--
-- --
Facebook
Twitter
Google
Pinterest
SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: FORT Review a thought leadership platform that aims to strike a finer balance between timely and timeless ideas by producing cutting edge thought-leadership pieces went live with a new video series in February 2018.
Directed by FORT director, Bongani Morgan, the thought-provoking nine-part video series presents alternative and interesting viewpoints on varying subjects including black voices and black excellence, women in business, erotic capital and building your personal brand.
-- --
Marketing industry heavyweight, Romy Townsend is one of the contributors for this edition of FORT Review. Townsend's contribution is titled The Purpose-Driven Brand . In her article she gets into the subject of personal branding, what it means and how to go about it. I think we all seek purpose in life: Something to make sense of our existence, and give our brief time on Earth meaning beyond fame, reward and recognition, says Townsend.
Screen Africa chatted to Townsend to find out more about the purpose-driven brand' and what personal branding means to her:
Tell us a bit about your journey and personal branding?
Personal branding is still new to me. I am still discovering and evolving my personal brand, but the reason this topic piqued my interest was when I changed industries about 18 months ago. Prior to that, I had spent a number of years in one organisation and I realised that when you spend a long time in one place, people inside the organisation build up a perception of you, whether good or bad. When I received an opportunity to work for a new business I saw it as an opportunity to reinvent myself. I had grown a lot over the past decade and I knew myself a lot better, this was my chance to hone in and project the skills I wanted people to notice and to lean on me for. Sometimes the journey is about un-learning or un-becoming everything that isn't really you so you can feel confident to be who you are meant to be, that's what personal branding is to me.
As a women in business how do you use your personal brand' in that space? What tools' of a personal brand is one able to use in the professional space?
I define one's personal brand as being purpose driven. It is more about intrinsic qualities than it is about extrinsic qualities but I understand that being a woman in business means that in some, sometimes most instances - the extrinsic can matter more. I believe you need to be true to yourself and be as authentic as possible. Women have to prove themselves more than men do and I find that one of the best ways to do this is to let some of my qualities show to divert attention from the extrinsic. I use a different set of skills such as wit and humour for example, this changes the extrinsic perception immediately and allows your true potential to shine. Women need to have a clear direction and purpose so that the poor societal norms that weigh us down do not distract us.
Your article is title The Purpose-Driven Brand', and you mention purpose in your video, tell us a bit more about what purpose means to you?
Purpose can be big or small, it can be the thing that gets you up in the morning or makes you love what you do every day. Once I knew what that purpose is, I found spaces and people that help me access or get closer to that purpose every day. Purpose can also be something that is ever-evolving, sometimes it changes because you change as you discover and in a few years from now I may be needed somewhere else, so be open to it evolving. Your personal brand can also influence whether you are considered for work, how much time people will be willing to give you, how valuable your thoughts and opinions are and how much a business is willing to pay you for what you do. The most important thing about building your personal brand is that it tells others what you are about so you need to live it authentically. This is when networking opportunities start to happen, and where you bump into individuals who share similarities with your purpose and get you closer to it every day.
In your article you say that building your personal brand requires strategy'. Talk us through this in your personal journey, and what are some practical steps you would advise for someone who is seeking to find their purpose in life?
Reflection is key. We have to take time out of our busy lives to think. Keeping a journal can also be helpful, document what inspires you, or lessons learnt along the way. Think about what you really care about, what gets your blood boiling or what fills your hearts with joy. It's not about some calling that will suddenly come to you in the middle of the night, it's about recognising the simple things that make you tick as an individual. Some find purpose in service, some find purpose in creating new things, it can be big or small but it will tell people what you're about. If you have the goal in mind you can start to plan how to get there, the goal in this case is your purpose and getting closer to that purpose is the plan.
How does your purpose align with your profession today? What are you doing in your capacity as marketing manager at Domino's Pizza that you would say speaks to your inner purpose?
I have a passion for people and connecting with people. My purpose is to inspire those who come into contact with me. I think South Africa needs leaders at all levels of society, we need better leaders in families, better leaders amongst groups of friends, etc. and we certainly need better leaders in our organisations. My purpose is strongly linked to leadership, I want to bring out the best in the people who report to me and even just those I come into contact with every day. I believe that energy is infectious and if I can impact people in a positive w
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
-- 
