Meet Leanne Pon
Leanne Pon is from Johannesburg and runs her own sales & marketing, events and branding business. Leanne is also a Chinese Print and Social Media Advertising Consultant.
Read more about why Leanne is proud to be Chinese and a South African.
"Dream BIG, Work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with good people!
Failure is not the opposite of success….. It’s part of success. ~ Leanne Pon
Name: Leanne Pon
Occupation: Business Owner - Sales & Marketing, Events and Branding Director South Africa. Chinese Print and Social Media Advertising Consultant.
1. Where were you born?
Kensington Johannesburg
2. What school/college/university did you attend?
Assumption Convent
Damelin Business Campus: Diploma of Marketing Business Management
Institute of Marketing Management
3. What is your fondest childhood memory, growing up as a Chinese child?
My fondest moments are the following:
Having celebration meals with family and spending quality time with them over the Festive Season, Chinese New Year’s and Autumn Moon Festivals.
Had the opportunity and privilege to perform Chinese classical dancing and Freestyle modern dancing all over South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Rand Easter Shows, CANSA, Red Cross, State Theatre in Pretoria, JHB Civic Theatre, Sun City Super Bowl, M-NET, Good Morning SA, Government functions and Chinese New Year functions.
My main highlights were performing at the Union Buildings for the Inauguration of Nelson Mandela in 1994. Being invited to Taiwan to learn Chinese culture and classical dancing.
4. What is your favourite Chinese food?
Mom’s homemade food dishes:
Special Chinese tonic chicken soup with goji berries, Chinese mushrooms, and Suut yee
Winter Melon Soup (Doong Gwaah Joong)
Chicken congee soup (Kai Chook)
Chow Mein
The “Best” Crispy fried chicken drumsticks (Soo Kai)
Steam black bean pork spare ribs
5. Where do you live?
Johannesburg
6. What work do you do?
I started my own business in 2007 in the field of Sales and Marketing.
I project manage and consult to corporate clients in various industries in events, exhibitions, outdoor and indoor signage and promotional branding (Large format digital printing – billboards and wrapping of buildings) etc.
I supply and source promotional and corporate gifts, manufacturing clothing, caps, bags, printing of corporate brochures, business cards, flyers etc. (Litho printing)
Sales & Advertising: S.A. and Chinese Media Consultant for 2 Chinese Newspapers in S.A. Plus Social Media Consultant – We Chat App
Chinese / English /Japanese and Portuguese Translation Services (both oral and written interpretations for Corporate companies and delegations coming into S.A.
7. What do you love about your job?
I get to communicate and network with so many different nationalities from various corporate industry backgrounds i.e. Law firms, banks, ad agencies, casinos, international companies, airlines etc. My job allows me to directly take part in the full business operations from beginning until the end and to see each of my clients’ projects been accomplished.
I also thoroughly enjoy meeting interesting people at media functions that I usually attend. Being in the media industry and getting invited to all the media launches is a wonderful advantage of experiencing what is new in the market trends.
8. What is your proudest achievement?
1st big event in my starting career was organising, project managing, public relations and marketing The Royal Thai Embassy – Thai Grand Festival at the Zoo Lake.
Project managing the Royal Thai Embassy Food shows across the country – The Amazing Thailand Feature stands ie. Good Food and Wine shows in JHB and Cape Town. Taste of JHB at Montecasino, Durban and Cape Town and Flavours of the City in JHB.
Launching Thai Airways into S.A.
Had the privilege to work with the Dept. of Transport and FIFA World Cup 2010 – Park and Rides Branding, Marketing and Public Relations side
Capturing the niche Chinese market and South African market through the Chinese Media in S.A.
Organising events for Tsogo Sun, Std. Bank, China Construction Bank and South Africa-China Economic Trade Association.
9. Why are you proud to be South African?
I am proud to be South African as I feel we have a beautiful country with its vasts fauna and flora, food, climate and multi-cultural and friendly country!
10. Why are you proud to be Chinese?
I am proud to be Chinese because of how our culture and traditions are so rich and diverse. Being 4th generation I am grateful that my family has enriched and instilled in me the “East Meets West” cultures. I am also proud to share my Chinese culture and experiences with different nationalities within my industry and friends.
11. Name one Chinese tradition that you’d like future generations to continue with?
I would like the future generation to continue with the Lion Dance which is one of the most famous Chinese cultural traditions. They are held when opening a new company or commencing an activity. These dances are believed to bring good luck and prosperity and drive away evil.
12. What advice would you give to the Chinese youth today in South Africa?
Dream BIG, Work hard, stay focused, and surround yourself with good people!
“Failure is not the opposite of success….. It’s part of success.”
13. Is there anything else that you would like to share?
It is important to discover your Chinese roots in a multi-cultural country and society we live in. And to be proud to be SOUTH AFRICAN BORN CHINESE!
There is a saying: “Begin Each Day with optimism and end each day with forgiveness. Happiness is life begins and ends within your heart.”
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