The Front Page Wasn’t the Real Win

Recently, a Facebook memory popped up from 8 years ago.

It was a front page feature from the Pretoria News covering Whisky Live SA – the first front page placement the event had received in the company’s 16-year history.

At the time, I was managing PR and social media for the event. Seeing that clipping again instantly transported me back to that morning.

My manager had dropped the article into the team WhatsApp group early that day. Completely oblivious, I replied:

“Oh yay, they gave us a big slot.”

She responded:

“No… it’s the front page.”

I remember arriving at work later that morning and the entire team applauding as I walked in. The excitement was contagious. The leadership team was over the moon.

It became one of those career moments that quietly stays with you forever.

But over the years, I’ve realised the front page itself wasn’t actually the most important part of the story.

What Actually Created the Opportunity

Like many events, we’d invited journalists to opening night to experience Whisky Live SA firsthand.

There was no expectation of front page coverage. Usually you hope for a mention somewhere inside the paper, perhaps a lifestyle section feature if you’re lucky.

But I approached media guests the same way I approached almost everything back then:
fully invested.

I made sure every exhibitor and whisky stand knew who our guest was. I introduced him personally to whisky makers, ambassadors and vendors throughout the event.

Not because I wanted something from him.

Not because I was trying to manipulate an outcome.

I simply wanted him to have the best possible experience.

That one decision changed the entire atmosphere around his evening.

Instead of standing awkwardly on the sidelines as “the press,” he became part of the experience itself. People welcomed him in. Shared stories. Offered tastings. Explained their craft with pride and enthusiasm.

He wasn’t just covering an event anymore.

He was experiencing it.

And I think people underestimate how powerful that is.

People Do Better Work When They Feel Seen

The older I get, the more I realise that so much of leadership, PR, community building and business comes down to one thing:

How people feel in your presence.

When people feel comfortable, included, valued and trusted, something shifts.

Conversations become more natural.

Ideas flow more freely.

People become more generous with their energy.

Creativity expands.

Trust builds faster.

The article was never really created by strategy alone.

It was created through connection.

That lesson has followed me throughout every stage of my career since then.

Because whether you’re leading a team, building a business, managing clients, growing a community or raising a family, the principle remains the same:

People thrive when they feel seen.

The Ripple Effect of Human Connection

Looking back now, that season taught me so much more than media strategy.

During my time working on Whisky Live SA, we:

• secured more radio interviews than the previous PR agency
• grew social media presence significantly
• achieved national Twitter trending for the first time
• built stronger media relationships
• launched influencer collaborations before influencer marketing became mainstream

But none of it happened because we chased vanity metrics.

It happened because there was genuine energy, passion and belief behind what we were building together.

We had an incredible team culture. One that encouraged ownership, creativity and connection.

Honestly, I’ve never found anywhere quite like it since.

They were my people.

The Real Legacy

There’s a quote by Dr Caroline Leaf that reminds us of our power:

“Your purpose is not what you do, it’s what happens to people when you do what you do.”

That quote hits differently now than it did back then.

Because the older I get, the less impressed I am by titles, noise or performance for the sake of visibility.

What matters most to me now is impact.

Did people feel encouraged?

Did they feel valued?

Did they leave feeling better than when they arrived?

Did they feel part of something meaningful?

The front page was wonderful.

But the real win was what happened between people to create it.