The rule of three applies in meaningful ways to so many areas of everyday life as far back as the three wise men. In nature, land, sea and air are a triad to be reckoned with. Earth, Wind and Fire are Motown icons. Even in the composition of a beautiful photograph, the rule of thirds is the secret weapon. And, so it is with the collaboration between two South African brands that consciously choose to partner with other best-in-class brands. Award-winning musician, J’Something has partnered with hotel and apartment network, BlackBrick to conceptualise Artistry. The trilogy approach applies to all aspects of their brand-new venture; from an operations perspective Artistry, will benefit from the expertise and experience of seasoned music and entertainment entrepreneur, Ricardo Da Costa (the man behind The Ivy and Altitude Beach). Artistry – where a night out on the town will be a full cultural immersion in one building – is set to ignite the entertainment scene in Sandton in early 2023. New kid on the Sandton block Artistry is a three-level experience which will take guests on a journey from the rooftop restaurant, then on to the middle level for live music and theatre performances and, finally, to the street-level lounge bar for an unforgettable after party. The perfect trilogy operating in one eco-system and igniting all the senses. J’Something expands on the inspiration behind Artistry: “Everything we do is inspired by the classics, the things that have managed to stand the test of time; from the food to the drinks, the interior and the architecture, we keep it real by only adding the essential parts to our spaces.” The Rooftop will include an eatery, bar, pool and outdoor cinema. This is the meeting place, the spot where friends gather to celebrate life and the philosophy of living freely over pre-dinner drinks and great flavourful food that people can relate to whilst enjoying the surrounding city views. The menu will take a purist approach to classics like steak and potatoes or fish and chips, pizzas, burgers – but all will be prepared with finesse. The 100-seater Theatre is intended as the birthplace of original ideas and will be home to a variety of performances ranging from unplugged music and theatrical performances to comedy shows, movie premieres and unique curated talks. So, what happens once Artistry guests have eaten their favourites from a menu filled with classic dishes and watched an exceptional performance, but they are not ready to call it a night? It’s time to listen to really good vinyl set from some of SA’s pioneering DJ crew at the AfterParty Bar which is filled with delicious monsters and opens onto a planted terrace. The perfect spot to sip on a selection of classic cocktails over conversations dissecting the thought-provoking performance in the Theatre or just shooting the breeze. Essentially guests at the AfterParty level of Artistry can set the tone for the way they want to end a night on the town. Location, location, location Key to the concept is of course the location of Artistry. BlackBrick is a place where people can live and work freely between cities with the flexibility of long or short apartment and hotel stays. The on-site hotel element means guests at Artistry also have the option of staying over to really make a night of it, alleviating the hassle of nominating a designated driver or using a ridesharing app to head home! From an economic perspective, this development could be the catalyst for the rebirth of Sandton not just as a business node, but as a cultural node too attracting a new generation of South Africans and visitors from around the globe. Artistry is a major cultural investment following the financial investment of buyers into the BlackBrick Sandton development in excess of R500-million over the last three years, making this the best-selling development in Sandton. The new creative partnership is an extension of the BlackBrick ethos. This would be the alchemy of Artistry. The Artistry brand and concept creates a platform for the intersection of big business and small business. Sandton has historically been very corporate, but Artistry signifies the integration of lifestyle and leisure in a world where the lines between personal space and working space have been blurred in the wake of the Covid pandemic. Few things remain unchanged and Joburg is starting to re-energise but it is no longer a corporate suited culture. The key to the future success of Sandton will be emerging as a city that is alive 24/7 similar to New York or Amsterdam. Projects like Artistry anchor this hope. Stop, collaborate and listen… Food and hospitality are in his DNA and speaking from a cultural perspective, J‘Something believes this is a platform for growth across all the creative industries: “BlackBrick and myself have come together as creative minds on this project. The name Artistry really does explain a lot about what we are trying to achieve. This is not meant to be a trendy nightspot for a set period of time, it is intended to become a way of life. The Artistry philosophy even extends to the furniture which features mostly recycled pieces. Things that have stood the test of time will be given the stamp of Artistry.” For more information visit the Artistry website on http://thisisartistry.co.za/ Get Social: Keep up to date with the latest news from Artistry via Instagram and Facebookon @artistryjhb ABOUT BLACKBRICK: …
Accountability at work – in the Age of Entitlement
