BLACK AMBITION

BLACK AMBITION.

What do you get when you put together a photographer and a cinematographer, give them a subjects matter and let then interpret it separately?... you get BLACK AMBITION.

Pako Magabane (Photographer) and Tebogo Malope (Cinematographer) have put in a collaborative effort towards a Photography Book called BLACK AMBITION. "Film and photography are pretty much the same visual art-forms except film is motion" says Tebogo Malope . " We are parallelling how i would compose my frame per subject matter and how Pako would compose his, the interesting thing is though we are both looking at the same thing, we each come out with completely different interpretation". I guess thats the beauty of perspective.

Together with an in-depth write-up about the concept of BLACK AMBITION, the book will also come with public commentary on their thoughts and what they could decipher from the images. This book is a definite must have on your coffee table. Te intricacies of every picture are ones that require an insightful eye yet you don't feel like you are trying to solve a crossword puzzle. If you grew up in the hood, all the pictures will arouse a nostalgic familiarity. Reminding us just how far we've come and how much we still need to do.

The message of BLACK AMBITION is the bravery of ambition. In every picture there is a subtle tone of aspiration to affluence. My favourite is of a man and woman who are clearly "dibotho" drinking Joburg Beer out of a wine glass. Ingeminating that irrespective of where life places you, we ALL have an inherent gift and ability to dream. "YOU CAN DREAM ANYWHERE" says Tebogo Malope.

BLACK AMBITION IS SET TO BE RELEASED END OF JUNE. Will keep you posted n where to get your copy.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

There is no greater courage than the courage it
takes to believe in a dream. Youve already
started winning when you start believing.

Lerato Mabuse

THE AUDACITY OF A DREAM

THE AUDACITY OF A DREAM

Having had a stable 7 year career in human resources working for Telecom SA and later DeBeers. Sibongile Sambo knew there was more to life than just mere stability. So naturally the frustrations of a nine to five propelled her to ask herself a question we've all asked ourselves at one point or another. "What do you REALLY want from life, what are you most passionate about?". After a couple of weeks pondering on this question, the answer that spilled from her heart is one her mind wasn't quite ready for.

FLYING.

Her love for planes is one conceived in her childhood. She grew up near Hoedspruit Air Force Base and her childhood memories are those spent waving at jets as they came in and out of the Air Force Base. While at DeBeers having access to their private jets revived this passion of her youth and gave her the courage to pursue her dream. In 2003 she took advantage of the then newly implemented BEE, resigned from her job and in 2004 founded SRS Aviation LTD the first black female owned aviation company in South Africa.

She submitted her first application to what was to be her first tender to a government contract. In applying for the tender, Sibongile knew she had no technical expertise to flying so she approached an existing aviation company to partner with in pursuit of this tender. Upon being awarded the tender, finance was her biggest obstacle. On her first assignment, she had to lease an aircraft from Russia for the amount of R800 000. Armed with the confidence of having a tender at hand Sibongile approached a couple of banks. To her disbelief doors slammed in her face . Apparently the amount she requested was too large and the collateral's posted too small.

So what do you do when you have the job, the contract and heart to see your dream to fruition, yet still the world tells you NO. Sibongile turned to her village. Her mom who was then a nurse working in the UK and her aunt with whom she was living with. She called her mom in complete desperation affirmed her that she knew very well that she didn't have the money she was about to ask for and that her request is unorthodox (withdrawing every cent out of her pension fund). When her mom agreed She still stood short and for the remaining amount she approached her aunt to do the same and assured she would pay back every cent.

She deposited the R800 000 to the Russian company which was the only company that had the required aircraft. "I remember waiting for days at the airport for the plane to arrive, panicking that after paying so much money and risking peoples lifelong savings the aircraft my not arrive" she said. You can imagine the sigh of relief when the aircraft finally landed. She got the company she had partnered with to do the necessary inspections on the aircraft in preparation for SRS Aviation's first assignment. Because Sibongile had no prior experience in relation to aviation processes. She wasn't quite ready or the news she got after the inspection. Naturally in leasing an aircraft the fee charged does not include fuel, so over and above the R800 000 she already paid, she still needed R300 000 worth of fuel. With the tender papers in hand she approached petroleum companies for a fuel loan. Little did she know that when it comes to air crafts, petroleum companies cant loan fuel. There are dynamics they cant control ie. in flying out of the country they have no insurance that you wont leave with their fuel never to return. With just a few days to the assignment Sibongile approached the aviation company she had partnered with to loan her the R300 000 of which she was prepared to pay back with interest.

