#YouthMonth Newsmaker: Chanelle Carawan from Student Brands
Carawan started out as an intern and was soon promoted to operations manager. Three years later she has the term director in her title and is one of the youngest to be calling the shots.
Student Brands aims to help students make informed decisions with the necessary resources while studying. In her position and at her age, Carawan is able to speak the language of the youth and bring brands closer to the next generation.
What will be your first order of business?
Carawan: When becoming director the first order of business was to get to know my staff on a deeper level and to find out what their current and actual potential is, and to get them to a place where they are confident enough to know that the sky is the limit.
How does Student Brands stand out from the rest?
Carawan: The one thing that really sets us apart is that everyone at Student Brands including our MD Daryl, is under the age of 35. This therefore puts us in a position that allows us to think, act and communicate in a youthful manner to the youth. For the youth, by the youth.
How can brands successfully connect with the youth today?
Carawan: Challenge us with a brief and we can tell you. :)
What is your main business challenge?
Carawan: The new found responsibility. It is now part of my responsibility to make sure that the business stays afloat, that clients and staff are happy and that is certainly a challenge.
What is the biggest trend you've noticed in youth marketing?
Carawan: That social media still plays a huge role in the life of our students. They are using social media for a lot more now than just communicating to others.
What inspires you?
Carawan: Making money is one of my biggest inspirations. It’s the thrill of closing that deal, the thrill of executing campaigns, giving my clients the best service that I possibly can that keeps me going each day.
Tell us something about yourself not generally known?
Carawan: I am under the age of 25 and I am the ops director for one of the two biggest youth marketing companies in SA.
What's at the top of your bucket list?
Carawan: I would really love to visit Jamaica.
About Beverley Klein
Beverley Klein is the editor of the Marketing Media South Africa section on Bizcommunity.com. With a background in journalism and historical studies, she's dived into the world of industry news, curating content, writing and interviewing thought leaders. She's often spotted in a forest on the weekend and rarely seen without a camera. Follow @BevCPT.
