Desmond Kura with Darth Vader

Welcome! I'm Desmond Kurz, founder of Des Vader Consulting.

With more than 30 years of business experience, I help companies develop effective growth strategies.

I also leverage the Des Vader Expert Network to assemble teams of
amazing, highly experienced people to deliver these strategies.

Business Services

What I can do for your business

Plan Achievable Strategies

Customer Retention

Deliver Qualified Leads

Content Marketing

Craft a Meaningful Brand

Marketing Automation

Social Media Marketing

Tracking  and Reporting Solutions

Clients

See some of my work and who I've worked with
Vodacom
Wyzetalk
Hungry Lion
Debtline
Vue School
Entersekt
Frontend Nation
Finchatbot
Certificates.dev

Testimonials

What my clients and colleagues are saying

Sabine Klisch

Global B2B Marketing & Comms Leader

“Working with Desmond is a pleasure. He is not only a brilliant professional but also a colleague who leads and motivates people with inspiration and great ideas. I've always been amazed by his never-ending knowledge about the online world and online marketing in particular as well as creative ways to achieve return on investment.“

Review

Tashalene Reid

Experienced CEO | Strategic Leader

“Desmond was brilliant in helping me translate my big idea into a game-changing business strategy. His wealth of knowledge and experience across multiple industries has given him the ability to come up with creative solutions to complex challenges.“

Review

Martin Duys

PMO lead and Marketing Technologist

“Des is smart, articulate, organised, and driven.He is a really good leader with a gentle but goal-oriented leadership style. He is an excellent strategic thinker, but backs up his strong thinking skills with delivery every time.”

Review

DES VADER EXPERTS NETWORK

With track records as legendary as the Jedi Order.

Des Vader Experts: Desmond Kurz - Strategist, growth hacker

Meet Desmond Kurz, also know as Des Vader. He is the founder and CEO of Des Vader Consulting. With more than 30 years of business experience, he helps companies develop effective growth strategies and leverage the Des Vader Expert Network to put together teams of amazing, highly experienced people to deliver the strategies.

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Des Vader Experts: Aletta Louw - Marketing Strategist & Retention Specialist

Meet Aletta Louw, one of the Des Vader Experts. With more than 30 years of experience, Aletta helps clients craft effective marketing strategies and retain their customers.

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Des Vader Experts: Camilla Wilson - Content Expert, Event Specialist

Camilla Wilson is the Queen of Content, and for more than 20 years, she has been building content strategies and creating content that gets clients noticed. Her role also extends beyond the written word, as she designs, produces, and manages the rollout of events and music festivals.

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Des Vader Experts: Shane Addinall - Content Marketing Expert, Storyteller

Shane has been working in the digital space since 1998, where he has covered everything from affiliate marketing to ad sales and learned everything he could about Google SEO along the way. He has dedicated the last decade to content creation, helping clients tell their stories, engage their customer, and satisfy Google ever changing SEO demands.

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Des Vader Experts: Kate Gibbs - Content Expert, Storyteller

Kate has over 20 years of experience in advertising and communications, specializing in crafting compelling copy that engages audiences and drives brand growth.

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Des Vader Experts: Stefano Aracena - Web Application Development Expert

Stefano has more than 16 years of business experience helping organizations scale online and offline with custom web applications.

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Des Vader Experts: Han Cilliers - Social, SEO and Bookkeeping

Meet Han Cilliers, one of the Des Vader Experts. With over 23 years of experience, Han helps clients with community management, content marketing, and SEO, particularly site audits and evaluations. With more than 20 years of experience in bookkeeping, Han ensures the numbers are always right.

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Des Vader Experts: Valdi Pereira - Content and Communication Expert

With more than 3 decades of experience with business communication and journalism, Valdi knows how to create powerful narratives for companies around their businesses.

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Des Vader Experts: Nick Wonfor - Lead and Sales Generation Expert

Nick has been working in digital marketing for nearly 24 years, with over 18 years of that time dedicated to digital-buying media. He has seen Yahoo! and MSN decline and Google and Facebook rise to become the dominant forces they are today. He has worked on campaigns for a diverse range of products, from Children's Educational Toys to parts for earth-moving equipment and the Olympic Games.

