#BehindtheSelfie with... directors of The Bread and Bakery
1. Where do you live, work and play?
Meadon: Johannesburg.
Poulos: Parktown North, Braamfontein and wider Johannesburg respectively. In terms of fun, I’m definitely not restricted by place or neighbourhood.
Berry: Johannesburg.
2. What’s your claim to fame?
Meadon: I'm really quick at eating treats.
Poulos: Knowing best? Jokes aside, the answer is that I have a wide network of people and places to call on at any time.
Berry: Most people would probably say it’s from we-are-awesome.com, but I reckon it's the people I know – the network of great individuals I’ve had the privilege of getting to know.
3. Describe your career so far.
Meadon: I studied for a few years, and now I’m working full time as director of digital agency, Bakery.
Poulos: It’s been heavily based in ethnographic research, now mostly focused on strategic communications and strategy.
4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.
Meadon: Tasty treats, friends, and well-designed interfaces.
Poulos: Sneakers, sunglasses, wine, long dinners, going places I’ve never been, binge-watching series, and progress.
Berry: Food, wine, golf, friends and family.
5. What do you love about your industry?
Meadon: The knowledge-sharing. People are very open about what they've learned and are happy to share it.
Poulos: The endless possibilities to grow, change and innovate. If it’s been done before we don’t want to do it again, so that means constantly moving forward.
Berry: The opportunity for collaboration.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
Meadon: 9am to 5pm.
Poulos: Well, it always starts with a cup of coffee at Post, while looking out at the streets of Braamfontein – that’s the only real definite in my day. The rest is filled with emails, phone calls, meetings and generally hoping for the best.
Berry: I don't really have an average workday, but there is usually some combination of admin, problem solving – both creative and financial – gossip with Anthea, and a lot of coffee.
7. What are the tools of your trade?
Meadon: Sketch, Photoshop and a good text editor.
Poulos: Social media, people talking.
Berry: Relationships, an ability to talk someone into believing what you believe, and a great finesse with budgets.
8. Who is getting it right in your industry?
Meadon: All digital agencies focused on providing real value to their clients, as opposed to pumping out work for the sake of it.
Poulos: I think there is a movement towards smaller agencies that collaborate with freelancers and other agencies that are strong in areas where they may lack certain skills. There are a few getting this right, but the market is still very reliant on big, traditional agencies.
9. List a few pain points the industry can improve on.
Meadon: Businesses wanting an app for the sake of having an app. Over-animated websites and apps.
Berry: Cash flow is a massive problem for smaller agencies.Big clients have the freedom to work on their terms because the small agencies can't afford to turn down the work. This then means that work execution becomes tricky on production-heavy work.
10. What are you working on right now?
Meadon: Improving the customer experience and interface of a financial services product.
Poulos: A strategic communications strategy for a local music group. That’s all I can really say. I’m finding it extremely challenging but also incredibly exciting!
Berry: Right now, I am answering this questionnaire.
11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.
Meadon: Blockchain, chatbots and AI.
Poulos: “You know what I’m saying?”
Berry: “Do you know what I mean?”
12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
Meadon: In the shower, like everyone else.
Poulos: Usually five minutes before I doze off, or when I wake up in the middle of the night unable to sleep.
Berry: Usually when I’m not trying to have ideas – and that could be anywhere from the golf course to the shower.
13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?
Meadon: Have I told you how quickly I can eat a treat?
Poulos: Ninja bombing.
Berry: I like dancing on elevated things. Speakers, tables – really anything where there is some elevation.
14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?
Meadon: Somewhere in the middle.
Poulos: Technophile. Definitely a technophile.
Berry: I love a good techno party.
15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?
Meadon: Way too many WhatsApp groups.
Poulos: Screenshots of stuff I want to buy, funny quotes and a gang of selfies.
Berry: Mainly just photos of things I thought were funny that I sent a friend or two… that turned out to not actually be funny.
16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?
Meadon: Focus on doing good work with real attention to detail. Everything else will follow.
Poulos: Drop the ego level down by like 100,000, at least.
Berry: Work hard, have respect and don’t speak unless you know what you’re talking about.
Simple as that. Be sure to visit The Bread’s website, and follow their updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; follow Poulos and Berry on Instagram; and follow Bakery on Twitter and Instagram.
*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.
About Leigh Andrews
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