With his business savvy expertise, extensive marketing know-how and all-round nice-guy charm, Stefano Sessa, co-founder and Managing Director of Panacea Mobile, is one exciting individual to watch. When he’s not kayaking, Sessa spends his time making sure his company remains on the cutting-edge of mobile technology. In the following interview, he offers his insight into the challenges and opportunities surrounding entrepreneurship and SMS advertising in South Africa.

How and why did you enter the field of mobile advertising?

(Well, technically we are not only in mobile advertising, per se. I like to think of Panacea Mobile as a mobile technology provider, with value-added services that range from communication to advertising.) I guess the answer to this question is quite organic, in the sense that I never really had to ‘enter’ the market. I started working while mobile was already huge, especially in Africa where it is known to be a primary distribution channel. So, mobile and web are the only real channels I am completely familiar with, and am therefore confident to run a business in. However, that said, I have started looking at other more traditional businesses to run as a hobby, just to see if I have what it takes

What is your role at Panacea Mobile?

When working in your own company, you tend to do as much of everything as possible. So, the roles are varied. However, I have a product marketing background and studied Economics and Strategic Business Management, so from a mixture of that I tend to focus on Sales and Business Development in SA, as well as in foreign markets. I am also involved in product features and general User Interface. We are a small company, so we share a lot of responsibility.

Stefano Sessa (right) with co-founder Donald Jackson and Samantha Goldberg at the Apps World Event in Cape Town

You’re your own boss. What are some of the rewards and challenges that come with that?

Certainly the biggest challenge has been to ensure that the market knows our value and what it is that we do. In our industry, there are a lot of fly-by-night businesses and they come and go. This poses a real hurdle for any legitimate businesses to succeed. It’s important to be able to filter the good from the bad and to ensure our potential customers that they are in good hands.

Panacea Mobile is moving forward in leaps and bounds. What, would you say, is the most important reason for Panacea being ahead of its competitors?

Well, to be honest, we don’t really keep a close eye on our competitors. Instead, we focus on our clients and ensure that their needs are met, thereby setting our own standard. We build tools for our clients, who range from advertising agencies, to corporates, to other telecommunications businesses. We ensure that they have the tools to easily communicate with their clients, without too much human intervention. These tools are what puts us ahead of the game, as we apply our skills to the exact requirements of our clients.

Tell us a surprising fact about you – something not many people know!

I’m scared of polka dots.

If you were the brand of a car, what car would you be?

Oooohh, tough question. Most likely a Land Rover.

There is often a stigma associated with SMS marketing, since there are a lot of so-called ‘spammers’ out there. In a few sentences, how would you convince a sceptic to the benefits of mobile advertising?

Look, there are various forms of SPAM, and people are very private when it comes to their cellphones. However, a lot of people are not aware of the documents they have signed and the rights they have ceded when doing so. As with anything, businesses will try and send you commercial messages no matter what the channel. SMS Marketing is very effective – it’s cheap, it’s direct and response rates are immediate.

That being said – Panacea Mobile has a GLOBAL opt-out list, which incorporates all official opt-out lists. What this means is that you, as an individual consumer, will not be contacted by any of our clients if you have opted out to any of their previous campaigns, or if your name is on the direct Marketing Association’s Do Not Contact list, which can be found here: www.optout.co.za. However, it’s still important to be aware of the exact rights of the consumer (and the business) in this regard, as it is not illegal to contact consumers via SMS – there are loopholes that allow for this to happen. Have a look at the Consumer Protection Act to inform yourself, and insure that you interpret the document correctly. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our team.

What do you love most about what you do?

I love the learning curve. I’ve met some very smart people and I have a great team to work with. I could be selling peanut butter in Uganda with this team and still have a blast!