginative with a passion and drive to bring their vision to life.

Considering the competition in the fashion industry nowadays, would you say it’s difficult to make a successful business out of fashion? (Elaborate answer). Take me through the creative process of dressing someone up or even taking pictures of a model Starting any kind of business is a risk but I think it starts with defining what success means to you. Personally, I want to create opportunities that amplify the voice of young black creatives and work that inspires people to achieve greatness. Right now I’m focused on creating a brand that is of a high standard rather than being profitable, but that’s not my concern at the moment. I think one just needs to understand why they do what they do, push themselves to make bolder choices and do things up differently. Success is a matter of perspective. Your Instagram name “ThugAlchemy” What does it mean to you? Thug Alchemy is the name of my digital fashion production house and a space for play, experimentation and collaboration to produce fashion related content that aims to empower young black creatives. I see Thug Alchemy as a vehicle to drive change and deconstruct dated narratives through the creation of worlds that uplift the marginalised.

What is your take on the newly found love of diversity in fashion? It’s about time. The world is so white washed that a lot has been erased and ignored. It’s time that the voice of the marginalised is amplified. I believe that in order to achieve authentic diversity in the industry, it should extend beyond the visibility of black and trans models on the runways and in campaigns but also in executive positions where systemic change can occur. More Virgil’s, more support for black own businesses.

Where do you see your career in the next 5 years? I’m really not great at planning that far ahead. I hope to still have the passion for image making and to work with visionary minds around the world.

MIDGROOVE SERIES WITH

ANDY MKOSI

ANDY MKOSI The Multidisciplinary Documentary Artist was born and bred in Cape Town. Most of her work is visual, and her surroundings play a vital role in developing her narrative. The young and talented artist had collaborated with a number of creatives. Mkosi can be viewed as an independent, niche artist who understands that storytelling is sacred.

Why did you decide to become a documentary artist ? I have always loved documenting but I don't remember deciding this is what I'm going to do. I just knew that naturally I'm good at it.

What films/projects have you worked on. Which one was your favorite and why?

What other filmmakers have been inspirational to you in your work? There is never really one constant individual but at the moment I'm really enjoying Cebisile Mbonani's work. What is your dream project? A fully funded one.

I'd say my series MIDGROOVE and other projects in the works currently.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

What has been your most touching or amazing moment you've experienced as an artist?

What themes do you pursue?

Hmm. There are many of these but primarily working independently is a touching experience. Everyday it just touches me. Being able to think of ideas and execute them with friends and colleagues. And last year when I got my first funding for the This Audio Is Visual podcast.

Just start, dude

They are all within personal experience range. So anywhere between my relationships with my family, my partner, housing for Queer people in South Africa, women in Migration and celebrating black fathers who active in their children's lives.

Just start, dude

YAMKELA MAHLEHLELELE

Yamkela Mahlelelehlele is an emerging fashion curator who believes in constantly motivating people who possess incredible talent to pursue careers related to those talents. She was born in a small town called Butterworth (eGcuwa) in the Eastern Cape, and had to relocate to Cape Town in order to better her chances of succeeding in the fashion industry; a move that aligned her own talent with her pursued career. Her work is inspired by emotion, the impact of events that happen in her life and the general things that happen around her.

Who are you and what do you do? I am Yamkela Mahlelehlele and I consider myself a fashion curator which means I am a fashion designer, stylist, personal shopper and image consultant. I am trying to expand myself throughout the different sectors of the industry. What inspired the name Reignboow? It actually came from a friend. They came up with it because of my personality and my love for colorful hair. I took a liking to the name and changed the spelling to something I resonated with. What memorable responses have you had to your work? My most memorable response so far is when I was scouted to be part of the BettrApp campaign as a micro influencer. It was a beautiful moment and a milestone for me as a creative. What type of research goes into producing your designs? The first step is finding inspiration and reason. I then give myself time to decide if I am creating to sell or creating to tell a story; in most cases it is both. Lastly, I look at what is happening in the industry to make sure I am aligned with the trends, but I ensure I am not influenced by those trends but by designs from within.

" You really need to know yourself and what your end goal is..." What has been your most memorable creation (single design or collection)? It has to be my COZY winter edition which I released last winter. It was received really well and brought recognition to my clothing brand Kolorz Of The Reign. How do you handle setbacks and reach for milestones? I would say I try to mentally prepare myself for them because they can be the biggest demotivators. I remind myself that setbacks are learning curves, and by learning from the setbacks and also applying continuous hard work I move closer to reaching my milestones. What is your dream project? My current dream project would be hosting my first fashion exhibition and collaborating with certain creatives to showcase their Artistry.

Name three designers you would like to be compared to. Thebe Magugu, Rich Mnisi and Maxhosa.

Which brands would you love to collaborate with, and why? I would like to collaborate with the designers I mentioned above as they have really put a positive light on the South African fashion industry and their business models have really worked out for them. I believe I would learn how to hold a more powerful stance in the industry if I were to work with them. What advice would you give a 13 year old child about the industry you’re in? You really need to know yourself and what your end goal is; one grows into this but it is important to be self-aware. And as cliché as it might sound but you should never give up on your dreams – you are what you envision yourself as.

