Charisse Fourie

Writer

South Africa

I was not always a writer. I used to be a teacher, teaching Grade 5 in Lavender Hill. My career path was a windy one, the path took me to private teaching, then to video production as a production manager, then to FCB as an Account Manager, then to Client Service Director in a smaller agency. After having a baby I moved to marketing where I was the Global Marketing Manager for an international volunteer organisation. There I managed a team of content creators, social media managers. In this role I had the opportunity to curate global campaigns and do crisis PR management. After 2 years, I decided a slow pace of life was something I wanted to explore. I know work part-time as a Fundraiser and Communications Manager for a local NGO. Here I get to write and strategise. I also started a small marketing consultancy where I help start-ups and NGOs with marketing strategise and build small websites. The rest of the time I spend with my daughter, exploring myself, the world and what it means to live on the outside, more focused on an inwards journey than an external one. My husband and I dream of packing it all up and moving to a small town. I know plan to document this journey as we travel through South Africa looking for this perfect home for us.

My writing to date is a mixture of industry opinion articles, personal accounts of my journey as well as content created for clients. A few clippings are below.

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Portfolio
Bizcommunity
Trust - the missing link and its effect on the ad industry

I must admit I am feeling quite disillusioned with the state of affairs, and by 'affairs' I mean the lack of trust and integrity that is currently pervading the marketing and advertising landscape. I've been thinking a lot about where this industry is headed and I believe we need to redefine how we approach branding and relationship-building with clients in order to restore trust.

Bizcommunity
The death of the retainer

Retainer has become an ugly word... say the word 'retainer' in a client meeting and you feel the temperature drop, eyes are averted and you know you just said something wrong. Once retainers were the only ways that agencies operated; now it seems that fewer and fewer clients are willing to commit themselves to one agency for an extended period of time.

Agrownupthing
Where Did All The Real Men Go?

Since becoming a dad my husband has proudly gushed to friends and colleagues, sharing some of the hilarious stories of poop in the bath, sleeping on the couch with babe in arms, pushing prams up and down our driveway at 2am.

Agrownupthing
7 things parenthood has taught me

I have found a peace through being a wife and a mother that I never imagined would be possible. I have found my place in this world; I have a sense of purpose that has spilled over to all other areas of my life.

Agrownupthing
Why parents are so exhausted. And its not because of lack of sleep.

Parenting is EXHAUSTING. The kind of exhausting that wears you down to your bones. Its a constant, mind numbing exhaustion that sleep cannot cure. I remember when I was pregnant and parents would look at me with that LOOK. Anyone that is or has been pregnant knows that look.

Agrownupthing
Mommy does NOT always know best

"Mommy knows best" ~ a quote that I am sure we have all heard at one time or another. I am however struck by the notion that this is not always true, at least not all the time, in all situations.