Answers Part 1 submitted by

mark Simon Uncategorised 18 July 2026 Hits: 456

ANTONIO LUCIANO

I consider the future of the business when making decisions	Consistently
I have ideas for improving the business or our solutions	Often
I respectfully question how we do things to make improvements	Often
I speak to colleagues to obtain their expertise and perspectives	Often
I use my initiative and am not afraid to get involved in solving issues	Consistently
I am a pioneer and encourage others to find new and better ways of working	Often
I invite people with different views to co-develop solutions to problems	Consistently
I recognise and reward creativity	Consistently
I work with others to turn my best ideas into reality	Occasionally
I look for ways to use technology to improve the business	Infrequently

Please provide examples of how you have shown vision and the ability to innovate in your career (Approx 100-300 words)
I have shown vision and innovation by building a business that responds directly to real market needs and by continuously adapting my skills and services as those needs evolved. I founded Locita360 in 2019 while still studying, initially as a graphic design project. As clients began requesting more than design, I intentionally expanded the business into printing, branding, photography and video production. When I noticed that many clients wanted me to edit photos taken by others, I invested in a second-hand camera and taught myself production, allowing me to offer a complete, in-house creative solution. That early decision later grew into a full media department serving national corporate clients. Throughout my journey, I have focused on building long-term relationships rather than short-term wins. While working part-time as a waiter and later as Creative Director at an international education company, I continued growing Locita360 alongside my career, learning how to manage brands at scale and apply those lessons to my own business. As the company expanded, I led the development of internal systems, including a custom CRM to track projects and improve efficiency. My vision extends beyond business growth — I aim to create sustainable employment, develop young creatives, and prove that world-class creative agencies can be built from regional South Africa without external funding.

About Rising Star

The Rising Star Programme, operated by BlackBark Productions, has been established for the purposes of recognising, celebrating and connecting young talented people who have a capacity for achievement and success and who contribute in an inspirational manner to the future of our nation. The qualities that elevate Rising Stars to the top go beyond performance and technical excellence. Rising Stars are polished, brilliant individuals with tremendous promise and great talent who excel for reasons that go far beyond their technical abilities alone.

Talented people make things happen, are highly committed to achieving goals, innovate very rapidly, and create a great deal of value (for companies and/or themselves) when their talent is spotted and harnessed.

The Programme aims to be a significant and sustainable vehicle through which organisations, our country and our continent can identify and nurture these “organisational and national assets” who are set to play a key role in shaping the future of our country and our continent.

The Rising Star Programme is establishing a living community of young African talent that will be developed, mentored and provided with platforms for development and communication, therefore enabling them to become role models, opinion leaders and the inspiration for other future African Talent.