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Articles

Latest posts by Desmond (Des Vader) Kurz

Is the Human Brain the Key to the Next Evolution in Computing Power?

Imagine a future where the lines between humans and machines become a blur, where the extraordinary computing power of the human brain fuels the next era of technological evolution. Our endless desire for faster, smarter, and more powerful technology is driving us toward a reality once reserved for science fiction.

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Hands-On With Imagen 3: Google’s AI Image Generator

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is sweeping through industries like wildfire, but one exciting development it introduces is image creation. Imagen 3 by Google is a state-of-the-art AI text-to-image tool offering an innovative solution for marketers looking to design highly engaging and professional visuals without much prior design experience.

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The Best AI Design Tool You’ve Never Heard Of—Until Now

One of the earliest mainstream examples of using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve access and affordability is in the creative and design field. There is no denying that there is a long road ahead in determining the rules and limitations of what content a generative AI application should be allowed to access during its “formative years”, but that side of the conversation aside, what is incredibly exciting is the way the technology is making access to quality design work accessible to people who once thought it was out of their reach.

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Free Website Traffic? Get These SEO Basics Right.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for making your website visible to potential customers searching for products or services like yours online. By implementing effective SEO practices, you ensure that your site appears in relevant search results, connecting you with the right audience.

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Bringing Star Trek’s Holodeck to Life: How AI and Emerging Tech can Revolutionise Marketing

Imagine walking into a room where all of your wildest dreams come alive, where the line between reality and imagination blurs, and you are not only a spectator but a player. That is the essence of the Star Trek Holodeck. As a lifelong geek, I’ve often dreamed of a high-tech immersive experience like this one. With the development of AI technologies, we’re now really close to making that possible.

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How Long Could We Live?

Examining Lifespan Extending Technology Research Underway Today and Their Possible Implications. As a follow-up to my article on the origins and implications of the retirement age, I wanted to explore life expectancy and how this is likely to change in the reasonably foreseeable future and examine some of the implications, particularly on retirement planning. At age 51, you start to think about these things, or rather, you should.

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Top 5 Considerations When Building Your Business Website

The world has gone digital, so a website is no longer a luxury for a business - it's a necessity. I've been working with organizations to build websites since the late 90's when Microsoft Frontpage was still around. Yes, I'm that old. In almost three decades of doing this, I have learned a few things I would like to pass on so you can avoid building a website that simply doesn't work for you. There are only 5 to consider, so make sure you read through all of them. Ready for the first one?

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Thinking of Retiring at 65? Think again.

I'm 51 years old at the moment, and I think about retirement often the older I get. From my perspective, I don’t want to retire because I love what I do, so why would I want to stop? That's my view, but quite a few people that I talk to are already retired or are just holding in there waiting for that magic age. Certainly, the older you get, it becomes a very serious topic, so I thought I would explore the history and implications of the retirement age.

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The 5 Steps to a Killer Content Strategy

In a world where we’re constantly bombarded with hundreds of pieces of content daily, it has become more important than ever for businesses to carefully consider how they show up to existing and potential customers. Impactful content that hits home is the heartbeat of any thriving business. It's no longer about filling spaces or making noise; it's about weaving a compelling story that your audience can identify with, fosters brand loyalty, and drives real results.

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The quick guide to getting your emails (actually) read

Imagine you’ve spent hours crafting the perfect email. It’s packed with valuable content beautifully designed, and you’re sure it will resonate with your audience. But there’s one problem: if no one opens it, all your hard work goes unnoticed. That really sucks, doesn’t it? That’s where understanding email open rates comes into play. Let’s dive into why open rates matter, what benchmarks to aim for, and how to optimize your emails to ensure they get opened and read.

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Dev backlogs stalling growth?

If you're anything like me, your brain is a buzzing hive of brilliant ideas, all primed to skyrocket your clients to the next level. But then reality kicks in, and I’m hit with the harsh truth: those amazing ideas are going nowhere fast because development resources are about as scarce as a Jedi in the Empire. The frustration is real—how can I conquer the galaxy when my hands are tied? It’s a real tragedy, like a Sith Lord who can’t find his lightsaber.