he genesis of the Two “E’s” started some generations ago — Entitlement and Expectation. One might (still) blame the Millennials but somehow, these culture mindsets have found and wound their way from wider generational shifts in attitudes and action to a place where they simply don’t belong: the office. Fresh-out-of-uni earners and first-time employees are stepping through the door and onto career rungs with the misguided belief that simply showing up is enough: that you “deserve” the perks without the work; the promotion without the performance. But, the brutal truth is that when it comes to real success for employees, leaders and companies, the only “E” that is welcome and warranted is how you “Earn” it. “The only thing Entitlement and Expectation are earning is a bad rap,” says Kerry Morris, CEO of specialist recruitment agency, The Tower Group. Reported as a regular HR headache amongst industry players, Morris says that employees – specifically from a younger cohort – enter the job market with an attitude of entitlement that perpetuates a difficult, ineffective and unhealthy work culture for leaders to manage, and for team members alike, to learn from. This idea of “you owe me” results in employees expecting to receive something (or everything) in return for putting little, less, or nothing in. The attitude of Expectation starts as early as learners arriving to their internship and expecting a free lunch on the job, or expecting their facilitator to spoon feed the assignment. Before long, Entitlement and Expectation replace sound work ethic and integrity. “For as long as it is accepted in industry, ‘Entitlement’ will become the norm – and it’s not okay anymore,” says Morris. According to Morris, a company’s culture should be a level playing field where employees and leaders seek to be accountable before being entitled. “This me-me-me mindset creates obstruction and conflict amongst leaders and employees, amongst employees and employees, and ultimately becomes the demise of the company’s common goal; our leaders and employees need to adopt an emotional intelligence that sees them owning their roles and their responsibilities; owning their follow-throughs, their decisions, their triumphs and their failures. Essentially this is how you scale a business, and too often it is overlooked,” says Morris When it comes to harnessing an accountable work culture, who’s responsible? In a Gallupdata survey reported by Monday.com, 25% of leaders believe that 10% to 20% of their workers avoid accountability, while 84% of employees blamed the behaviour of their leaders as the single most important factor influencing accountability in their organisations – so just where does the responsibility of …
ProfitShare Partners, a National sponsor of NSBC Awards
The National Small Business Chamber’s (NSBC) annual South African Small Business Awards is known as a “springboard to enhanced business success” for putting small business owners and entrepreneurs in the spotlight; and celebrating the most successful of these while bringing recognition to all entrants. This year, ProfitShare Partners – the Fintech company that is disrupting the SME funding landscape in South Africa – is thrilled to be a sponsor of the event, that will culminate in a memorable awards evening on 17 November 2022. In 2019, ProfitShare Partners itself won this prestigious award. Says Andrew Maren, founder and CEO of ProfitShare Partners and serial entrepreneur himself: “We’ve long admired the work the NCBC does in the sector, especially in giving small to medium size businesses the opportunity of being part of its impressive 156 000-strong network. “Like the NSBC, ProfitShare Partners recognises the vital impact small businesses have on the South African economy at every level, and we feel it is important for organisations like ourselves to show up for NSBC members with solutions to sourcing capital to build and grow small businesses in our country.” Commitment to small business The NSBC is Africa’s leading SME organisation and the fastest growing organisation of its kind in the world, committed to helping business owners and entrepreneurs become tomorrow’s business legends. The organisation provides an array of robust benefits for its members, and is dedicated to being their voice and support, to ensure that their business thrives. Because PSP’s business model doesn’t require financials, security or even a track record, SMEs with a signed order from a corporate for their products or services can apply online for assistance and get a response within days. “We understand what it takes to start and run a successful business and we’ve worked with hundreds of SMEs and can now boast a zero percent performance failure rate and speedy access to capital via our fully digital online process,” Maren says. “Scores of our clients have achieved a 1000% increase in turnover within a 12-month period,” he notes, adding that PSP’s focus is mainly on clients in the corporate supply chain of large companies or government entities.” ProfitShare Partners looks forward to being a part of the South African Small Business Awards and getting to know the entrepreneurs and business owners making a difference to the economy. Entries are open now and close on 30 September 2022. “We hope many of the businesses we’ve dealt with will enter and we’d like to meet many of those we don’t yet know,” Maren says. “Regardless of whether you take first prize or not, just doing what you do for a living makes you a winner.”
