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Benjamin Cowley

About

Ben started in TV more than 14 years ago where he was involved in both live and pre-recorded programs at Namibia’s one and only national broadcaster: NBC.

Fast-forward several years, he found himself in the fantastical world of TV Commercials hoping this industry to be full of excitement, glitz and glamour. Needless to say, this pre-conceived notion couldn’t be further from the truth!

The Legacy Initiative (Retro Afrika Bioscope) is Ben’s baby and it’s his responsibility to nurture it and allow it to grow to its full potential. He works closely with the original film makers, film owners and national film, video and sound archives in sourcing/locating all the old films and getting them to Cape Town to restore them and ultimately get them onto a platform where the public can view them.

I Am Driven By | Passion in what I do. Being faced with a new challenge every day and knowing that what I am doing will live on beyond me and impact the world in some way… however small it may be.

The Difference Between good And Great | In my experience, people who are good at what they do tend to be content with just that, whereas people who are great, aspire for more and strive to make a bigger impact.

A Key Talent | I believe it is to see opportunity where few people would, and to drive it to be a success – even when everyone else is saying “you’re nuts”. Don’t take no for an answer and believe in your instinct – even if it takes years, the more you are able to turn opportunities into successes, the easier it will be to convince those around you to support you when you have a “crazy” idea.

Principles I Live By | Humility, Integrity and Honesty. Don’t be afraid to dream big.

Dealing With Doubt | That is a constant in life, and I am constantly learning new ways to deal with it. There will always be those moments, but I brush them off, and just push on.

Performing At My Peak | Healthy body, healthy mind is something I live by. Finding a good balance between the two as well as family life. I surround myself with people who challenge me in every way, which keeps me on my toes so to speak. Whilst I don’t always agree, it does give me the opportunity to reflect and hone I am doing

Resources I Use To Stay Inspired | Definitely people, movies (as this is what I do) and then creative working environments.

My Future Dreams And Ambitions | I want to grow my business, using this as a vehicle to change and challenge the paradigm of what has been the status-quo in the South African film industry.

I Am Inspired By | My grandfather, a World War 2 hero – a man who did everything to help change the course of history because it was the right thing to do. Steven Spielberg as a film maker, a producer and phenomenal story teller.

The Legacy I Would Like To Leave | I’ll quote Chuck Palahnuik “We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will”

Interview Questions

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The Legacy Project

Holmes is a co-founder of Fight for the Future. He also co-founded Miro, Open Congress, and Amara, and ran online campaigns for the Free Software Foundation. Fight for the Future is known for powerful and viral organizing campaigns that changed Internet history both nationally and globally. Faced with the passage of the Stop Online Piracy […]

The Legacy Project

Adriana is the founder and CEO of Girls in Tech, a non-profit organization, which she launched in February 2007. As a woman in tech, Adriana’s passion lies in bolstering opportunities around the empowerment, engagement and education of women in tech. She recently launched Singapore-based start-up, HelpLearn.Asia, an eLearning platform for small and medium-sized businesses. My […]

The Legacy Project

Braam Hanekom is the founder and chairman of People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP), which works for refugee rights. He was named one of Mail & Guardian‘s 200 Young South Africans. Braam has also been published in the University of Pennsylvania Law School Journal and was awarded the 2008 Inyathelo award for youth […]

The Legacy Project

Christo Wiese is Chairman and largest shareholder of Steinhoff International Holdings – to whom he sold Pepkor, non-executive chairman of Invicta Holdings Limited and the controlling shareholder of Shoprite Holdings Limited, Africa’s largest retailer. His business accolades and achievements are just way too many to mention and he is without doubt one of the most […]

The Legacy Project

Alex Okosi is a Nigerian-born, US-educated media executive responsible for developing and launching MTV Africa (MTV Base) in February 2005. Currently, he is responsible for managing the growth and development of the Viacom International Media Networks Africa business – a multichannel portfolio that reaches over 100 million viewers and includes MTV, MTV base, Nickelodeon, VH1, […]

The Legacy Project

Alasdair Harris is a marine ecologist with an unhealthy obsession for corals and has spent the past decade developing conservation initiatives in the Indian Ocean. Alasdair is recipient of the IUCN World Conservation Union’s Young Conservationists Award, winner of the Conde Nast Environment Award, an Ashoka Fellow, and a passionate ambassador of Australia’s penguins. His […]

The Legacy Project

Runa Khan is the founder and Executive Director of Friendship, a value-based organization in Bangladesh. Additionally, she is a Founder and Chairman of Friendship International based out of Luxembourg. Although currently her work is firmly rooted in the development sector, her interests and experiences are varied, resulting in an organization which approaches development innovatively for […]

The Legacy Project

A legend in the music world with P!NK, Mark Schulman | The Legacy Project is an incredible musician, dynamic performer and a strategic business mind who has parleyed his success on stage into true business success. Unlocking strategies to help audiences Hack the Rockstar Attitude and Boost their R.Q. (Rockstar Quotient), your team will be […]

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