Q&A With Mr SA Contestant and Technology Innovator Jaco Gerrits

In this Q & A session, we have a chat with Jaco Gerrits, technology innovator and entrepreneur. He is currently Mr SA Contestant for 2014.

Hi Jaco! It’s been a long long time!! How are you doing?

Jaco:

It’s been a very long time indeed. I’m doing very well thanks. It’s been a very busy year thus far, but I’ve enjoyed every moment.

I am very glad to have you on Jozigist. Thanks so much for accepting our invitation.

Jaco:

Thanks for having me. I always find it very exciting to see fellow entrepreneurs taking on new challenges and I’d like to congratulate you with JoziGist, it looks really great.

Thanks so much Jaco. It is the work of a team of passionate young folks. I couldn’t possibly take all the credit for it. Wale deserves as much credit. Would you please be kind to briefly share your journey as an entrepreneur with us?

Jaco:

I started early in my 20’s by offering consulting and software development services, primarily for the mining and local government industries. I found this business model to be fairly limiting and started exploring product development and commercialisation shortly thereafter.

I’ve researched, designed, developed and successfully implemented numerous technology solutions across various industries, some of which includes: skills and business profiling, recruitment and procurement, local economic development, mobile / SMS, psychometric assessment, client loyalty acquisition and retention, insurance & auto body repair etc.

I’m a previous winner of the Top Information and Communication Technology Entrepreneur in Africa Award and chairman of Thembela, an initiative which aims to address many of the socio- and local economic challenges we face via the implementation of innovative technology. My latest venture, CrashDetech, is a real-time medical response solution that reduces emergency response times in the event of serious vehicle accidents.

Quite an impressive journey. I must say having known you as a technology innovator for some time now, it was a pleasant surprise when I learnt you were a Mr. South Africa contestant. What prompted your decision to participate in this competition? Is this something you’ve wanted to do all this time?

Jaco:

I attended an event last year where some of the Mr South Africa contestants were present and the people at my table wanted to know if I’d ever consider entering. My initial response was very hesitant, as I never considered something like this before, but it got me thinking.

It was not an easy decision to enter the Mr South Africa competition as I already had a taxing schedule and I knew that it was going to require a significant investment of my time. My approach to the competition was very busy minded and I had to consider the investment of time against the potential return. I considered the investment worthwhile and from the onset decided to use the platform to further awareness on two items that’s of great importance to me: 1) Entrepreneurship and 2) Bridging the Digital Divide.

Entrepreneurship is arguably one of the most important drivers of economic growth in developing countries. South African entrepreneurs unfortunately face a lot of red tape in the form of regulatory compliance. A lot still needs to be done to promote and further entrepreneurship, with obvious benefits to the country and economy as a whole.

Effective use of ICT (bridging the digital divide) can make direct contributions to poverty reduction, job creation, business and technical skills development to name but a few benefits. Collectively these technologies drive productivity, efficiency and innovation across industries, which in turn contributes to overall economic growth and competitiveness.

Although I’ve been working in this space, a lot more needs to be done and a title such as Mr. South Africa will greatly enhance much needed exposure.

During the competition I also started up a new company called CrashDetech, which is aligned to the United Nation’s Decade of Action for Road safety goals by helping stabilise and reduce road traffic deaths. This in turn has a positive social and economic impact and the Mr South Africa platform can yet again be utilised to further road safety awareness in this regard.

Interesting. Smart thinking. What has been your most fulfilling and/or challenging work so far in this competition?

Jaco:

Many of my business ventures have a strong focus on creating a positive social and economic impact. The most fulfilling part of the Mr SA journey has been to get more involved on a personal level, having the opportunity to work with amazing people and charities. There is nothing quite as rewarding as giving back to those in need and being part of initiatives that can positively contribute towards the lives of others.

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I’ve been tasked with various challenges this year, many of which were outside of my comfort zone, which resulted in personal growth. My conclusion is that this competition is what you make of it. I went into it with specific goals and even though it has been hard work, it’s allowed me to establish friendships, make new business connections, raise awareness on items of importance and give back to those most in need. The Mr SA journey might be challenging, but it’s also very rewarding…

You have made the list and are scheduled for the D-Day in December 12, 2014. Congratulations! Where exactly is this taking place?

Jaco:

Thank you very much, the final will be held at Engedi Lodge. For more information please visit: Engedi

Any endorsements and/or projects in the pipeline?

Jaco:

I’m a brand ambassador for Evox Advanced Nutrition, Jordan Inc, BELLA Magazine and a charity called MediaKidz Foundation. I’m also sponsored by Superga and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support.

We wish you all the best with your future projects. What should we expect on December 12?

Jaco:

Thank you very much, I appreciate it. We haven’t received the final details just yet. To stay up to date with the latest news, please keep an eye on the Mr South Africa Facebook page and Website