When this first trip took place successfully, it laid the foundation for many more contracts for SRS Aviation. Her company grew drastically purely through reinvested profits. In 2005 with just a full year of business SRS Aviation had generated revenues of $5 Million. Today SRS Aviation provides services in VIP charter, cargo charter, tourist charter, game count and capture, fire fighting, medical evaluation, powerline inspection etc.

I dare anyone to try stop Sibongile...That is the audacity of a dream.

SALUTE

BE STUPID

BE STUPID


"Mohau, we've got something to tell you". Announces my 16year old sister together with her BFF and cousin Itumeleng.

"I don't have money nor do i want to drive you anywhere. So leave me alone". I prepare them (these two are full of schemes)

" oh puh-lease, we don't want your money". They lament in chorus both rolling their eyes.

"I'm listening" i chirp.

"Tumi and i are going to be famous" Reabetswe announces with a beaming smile.

"Really?..." I say flatly under the magazine I'm reading.

"Well, were going to have a reality show, because you see everyone thinks we've got such exciting lives and those that don't like us are only pretending not to like us, so we figure we might as well make money from this by putting together a reality show"

"And..." Tumi interjects "...from the reality show, we are going to have a clothing line under one label catering to different people that reflect our personal styles. Mine will be more boyish and colourful, Reabetswe will be all lady like"

I lift my eyes from the magazine to radiant beautiful young faces that are glowing from the prospects of this dream. I pull myself from the magazine because in my heart i know that if i don't respond accordingly to this "exciting" news, they ll never trust me with the most treasured possessions of their heart. Their dreams. My big sister rep is on the line here. Ive already lost my cool big sister factor, i cant afford to lose the trust too, so i master some excitement to give them my full attention.

In unison they sing "we know it sounds crazy but watch we'll make it happen"
Funny how we are ever ready to defend our dreams and i don't wanna be that person that they cant tell anything to because they feel rediculed.

"It doesn't sound crazy at all girls, its very attainable. Question is do you girls want it badly enough to fully pursue it" i get an aggressive nod.

"Ok so how do these things usually work" i think out aloud, thinking back to my advertising days. "Wed have to research the process in full but i think you have to pitch the idea to a production company first and if they dig the idea you ll go to the SABC to pitch the idea, its a very involved process".

"SABC?????????????....." they yell loudly, at this point their naturally big eyes are now the size of plums.

"well guys they are our national broadcaster and they do have the highest reach" i reason.

"Not going to happen" Reabetswe declines

"Imagine that, all SABC channels are WHACK, infact they are all pathetic, so not cool" Tumi sides with her partner

"Ok, i know you guys live in MTV land but youre in South Africa. How else do you figure you are going to get this show on air?" i enquire in complete astonishment, feeling like i missed some memo.

"We were thinking more along the lines of E Entertainment" Reabetswe informs me with smiling eyes

"oh does etv have an entertainment slot" i enquire ignorantly

"No man, as in E Entertainment? ...as in Ryan Searest??"

At this point all i want to do is burst out laughing...cause this must be a joke...but the serious looks on their faces tell me otherwise so all i manage out is a suspended "ooohhh..........." i held it for a good 7 seconds just so i get my composure back. "So how do you figure you gonna find Ryan" i ask drowning in confusion, Now im certain that ive missed some memo.

"Well you know, with Facebook, YouTube, Twitter....we'll find him" they say casually.

