BERNELIEBARWISE

01

Digital Marketing & Social Media Manager · Jan 2026 – present

Record visibility for an iGaming brand, inside strict advertising rules

I lead digital and social strategy across five platforms for JabulaBets, growing an audience in one of the most tightly regulated categories to advertise in.

• Led ambassador campaigns with Handré Pollard and Jurenzo Julius end to end: concept, scripting, filming, production and rollout.
• Own paid social budgets, optimisation, analytics and weekly and monthly reporting.
• Planned media placements with GOAL.com, helped open partnerships including East Coast Radio, and run influencer marketing from sourcing to compliance.
• Launched TikTok from zero and lead YouTube long-form and short-form repurposing.

02

Digital Engagement Lead · Oct 2023 – Nov 2025

Relaunching South Africa's largest donations-based crowdfunding platform

I shaped and delivered BackaBuddy's brand relaunch across social, content and web, building the digital framework that drives visibility for the platform and for the causes it serves.

• Built 90-day strategic content calendars and produced graphic, video and photo content, including the full platform navigation guide on YouTube.
• Created green-screen story presentations for Instagram and TikTok to make giving feel personal.
• Brought AI automation into content and team workflows.
• Presented to clients and charities; managed community, CRM and SEO; reported monthly from Google Analytics.

The channels

Co-founder & Marketing Manager · 2021 – 2024

Cherry Neon: a business built from scratch and launched solely online

I co-founded Cherry Neon, a custom neon design and signage business in Cape Town, and built its entire brand and digital presence from the ground up. With no shopfront, every client came through channels I created.

• Designed the logo and brand, built the website and launched the social channels.
• Drove leads through SEO, Google Business Profile and targeted marketing.
• Created the content and client presentations, and managed client relationships from enquiry to install.

Community Manager & Marketing Coordinator · Remote · Mar 2022 – Mar 2023

NextGen Professional: online presentations for a Canadian architectural recruiter

Working remotely for an Ontario-based architectural recruitment company, I rebuilt their content strategy and created the online presentations they used to win and place talent.

• Grew the social following 120% organically in six months, contributing to sales growth.
• Lifted client brand recognition by 50%.
• Launched a monthly newsletter that reached 590 subscribers in three months.
• Placed candidates through video and messaging campaigns; built partnerships for web and motion graphics.

05

Founder & Director · 2014 – present

Zulaza Entertainment: my own entertainment agency, on stage and behind it

I founded and run Zulaza Entertainment, a performers and specialty-acts agency, handling everything from marketing, social, SEO and content to staff and payroll. I also perform as a fire dancer, singer and actress.

• Produced and performed at events across South Africa, the UAE, Tanzania and the UK.
• Entertainment solutions specialist partner to Sportlight Entertainment and Afrodizzyacts.
• Experience that carries into brand work, like producing JabulaBets' 4th birthday celebration: entertainment, itinerary and décor.