I want to become better, not bitter

An interview with Clinton Venter, Red Alert Regional Director: Guarding Division

I want to become better, not bitter

Having spent his formative years growing up in a small Mpumalanga town, Clinton was by his own admission, raised with fairly “old-fashioned”, but solid ethics and values.?It is this grounding that he credits as being invaluable to both his personal and career success – which has empowered him to foster strong and lasting relationships that have truly stood the test of time

A dedicated family man, Clinton is an understandably proud husband to his wife Chantal and their two beautiful children and has come to rely heavily on their support of his various endeavours.

As a self-confessed workaholic long days (and sometimes nights) are part and parcel of Clinton’s lived reality, however, he equally believes in playing just as hard.?With a young family, his outside interests have had to take a backseat over the past while. Except for one: his passion and love for cooking (and enjoying) Portuguese cuisine. If you need to know where to find the Venter family over a weekend it will be at Cojo’s in Founders Hill.

With a career spanning 21 years within the security industry, 14 of those happily spent with Red Alert, Clinton describes himself as a seasoned veteran within this fascinating sector.?Given his personal ethos of integrity above all else, this stalwart of the Red Alert management “tribe” holds close to his heart the cohesion and solidarity that the organisation provides, believing this is what makes the business, and its people not only work but really flourish. In turn, Clinton is justifiably proud to offer his unwavering support and mentorship to his colleagues, which has been crucial to their growth within the company.

Although Clinton has experienced his fair share of bumps and challenges during his tenure with Red Alert, he sagely acknowledges that these have been mitigated by extraordinary learnings.?Led by the inimitable Peter Harvey, he has come to appreciate the value of truly enabling staff. “Peter, like any great leader, leads from the front.?He believes in giving every member of our team the freedom to chart their own journey to growth – coupled with responsibility and accountability.?Furthermore, I have been encouraged to always stay true to myself, without compromising. All of which I have been able to impart to my own staff complement.” states Clinton proudly.

Clinton further ascribes his success within the business and the industry to his alignment with the organisation-wide philosophy of transparency and honesty in all their dealings.?“I could never work for a corporate entity where underhanded dealings are the order of the day.?The truth is that I can unequivocally state that Red Alert strives to achieve the very best outcomes for its clients.?Not only from a security perspective, but in every area of their business.?Our clients trust us implicitly, which is unusual by today’s standards.”

Over the years, Clinton considers himself fortunate to have been part of, the extraordinary changes, which have cut an indelible swathe throughout the sector too.?“We have had to not only embrace but also drive innovation, to best set ourselves apart. This culture of incorporating change and innovation in all spheres of the business is inculcated in every Red Alert employee and has been key to our longevity,” adds Clinton.?

Clinton cites a prime example of this by illustrating the veritable explosion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially within the Guarding division.?“AI has forever changed the face of security by employing technology in all its incarnations.?I honestly never imagined that I would see the incredible advances that have come about.?Being at the forefront of this wave has safeguarded Red Alert’s ability to deliver innovative solutions to our clients – solutions that make a tangible difference to their businesses and bottom line.?We have been able to build long-standing relationships with our clients, which have been particularly founded on trust and mutual respect.”

“Whilst none of us can say with certainty what the future holds, I firmly believe that my prospects are very definitely painted red,” concludes Clinton.