"That easy huh?" i say swallowing my laugh

"It ll happen, you ll see" Tumi affirms me, as if im a naysayer (or like they normally say, a hater)

"Sure, but i really think you guys shouldn't scrap out SABC" i plead

"We cant be seen on SABC, it ll ruin our reputation we'll never live that down" Tumi reiterates

"Well, we cant be seen on SABC 1 that's for sure. SABC 2?... I. Would. Die. SABC 3...well only before or after Top Billing. Anything outside of that wont work for us" Reabetswe continues

"Of course". i oblige. "As long as you guys will be the ones bearing this news to the SABC"

The arrogance of our dreams is something i cant claim to fully understand. To those that aren't sold to the dream it borders on bold stupidity. Sadly enough the older we get we lose that "stupid" element. We become cynics, critiques stuck in the pessimistic view we excuse as reality. No matter how bazaar, how far fetched your dreams are its imperitive to maintian a superior level of faith. Im a full believer of dreams. I believe in God, Love and Dreams. I would rather be stupid and believe in God than be a glorified intellect drowning in faithlessness. I would rather be stupid and believe in love than be smart yet hard hearted. I would rather believe in dreams than live in hopelessness. I have fallen jealously in love with a line from the new Diesel "Be Stupid" campaign.

SALUTE

Welcome

YAYYYY we are growing!!!! Would like to welcome Lerato Musi, Lebohang Motloung and Lebogang Mashabela to UTOPIA. Really hope you enjoy your stay :-)

CEOs Without Degrees

CEOs Without Degrees.

Throughout my school career i was indifferent towards my academic results. The school systems rarely embraced individualism so i reluctantly conformed by doing the bare minimum. If all i need to pass was 40%, all i was gunning to know was 45%. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT. In Grade 11 i got a rude awakning, i was told that my Grade 11 results had a huge bearing on being accepted into varsity.

Suddenly the joke was on me. You see i come from a family that believes in tertiary education as they do in God. And in life you get two types of people, those that went to varsity also known as Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers and those that didn't also known as Pick n Pay cashiers and receptionist at best. So naturally i thought if i didn't go to varsity i would be bound to the life of an eternal failure, working as a Pick n Pay cashier (not that there's anything wrong with that, i worked as a cashier at C.N.A all of my tertiary years). Or the horror of attending STAR school (that was not going to happen especially not on my watch)

I could almost forgive my family elders for holding such primitive perceptions to this vast playground called life. They come from a different school of thought. I was however shocked when sitting with some friends some months ago and the topic came up. Folks argued that tertiary education was the right of passage to success. This became heated as not all of us were afforded the same privilege and in a country like ours were an alarming rate of the people will never smell the polished corridors of ANY tertiary institution. It made me feel that if that argument holds any water then the implications are unpalatable.

Some of the past and current most successful people don't have degrees. But what they lack in academic credentials they make up for in being relentless students of life, they make up for it in dreams, tenacity, ambition, brains, guts and strong business sense. Lets take Ty Warner for example. Ty dropped out of Michigan to pursue an acting career, when this failed, he returned to Chicago and worked in a toy company. Today Warner is the sole owner, CEO, and Chairman of Ty, Inc (very very very few people can say this). Ty is a savvy business man whom in 2007 made $700 million in a single year with the Bienie Babies craze without spending money on ANY advertising. Today his estate stands at a whopping $4.4 Billion.

So imagine if we took that one or three lil boys that ALWAYS made the best wire cars, his peers chanting "haai untswembu saan", told him that there is more to life than a reluctant career path in IT, when his blatant passion lies elsewhere. Imagine if we told him about Henry Ford who at 16 left home to apprentice as a mechanic. Later he started Ford Motor Company, Ford's first major success, the Model T, allowed Ford to open a large factory and later start the assembly line production, revolutionizing the car making industry

Imagine if we sat that orphaned girl down and told her about Coco Chanel. An orphan for many year, Coco trained as a seamstress. Determined to invent herself, she threw out the ideas that the fashion world deemed as feminine, boldly using fabric and styles normally reserved for men. A perfume bearing her name, Chanel No. 5 kept her name at a buzz that transcended generations. Now years later the bold elegance of the Chanel brand remains unparalleled.

If we took that 19yr old that dropped out due to lack of funds not to dispair and told him about Steve Jobs. Who after attending one semester of college dropped out to work at Atari, Co-founded Apple from his parents garage. Now Apple includes innovative products such as the iPod, iTunes, iPhone and most recently iPad.

