Tell me about RT7Digital.
RT7Digital is a full-service Amazon marketing specialist agency with 10 years’ experience and more than 40 professionals working in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) space.
Our operations arm is in South Africa and we serve leading retail brands in the UK, EU and US, helping them to optimise their presence on the Amazon platform.
What are the challenges facing your industry?
As most of our clients are based in the UK (until Amazon launches in South Africa next year), they are feeling the pinch of the global inflation crisis, combined with rising energy costs. This has resulted in tighter margins, meaning there is not much room for error and/or experimentation.
As an agency that services numerous retail brands in the UK, we need to ensure we are on top of our game and delivering.
Amazon is also under pressure, coming off the highs of the pandemic when e-commerce was booming due to traditional retail outlets being closed, and it is constantly changing its algorithms to maximise its returns and user experience. We need to translate that for our brands to ensure they are winning in this space.
What does your role as CEO involve?
My position involves having a bird’s-eye view of everything that is going on, from staff and clients to strategy and finance.
I have a very strong senior leadership team that I’m privileged to work with. We’ve been nimble and navigated a very interesting few years.
The most constant thing about my position is change.
What drew you to this type of work?
I have always been an entrepreneur and have owned quite a few businesses. This opportunity offered me the chance to do something with friends and people I knew were more experienced than me and could mentor me.
I also wanted to be involved in something relevant and new.
How did lockdown change the way you work and your company as a whole?
We were already working remotely from our offices with our colleagues in the UK and clients around the world, so remote work wasn’t new to us.
On the day lockdown was announced, we simply packed up our things, went home and carried on with it. We went from using physical black boards to run projects to using Asana and ClickUp.
There was an increase in clients as many brands were needing professional assistance to optimise sales on Amazon.
We have implemented various staff initiatives, including buddy badges, awards, socials, mental health awareness and hybrid working, which have worked well, and I believe we have a very nurturing and kind culture at RT7Digital.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
A lawyer because I like to help people.
What is your typical morning (get-ready-for-work) routine?
I gain energy and perspective from nature, so my ideal morning start includes a game of tennis or mountain biking in the nature reserves and surrounding mountains of Cape Town. Thereafter, a smoothie and a cold shower.
What is your go-to career advice?
There is no substitute for hard work and being passionate about what you do. That said, it is only work, and I believe we all need to be caring and compassionate people in the work space.
The past few years have been very challenging for some people and we need to recognise our humanness and apply empathy in our daily dealings with each other.
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