The Pat on Brands (POB) Dialogues closed off Youth Month with a series of exhilarating Dialogues led by some of South Africa’s most esteemed entrepreneurs and thought leaders.

The POB Youth Edition 2021 which was made possible through a partnership between Unlocked.Me by Nedbank, took place on 30 June. It served as a platform to commemorate the youth of 1976 while elevating the leadership of today’s youth who are excelling in their respective industries.

As Youth Month de Pat on Brands commemorated young people who are changing the game in their respective fields in a curated dialogue that discussed pertinent issues that young people face today.

In partnership with Unlocked.Me by Nedbank ] and Lerato Agency, the online event took place on Wednesday, 30 June 2021 the Dialogues featured some of the most brilliant minds of our generation.

The Expressive Visionaries  

The conversation was opened by a panel of Expressive Visionaries and ed by Katlego Ditlhokwe who is the Lead Strategist at Brave Group.  The panel took us through a thought provoking conversations  as Spokenpriestess, an Afrobeats DJ shared insights about her creative expression. The panel filled our screens with vibrancy and deep conversation – further reiterating why we chose the name – Expressive Visionaries for the segment. Spokenpriestess, an Afrobeats DJ with an infectious personality, describes herself as an over-all creative. She and Lerato Walaza, hail from Pretoria “the crux of creativity” – Spokenpriestess says.

Lerato Walaza is an actor and aspiring producer. Her career was sparked by a passion for the arts. Lerato related the story of how watching a film with her mother for the first time led her into the world of acting.  a story about how her first time watching a film with her mother – needless to say, that was the beginning of a long love life with acting.

The powerful lesson that came through from Lerato’s journey is that, education plays a crucial role in the development of young talent. Unfortunately, most people in creative fields like acting seem to believe that talent on its own is sufficient. Lerato emphasises that “studying enhances the natural talent that you have. There are things that you learn at school that will help you understand the power of the characters you  are playing. That is why I advocate for school – it separates the great from the exceptional”.

seriously. Especially in the acting space, many people believe that talent will take you far, however, Lerato believes that “that studying enhances the natural talent that you have – there are things that you learn at school that will help you understand the power of the characters you playing. That is why I advocate for school – it separates the great from the exceptional”.

While the ladies on the panel are at the forefront of the arts industry – Cyril Zuma is behind the lens, making waves in the photography industry as the founder of Color Space – a stock image platform that caters to black people.

WatchThe Expressive Visionaries here.

The Mavens

The maze runners. That is how to describe the Mavens panel – led by Nompumelelo Satsha. She was joined by Sandra Harris, Stanely Malematja and Mirriam Mathebula.

“The corporate space is a maze. They often describe it as a ladder that one has to climb, however I have not found the ladder yet. I concur it is a maze”, opens Mirriam. This sentiment was common among the panellists, each one explaining that their journey was full of twists and turns.

The biggest take-away from this insightful session was the corporate space is about the connections you make with people and leveraging those connections to achieve your dreams. . It is not always going to be easy  but with  authenticity and hard work you can be successful.   if you continueauthentic and make sure you do your best you will succeed.

The Mavens covered topics about on corporate culture. Panellists reflected on how to find your feet in a corporate setting while setting healthy boundaries for yourself. This part of the conversation focused on mental wellbeing and the importance of selfcare. The emphasis was that our wellbeing impacts our level of productivity.  organisation you are in and setting boundaries that work for you specifically in that organisation and your life.  This part of the discission took light to mental awareness and also taking care of one’s well-being beyond the office. Making note of the fact that everyone has to sustain different aspects of their lives so that they can work productively. 

What did Sandra and Stanley had to say? Please include some quotes from them.

Watch here.

The Legacy Builders

You might have read a ton of tips from entrepreneurs, experts and influencers. But today, the Legacy Builders who have graced our screens, Tshepo Mohlala, Ntiski Mkhize and Mfiso Matlhou are undoubtedly moguls in the making. As legacy builders, their stories are about resilience and passion. Their narratives are about doing something that will inspire other people who are embarking in their own journeys.

Tshepo- who is known in the country as “The Jean Maker”, is passionate about his legacy. Quoting his grandmother who told him that “the best thing you can do in life is leave a legacy for your children”.

Agreeing with his sentiments, Ntsiki Mkhize’s journey started at a young age – having seen the gaps for young black women to be empowered and being the change she wanted to see. Her story is too, of resilience and passion.

Mfiso on the other hand is breaking boundaries as a farmer. A less traditional career for many young black people, while others chose to be lawyers and teachers- Mfiso’s love for sustainable farming led him to start his empire.

Watch The Legacy Builders here.

We might look at The Expressive Visionaries, The Mavens, and The Legacy Builders and only glance at the success and the achievements, but if you look closer you will unveil a strategic and courageousjourney. You will see that those accomplishments are the result of years of learning, exploring, and challenges. To get to where they are today, they had to go through immense growth, both personal and professional.