Vinny Lingham

Visionary Extraordinaire

Vinny Lingham His charisma and demeanour may be a result of his vast success, but with all certainty he has always had an enviable easy going-charm. On a recent trip back home, the lavish Fairlawns Boutique Hotel played host to the iconic Vinny Lingham as he disclosed insights on entrepreneurship & legacy-thinking with Affluence Magazine Editorin-Chief, Ronald Nair. Internationally recognised innovator and cyber-currency guru, Vinny Lingham is no stranger to the characteristic ebbs and flows life can bring. Departing from his hometown of East London an aspiring University of Cape Town Information Systems graduate, Lingham found himself having to leave that stone unturned as the family business fell victim to the emerging markets crisis. This series of event led the tech-savvy enthusiast to the gold-lined streets of Johannesburg, where he spent the better part of four years attempting to ply his craft. Work was hard to come by but being the ever-resourceful person that we’ve come to admire on our television screens, he saw what others in the space failed to see – the true potential of the internet. Joining an internet marketing company proved to be a master-stroke in identifying this as an entry point to the thrilling journey that was to follow. After starting his own search-marketing company, moving it to Cape Town and selling it off to interested investors, Vinny Lingham spearheaded the website development division of the company, Yola, which afforded him immeasurable exposure to the magic of Silicon Valley – home to changers of the world. And from there the world became his arcade. Currently, this tech-aficionado is the CEO and Co-Founder of Civic Technologies, an uber-secure block-chain based enterprise aiming to eliminate new account fraud and prevent identity theft by creating a network” where consumers can confirm their identity in real-time with participating businesses. His pursuits don’t end there – Vinny is the proud Co-Founder of SiliconCape.com, a South African based

NGO that focuses its ambitions on transforming Cape Town into Africa’s leading Digital Technology Hub. A firm favourite among South African television viewers, Lingham joins esteemed CEO’s Gill Oved, Marnus Boordyk, Romeo Khumalo and Dawn Nathan-Jones on the Shark Tank judging panel – a reality series featuring entrepreneurs showcasing their business ideas to the panel of judges for funding. His advice to investors would be to follow his lead and steer away from conventional real world businesses, instead, capitalise on investments that not everyone understands but you do – embrace an unorthodox approach. With whispers of a second season in the wind, Lingham finds it hard to contain his enthusiasm as he thinks about it – a telling sign that reveals much about the character of this free-thinker. If we were to peel away the layers, we will find that Vinny Lingham is a genuine giver, a true-believer in giving back and that is his legacy. A self-proclaimed non-believer in generational wealth, he has allocated his amassed fortune to several African charities and, along with his wife, Charlene, is currently on the grind for the benefit of the Nelson Mandela Institute & Leap Schools. A tough act to follow indeed, Vinny Lingham, when quipped on his recommendations for young entrepreneurs had this to share: “It’s impossible to teach people the process, they have to experience it for themselves in order for them to realise that true success.” A refreshing alternative view to successful businessman who claim to have the secret, one-size-fits-all recipe to achievement. Vinny Lingham, an award-winning entrepreneur, industry influencer and thought-leader truly possesses a digital sixth-sense in identifying trends & impeccably turning them into sustainable, prosperous businesses. And we can hardly contain ourselves as we wait with baited breath to see what unfolds next