Unveiling the Narrative: Delon le Roux's Inspirational Journey
Delon le Roux, a proud alumnus, hails from the vibrant city of Gqeberha, formerly known as Port Elizabeth. Raised in a family of educators, the importance of education became a cornerstone in his upbringing with a mother, aunt, and grandfather who championed the importance of lifelong learning. His mother's cherished advice, "People can take everything away from you, but they can never take away your education," became a guiding principle.
As the youngest of three siblings with significant age gaps, Delon found his voice early on. Growing up amidst a family of bookworms, his vocabulary flourished exponentially as he eagerly sought to decipher the "big words" used by his older sisters. His voracious reading habit, insatiable curiosity and talkativeness, often landing him in trouble, turned out to be indicators of his high-performance potential.
The pivotal turn in his journey occurred under the guidance of phenomenal English teachers. Recognizing his love for language and expressive prowess, they steered him towards honing these innate skills. A transformative moment came at university, where an inspired practical assignment in magazine features writing class opened the door to paid journalism and public relations assignments. The realization that his passion could be monetized marked a significant "aha moment," reframing his view of journalism as a potential career.
Initially harbouring ambitions of becoming a lawyer, redirecting his path from LLB toward a BA in Media, Communication, and Culture, felt like a natural progression. Graduating in 2011, specializing in PR, he found himself captivated by the world of crafting narratives and orchestrating large-scale events. Reflecting on his academic journey, Delon expresses a desire for courses in HR or Contract Law to be offered as core modules across all qualification streams, recognizing their broad applicability in the corporate landscape.
While at Nelson Mandela University, his leadership skills shone as the founder and chairperson of a development society. His contributions to the Local Organizing Committee for Mr & Ms NMMU (now NMU), along with the founding of a student society, earned him Merit awards for excellence in Student Development and Governance. Post-graduation, he relocated to Asia, delving into Corporate Training, Research, Learning and Development.
A decade-long stint in the APAC region revealed a glass ceiling, prompting Delon to pursue further studies in Washington, DC. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, he completed an executive master’s degree in business administration remotely, specializing in Strategic Management, Organizational Leadership, International Business Law, and Start-up Entrepreneurship.
Today, he dons the roles of a project manager and consultant, specializing in orchestrating large-scale productions, event operations, and corporate strategy.
In a recent chapter of his journey, Delon joined the Eastern Cape Community Chest as a CSIR Strategy Advisor, focusing on Fundraising and Events Coordination. His role involves strategically aligning corporate entities with community beneficiaries, redefining traditional sponsorship models into mutually beneficial engagements. Having previously worked with the Eastern Cape CANSA Association, he has expressed interest in reviving this relationship in the upcoming year (2024), whether in an advisory capacity , or on volunteer basis.
Acknowledging the uncertainty of five-year plans, he adopts an agile approach for his future. With a focus on further utilizing his skill set for community benefit and aspirations of further qualifications, he playfully hints at the prospect of becoming Dr. le Roux.
Fuelling his motivation is a profound love for witnessing people succeed and grow. “I am where I am and who I am because of the people in industry who saw some kernel of talent in me and decided to nurture that.” Delon emphasizes the value of skill development and knowledge-sharing, advocating for a collaborative approach over gatekeeping.
A cherished memory from his university days involves orchestrating Eastern Cape Fashion Week, a project that evolved into Mandela Bay Fashion Week. The success of this endeavour provided Proof of Concept in viability studies and paved the way for the development of similar events in the region.
In a poignant reflection, Delon imparts valuable advice on starting small, seeking mentorship from those who've achieved success in your desired target areas, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and, above all, avoiding self-rejection. “There’s plenty of room at the bottom if you are content to be mediocre – so why not take big swings and if they fail take it as an opportunity for learning.” His words echo the importance of self-belief in the journey toward success.
He shares, “There are people with fewer skills, qualifications and talents than you, who are not just surviving but THRIVING, simply because they believe in themselves…. if you don’t believe in yourself how do you expect to convince others to believe in you? With that in mind I implore you today - if you remember nothing else from this feature - Please DO NOT self-reject!”
Delon le Roux's narrative is not just a story; it's a testament to resilience, growth, and the transformative power of education, leaving an indelible mark on the landscapes of journalism, corporate strategy, and community impact.