#WIB - Q&A With Candice Burgess-Look Director & Co-Founder Of PR Firm, King Of The Jungle -

1. Can you please tell us more about your business?

A. King of the Jungle is an integrated communications agency. We offer our clients tailored marketing & PR solutions to suit their business needs. Media & comms is our game, whether it’s traditional PR and publicity, in-house communication, digital marketing, social media, and direct-to-client marketing, we are passionate about generating awareness for brands. Moreover, what we do best is build and establish thought leaders in a market.

2. When, how, and why did you start your business?

A. I co-founded the business with my now-husband in March 2017, purely out of my frustration with the 9-5 work structure and being told I had to sit at a desk all day. I have too much energy, and I’m more productive and creative if I have the freedom to move about and work in different environments. Essentially, I felt I had more to offer this industry, but I needed the flexibility.

3. What is your role in the business?

A. I’m an implementer at heart. I absolutely love what I do, so I’m very much involved in the daily execution of our client’s PR strategies.

4. Where did you study and what did you study?

A. I completed a computer & business management course at Damelin, followed by a three-year Public Relations diploma at Varsity College. Thereafter, I went on to complete my degree and BA honours in Media Studies & Communication Science through UNISA.

5. How did you finance your business?

A. I used my personal savings.

6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

A. The first part of my morning involves checking and replying to emails, followed by reading industry news that pertains to our clients. I then get media pitching done before midday, after which I usually have a meeting or two. I’ll run an errand in between all of this because I can’t sit still! My afternoon consists of working on client proposals, project management (making sure we are on track with our weekly deliverables), and planning my to-do list for the following day.

7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?

A. This is not an easy one at all. Last year I would work almost every evening, and even when there wasn’t a pressing deadline or something that needed my urgent attention, I’d still open my laptop. It became a habit and one that I’m working on breaking this year. Rest and re-charge are so important, so now I set boundaries and I make sure my daily to-do lists (both professional and personal) are followed to the best of my abilities. If there is something I can’t get to, it carries over to the next day. This means learning to prioritise. I’ve also turned off email notifications on my phone, which really helps me to ‘switch’ off during family time in the evenings and on weekends.

8. What drives you and inspires you?

A. I like problem-solving. When a client approaches us with their PR & marketing needs, I love the challenge of going ‘okay, how are we going to solve this?’ Because there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to what we do. I don’t believe in copying and pasting from past work. We have to dig deep, think big, and come up with a fresh strategy that is going to deliver results for a client. Give me a PR problem to solve, and I’m happy.

9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

A. I do a lot of thinking while I’m driving in the car because there are no distractions. It’s just me and the road.

10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?

A. I’ve been very lucky in that King of the Jungle has received most, if not all of its business through word of mouth. This year, however, we have started advertising on Linkedin, and have hired a content manager to focus purely on our PR & socials.

11. What is next for your business?

A. We are relocating to Johannesburg from Cape Town. This is very exciting because we are expanding our network and PR footprint. While our head office will be in JHB, we will still have a presence in Cape Town.

12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?

A. Learn how to sell yourself and the services you offer. It’s all very well being good at your game, but if you can’t articulate clearly what it is you can do for a brand, and why you are the woman for the job, then you’re going to lose out on opportunities. This has been a hard lesson for me to learn. I’ve walked into boardrooms knowing exactly what I can do for the company, and how I see the PR being a success, but I just couldn’t sell myself. I’ve since practiced this skill and it’s made a big difference to how I’m perceived in a boardroom.

Short Bio:

Candice is the Director and Co-founder of the South African PR firm, King of the Jungle. With over 16 years experience across big-name brands such as Cricket South Africa, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, MWEB, Kelloggs, Shimansky, and more, Candice is passionate about using her expertise to build and maintain a successful brand image.