Green with envy

1. Where do you live, work and play?

Mautloa: I live in JHB, and work within the heart of the creative district, Newtown, with the rest of my awesome Green Robot Design (GDT) team. “Play time” involves spending time with my family, who make me tick and inspire me in many ways. It’s always good to create memories with them. I guess you could also say I play in the office – which is one place where I can be my authentic, creative self.

2. What’s your claim to fame?

Mautloa: I’ve yet to have that “one big thing” I’m known for. I’d say I’m just a good man, trying to do good. Recently, I was named as one of the Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans, which is an accolade I hold dear.

3. Describe your career so far.

Mautloa: A rollercoaster of incredible opportunities. And while I have had my fair share of bumps along the road, I've been blessed to have a career filled with highlights, and even more lessons. You can never stop learning, and learning new ways of creating.

4. Tell us a few of your favourite things.

Mautloa: My daughter; my family; my friends; the team I work with each and every day at Green Robot – they've carried us to where we are today with their passion and creativity. Most people who know me will tell you I’m a serious sneaker-head – I genuinely can’t get enough of really awesome sneakers. I think I’ve done well in putting a great sneaker collection together. Gadgets are another big favourite for me.

5. What do you love about your industry?

Mautloa: The ever-evolving and constantly changing landscape. No two days are alike, which suits me just fine and keeps things interesting. There's always a new brief, a new challenge, a new opportunity to push your creativity – which is a big focus for Green Robot. The constant change and rapid evolution of the industry, which provides the opportunity for agencies, like GRD, to evolve and adapt to the environment and stretch into new avenues and expertise.

6. What are a few pain points your industry can improve on?

Mautloa: Education and support structures for young talent looking to get into the industry. The high cost of education for people to start off with when wanting to get into the industry can be an extremely limiting factor and stunts the creative talent that enters the industry. If we could create a system that would allow for more people to afford to study and learn the basics that’ll allow them to get a foot in the door, we'd definitely see a big change. I also feel there aren’t enough support structures for new talent within the industry.

7. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

Mautloa: I can definitely say “an average work day” does not exist within Green Robot! Every day brings new things and new changes. Email is one constant factor of each day for me as I wake up, then go off to the gym, look through my diary and commitments for the day, then head off to the office. The office day is never the same. Sometimes it's about sitting with the team, sometimes being out seeing clients or pitching – there’s always something different.

8. What are the tools of your trade?

Mautloa: Pen, paper, pencils, more paper, discussions and brainstorming, and a RAM-fuelled Apple Mac.

9. Who is getting it right in your industry?

Mautloa: There are a lot of agencies and individual creatives getting it right – and each in their own way, with their own unique style and flavour. The new and young guys on the block are the ones to watch out for – I’m confident that they’ll be the ones to revolutionise things.

10. What are you working on right now?

Mautloa: We are designing the new JOOP website; working on the new Momentum Unclaimed Benefits websites. We're also working with a client in Zambia on the Cavmont Bank visual communication collateral. We are looking at our new internal strategy and the company's new rebranding strategy. We are slowly moving into the digital space as a company, which is exciting for us and we’re eager to see what the possibilities are in this ever-evolving market. This will broaden our reach and service base to all our clients. Digital is a big focus at the office now.

11. Tell us some of the buzzwords floating around in your industry at the moment, and some of the catchphrases you utter yourself.

Mautloa: Digital – this buzzword will likely be around for a while. And then there’s: Video content, content creation, trends, hashtags, reporting, social media.

12. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

Mautloa: A lot of the time, the best ideas pop up when I should be focusing on anything BUT a good idea! In the shower and in the car – probably the two times that I’m most alone and have the opportunity to reflect on ideas. But I suppose you’re never truly 'alone' when you have a smartphone…

13. What’s your secret talent/party trick?

Mautloa: I tequila very well. It's not a trick, it’s something I know because it’s been tried and tested!

14. What would we find if we scrolled through your phone?

Mautloa: Lots of apps, my to-do list, half-written mails and my notes.

15. What advice would you give to newbies hoping to crack into the industry?

Mautloa: When it comes to making inroads into a career, your work ethic and skills need to be impeccable and must surpass everything. Research of/on the industry and your particular field is another big thing to place importance on.

Simple as that. Find out more about Green Robot Design here and follow them on Twitter or via their website. You can also interact with Mautloa via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

*Interviewed by Leigh Andrews.