Arthur C. Evans is an entrepreneur, creative and innovative TV personality, from his early days at CBC (Christin Brothers Col- lege) Arthur has shown the sparkle of amazing talent. From the sports field, right to Scripture Union an intangible whisper of leadership and good interpersonal skills has shown through. From television, programs on ZBC (Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation), MegaFest Business Awards, and numerous corporate and social events ACE as he popularly engages, entertains and sweet talks audiences all over. Kwantuthu Arts Magazine managed to catch up with the multitalented ACE for an interview.
You are a Master of Ceremony, second to none tell us more about the skills you possess?
Thank you so much for the compliment especially considering that in high school no one used to really laugh at my humour. Being a master of ceremony to me is more than just speaking behind a microphone, linking sets in a programme and throwing in some humour between your links. It is about ensuring that you maintain an overall all ‘eagle’s eye’ position of any event. It’s vital that you develop adequate administrative and management skills to develop an understanding of your clients’ needs and expectations and translating that to a relevant presentation. In a short space of time all stakeholders in an event need to develop trust in you and that you will be the ‘go to’ person to represent the event.
I was never like that when I started though. I liked the attention and wanted to be heard – a very common mistake (in my opinion) made by many that do what I do. In recent years I have put myself last and put my client’s needs first.
During the ‘day’ I am a financial director of Technoexpert Construction and I have two other businesses which I started in 2014 and are progressing well. I have studied project management and business leadership and I intend on setting a course for my MBA in the near future.
How easy is it for you to stand in front of people?
My mother loves telling people about how I used to be an introvert when I was young and it used to be extremely difficult to stand in front of people but today I have no problem with it. So much so that I feel at home in front of a crowd or a camera.
A.C.E. would you say your acronym has any meaning on how you conduct yourself on stage?
It has everything to with how I conduct myself on stage! About 5 or 6 years ago when trying to think of identity for my presentation, either just my first name or a nickname, I heard a man talking in a shop about how some people are a ‘jack of all trades but a master of none. I determined in my heart that day that as a speaker I will never settle for mediocrity and modelled my presentation style to match international standards.
When my parents thought of naming me Arthur Charles Evans they did me a big favour (lol). Even the actual meaning of my name reverberates in my soul – (Arthur) High (Charles) Man (Evans) Warrior.
On stage, I refuse to settle for mediocrity and give my best every time I do. I set high standards for myself and rate myself after every presentation out of ten and I seldom give myself a ten out of ten. I am my critic and my biggest fan. I am grateful for the positive remarks I get and I appreciate criticism as well because there is always room to grow.
This is why whenever I see someone pushing their limits to succeed or achieve their dreams I will proudly tag them with – #YouACEdit – and I want to encourage readers to use this hashtag to encourage others. Tag me in the post so that I can also encourage them as we all chase our dreams.
Can you enlighten us on your SABC presenter search journey and the experience it gave you?
The SABC Presenter Search was a journey that I actually did not want to take because it came at a point in my life when I thought that I should let go of being a speaker. During the whole experience, I felt at my weakest but the warrior in me put on a brave face every time I was put on the spot. From the Saturday at the Wanderers Cricket Stadium to the amazing sets and challenges that I went through I learnt one important fact and that is God has given me an undeniable gift that I need to share with the world.
I am so glad that I can rank myself right up there with the best because the quality of presenters required in the productions that had the openings are truly world-class in planning, production and broadcasting. All the years of preparation were worth it.
I may not have won but I got something that I needed and can’t place a value on it – self-belief that I am good enough to reach that mind-blowing dream of standing on world stages.
What are the essential skills one has to have to get to where you are?
I think that it is important to understand that there are many platforms you can speak from and numerous styles too. Finer details in terms of brand positioning will also determine WHAT YOU NEED.
Unfortunately for television, your physical appearance is very important and that is not always a skill that you can develop. Other skills include:
Administrative skills to help you manage your diary, good time management, interpersonal skills, good command of one or more languages, marketing and public relations, a good memory and an articulate voice.
There are rumours that you have a huge project in the pipeline, can you share with us some details?
I am very excited about “The Arthur C. Evans Show” which will be available online and hopefully on TV screens across Africa. Whether it will be a DYI, fashion, lifestyle or game show will be kept a secret until it is launched. It is going to be epic and is going to bring the best out of me.
Working with Trevor Ncube of All Van Good Productions has been amazing and all I can say is that he is an incredibly creative mind. Most TV shows get recycled but we are going to pimp TV and have viewers glued to their screens and begging for more. I wish I could tell you more but the wait will definitely be worth it!
I am also excited about my two shows that will be on Bulawayo’s new and hot radio station, Skyz Metro FM (100.3fm). I have completed the promos for both and I look forward to talking to listeners every Saturday morning from 6am to 10am as well as on Sundays from 10pm to 12am.
Congratulations on developing an amazing website, can you share with us how the public can use it?
Thank you although I have to take my hat off to Jermaine Chapfiwa of Instant Solutions and Consultancy who built this interactive and mobile-friendly site. He exceeded my expectations in an amazing way. It’s amazing when someone can take your idea from a brief, put it into their imagination and produce a product that is second to none. Jermaine…. #YouACEdit!!!!
From the site, you can find out more about me and my history as a speaker. Visitors can find confidence in my abilities by looking at the clients that I have worked with in the past and at present.
The site is mobile-friendly so can be easily viewed on any mobile device and has a link to a second site tailor-made in South Africa for my TV show and editions of my radio shows.
The best part for prospective clients and fans is that they can leave comments for me to respond to but best of all you can make a booking from the site. No need to call anymore – a simple and efficient booking system ensures that any event will be given the highest priority!
What is your favourite quote?
“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” Joshua J. Marine
Share with us any last words?
TD Jakes said that “nothing great is achieved without help” and I will be forever grateful to everyone that has shown me support, encouraged me and been honest enough to push me beyond mediocrity. The best is yet to come and I am so excited to meet the future. And of course, thank you to Littchel and the magazine team for recognizing what I hold so dear because this is more than finding fame, it’s about fulfilling PURPOSE!
To anyone chasing their dreams don’t give up and keep #goingHARD until #YouACEdit