INTERVIEW WITH

Tsoloane

Ntsane

Tsoloane Ntsane is the founder of Motion Canvas, a brand that has been customizing apparel, painting murals and creating art since 2016. When asked what role his art plays in society, he said: “My art allows people to be different, to stand out and be unique.”

He courageously left his job to follow his earthly dreams, and since then his practice has gotten bigger and bigger, showing his knack for constantly making the right moves to grow as an artist and entrepreneur.

For those who don’t know you, who are you and what do you do? For those who don't know me already my name is Tsoloane Ntsane, I go by the name Geezy, I'm a creative/young entrepreneur. What is your background in fine art? I grew up in a household where art and photography were first love; I fell in love with the art and decided to give it a try. What is your main highlight in your art journey? The highlight of my art journey was having an opportunity to do some work for Project Runway South Africa and having a chance to paint a jacket for South Africa's top designer Gert-Johan Coetzee.

What themes do you pursue in your work? Ain't no limit to what a man can do, so I don't limit myself to a specific theme, all goes with the feeling. What is your dream project? My dream project is to have containers in townships where we'll teach kids from a young age who are interested in art how to express themselves through art.

What are your views on artist exploitation and how do you protect yourself against it? People always try to exploit us as artists; in most cases as artists, we are not business minded, we just create, and that opens the door to being exploited. I think once you have a structure of how you work; you know your prices and all, and you're solid towards your business, you can avoid being exploited.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given? The best advice I ever got is, "how you take things is how they gonna affect you". Name three artists you would like to be compared to. Why? I don't really wanna be compared with anybody cause I'm in my own lane; I get inspired by many though. Picasso and Banksy being among my top 10.

What jobs have you done other than being an artist? I started my after school life in retail selling clothes, then realized I didn't wanna have a career, I wanna be a God.

" A N

A R T I S T

L I F E

I S

N O T

L O N E L Y

Well... Mine ain't! "

INTERVIEW WITH Souvenir Geans

Souvenir Geans ( pronounced as jeans ) is a brand that was established in 2020 by a group of friends; Felix Ndlovu, Never Ndlovu and Smangaliso Mtembu.

Model @woooolfiiieee

The brand expresses authentic style that interests their audience. The street fashion took a new route with this brand having vibrant and youthful colours worn casually and proudly. The brand itself advocates youthfulness and diversity. The group of fashion lovers and street culture aims to grow the brand from root up so that the fruits of the brand multiply and expand.

When was the group founded and what was the motif ? Souvenir_geans is a South African clothing brand from North side of JHB that was originally established on the 16th of September 2020 by Felix Ndlovu, Smangaliso Mtembu and Never Ndlovu, The motive was to create a brand that reflects our individuality whilst keeping us focused on something other than the constant repetition of daily lives in the hood. What's the background for Souvenier Geans brand and inspirations? Souvenir is inspired by street fashion and mostly reflects our interests in art and fashion our diversity is the backbone that formed Souvenir through the hardships of us knowing that "streets need us more than offices" What are the challenges that the brand faces, both collectively and as individuals in the group? Capital, we face a lot of challenges when it comes to expanding and growing our brand the way we want to because of lack of solid funding. We are also unable to ship outside borders of South Africa because it costs a lot. As creative entrepreneurs, is there a specific strategy you use to target your audience? We just create items that we wouldn't mind buying if they were to be put into market by someone else and also set prices that will allow everyone who is interested in our pieces to afford it, we do not exactly have a certain type audience as we do not intend on exclude anyone from wearing it, everyone is welcome.

As individuals, how do you make sure that your personal life does not interfere with the business? As much as we are friends, we try to utilize professionalism when it comes to our time and work in general .We drew a line that allow us to be able to perform our duties without being affected by our friendship and it's been working because we understand each other and we are able to live our individuals lives as usual. During the pandemic, how did the group make sure that it's not negatively affected ? As much as the pandemic affected every business negatively ,the brand actually started during the lockdown, we were quarantining together during that initial 21 days lockdown, so we used it to our advantage and brainstormed .Things became much better under level one that's when we managed to push the brand because fashion and music events were no longer prohibited.

How did the background of each individual have an impact to the brand? Because of our love of fashion and street culture we figured we could do something to contribute to the South African street culture and we've been studying the game for the past few years just to familiarize ourselves with street culture and fashion in general. How do you make sure, as a team, that diversity and authenticity is well expressed in the brand? Being friends helps us communicate better as to what each individual thinks and fuse our ideas then bring them to life. This is the foundation of our authenticity because it is our thoughts and our thoughts will always belong to us As creative entrepreneurs, is there a specific strategy used to target your audience? We just create items that we wouldn't mind buying if they were to put them in market by someone else and also set prices that will allow everyone who is interested and can afford it. How did the background of each individual have an impact on the brand? Because of our love for fashion and street culture, we figured we could do something that will contribute to the South African street culture. We have been studying the game for the past few years just to familiarize ourselves with street culture and fashion in general.,

How do you make sure as a team that diversity and authenticity is well expressed in the brand? Being friends it helps us communicate better as to what each individual thinks and fuse our ideas then bring them to life. This is the foundation of our authenticity as it is our thoughts and our thoughts will always belong to us. If there was one thing you could change about the industry that you're in, what would it be? From designers side, we think they should stop with plagiarism when it comes to designs. People who are believed to be influencers or who consider themselves as one should stop asking for free merchandise in the name of "promoting" the brand. Most importantly people should pay attention to what local brands are all about and try to show them support wherever possible. What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a brand of their own? Be yourself, believe in your thoughts and creativity rather than jumping onto something that's already approved by the society. Avoid creating clothes based on what you see trending. Be able to set your brand apart from what is already offered by other brands out there.

