A while back I started posting a series of interviews of people I feel have made a difference to my experience of the web in some way or another. It’s been a while since I’ve posted one and I have the feeling I need to revive this little story and start chatting with some web gurus again.
Today we’ll be hearing a little from Rafiq Phillips, who needs little introduction, especially if you’re based in South Africa.
Today we will be speaking to Rafiq Phillips, SEM(Search Engine Marketing) Whizz Kid, web entrepreneur, collaboration enthusiast and general web guru. Rafiq Has a long list of achievements most notably the much respected blog Web AddiCT(S); (Web Application Development, Design & Innovation in Cape Town) which has been going for about 2 years, His Pillar Position at Quirk e-marketing, iDrive.co.za, a web application to help find driving school instructors, SEO blog and a host of other initiatives in collaboration with some of the top names in the SA new media industry.
Just google ‘Rafiq Phillips” and you’ll be shocked at the long list of results. He’s an advocate of the googleCV! When I first saw his picture and didn’t know too much about him I would have thought him to be a junior just moving his way up the ranks, but don’t let his unassuming presence fool you, We’ve got a real Guru in our presence.
So let me welcome to nomad-one, our favourite Web AddiCT.
It’s obvious you’re not a shy guy and don’t lack confidence at all in going out there and saying your say. What has been the greatest influence in pushing you to strive the way you have in achieving your goals.
I’m on a mission to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave, you know where that’s from 😉
No doubt you’re proudly South African. Seems we have some interesting & challenging times ahead of us. How do you think we can succeed in meeting these challenges.
Most obstacles facing internet start-ups in developing regions of the wwworld, I believe, have been put in place back bureaucrats and ill-informed policy makes. Look at the ODF vs MS debate.
Their is a great opportunity for organisations and individuals to wwwork together and innovate around those man-made constraints and achieve the unthinkable, unthinkable to those who put difficulties in our way or fear the future.
Rafiq, though I envy your success I am sure I’ll not envy your workload. Someone like you must be snowed under permanently. Tell us about a typical day in the life of Rafiq.
If you’d like to follow me around for a typical day the best and easiest way would be to follow me on twitter. The Carte Blanche interview also sums up a typical day of my life in the public timeline..
Technology as we all know is not an end in itself, something I was reminded a while back by Chris Garrett in an interview with him. I’m always full of big ideas and great ambitions but follow through is where the real test lies. How do you go about putting into practice your ideas, or do things happen in a random or more unplanned manner in your wwworld.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahatma_Gandhi says it best: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
I have a final destination in mind but the path usually unfolds as the journey continues.
I’m always reading up on a whole range of productivity methods & Techniques. Tell about your approach to getting things done quicker & better.
Many hands, eyes, minds make wwwork easy. Asking for help is the best way to get things done right. At Quirk my work would bee nothing without the SEO Crew, Carlos Menezes , Suzan Gray, Sarah Manners and Tim Shier just to name a few.
The web Is a great place to promote causes and to initiate projects towards positive change in society. Recently I’ve set up a website to initiate dialogue around a project which has been floating in my mind for close to 10 years now but in the mix of everything else that everyone is trying to achieve it seems each endeavour becomes a little more watered down on its own. Any ideas on how to solve this problem?
Like the various chapters in the emarketing textbook each aspect of emarketing is separate but combined have the ability to achieve your holistic marketing goals on and offline.
In a similar manner, when looking at all the projects you are involved in, do not approach each of them as separate but rather as one project aimed at achieving your big hairy audacious goal. If all the projects you are involved in are not all heading in the same direction should you really be re-thinking and re-aligning your involvement to ensure that your goal is met with each of them.
Where would you position South Africa as a player in the global knowledge economy.
No matter what those on the outside might think. South Africa IS a first world country, with 3rd world problems. That puts us in the best position to use the best of both worlds top offer world class services at the fraction of the cost of our closest competitors
Having followed the social bookmarking onslaught which has hit the South African web do you think its in danger of becoming too dominated by an elite group of web enthusiasts and rules out the rest of the web using population?
I know I’m jumping around from topic to topic but please bear with me, I’d like to cross question you on any and everything that comes to mind. What role do you think design plays in the success or failure of web initiatives.
Embed this video by the SEO rapper as my answer.
Can design & technology solve South Africa’s problems?
Can design and technology solve problems? Yes it can. Road Safety and Driver Education are one of the biggest problems facing ALL South Africans on a daily basis. Sites with little or no help from external sources like www.idrive.co.za, www.arrivealive.co.za, www.saidi.org.za and roadsafety.wordpress.com helps the ‘normal’ person on the web, mobile, MXit but could have a greater impact offline with a little more assistance from the right individuals or companies.
What’s your favourite web initiative?
What’s your favourite activity?
Where do you see yourself in 3-5 years time?
How do we prepare ourselves online for 2010 and what effect do you think this event will have on the SA web?
I believe eDucation is the key. Let’s look past the FUD and focus on solving our own problems and not wait for a hand out.
First project I did in PHP while at Cape Tech in 2003, www.tourguide.co.za, is still running (fully automated) today and could help 100’s of 1000’s of South Africans in the tourism industry with a little work. If anyone would love to get involved with this project which is currently lying dormant. Please contact me directly.
How can each one of us make a difference in the building of the “new new South Africa”
Like we’ve come to know him and in typical Rafiq style, a man of few words with one or 2 gems tucked in there. Thanks for chatting with us Rafiq, we’ll be looking forward to your talk at Flying Solo