Social media, the web and cyber in the world of the broker/adviser practice space is relevant and it is real. To equip brokers and advisers FAnews hosted a breakfast discussion on 24 October at the Bryanston Country Club, with Innosys as the main sponsors, FMI, Francois du Toit and iTOO as co-sponsors.
The talks were informative as the key note speakers Candice Sutherland (ITOO Special Risks), Francois du Toit (Francois du Toit Consulting and Technology), Glenda Venn (Go Communications) and Mike Saunders (Digitlab) spoke on social media and why it is relevant for your brokerage/practice and to what extent, LinkedIn, why you are not finding clients and what to do about it and the use of social media and how storing client data increases your exposure.
The presentations bio's and presentations are as follows:
Mike Saunders – Digitlab
Let’s talk about social media and why it is relevant (and to what extent) for your brokerage/practice.
Acknowledged by his peers in 2012 as one of the Top 20 South Africans to follow on Twitter, Mike was awarded Special Honours at the New Generation Awards for his contribution to the industry. A love of technology and a passion for people have been the fuel behind Mike’s entrepreneurial journey. Mike believes “technology unlocks our future and is a fundamental driver of our success.”
He founded DigitLab in 2010, which has grown into an award-winning agency, voted in 2012 as one of South Africa’s best Digital Agencies, providing services to a variety of national and international brands, including KPMG, Vodafone, Toyota and Beiersdorf.
In 2015, Mike launched the Digitlab Academy; to educate marketers and support the academic industry with sound digital strategy education material. Another brainchild of Mike’s is Digital Swarm. A nationwide digital community that fuels the growth of the digital marketing industry. These quarterly events hosted in Durban and Johannesburg have attracted speakers from SA’s top brands like KFC, AXE and Google. Over the last few years Mike has won the respect of businesses by his determined approach to helping people navigate a diverse and complicated world of Digital Business.
Click here to view Mike's presentation
Glenda Venn – Go Communications
The World Wide Web of influence and why you cannot afford to ignore it. Making digital eco system work for your business.
Glenda Venn is the Managing Director founding member of It’s a Go! A niche, idea’s orientated studio which tackles strategic branding, design and digital development projects. In its nineteen year history it has won awards for design, both locally and internationally, and has received recognition from global clients for best practice case studies. She has been a judge in the design category of the South African Loeries Advertising and Design Awards for six years and she has also been a design judge at the Cannes Advertising Festival.
Glenda was a founding member of the SA Graphic Design Council and served as the Chair for 3 years. She was a director on the Brand Council of South Africa for 2 years. She has lectured on ides and entrepreneurship at the University of Johannesburg and served on a number of advisory panels on design education.
Her formal studies consist of three years of Graphic Design in Johannesburg and four years of Fine Arts at the University of Cape Town. Her experience of 12 years, prior to opening her own studio, has included being an award-winning Creative Director of design and multi-disciplinary units for three different international agencies. Her interest in ideas and the role of design and digital technology in entrepreneurial business are key to It’s a Go!’s practice.
Click here to view Glenda's presentation
Francois du Toit – Francois du Toit Consulting and Technology
Linkedin: why you are not finding clients and what to do about it.
In the 70’s a boy was born in the town of Virginia. In the Free State. This boy was destined to become a human that changes the businesses and lives of many. He has been training, learning, practicing, making mistakes, running, falling, and getting up again for the last 43 years. Through his adventures he developed his superpower… Helping you rise above the rest!
He runs his independent training, consulting and technology company focused on financial services, advisers, planners and other financial professionals such as accountants. His company focuses on online and face-to-face CPD solutions, financial planning training, practice management, and technology solutions that help you grow your practice.
Some of his clients include PPS, Old Mutual, Standard Bank, Iress, EQ Fin, Milpark Education, Nedbank Financial Planning and Ecobank (the largest PAN African Bank).
He has utilised Linkedin extensively during the last few years to build his brand and network. He is a practitioner that learns through doing and he has a passion for helping others be successful.
Click here to view Francois's presentation
Candice Sutherland – iToo Special Risks
The use of social media and storing client data increases your exposure. Let’s make sure you and your clients don’t fall prey to cyber criminals.
Candice Sutherland is the Business Development Underwriter at iToo Special Risks. iToo is the specialist underwriting management agency (UMA) underwritten on the Hollard Insurance license.
Candice is a qualified CAIB(SA) specialising in Finance and holds a Certificate in Cyber Security through UJ.
Specifically, on the topic of cybercrime and cyber insurance, Candice has appeared on: CliffCentral, eTV, eNCA and CNBC as well as featured numerous radio and printed articles in: Cape Argus, Cape Times, Citizen, Cosmopolitan Magazine, Cover Magazine, Daily News, FAnews, Mercury, New Age, RiskSA and The Star.
Click here to view Candice's presentation