This photo of a young Thabiso and his mother, Ruth is a cherished keepsake. He says she is his role model and praises her for raising him and his brother as a single parent. Thabiso’s other role models include entrepreneurs such as Elon Musk, Steve Jobs and Khanyi Dhlomo.

Being too much of an individualist to work for other people, Thabiso Kgabung (27), started his own digital marketing consultancy firm, aptly named Naughty Banana.

Thabiso is a dedicated family man. The most important lessons he wants to impart to his two-year old son, Kago, is to always respect other people and to never settle for anything but the best. His partner, Keneilwe, is also an alumna of the NWU.

“If Apple worked so well for Steve Jobs, then just imagine where Naughty Banana can take me,” laughs Thabiso, who is an alumnus of the NWU’s campus in Vanderbijlpark.

 

As founder and creative director of Naughty Banana Thabiso says the name, which is a definite attention grabber, was consciously chosen to set his business apart from his competitors.

 

“I don’t conform to the status quo and embrace creativity to its fullest,” he says, adding that in a “noisy” industry, where everybody seems to be shouting for attention, it is important to stand out from the crowd.

 

Too much of a free spirit

 

Before starting his company, he worked at a training provider in Sandton. Since the organisation was relatively small, he quickly climbed the corporate ladder and within two years was employed as a project manager.

 

“This was my one and only formal job,” says Thabiso. He soon decided to captain his own boat. “To this day I have not looked back once. I guess it is true what they say: fortune favours the brave!”

 

Naughty Banana is a fruitful idea

 

Starting out on his own was anything but smooth sailing, recalls Thabiso. “Through the grace of God I managed to stay afloat and in 2014 I started consulting and laying the groundwork for future trading possibilities. In 2016 Naughty Banana was formally registered.

 

“Entrepreneurship can’t be taught; you learn as you go along and your mistakes becomes stepping stones to success.”Thabiso believes that relationship building is a crucial aspect of his business. “Every time I sign on a new client or meet with an experienced CEO, I know that my dream is a reality. People I look up to in the industry are now my mentors and I find myself being in awe about this.

 

"I am also immensely proud that through Naughty Banana I have managed to employ 10 people.

 

“As a proud African, my belief is that the advertising industry needs to open up even more to accommodate talented youngsters. The same applies for the ownership of agencies.

 

“Agencies must understand the African market holistically, and that take a grassroots approach to their operations. I furthermore believe that Naughty Banana can and will play a significant role in shaping the industry.”