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In the news

The latest press mentions

eSports

Desmond Kurz, MWeb's online gaming manager, says South African players were previously only able to play on international servers. With the resultant high pings, this would have made for poor gameplay in these shooter-based games.

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SA servers to host free EA titles

Desmond Kurz, MWeb's online gaming manager, says South African players were previously only able to play on international servers. With the resultant high pings, this would have made for poor gameplay in these shooter-based games.

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Cape Town vs Joburg in FIFA13, COD Black Ops 2

MWEB and Mind Sport South Africa (MSSA) will be hosting a live eSports inter-regional competition this Friday, 19 July 2013, in which the best players in Cape Town take on the best players in Joburg in COD Black Ops 2 and FIFA13.

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South Africans may soon be able to pay bills, buy clothes and get flight tickets through WhatsApp - here’s how it’ll work

South African consumers may soon be able to pay bills, make online purchases and receive flight booking passes through WhatsApp, says Desmond Kurz, marketing director at Clickatell. WhatsApp recently released code which made paying bills and making online purchases via the social media platform possible. Clickatell is one of a few global service providers who has gained early access to WhatsApp’s business code. The company was founded in South Africa in 2000, and has since moved its head office to California.

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Videos

See the latest videos, podcasts and Media by Des Vader

Des Vader Bot - Your Brain: The Future of Computing Power

Welcome back to the 5th episode of the Des Vader Bot series! In this video, we dive into the cutting-edge world of brain-powered computing. With Moore’s Law reaching its limits, researchers are turning to the most powerful processor we have—the human brain! From Neuralink to brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and the fusion of AI with organic brain tissue, we explore how the future of computing might involve a unique collaboration between humans and machines.

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Des Vader Bot - Ray Kurzweil's Mind Blowing Predictions

In this quick 1-minute (ish) video, Des Vader Bot, Des Vader’s AI video generator, takes you on a journey through the top predictions of futurist Ray Kurzweil. From the rise of AI and the singularity to the promise of life extension and 3D-printed organs, these insights offer a glimpse into a world where technology is about to redefine what it means to be human.

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Des Vader Bot - The Technology That Will See Us Live to 100

Medical Breakthroughs on the Horizon In this video, Des Vader Bot takes you on a journey through some of the most exciting medical breakthroughs that could extend human life well beyond 100 years! 🚀 From senolytics and telomere lengthening to genetic engineering and 3D-printed organs, the future of longevity is closer than you think.

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Des Vader Bot - The Quantum Internet Revolution Explained

Join Des Vader Bot, your go-to AI for all things tech, as he takes you on a futuristic journey into the world of the Quantum Internet. Discover what makes this technology so groundbreaking, from its unbreakable security features to real-world examples like the quantum network running under New York City and the 22-mile loop in Boston. In just one minute, you'll get a crash course on what the Quantum Internet is, how it works, and why it's poised to revolutionize our digital world.

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Des Vader Bot - SEO Basics for Free Traffic

In this video, Des Vader Bot, trusty AI sidekick to Desmond Kurz, breaks down the key steps to mastering Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and driving free traffic to your website. From page titles and meta descriptions to fixing those pesky broken links, we've got you covered with the essentials!

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Des Vader Short: The Secret to Getting Your Email Read

In this episode, I'm here to help you transform your email marketing efforts into successful campaigns. I'm your host, Desmond Kurz, also known as Des Vader, and with 17 years of email experience under my belt, I'm here to share the secrets of getting your emails opened and read.

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Des Vader Short: Generative AI for Marketers - ChatGPT vs Gemini

This Des Vader Short explores the use of Generative AI in marketing and which is the best tool to use. In this episode we look at two of the giants - OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Let me know in the comments what you think?

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Des Vader: Crafting a Killer Email Subject Line

If you want your emails read, you need to know how to craft a killer subject line. I've used my 17 years of email experience to give you a quick guide on how to do this.

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