31/01/2020
We want you to get to know who we are and what we stand for in 2020 as a brand. We thought it best to post our first status of the year by telling you how we got started and the man that made it possible. Our CEO and Founder of Chat2Brand, Jonathan Williams.
Featured in Destiny Magazine and the winner of the MTN Startup of 2017 award, Jonathan is a focused, passionate and driven founder and professional. He has in-depth experience in the fields of IT, Telecommunication, technology commercialisation and is motivated by seeing people and businesses grow. From humble bootstrapped beginnings, Jonathan quickly grew Chat Inc. (previously Chat2Brand) into a global multi-million Rand business over the course of just three short years.
Jonathan is a technologist, speaker, coach, startup advisor, engineer and life-long learner. He has an insatiable curiosity and love of all things innovative and encourages left-field thinking. Outside of Chat Inc., he holds various directorships in a number of innovative businesses including some social impact ventures. Jonathan holds a number of industry specific IT qualifications, a Bachelor of Commerce Degree in Informatics and a Masters Degree in Inclusive Innovation from UCT’s Graduate School of Business.
He has spent most of his 23 year career in the IT and Telecommunications sectors in South Africa, London, Hong Kong, Indonesia and South America. For the second phase of his career he is focused on making an impact through applying his skillset and experience in a more entrepreneurial setting.
He is committed to one day soon pursuing a Phd in innovation studies, but that’s a chapter for another day. For now he will remain focused on becoming better at building businesses.
On the personal side, Jonathan is a born traveler and tinkerer, always needing to question and know the inner workings of everything. He also keenly refers to himself as a “closet creative” which he believes is where his inspiration flows from.
He loves to get lost in creative pursuits, watching others grow and is interested in horology, travel and gadgets.
Work in progress:
“Learn to trust my gut in business and in life, oh and don’t forget to be nice to myself sometimes.”