Conrad Burger is a Sales Manager at our favourite office furniture store- Inspiration Office. We catch up with this diverse and intellectual man who has a track record in sales enough to astonish even Donald Trump and maintain the lifestyle he’s become use to.

You have quite an impressive CV for a man of your age, tell us about that which interested you about sales at the age of 8?

I guess you would call me an entrepreneur…. I was fascinated by the fact that money can be made by purely seeing, and capitalising on, an opportunity. When I was 8, nobody in our street’s papers were delivered. I asked my dad to lend me R10 so that I can go buy enough papers to sell back to all the neighbours. I sold the papers at a 50c profit and paid my dad back within 2 hours, and had enough tuck shop money for the rest of the month. That was my first introduction to supply and demand.

You were a Springbok and national golfer…tell us about your most memorable moment.

I think my most memorable moment, was being in the final pairing of the South African juniors on the final round. Crowds standing on each side of the fairway cheering you on. For a split second I had the feeling of being Tiger Woods.

Who is the most famous person you’ve met? 

In my previous job, I was lucky enough to work with Ian Poulter (top 10 professional ranked golfer). An amazing business man, with a flashy yet down to earth personality.

What is it about Inspiration Office that makes you love working there? 

I love the fact that my job makes me feel like an entrepeneur on a daily basis. There is no catologue or step by step procedure. Each client and project is different, and finding the way to please and suit every client is what I live for.

In your opinion what is the difference between Inspiration Office and the rest of the office furniture companies out there? 

Inspiration Office has no catolgue or one size fits all mentality. We understand workplaces, and working environments. By understanding our clients needs we can provide the tools to ensure their unique workplaces are places where people not only want to work, but look forward to coming to everyday.

What is your typical day like at Inspiration Office?– I usuallly get to the office just after seven, my day is filled with client or supplier meetings, followed by a late afternoon or evenings of presentation preparation or quotes. I enjoy working at night or very early mornings as it is the only time in my day which is quite. 

What is your favourite chair at inspiration office? 

To pick one is difficult, my favourite task chair is the Steelcase Think chair and my favourite lounge chair is the Publica from Konig +Neurath. Both chairs are aesthetically beautiful, highly functional and most importantly, also very comfortable.

                 The Think Task Cair by Steelcase               The Publica Lounge Chair by Konig+Neurath

Who do you love working with the most at Inspiration Office? 

I will be killed if I single out anybody specifically. I am truly blessed with the team that I work with. We all get along really well, not only proffesionally but socially as well.
I also really love working with the design community who make use of our showroom and furniture solutions. I particularly enjoyed working with Boris Kraus, of PlanB, on the recent project he did for Axis Communication.

What is your favourite thing that you own?

That will have to be a toss up between my bike, my cameras and my golf clubs. But currently I think it is my cameras. I love the silence behind the camera lens as well as the ability to create art in a split second.

What is it about you that makes you good at your job?

I definitely look at things from outside the box. I have a background in architecture, which gives me an edge on space planning and understanding working environments. I also have a wide background of sales, and each one has sculpted me and changed me to make what I am today.

When someone walks into your showroom, what is your approach? I try understand their needs. By doing so I am able to show the client a couple of examples of what will be suitable for their application. By showing the client that we are not only a one stop shop, but rather a company that can provide a solution that is tailormade for them, I believe gives the client peace of mind that we can service their needs.

Tell us about your ducatti 999.

This bike has been a boyhood dream, to drive a red Ducati. It is a fantastic piece of enigineering and an amazing toy. When I need a bit of quiet time, there is nothing quite like a long ride on the highway just listening to the sound of the engine.