The horizon’s the limit for this gifted marketer
Buyi Mafoko is the MD and co-founder of Leratadima Marketing
What do you do at work each day?
My daily activities involve offering strategic oversight on the growth direction of Leratadima through evaluating ways to create value for our clients in the services we offer them.
What drew you to do what you do?
God and His purpose over my life. I could never have qualified myself for the position my career is in. My story is defined by purpose colliding with divine timing and opportunity.
I have a sports sciences degree but have always subscribed to an entrepreneurial and creative spirit, mostly due to my family back- ground. I ended up in marketing without any formal qualification, having always been fascinated with brands and their involvement in our everyday lives.
When did you start Leratadima Marketing, and how did you realise there was a need for this kind of service?
Leratadima was initially established as an outdoor advertising business in 2007. I joined the company in 2011 and recommended a rebrand that positioned us as a full-service marketing firm that bridges and nurtures the relationship between brands and consumers by innovating at every turn to create value for our clients.
Leratadima means “horizon”. To us, the horizon symbolises limitless possibilities with the potential to constantly build on progress.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
Impactful. I’ve always been attracted to the idea of bringing about real change in anything I participated in. Your blessing (or success) lies in the area of your gift, and I perceived my gifts early on, and understood that I was a gifted child with uncommon capabilities. Although this response doesn’t settle on any one career choice, I am clear that marketing has certainly ensured that I achieve this.
What about your job gets you out of bed?
Love and purpose, because I love what I do. And I would choose it again every day. We have an amazing team and culture at Leratadima that allow us to maintain that “family business” mindset with the integrity of a big business. Our (deliberately) youth-led agency puts passion at the centre of our operation. It is passion that drives us to keep moving forward and to innovate.
What about your job keeps you awake at night?
Clients and their expectations of us. It’s a big responsibility being entrusted with helping our clients establish or improve their competitive advantage at a time when so many brands compete for the same consumer’s head space.
What would you do if you could not do this job?
I would still be an entrepreneur, most probably involved in the mentorship of new businesses in the “idea” phase of their life cycles. This is an area I am naturally disposed to and is affirmed by the experience I have gained in having once been a start-up business myself.
What qualities do you find you need in this industry?
Creativity and consistency.
Where would you like to be in five years?
Having broken down borders and operating at full capacity on the continent across all our divisions. We would then have fulfilled our vision to build African brands.
We have an amazing team and culture that allow us to maintain that ‘family business’ mindset with the integrity of a big business
Buyi Mafoko
MD and co-founder of Leratadima Marketing