LULADEY TAKELE Luladey Takele is a young creative entrepreneur born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She's the co-founder of a brand called Qemer, a social movement and a fashion outlet who aims to represent the diversity of African culture and promote it in a variety of products like attires, home decors and fashionable accessories to accompany the attires. The brand aims to to have an impact on the economy and the art industry by allowing its customers to purchase in continental commodities. She aims to represent her roots and qualities, and also allows freedom and self expression to be carried out in the brand.

What is the background of the brand and it's inspiration? Representation. There is a lack of diverse African culture representation in the art industry. The true motivation behind establishing Qemer was to create a representative brand. Qemer is not just a business brand but also a social movement, created to recognize and promote the African culture through different products. Qemer aims to combat the lack of diverse African culture representation in the fashion industry and beyond. By serving as a platform, Qemer presents an outlet to products created by Africans. We deliver fashionable attires that cater to different age groups, allowing the freedom of selfexpression. We provide home decors that enliven the room and accessories specifically designed to complement a variety of attires. By presenting such products, Qemer allows customers to purchase continental commodities, hence, making contribution to the economic development of the African fashion and arts industry. As an individual how do you make sure you represent the brand? Representing my roots is a value I live by, which means it’s a leading factor to any piece created as a creative. I am constantly looking for ways to listen to other African stories and seek collaborative projects. In addition, I do my very best to support small businesses so as to contribute to the financial stability of our people.

How do you best network? Through art and culture events. Such places are gatherings of creatives and like minded peoplewho value art. It is a free space to introduce myself, my work and people are interested in listening as well. I also research and find groups of people, Social media accounts, workshops and even individuals who can help you grow through conversations and projects. How did you get your idea or concept for the business? When we were young, we talked about fashion and dreamt about owning a business someday. 10+ years later, we found ourselves having lunch and still talking about our clothing line only this time, We were dedicated to make it a reality. Great friends since 7th grade in Nazareth School, (Luladey and Yoadan) — both born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — founded Qemer in January 2019. We tried to be as prepared as we possibly can to make sure we did it right from branding and executing the plans we had for the business. How do you advertise your products/service? Initially we use Instagram as our main outlet. We sold out products through instagram but now we have a physical space (a shop) for it.

As a co-founder of Qemer, what obstacles do you face as an individual, and how do you make sure they don't interfere with the brand? Feeling overwhelmed when juggling multiple projects and businesses at the same time. There are times where we are not in the same physical place to address certain situations but the key to deal with it is communication. Constant communication. There is a lot on the line, not just us but the people we have brought on with us as well and so, we make sure to discuss and talk through any issues we may have. Where do you get your inspiration for your next piece of work? My inspiration comes from everything I see,everything I am and want to become from positive to negative, the good, the bad, and the ugly. A consistent aspect of my work is that each time I pick up that ink, brush, camera, or pencil I choose to put a piece of myself, my current state ofemotion in my pieces. and I deliberately choose what I want to pass on to others by making my contribution and try to make it as uplifting as possible.

Any advice you'd give to someone who wants to be an entrepreneur? The most important aspect of it all is understanding who you are and what you stand for. Observation is key. Through acknowledging the society, seek to explore your artistic side to harness your creativity and develop something unique and useful. In addition, don’t let finances limit what you would like to accomplish. Instead think about what you are able to do with what you have and create in the best way possible. There are going to be a lot of hurdles once one decides to pursue their dreams. There will be many discouragements before you even begin. Don’t expect a smooth journey. Whenever you face a mountain you can either be a dynamite or a river. The dynamite destroys the mountain, The river goes right by it. Regardless, START. How to you make sure you maintain work ethics outside of work and Making sure you represent the brand as a individual? I think this resembles questions #2. The value of the business is a personal value of mine. I live by this value. I am a living person that embodies and exudes my Africanness in everything I do. The professional and ethical aspect of it comes along with who I am as an individual as ell which makes the balancing a little bit easier.

Botaki Youth Magazine is a digital publication which focuses on the Youth who are pushing their craft yet their craft is not recognized. The magazine's objective is to instill in readers, the need to bring forth their individual perspectives in order to create a unique perception of the art Botaki Youth Magazine holds in it. Thank you to Botaki Team and everyone who helped make this issue possible. For any collaboration/advertising or any other enquiries please contact us at botakiyouthmagazine@gmail.com