TOP SUPPLEMENTS SA MOMS ARE GIVING KIDS TO BOOST IMMUNITY
Parents have seen the benefit of boosting their children’s immunity as they returned to school to face their first winter without lockdown measures. According to a survey conducted by Pharma Dynamics – a leading pharmaceutical provider, the top health supplements SA moms are giving kids are: Multivitamin-minerals (73%) Vitamin C (46%) Immune boosters (37%) Zinc (23%) Vitamin D (20%) Calcium (20%) Iron (17%) Omega-3 fatty acids (16%) Probiotic (10%) Nicole Jennings, spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics, says many parents are seeing the benefit of multivitamins and immune-boosting supplements, which include vitamin C, D and zinc to keep their children healthy. “While getting nutrients from food remains the best source, sometimes our busy schedules interfere with the best of intentions and even when we do prepare healthy meals, our kids turn their noses up at it. This can make healthy eating a real battle.” “Supplements are available to fill nutrient deficiencies and can provide essential vitamins and minerals to support growth and development in children.” Based on the survey most moms supplement their children with one multivitamin …
Whole Earth Organic Farm helps you save the planet (and enrich your soil), one onion skin at a time.
his month, in an effort to divert as much waste from landfill as possible and to encourage sustainable lifestyle habits, Johannesburg-based waste management company, Whole Earth Recycling — known for recycling over 120 tons of recyclable waste every month — has launched a new curbside food waste collection service called Whole Earth Organic Farm which turns kitchen scraps into compost. Making composting at home effortlessly fuss-free, the service is simple and rewarding: Whole Earth Organic Farm collects your organic food waste weekly and, at month-end, you receive it right back as a bag of nutrient-rich compost to feed your garden, herbs or pot plants. Who knew saving the planet could be so easy?! The big issue of waste in South Africa South Africa is experiencing a critical waste challenge — and experts concur that it’s up to citizens, legislation and businesses, like Whole Earth Recycling and Whole Earth Organic Farm, to work together to fix it. It’s estimated that South Africa generates more than 122 million tons of waste a year, equating to roughly R25.2 billion worth of dumped waste.[1]Of this, 90% is disposed of in over-capacitated landfill sites and only 10% is recycled. Almost 40% of all waste that ends up in South African landfills is organic and biodegradable.[2]This refers to organic food scraps like potato peels, apple cores, eggshells, coffee grounds, loose tea, citrus peels, bread crusts and, yes, all the food that goes funny in your fridge and simply gets “chucked” in the bin,even fish, meat and bones can be added! Yet organic waste, of any kind, doesn’t belong in a landfill. Breaking down anaerobically, this waste, compressed under the weight of yet more waste, slowly decomposes and produces methane: a harmful greenhouse gas directly linked to climate change. Organic waste also creates leachate, a pollutant that can run into local water sources at landfills if not managed properly. And, most notably, when organic waste is landfilled, it represents a significant loss of nutrients that could be used for compost and soil fertilisation i.e.: it’s essentially waste that’s wasted and not returned to where it, by Nature, belongs — Earth. Taking the mess out of home composting As we all become more conscious of climate change and the need to do our bit to save our planet, adopting more sustainable lifestyle habits is becoming no longer a choice but a necessity. Carmen Jordaan, Co-Founder of Whole Earth Organic Farm, says: “While home composting is an essential and impactful habit, it’s difficult and intimidating to do it alone. In addition to not knowing where or how to start, many people who want to compost their organic waste at home have the practical constraints of living in a small space; as well as concerns over it being messy, smelly, difficult to manage and attracting unwanted guests such as rats!” Whole Earth Organic Farm’s service removes all these barriers and headaches, as well as your waste — weekly — and puts you further in touch with Earth by rewarding you at the end of each month with a 2kg bag of nutrient-rich organic compost, which you can use to get your hands dirty (in the best way) by feeding your favourite green friends: whether that be your garden, your veggie patch, your window-sill herbs or your pot plants… and all of this, just in time for Spring! “We are so incredibly excited to have started our organic farm, to have launched our composting service and to extend Whole Earth Organic Farm’s impact in terms of ensuring that everyday organic waste is not sent to landfill but turned into something of value — just as Nature intended,” says Jordaan. …