Mercédes Westbrook

Founder & Owner of Firehorse Media

I am a freelance Editor, writer, project manager, brand content facilitator and business entrepreneur.

I am interested in new ideas, products and perspectives and how I can help you to better engage and professionally grow your business through all forms of media and written content.

I provide companies and individuals with creative content, blogging services, Public Relations, ghost writing, corporate documentation, sub-editing and proofing services for effective business and online marketing communication.

Read my full CV below.

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MEDIA MANAGEMENT CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Stationery, Home & Office Products Association of Southern Africa   (SHOP-SA)
(Jan 2010 – to Feb 2015)
Position: Association Management, Publications Editor, Marketing Manager
Products: SHOP-SA: Stationery, Home & Office Products Association of Southern Africa in-house publications comprising a monthly print magazine, a product catalogue, e-newsletter, website page feeds, managment of Facebook and Twitter.
Role and responsibilities: Responsible for Publications, Sales and IT functions and management of related staff members.
Duties included: Liaising with the Board of Directors on Association direction, managing budgets, compiling content synopsis, member relations, marketing duties, writing, graphic searches and ordering, editing, proofing, liaising with the printer and mailing house, identifying and pursuing development and promotional opportunities, strategic planning to meet member’s needs, production deadlines and distribution.
Cape Town Office: In December 2012 I relocated to Cape Town to establish a Western Cape branch of shop-sa. My roles and responsibilities remained the same, with the additional role of fostering new business within the region.

PUSH MEDIA SOLUTIONS: Independent Publisher
(Oct 2005 – Jan 2009)
Position: Managing Editor
Role & Responsibilities: Responsible for all Publications and Digital content departments and related in-house and satellite staff.
Clients & Products:
International Marketing Council (IMC) of South Africa – Journal of Trade & Industry (business) monthly magazine distributed internationally to encourage trade into South Africa).

Link Pharmacy Group – Life & Family monthly magazine (health and wellness).

Wit’s University – Arena monthly magazine for Wits Alumni

Sun International – Privé monthly magazine (gambling/lifestyle),

Online Health – Content Editor for www.onlinehealth.co.za on the Web 2.0 platform.

REDSAND INTERACTIVE (PTY) LTD:  
(May 1997 – Oct 2000)
Position: Editorial Director
Role & Responsibilities: To produce 22 publications per annum, manage all in-house editorial staff as well as satellite editors, journalists, freelancers and in-house photographers.
Clients & Titles:
Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) – produced the monthly AA Motorist magazine (motoring)

National Tourism Departments for Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana –  produced annual country directories Namibia Focus, South Africa Focus, Zimbabwe Focus, and Botswana Focus (travel/tourism)

SA Golf Association – produced Golf Focus magazine (sport)

Launched the first edition of Maxim magazine (men’s lifestyle)

SA Rugby & Football Union – SAFU magazine (sports)

International Marketing Council (IMC) – produced a monthly edition of South Africa: Journal for Trade & Investment magazine (business)

South African Bureau of Standards – produced annual SABS Standards Directory,

SA Independent Builders Association – produced bi-monthly Home magazine (building/interiors)

**Four PICA Magazine Awards received – Magazine Publishers Association of South Africa (MPASA).

CBM PUBLISHING: Independent Publisher 
(Feb 1998 – July 1998)
Position: Editor AirTales magazine, Jhb Editor Bon Vivant magazine
Role & Responsibilities:     Liaise with BA Comair board, create synopsis and compile feature content, write, sub, proof, photography, liaise with  advertising department, design department and print process.
Clients/Products:
British Airways Comair – produced Air Tales magazine (monthly in-flight publication for BA Comair airlines).

Bon Vivant Food & Travel magazine – Johannesburg, on sale at commercial outlets.

PANORAMA PUBLICATIONS: Independent Publisher
(May 1996 – Oct 1997)
Position: Editor
Role & Responsibilities: Editorial planning, feature writing, photography,                     balancing of budget, liaison with art director, commissioning of journalists and photographers, media trips and promotions, sub-editing and proofing.
Clients/Products:
SA Airlink airlines – produced the monthly Skyways magazine, the in-flight publication for SA Airlink airlines.

African Panorama bi-monthly magazine (wildlife) sold at commercial outlets by subscription.

CONTACT PUBLICATIONS: Independent Publisher
(Aug 1991 – April 1996)
Position:  Editor, Jhb Office Manager. Following a two year period of working in the Durban head office, I established and managed the Johannesburg branch of this Durban-based publishing house.
Role & Responsibilities: Responsible for Publications. Launched and managed the Johannesburg office from premises in Houghton. In addition to editorial and management duties I managed public relations, international marketing and researched and reported on world-wide incentive programmes, and attended and spoke at local and international Trade Shows and Conferences.
Clients & Products:
South African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) – SA Conference Guide monthly magazine and Annual Directory. I worked directly with clients such as Sun International, Satour, SAA, Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi, Stocks Leisure Resorts, Namibia Resorts, Tourist Authority of Thailand, British Tourist Authority, American Express Travel, Uwin Iwin Incentives, World Society for Incentive Travel Executives (SITE), Australian Tourist Commission (ATC), Quantas Airlines.

