The man behind some of South Africa’s most talked-about advertising campaigns? That’s Jacques Burger, the founding partner and group CEO of the Up&Up Group, formerly known as M&C Saatchi Group South Africa. With a decades-long career in top leadership roles at prominent agencies, he’s the creative engine that powers the ads you discuss around the braai. Now, get ready for a different kind of campaign: Burger’s take on mastering your money habits.
What key financial principles do you prioritise in your personal life and why?
- Balancing short-term pleasure (living life in the now) with longer-term planning for security.
- If you don’t have a lottery ticket, you can’t win the lotto. Action is what gets rewarded.
- You spend a lot of time working for your money – it’s important to also spend some time working on your money.
How do you balance your personal financial goals with the financial demands of running a business?
A well-run business means a more prosperous and happy personal life. And a happy and fulfilled, well-run personal life means being a better person at running a successful business. It’s less about balance and more about harmony.
If you were not in your current role, what company would you work for in a heartbeat?
Any company where the power of creativity is held in high regard.
What advice would you give to young professionals about building wealth and managing their finances?
Figure out what you want in life and then build a plan to get it. Doing this successfully also means you have to figure out what other people might want for themselves or even for you, that you don’t really want for yourself, to make sure that your plan delivers to your aspirations, not those of society. Figuring out what really makes you happy is the most powerful foundation for building a wealth plan that will serve you well.
What is your retirement plan?
I plan not to retire. Retirement is for people who don’t like what they do or lack purpose. That doesn’t mean you have to work 60-hour weeks at 60, but you do need to keep busy, keep adding value, keep growing, keep learning – are long as you’re moving, it means you’re not dead!
If money could talk, what would it say about your spending habits?
It would say that I have a soft spot for things of great beauty – sometimes it’s free, like a stunning sunset, but often, unfortunately, it’s very, very expensive.
What’s the most extravagant purchase you’ve ever made, and do you still think it was worth it?
I regularly spend irresponsible amounts of money on stunning holidays. In fact, I still have flooring in our bedroom passage at home that hasn’t been completed for more than three years now, because every time I plan to do it, I think, hey, but we could go buy a ticket to somewhere cool with this money. Do I think it’s worth it? Absolutely, every time. It’s an indulgence that rewards with rich memories that last a lifetime.
If you could give your younger self one piece of financial advice, what would it be – and would you actually listen?
Just start. Invest in anything: a share, a house, anything, but just start. I wish I had started earlier and perhaps I would have listened if I didn’t set myself these impossible investment thresholds. You don’t need a lot of money to start, you don’t need to save for a few years to start, you don’t need to wait for your bonus to start – just start, now.
What’s a financial trend that you think is totally overrated, and why?
All trends (including décor, design and fashion) are overrated and should be viewed with great scepticism – sound financial principles are what have stood the test of time. Subscribing to trends is like playing roulette; of course you could get lucky, but you probably won’t.
What legacy do you hope to leave in terms of financial literacy and empowerment for future generations?
If I could teach my children the importance of delayed gratification, I would have made a small but good start.
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