I was featured in Destiny Man Magazine’s annual Power of 40 report, which profiles 40 remarkable men under the age of 40 across fields ranging from business and sport to politics and the arts. The list recognises individuals who are making a meaningful impact within their respective disciplines.

Notable recipients of the Power of 40 include Siya Kolisi and Mmusi Maimane, positioning the recognition within a broader cohort of nationally influential leaders.

Mediocrity, Voetsek!

Reino Erasmus (25), CEO: Ampersand Studio.

Ampersand Studio is a multi-disciplinary business, specialising in creative consulting, art direction, brand development, graphic design, film, photography and app development. At the helm is Reino Erasmus whose passion for the creative industry is unmistakable. He works alongside co-founder and Operations Director, Greig Timkoe. Erasmus says: “I been fortunate enough to be exposed to excellence in a wide range of creative fields. When I set myself the goal of having my own studio, I had to take a stance and realise that you can never bring forth brilliance from mediocrity.” He believes his company has grown because of its ability to take risks. Erasmus says this ambition for the business is to make it a vehicle with which he can explore the limits of his creativity and help provide “decent solutions to real-world problems”. He believes that since inception in 2012, Ampersand has grown, taking on “small to progressively larger projects”. Hard work has been the cornerstone of the company’s success, he says. “This is of course, laced with late nights and constant engagement with public and private-sector clients.”