Imagine if we told them about Anus Friis who was named Times Magazine's one of the 100 most influential people yet has had NO formal education. He co-founded Skype and in early 2006 sold Skype to eBay for $2.6 Billion. Or, Barry Diller who started his career in the mail room of the William Morris Agency after dropping out at UCLA after just one semester. He was hired by ABC in 1966 where he created the ABC movie of the week. Pioneering the concept of the made-for-television movie. At age 32 he became president of Paramount Pictures. Producing a string of successful TV shows and films (Saturday Night Fever, Beverly Hills Cop) under his helm. Imagine if we encouraged their ideas even if we didnt fully get them, because God placed in them the same capacity and greatness as Walt Disney who also had no degree to his name .If we told them about Marverick Cater, Michael Deli, Richard Brandson , Rachael Ray, Felix Deniis or John Paul DeJoria.

A couple of years ago Forbes 500 conducted further research of they annual Top Forbes 500 CEOs in the world. It was found that 163 CEOs with no degree made 16% in Median total returns to shareholders (which is annualised over the CEO's tenure) versus the 165 CEOs with MBAs who made 15.2% in Median total returns to shareholders.

The road to being a CEO via lecture halls is the road most travelled but for many it is a one way ticket to a life of mediocrity and playing by someonelses rules. While the other is the road least travelled, those that pursue it do so seldom by choice but rather by conviction. Its the road to self actualisation where your heart is the CEO, your gut the MD and you a mere employee. I don't particularly care which road you pick....Just pick one and commit to it already.

SALUTE.

After the type of week we've had in our politics, with tempers raging and opinions flying. The one thing i can attest to in spite our head butting views is: South Africans really love the land of their inheritance. So i deemed it appropriate to start the week with one of my favourite quotes from someone loyal to progression of the African people. AT. ALL. COST.

"In my wallet you'll find a three coloured card. Just because i carry it doesn't mean i act without reason. In my veins run the blood of ex MK cadres, general secretaries and King Sekhukhune to whom ideals of the congress are founded on and for you to even hint disloyalty is insulting at the least and a crime at the worst. Yet the worst crime by far is the notion that a thinking brain is no longer worthy of the noble membership of the real congress of the people and that intellectuals and high capacity thinkers are relegated to an infant party. THIS IS THE REAL CRIME"
Tebogo Malope

Get Over It.

1000 will love you, 10 000 will detest you. So get over it.

I'm a fan of a lot of peoples work. However am not a personality groupie, nor am i a star struck person in general. If asked "if you had a choice of hosting anyone in the world for dinner, who would it be?" ill admittedly say the friends i always have dinners with. Nothing beats the presence of relentlessly stubborn love, that has seen you through all shapes and shades, makes any meal great.

HOWEVER I AM AN OBAMA STAN. Being the first President of colour is enough of an achievement in my eyes, but succeeding in passing a health bill that will cater to 32 million Americans that were previously excluded by the elitist health insurance laws and rates. Has a lot of us in awe. *ahem, not that we expected any less*

You'd think after such an achievement, folks would cut a brother some slack. Right? Well nope, at least not in his life time. See we've mastered the art of cursing people when they are alive and celebrating them when they die. I have come to the resolution that in pursuit of a dream, never expect to be liked or understood. If there is one thing we lack as a generation is the spirit of camaraderie. The external hauls of the pessimists and cynics are far more screeching than the endearing words of the optimist. Make a habit of setting the table and inviting, faith, hope and courage for a cuppa. They make for revitalising escape.

I recently came across an article on the New York Times that had me thinking, if legacies are going to be built, then the notion of popularity has to be drop kicked.

Below piece is taken of the article: "Its a bird, Its a plane, Its Obama"

"Depending on where you stand, or the given day - he (Barack Obama) is either an over-intellectual, professional wuss or a ruthless Chicago machine poll rivalling the original Boss Daley.

He is either a socialist redistributing wealth to the undeserving poor or a tool of Wall Street's Goldman Sachs' elite.

He is either a terrorist coddling, A.C.L.U tilting lawyer or a closet Chenneyite upholding the worst excesses of the Bush administrations end run on the Constitution.

