20 QUESTIONS WITH FRAN BEIGHTON

22 Sept

Conversations and connections matter. That’s why our partnership with Daily Maverick, an online news publication and weekly print newspaper that has a monthly readership of 10 million a month, really matters.

Founded in 2009, Daily Maverick now uses various Workshop17 locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg to give their teams the freedom to work when and where they want, while working to deadlines and reporting the news.

We caught up with Fran Beighton, General Manager of Reader Revenue at Daily Maverick and media powerhouse to find out more about her work life balance and what she considers “having it all”.

What’s your Monday Morning Inspiration?

“This too shall pass.”

What would you be doing if you weren't doing this?

Writing great best selling novels in my very expensive yet-to-be-acquired beach house.

Co-working environments - yay or nay?

Oh, absolutely yay. Daily Maverick has always worked remotely even Pre-Covid and although this can be super productive, it can also feel less human. Going into an environment that promotes sharing and connecting, where you can have a bit of banter is vital.

Lunchtime cafeteria weakness?

I’m Irish, so potatoes in any form - I can’t say no to fries.

What are you bad at that you wish you were good at?

Singing… music is such a powerful force that can touch people's lives and souls and can crack you open for inspiration. I’m totally tone-deaf so I think people who can sing are akin to magicians.

Advice for younger members?

Be around people that are great at what they do. It’s probably more convenient to work from home in your pyjamas but that doesn’t necessarily translate to career growth. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; the only difference between you and your boss is they have been doing it longer than you (and have therefore had the opportunity to learn from their mistakes).

What’s a trait all entrepreneurs should have?

Prioritise how other people behave and act. Picking up on other peoples cues can help a lot with negotiation and building relationships. Avoid analysis paralysis - don’t wait for something to be perfect before launching a minimal viable product.

Trend you adore?

I like good news media; my Instagram feed is almost exclusively happy content. Mostly dog videos.

Favourite Workshop17 spot?

The team and I love Kloof St. You can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the design of the buildings and optimising office space. It was such a big moment for Daily Maverick to have our own office space. It was a big day for us moving into Workshop17. The views of Table Mountain are incredible and remind us daily why we do what we do.

Is it possible to ‘have it all’?

It depends on what ‘having it all’ means to the individual. For me, I already do. I’m very grateful for what I have. As I get older my appreciation grows and my wants diminish.

Unpopular opinion?

The obsession with personal growth. The world is constantly trying to convince you that you need to know more and upskill and learn from every experience. I think life tends to take care of that.

Meetings - yay or nay?

Nay, I’m very much a ‘this could be an email’ person. Meetings should be 15 min, they’re the death of efficiency. I’ve actually just reduced the amount of meetings for our entire team and try to keep it to one day a week. Doesn’t always pan out that way…

What’s on your bucket list?

My bucket list is huge and varied. I have it on my phone and try to tick off one or two things a year. This year I am hoping to go to the Rugby World Cup to watch Ireland play.

What animal would you be?

A Dog. They absorb the personality of the owner, love you unconditionally and are the purest souls on earth. The only glitch in the system that they have such a short lifetime.

Ice cream flavour?

Salted caramel or soft serve with a flake. Or both! We have two hands for a reason.

What’s your favourite game?

All of them. Scrabble, backgammon, table-tennis, Uno…I love playing, I’m pretty childish.

What superpower would you choose if you could have any?

Teleportation. Would have been very useful during Covid as my family is scattered around the world.

Which 5 people, dead or alive, would you invite to your dream dinner party?

Ella Fitzgerald for the tunes

Barack Obama for the chats

Dara O’Briain for the laughs

Ryan Gosling for the looks

And my mum, who I miss everyday, but also because somebody would need to cook. (My cooking is as good as my singing.)

Your most embarrassing moment?

It takes a lot to embarrass me. I have no shame.

What object (not person or animal) would you grab if your house was on fire?

A Zapiro cartoon that I vowed to buy when I got my permanent residency in South Africa…along with the actual permanent residency certificate. I keep them together for this very reason.