A provocative personality, a can-do attitude and an innovative mind are some of the features that stand out in conversation with Gareth Cliff. A well-known radio and TV personality, Cliff transitioned from terrestrial radio to Cliff Central, a podcast of his own.
In 2005, along with Rina Broomberg, Cliff started One on One Productions (Pty) Ltd as a creative agency to assist clients with ideas for radio, as well as training services in media and presentation skills. When asked if he ever thought his venture would fail, he confidently answers no. “But I had many sleepless nights and wasn’t quite sure how it would work out,” he recalls
About his first entrepreneurial venture
This was when I was still at university when a friend and I launched a risqué website for students called gAL.co.za. It was a fun site for entertainment, info, cool games and other student-related material which gained international notoriety with a game where you could squirt diesel at Robert Mugabe, which coincided with the fuel crisis that country was experiencing. It made the pages of Time magazine and got us direct threats from the Zimbabwean government. Sadly, with the big internet crash that came in 2000, so did our dream of making millions.
The rewards of doing his own thing
Freedom and personal responsibility. I can pretty much do whatever I like, but I have to take ultimate responsibility for that - and that responsibility includes looking after my staff, our clients and the product. There was none of that in any of my previous jobs. It’s exhilarating and very satisfying and at the same time can be terrifying.
The earliest challenges
Going into unchartered territories when we knew we were ahead of our time meant that we had to educate potential sponsors and listeners about the future of media.
Cliff Central: The biggest podcaster in Africa
It’s not a title, but I do think it’s an achievement. When we started CliffCentral, nobody thought we’d last. Nobody (except for a handful of people) even knew what a podcast was. The fact that now, nearly 5 years and over 12 million podcasts later, podcasting is the single fastest growing medium in the world. Since taking our calculated bet, we have witnessed some tremendous changes in media with all the traditional television and radio stations promoting their online presence.
On business myths
- Podcasts will never take off.
- You can’t launch a small media business without an investor.
- You’ll never get people to listen - data is too expensive.
- Advertisers won’t back podcasts.
- Quantity is more important than quality.
- Nobody cares.
These are all wrong. 100% wrong. To the idiots who said them to me in 2014 - I know who you are.
Failure
I don’t believe in failure. Sometimes you need to try things which may not work but will be an invaluable learning opportunity. Perhaps the one thing I’ve learned is to pick fights more carefully. Getting involved in “fights” that one didn’t need to get involved in has become commonplace on social media. I once thought it was massively important to share my opinions on everything but I’ve learned to be more circumspect.
What keeps him going
Knowing that this is the best time to be alive.
Plans of slowing down any time soon?
No. I don’t need to slow down - in 2018 nobody can afford to - If anything we need to speed up.
Advice for entrepreneurs
Be conservative with spending; be prepared to take salary sacrifices and be open to outcome – as things change or unanticipated events happen, be ready to adjust accordingly. Listen to more experienced people. Be patient.
The value of mentorship
It is extremely important. I’m lucky I had an experienced manager and business partner from the get-go
Why do so many businesses fail?
Practically, it’s usually cash flow which may be a result of poor money management. In terms of the more endemic reasons, it has to do with being present, working hard, believing in your product, being relevant to the market and adding value to people’s lives. If those things aren’t in sync, the whole boat falls apart and sinks. But if time and resources are mismanaged, even the best of intentions can take a bad turn.
. What are your top three business lessons?
Top 3 business lessons
- Keep on top of the finances – no over-spending!
- Be open to different outcomes – adjust your plan accordingly if that is required
- Learn as much as you can
Company: CliffCentral.com
Age: 41
Start-up funding: Self-fundedKey players: Rina Broomberg & Gareth Cliff