| Who: Darren Barnes – CEO of Perfect Solutions Website: https://www.perfectsolutions.co.za/home Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/perfectsol/ |
Darren Barnes is the entrepreneurial innovating CEO of Cape Town-based agency, Perfect Solutions– a global network of agencies which offers services such as marketing solutions, brand advertising, customer relationship management (CRM), media planning, buying services, talent management, events, and activations around Africa. Barnes co-founded the company which is operational in 32 countries with the bulk of its services being focused in Africa. The 36-year-old CEO has been at the helm of the company for 16 years. In 2024, he looks back with gratitude and salutes colleagues and partners in the industry who have been part of the journey. Incredibly, Barnes started the business as start-up when he was 19.
Overcoming challenges such as the Covid pandemic, Barnes has developed Perfect Solutions into an award winning and diverse company, with a portfolio of high profile clients such as Pioneer Foods, Simba, Elizabeth Arden, KWV, and Phillip Morris (Marlboro and Chesterfield). Within the first five years of Perfect Solutions establishment, the company was awarded the Pioneer Foods Investment Award, which was awarded for Entrepreneurial Development and Growth. This was followed by being featured in the Financial Mail newspaper. Perfect Solutions then placed in the Top 3 of the SA Maverick Awards. Other accolades followed – including being invited to attend the Aurik Business Escalator Programme and being placed in the top 30 for SAB Entrepreneurship Awards. Read on for more. Info as supplied:
DARREN BARNES – CEO AND FOUNDER OF PERFECT SOLUTIONS
Creatives like Darren Barnes are change-makers, they distract people, make them see “differently,” unearth alternatives, and Provide Perfect “Solutions”.
Innovative driven entrepreneur
With a passion for serving, Darren Barnes went from what some would say is “rebellious” and unsure of his life goals to the innovative driven entrepreneur and award-winning CEO of a multi-faceted holding company – which has been a force to reckon with in Africa for over 16 years.
The 36-year-old founder and CEO of Perfect Solutions went against the grain to discover people, culture, various markets and economies across Africa and says he has “regrets, I had a few, but then again too few to mention” but huge lessons learned over this seventeen year journey.
“Like any parent and family wants is only the best for the children. That meant stability and a career in something like teaching, something they viewed as more secure than entrepreneurship. I was never the type to be tied down to just one thing, so with nothing to lose I turned my back on those options and started my own business at the age of 19,” he shares.
Origin story
Barnes grew up in Bonteheuwel, Cape Town. This was an area his family found themselves when they were forced to move to, due to the Apartheid Group Areas Act. They subsequently moved to Ottery.
Growing up, Barnes grew up understanding what it meant to make do with very little by way of material possessions. Conditions were crowded. In his community, it was not uncommon to have 10-15 people live in a two-bedroom house. It was not uncommon for 15 people to exist on what one might expect for a two-income home.
Upskilling
Barnes’ drive for independence and self-sufficiency began at an early age but he says that entrepreneurship was only formally introduced to him as a viable subject option, when he was in high school. “I knew about the hustle. I saw my aunts sell treats like ice cream and chips as a means to an end, but I viewed it as a lifestyle, not a career. It was just the way things were. One would hustle to survive. That’s how it was and still is in the communities I lived in,” he says.
His parents sent him to a school out of the ‘Cape Flats’. The fees were a strain on their budget. Young Barnes needed to be involved in compulsory school activities and these came with a high cost. He did not want to strain his family finances further. Mindful of the financial sacrifices that they were already making, there was an urgency to become self-sufficient. “I would do part-time jobs to help fund my lifestyle and extramural activities,” he recalls.
With the aim to upskill himself, 16-year-old, Barnes enrolled in a course to become a sound and light engineer. With these skills in hand, he co-managed the school’s theatre. He did this job for three years- combining it with his schooling and extra mural activities. He also qualified as a Western Province hockey empire and worked as an umpire on the national hockey circuit. In addition to umpiring, Barnes played hockey.
Community work
While juggling his school responsibilities as sound and light engineer in the theatre, his school work, career as a hockey player and umpire, Barnes found time to become involved in charity work. This was driven not only from wanting to contribute and make a difference in his community but was also about continuing the community ethic instilled by his family and a tribute to the work his family did in the fight against apartheid. Barnes relished the joy of working in charity organisations and being on the sports field. Besides being deeply satisfying, it gave him the impetus to escape the less-than-ideal realities of daily life and he picked up vital skills dealing with people and economics which laid the foundation for establishing Perfect Solutions.
With his pursuits and interests, the path to success was stalled by some obstacles. In his drive to become self-sufficient financially and develop his sports and community work, this meant that he had to repeat a grade. It was a pause and a lesson well learned. “I don’t ever dwell on failure. It is part of my journey and I always use it as an example of how your past does not determine your present nor future,” he muses.
