23 May 2018

For Thato Molosi, being a master of ceremony is both an art and a calling.

The 30-year-old Mahalapye born emcee says he has been in the trade for over a decade now, earning enough to pay his bills and support his family.

Mr Molosi, a degree holder in Chartered Tourism, is a darling of many a business planning to host international events as well as national holiday functions.

His clientele includes government, parastatals, private companies, religious organisations, small and medium businesses and individuals.

“As a professional, it is important to know how to approach issues of fees to charge and I usually let the client lead the negotiations for the price.

But I also make it clear that they need to show commitment by paying up their deposit on time,” he told BOPA in an interview.

He said he approached any job not just as business, but as an opportunity to serve those he will be talking to.

Working with corporate customers, he said, could be both interesting and challenging, adding that through his work he had met and mingled with the who’s who in the public service including former president Lt. Gen Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

He said the toughest part of his job was the way some customers communicated.

Some fail to give enough information beforehand, but expect the emcee to be fully conversant with the content.

He however said one must invest in background research about the organisation that had asked for his services in order to know what to say, when and to whom.

“I have learnt how to engage even with the most important guests and break the ice in order to get them to relax and enjoy the function,” said the master of public oratory.

Mr Molosi said clientele had changed over time with many formal functions calling for a relaxed atmosphere and more mingling among guests.

He said he had to be creative in order to satisfy the needs of each guest and for this, he had learnt to make use of the Internet.

“I keep myself updated on the latest trends in the world of public speaking through online tutorials and a lot of reading to make sure that I do not replicate what I did in one event at another,” he said.

In order to boost his knowledge, Mr Molosi says he buys and stocks both English and French books so as to keep his language skills sharp and above those of his competitors.

 He said his humble beginnings as an errand boy in the church had borne fruit.

“The busiest months are from July to December, where I am engaged every weekend and sometimes week days,” he noted.

Besides humility, he said the secret of his trade was having an approachable personality. ENDS