He is a lightweight celebrity who is clueless without a teleprompter or a Machiavellian mastermind who has ingeniously forged his Hawaiian birth certificate, covered up his ties to Islamic radicals and bamboozled the entire mainstream press. He is the reincarnation of John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson, Franklin D Roosevelt, Reagan, Hitler, Adlai Stevenson or Nelson Mandela."

They truly vilify you and glorify you with the same tongue. Make peace with that and keep building.

TOP 10 WORLD BRANDS

TOP 10 WORLD BRANDS


Funny how the brands we have indiviually sold out to mean very little in the larger scheme of things. I for one am disappointed the Apple brand isnt on here. Here is the Top 10 World Brands according to http://www.interbrand.com/

10. DISNEY
Its brand value is worth 29,251 million. The Walt Disney Company today has branched out to various entertainment studios, theme parks, products and other media productions with an annual revenue of approximately $30 billion.

9. Intel
Intel has dropped 2 positions previously number 7. Its brand value is worth $31,261 million.

8. Toyota
Its brand value is $34,050 million

7. GOOGLE
Its brand value is worth $25,590 million. Not too bad for an index site.

6. McDonalds
Its brand value is worth $31,049 million. I would happily flip burgers for that.

5. Nokia
Its brand value is $35,942 million. Though iPhone has lot of buzz Nokia phones sell eight times more.

4. GE
GE is the fourth most recognised brand in the world, worth $53,086 million.

3. Microsoft
Its brand value is worth $59,007 million. With over 79,000 employees in 102 countries. Micrsoft develops, manufactures, licenses and supports a wide range of software products for computing devices.

2. IBM

Internation Business Machines' brand value is worth $59,031 million.

1. Coca-Cola
With the brand value is worth $66,667 million, Coca-Cola is one of thee most recognised brands and logos in the world.

Hey Equaliser

HEY EQUALISER
By Khosi Mabaso


You were sent to the best of schools to afford you a more privileged future. Pity you weren’t warned that as a result, you would forfeit the assiduous presence of a parent. You learnt independence from an early age. At the age of 7 you were waking up at 4 am because the “Kombi” picked you up at 5:30. S’ka masoja you sat in vans and mini busses for an hour and a half to get to the same schools that were a comfortable 7min drive for them.

You equalised and killed the misconception of unintelligence. Though you came from non-English speaking backgrounds you spoke as polished as they did. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week was enough to dilute your accent. After having excelled on the hockey, soccer and rugby fields, the netball and tennis courts you made your way back into kasi. Sitting through 2 hours of traffic to find no one home. Because you see that Private school you go to cost too much and something has to give, so the warm embraces and home relations fly out the window.

Through hard work, came the award ceremonies. Again you found yourself alone. At the school halls we applauded and cheered for each other for we knew they wanted to be there but The Labour Act didn’t include this ACT

Some excelled in sports but never pursued it due to lack of post high school support structures. Then came the booming industries, IT, Marketing, Accounting, Law. Not going to tertiary was a non-option. No longer were you limited to teaching and nursing. The onus was on you to be engineers. Never spoke about love in relation to career choice. Pressured by the status rank you family gets post your granduation.You spoke about lucrative value instead.


Like relentless warriors you entered the corporates who gave you internships. Giving double efforts was the order of the day because in the back of your mind you knew that the primary reason you were there was because our elected government enforced these standards

The concept of equality is a fallacy. At worst we are equal on human basis and at best equality is attained in job titles and salaries. That’s where it ends. Your reality is rectifying the injustices of the past. My first salary had to pay for my driver’s license, a friend sorted the home security wall and it could not be average either. Her mother wanted a wall that could reflect that she indeed did raise a doctor. Not only the illusion that you are now rich with your “entry level” salary. Your cousin needing money to register for a short course. You seldom had enough to cover your own needs. Whilst your non heavy pigmented colleagues on the other hand got their first salaries to venture out to holidays and see the world….how could this be equality?

For though we're expected to be equalisers true freedom and empowerment will come with full ownership, not buying 10% stake in someone else’s company. No longer SMEs but registered at the JSE. Equality means we give up the cheap thrills for long term gratifications. So those we give birth to become a fully liberated brood of world travellers, back packers and dream chasers.

Hey Equaliser, you’ve come too far and non of your efforts have gone unnoticed however boarding off is still a non option.