#BehindtheSelfie with... Yaw Dwomoh

This #AfricaMonth we go behind the selfie with Ghana-born, Yaw Dwomoh, managing director of Idea Hive specialist brand storytellers based in Johannesburg.
Leigh AndrewsBy Leigh Andrews
29 May 2019
Dwomoh in selfie mode.
Dwomoh in selfie mode.

1. Where do you live, work and play?

I live in Sandton and work in Fourways, but my office can be anywhere on any given day. I play all over Johannesburg.

I was born in Ghana and moved to South Africa in 1993. I grew up in a middle-class, but humble family and I am the middle child of five siblings. My recollection of my early life was that of a very close-knit family where we always received visitors at home.

2. What’s your claim to fame?

I would say my passion and drive to improve in all spheres of my life, whether personal or professional.

My parents were generous, hardworking and loving. I don’t ascribe to the concept of role models, but my life has been predicated on honesty, integrity, hard work, perseverance, passion and respect. I’m a bit of a mix of maverick and methodical, which I got from my mom and dad respectively.

I’ve worked the hardest at and have been the most successful in my leadership and project management skills, but I’m most complimented on execution within budget and excellent client service.

3. Describe your career so far.

It’s been very exciting. I’ve had the opportunity to operate in various sectors both corporate and as an entrepreneur. Even as a restaurateur!

My biggest accomplishment has been assembling my current team. They are a highly competent young team of co-drivers in Idea Hive, a well-oiled machine of incredible talent.

My small agency’s continued work with massive brands like McDonald’s (particularly influencer marketing for the McCafe brand) and Shell, is testament to my work ethic and strong relationships I’ve built over 25 years in the industry, in both the corporate space and in my time as an entrepreneur.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Professionally: I’m passionate about service, speed of execution, win-win relationships, knowledge-acquisition and innovation.

I believe that readers are leaders and I ensure that I learn something new every week. My thirst for knowledge enables me to pass on learnings to my team and where applicable to also build them into solutions for our clients.

Personally: It’s my kids, respect for each person, honesty, helping those less fortunate and standing up for what I believe in. I would continue to help people, especially the youth, even if I didn’t get paid to do it.

To summarise…
  • Acquiring new knowledge.
  • Spending time with my kids.
  • Watching soccer and cricket.

5. What do you love about your industry?
The pressure, and engaging clients in strategic discussions. This is where many of our brand stories are discovered. It’s exciting!

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

It entails team interactions, follow-ups/feedback, client engagements and the dreaded emails.

7. What are the tools of your trade?
  • Google
  • Laptop
  • Mobile phone
  • Car

8. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Grid Worldwide.

9. List a few pain points the industry can improve on.

  • Client support is lacking
  • Monitoring and leveraging trends to become cutting edge
  • Clients need agencies who will be true strategic partners
  • Creating solutions that aid small businesses

10. What are you working on right now?

  • Solutions for small businesses
  • Refining our value proposition
  • Our growth plan

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

  • Alignment
  • Engagement
  • Discourse
  • Reverse engineering
  • Thought-starters
  • Massage into

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

  • When doing early morning walks
  • On weekends
  • In the early hours of the morning, between 1am and 3:30am

13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?
Analysing irrelevant scenarios (also between 1am and 3:30am). Most recently, the fight for competent media talent between EWN/NewzRoomAfrika/ENCA and the SABC.

14. Are you a technophobe or a technophile?

Well… Somewhere in the middle.

15. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Haibo… Lots of bookmarked information for reading later and motivational quotes/images.

16. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?

Find your niche, work at it and perfect it. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it.

Simple as that. Follow Dwomoh on Twitter and Instagram, as well as the Idea Hive team on LinkedIn, ‏Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds for the latest updates.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.

About Leigh Andrews

Leigh Andrews AKA the #MilkshakeQueen, is former Editor-in-Chief: Marketing & Media at Bizcommunity.com, with a passion for issues of inclusion, belonging, and of course, gourmet food and drinks! Now follow her travel adventures on YouTube @MidlifeMeander.
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