Marketing career- starting up as an 18-year old
Throughout his high school years, Barnes worked as a volunteer for an NGO. He officially started his career in the marketing industry as an assistant to the marketing manager of the NGO – as an intrepid 18-year-old. The young entrepreneur was soon entrusted with high profile projects such as a traffic safety programme, run in association with BP and the Cape Town City Traffic Department. “Working with the NGO from 2004 to 2009, saw me take on the role of programme assistant for the annual Carnival and the Year-end Walk/Run through Cape Town CBD. This led me to becoming event director for the Run/Festival. My passion for marketing and innovation was ignited there.”
Entrepreneurial Development
In 2007 Barnes was accepted as a scholarship student at the Raymond Ackerman Academy (RAA) of Entrepreneurial Development.
The genesis of Perfect Solutions
No matter how busy he was and when he started taking his studies seriously, Barnes never stopped finding ways to earn an income. While studying, he tutored students, umpired hockey games and continued with his community charity work. He was learning how to manage his time effectively and it began to produce results. The natural progression was to take his knowledge and pivot into the business sector, helping others to find “perfect solutions.” His award-winning business, Perfect Solutions was established in 2008 when he was 19 and studying at the RAA [Raymond Ackerman Academy. Perfect Solutions started as an innovative idea for a final project for his studies.
What started as a group project was abandoned by other group members but Barnes felt strongly about the concept and turned to the dean of the RAA to help him register his business. “I knew that like me, many students needed a way to make money. I was aware that many brands and businesses needed a way to reach their customers directly,” he reflects. It was win-win solution – supplying the middle ground – facilitating a symbiotic relationship between service providers, users and those interested in providing services. It was about finding solutions across the boards in marketing, branding and associated fields”.
Perfect start-up
Barnes’ business model began by providing professionally trained promotional staff to asset at brand activations and campaigns. At the time, the RAA [Raymond Ackerman Academy] offered training to build a successful business for those who did not have access to tertiary education. This training helped him hone his skills and offered him the opportunity to be mentored by the RAA and its founder, the late and legendary Raymond Ackerman. “I was able to meet and learn from Raymond Ackerman, not just in a business sense but also in the stories he shared and life lessons he imparted to me in our sessions,” he reminisces.
Barnes was awarded the Raymond Ackerman Academy Top Achiever Award. With this accolade in hand, he was hosted to a trip in Durban and had the opportunity to meet and networks with influential entrepreneurs.
The first five years -awards and recognition
Within the first five years of Perfect Solutions establishment, the company was awarded the Pioneer Foods Investment Award, which was awarded for Entrepreneurial Development and Growth. This was followed by being featured in the Financial Mail newspaper. Perfect Solutions then placed in the Top 3 of the SA Maverick Awards. Other accolades followed – including being invited to attend the Aurik Business Escalator programme and being placed in the top 30 for the SAB Entrepreneurship Awards.
While at the RAA, Barnes also took on an internship with Cape Town Tourism. He soon realised that he was a free thinker who did not have much patience for red tape, bureaucracy, and excessive protocol. This cemented the idea of running his own business and being an entrepreneur.
Expanding Perfect Solutions
Seeking opportunities and eager to learn, Barnes studied what it could take a global brand needing to break into the market. And Perfect Solutions could facilitate this process. He had the opportunity at the age of 20 to work with a senior executive at The Ceres Beverages Company, one of the largest soft drink brands in South [Africa and was able to pitch his ideas. Soon afterwards, Perfect Solutions was appointed as the preferred below-the-line line (BTL) agency for the company. “I had an idea and ended up creating a case study which is now is one of the multiple hats used by many businesses and brands.”
The extensive experience of Barnes gained him business kudos. “I used my market research and the trust the community had in me to help get work for the much needed ‘previously disadvantaged’. These members of society pushed up the soft drink sales and market share. It was a win-win, and is the basis of how I run my business today,” he says.
This led to additional interest and expanding portfolios and services, allowing him to invest in office space and transport and sign up his first full-time employees. Barnes was offered full-time employment at the Ceres Beverages Company. He turned this offer down in favour of working as project marketing and sales manager in a consulting role – which today he is a specialist in.
During his time at The Ceres Beverages Company the then CEO, Pieter Hanekom, took Barnes under his wing with his executives. Barnes considers this as “a huge blessing” and credits it with fast tracking the growth of Perfect Solutions.
“Pieter Hanekom and many of my peers looked past my background and beyond my age and recognised my worth. I will always be grateful for that. Gaining the CEO’s trust came with jealousy from some employees who did not believe I should be in that position. I looked past that and focussed on my work,” he says.
Meteoric rise in sales
Barnes’ single-minded focus for success, meteorically pushed his sales drive. In three years, he reached +/- R5 billion in revenue – for one department. Between2008 and 2013, his consultant work saw him exposed to international trade where he gained valuable insights and experience while running Perfect Solutions as a Through the Line Marketing Agency.
Expansion
In 2009, Barnes expanded to work on a full Beverages Portfolio, honing his skills into Market Specific ROI Drives. Perfect Solutions expanded across South Africa in 2011 and in 2012. The company grew their portfolio in the FMCG trade such as Beauty boosted their sales by 13%. They expanded into the tobacco industry. Perfect Solutions partnered and launched the first Virginia blend cigarette in South Africa Building on its success in the tobacco industry, Perfect Solutions leveraged its presence in the alcohol industry.
