When I was 17 and ready to graduate high school, my father asked what I wanted to study. I boldly announced I'd become an actor. He wasn't thrilled – no interest in the arts, and he'd already discouraged me from school plays. His response? "I won't pay for drama studies."

I countered, "Fine, I'll pay myself."

He upped the ante: "Then you won't live under my roof."

My reply? "Fine, I'll move out."

And I did. Too young to sign a lease, I bunked with an older friend, got a job as an usher at The Playhouse in Durban, and enrolled in drama school. Those years were pure magic – studying by day, analyzing world-class performances by night. By my third year, I was itching to go pro and landed a small role in Macbeth. But school policy said no to outside work. I chose the stage, ditched my studies, and kicked off five successful years as a performer.

Yet something nagged at me: I hadn't unlocked the "golden key" to acting.

No one could explain it fully, so I embarked on a lifelong quest, studying techniques and teaching hundreds of actors who've built thriving careers – all while growing as humans through deep empathy and perspective-shifting.

That quest evolved into a powerhouse career in talent booking and agency management. From Durban's early agencies in the late '80s to stints with GAPA Model Agency, Tribe, Bluestar, D&A, and Arte Viva Management in Cape Town – plus a detour to Models 1 in London

– I've booked thousands of models and actors.

But here's the truth: The creative world runs on relationships, not chaos.

As a certified Life Coach and NLP Practitioner, I've seen how admin drudgery – spreadsheets, invoices, scheduling – crushes productivity and joy. I've mentored countless bookers and pros, bringing emotional intelligence to an ego-driven industry.

Now, Anthem AI Systems is my way to scale that impact. We create custom AI automations for fashion labels, photographers, talent agencies, production houses, and creative studios.