Security Association of South Africa (SASA) – monthly Security Focus magazine.

ASSOCIATED CAREER DEVELOPMENT: PUBLIC RELATIONS

DAVID BARRITT & COMPANY:  Public Relations and Photographic Library Services
(Oct 1997 – March 1998)
Position: Head of Publishing, managing three staff: one sub-editor and two designers.
Clients & Products:
Sun International – Winners newspaper (internal staff communications) and Gaming Gazette tabloid (customer).

Standard Bank – Editor of Standard Bank’s Plus magazine

The Blue Train coffee table book

Various pamphlets and promotional brochures.

OWLHURST COMMUNICATIONS: Public Relations (Feb 2001 – August 2001)
Position: Executive Publicist
Clients: 702 Talk Radio, Decorex SA, Delapse, Plascon Paints, VWV and worked in tandem on accounts: Association of Marketers, Red Nail Advertising, Ster Kinekor Theatres, Shape Interactive, Cinemark, ComutaNet, Starcom and AMASA for which I compiled and produced the Loeries Annual for the Annual Loeries Advertising Awards. We also hosted the AdVantage Ad Mag Awards for Primedia.

ASSOCIATED CAREER DEVELOPMENT: MARKETING & SALES

CADPLAN: Family-owned business (three different periods of full-time employment between the years of 1999 – 2009)
Position: Marketing & Sales of architectural design software within the Autodesk Reseller Channel. (The company was the top SA Reseller for 5 consecutive years).
Role & Responsibilities: Placement of advertising, writing of PR and editorial Success Stories for web and print, negotiation with Built industry editor’s for placement of ‘free’ editorial features. Liaison with Autodesk SA on all sales campaigns, organized all monthly events, exhibitions and training conferences.
Lead generation, sales management, CRM and database management and channel marketing in association with Worldsview Technologies.

ASSOCIATED CAREER DEVELOPMENT: FREELANCE:
I have been published as a freelance writer in magazine titles such as Sawubona magazine (May 2001), MTN Connections magazine (March 2002), IE décor magazine (2010), RETOSA (Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa), Holidays Magazine (RCI), SA Tourism Incentives brochure content, Big 5 Golf Tours brochure content, SA Packaging manual, Daily News KZN, Sunday Times Lifestyle, Dirt Wheels (Dec 2000). sub-editing of Future Publishing’s African Sporting Gazette (Nov 2000).

I blogged for Ample Insurance (2014), and Valverde Conference and Wedding Venue (2014), and compiled a wedding handbook and e-book. I sub-edited and proofed financial reports, a University Professor’s book and various copy-writing headers and advertisement content for The Media Genius and Saint’s Branding.

ASSOCIATED CAREER DEVELOPMENT: OWN BUSINESS

STYLE EXCHANGE: Owner, Retail boutique for recycled ladies fashions
In September 2009, I started my own recycled-fashion retail business, operating from a small boutique situated in my home. While the business enjoyed a database of 6 000 clients and saw growth as a second income generator with the help of one employee, it eventually became too much to handle in tandem with my career. The business was closed in 2012.

WESTBROOK SUITES: Owned and managed Westbrook Suites for corporates attending the Cadplan office Autodesk Training Courses.

COMPLETED EDUCATION:
Journalism Higher Diploma: Natal Technikon (1992)
Anton van der Post:  Effective Speaking (June 1993)
Membership of SAACI (1992)
Targeted Account Selling (TAS)Professional Selling Skills I (March 2004)
Professional Sales Negotiation II (July 2005)
Autodesk AutoCAD 1 Fundamentals (March 2002)
SA Association for Conference Industry (SAACI) membership
1 Star Sport Diver, SA Underwater Union (1992)
Volunteer and House mother training at Cotlands Baby Sanctuary.

ABOUT ME:
Raised in Kwazulu-Natal, I attended Westville Girl’s High, completing Grade 12 with a University Pass at Berea Girl’s High in 1984.
At 18yrs of age I was chosen as one of three candidates in the Province to train with Protea Hotel’s In-house Trainee Management programme (March 1985 – Jan 1987), accomplished at the 4-star Rob Roy Hotel, Kloof. I undertook three years of six month practical training periods in each department of the hotel, including Functions and Banqueting, Kitchen, Restaurant, Ladies Bar, Front Office and Laundry. This was supplemented with theory subjects and intermittent written examination.