By 2013, Perfect Solutions went through its first major boom as a business, growing by 100%. Additional full-time staff were employed. The business portfolio grew.
High profile clients
Being a creative consultant for various businesses and brands, is where his passion lies. Barnes is privileged to work with global brands and businesses though Perfect Solutions. High profile client include Pioneer Foods, Simba, Elizabeth Arden, KWV, and Phillip Morris (Marlboro and Chesterfield).
Diversifying
While still in his consulting position at Pioneer Foods in 2014, Barnes expanded the business by a further 30% and added dry goods to its portfolio. Based on client demands, services were expanded.
Full time focus – below-the-line agency and through-the-line agency
In 2015, Barnes switched focus to working full-time with Perfect Solutions. The company became the preferred below-the-line agency and through-the-line agency for Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages – a portfolio it still holds today.
Top campaigns
In 2016, through tactical marketing and innovation, Perfect Solutions found new opportunities and projects for clients such as Coca-Cola. This was also the year which saw Perfect Solutions driving a campaign which led to the University of Cape Town (UCT) winning the best campaign on water saving.
In 2017, a contract with industry leader, William Grant & Sons Global Brands helped push the company into expansion into the wider African market. In 2017, the company also launched a PnP Smart Shopper campaign and signed up over 500 000 students in the process.
Bottom line- market presence and success
Perfect Solutions became a force to reckon with. Barnes increased the company’s yearly turnover from R300 000 to R3 million in three years. The company now [2024] has a healthy annual turnover annually. Over 85% is reinvested into staff, SMME and youth development and recovery of debt due to Covid-19 and price wars.
Barnes has invested in himself and his team and is developing a sustainable business in the extremely competitive businesses. Perfect Solutions expanded into 12 Countries – setting further foundations for SMME’s in Africa by training and working alongside them to produce Perfect Solutions standards across the board. 2018 was also the year that saw Perfect Solutions conducting its First Tour with DJs – with the one of the many brands in their alcohol portfolio and a full market research study – conducted door to door across South Africa.
In 2019, Perfect Solutions opened its second head office in Kenya – to look after Sub Saharan Africa and drive the expanded portfolio of products which now included: Soft Beverages, Tobacco, Alcohol, Lifestyle products, Chocolates, Gum and Candy, Biscuits as well as Banking Services. The year of 2029 also saw the company opening up a sub-business in Mauritius
Covid interruptus
In 2020, the company started off with brilliant plans and loads of investment. Then the Covid-19 global pandemic struck. In March of that year, Perfect Solutions re-invested its cash and assets to stay afloat. Barnes continued with high risks investing opportunities and into launched e-commerce platforms. This was in order to engage with consumers – while also aiming to recoup from the over R3, 5 million loss and debt to date.
Between the Covid-19 period of 2020 and 2022, Barnes invested everything Perfect Solutions had in its stable and took out a loan to pay full salaries and expenses and implement new innovations. During this time, he launched new on-line platforms.
New business models – post pandemic
During 2022 and 2023, Perfect Solutions has restructured its business. It implemented the final stages of building two new business models. These models were conceptualised to disrupt the market and take high risks. This involved employing youth on a short term basis and tapping into to the grow nodes in the market. During the 2022-2023 time frame, Perfect Solutions continued to grow its clientele. For example, it outsourced US based companies and servicing for the US embassy
The year 2024 and beyond
In 2024 sees the business is still recouping from the losses during Covid-19 and the fact that clients are spending less on the global market. Perfect Solutions is focusing on launching and expanding its e-commerce ventures and two new businesses. It is envisaged that these enterprises will be a consumer engagement disrupter of note – not seen since the 1960s.
Presence across 33 African countries
Since the company’s inception, Perfect Solutions, currently has a presence across 33 African countries. It supports local entrepreneurship initiatives, offers internships and outsources and builds SMMEs with local projects. With Perfect Solutions now 16 years old and owning over six sub subsidiaries, the company intends to showcase why they it is a player in many industries -commercially after 16 years – with the best still yet to come.
Since 2013, to date Barnes reflects on the many times he lost everything and took huge risks to keep Perfect Solutions afloat. “The worse time was Covid which we still trying to recoup financially from, however we are proud to have been able to survive, pay all staff and suppliers and believe in the future.” Barnes credits his success in never chasing financial gain on its own. It is the people and communities which drives him ultimately. “I wanted to make a difference,” enthuses Barnes who is excited about the way forward as Perfect Solutions develops its current portfolio of blue chip clients and businesses and seeks new vistas and opportunities in its global network of operations. It is exciting times.
❇ Sponsored feature. Featured image: Darren Barnes, the CEO of Cape Town-based agency, Perfect Solutions, a global network of agencies which offers services such as marketing solutions, brand advertising, customer relationship management (CRM), media planning, buying services, talent management, events, and activations around Africa. Images supplied.
