Laying the right foundation – now, that is the right thing to do!

 Nothing is more exciting than when a plan comes together perfectly! I have just completed and signed-off the compilation, editing and printing of a community newspaper for two, young, excited emerging media entrepreneurs.

When one of them approached me in May and expressed their wish to start a community newspaper for the community of Mshwathi, on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg, I could clearly see the determination in his eyes and voice. 

While I have coached so many emerging media entrepreneurs, for once, I was very excited to see two young men so focused on getting their publication going even with all the trials and tribulations that go with this type of project. After numerous meetings, phone calls, going back and forth over a period of two months, we have managed to produce a good-looking publication called Inkululeko News. Needless to say, a new spark has been ignited and a great platform has been launched for the community of Mshwathi, Dalton and surrounding areas.

And just like anything else, I am happy that we were able to lay the right foundation for this newspaper. When I coach emerging publishers, I always stress the importance of getting their house in order first, before anything else and how the simplest of things can make a whole lot of difference in the ultimate outcome in the long run.

For instance, I always insist that a person comes with a pen and wads of paper to write on because I believe that a person cannot absorb everything in the mind, so you definitely need your notes.

I also tell potential publishers that this is a very tough industry to be in and definitely not for the faint-hearted. If you are someone who has a short tolerance span, you will have a hard time coping in this dog-eat-dog world. 

The other thing I make them aware of is that whether it is a magazine or a newspaper, they shouldn’t expect any glamour and endless fun! The only glamour is contained in the output – ie, the pages of the publication. It takes focus, mighty hard work, resilience, oodles of patience and a lot of faith to get a publication off the ground…

"Do the one thing you think you cannot do. 

Fail at it. Try again. 

Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire."
— Oprah Winfrey

Overall, I am proud of the emerging publishers that have passed through my hands. I get such fulfillment to know that I have had a positive contribution to their dreams and ambitions. I am also proud that I am able to offer them the right foundation to establish a publication that has the potential to contribute to the improvement of the lives of thousands of people who read their publications.