10 Questions For: Karol Ostaszewski

The proudly South African cider brand, SXOLLIE has made its first international mark by bagging three coveted awards at the prestigious International Cider Challenge in April 2016 – gold for Design and Packaging as well as the title of Supreme Champion in the same category and bronze for Flavour. Co-founder Karol Ostaszewski answers our 10 Questions.

1. How would you describe what you do for a living?
I’m hustling to show South Africans the best drink that has ever been produced on this soil.

2.  What is your most vivid childhood memory?
The great storm of 1987, when violent hurricanes smashed into London, resulting in a fallen tree right outside our front door. The experience certainly got me used to the Cape Doctor.

3.  If you could invite any three people, dead or alive, for dinner, who would they be and why?
1. Heston Blumenthal – He can cook the food.
2. Richard Branson – He can pay for the food.
3. Luciano Pavarotti – He can provide the entertainment while we eat the food.

4. If you ever found yourself auditioning for a music reality TV show, what song would you sing and why?
‘Edelweiss’ from the Sound of Music. I have sung it every evening of my two-year old daughters’ life and it always instantly puts her to sleep – which if successful with the reality TV judges would help me avoid elimination and guarantee I take home the title.

5.  How would you complete this sentence? The South African cabinet should include a Minister of _____________________________.
Entrepreneurship. We have a minister for small business development but it’s about more than that – we need to get new entrepreneurs hustling to make a difference and to grow our flagging economy.

6.  What would you say is the biggest misconception about you?
 People say I like drinking – that’s wrong I love drinking.

7.  What is your (honest) opinion of Cape Town?
Certainly deserves the tag-line Slaapstad but blimey it has the noisiest birds I have ever encountered – those Hadedas make such a racket.

8.  What's the greatest fear you've had to overcome to get where you are today?
Fear of flying. When I was younger I was petrified of flying to the extent that it would haunt my dreams prior to any overseas trip. Without completely overcoming this fear I would never have been able to live in this great city and country.

9.   What's the one thing you'd like to achieve before you die?
To run a marathon on every continent in the world. I’m a keen traveller and runner so this would satisfy two of my passions at once.

10.  Which well- known South African personality would you, without a doubt, be able to beat in a street fight and why?
I am still working on my street-fighting skills and think you South African locals would wrestle this Pom to the ground. However if we’re talking English celebrities then it would have to be the Queen. It would be far too inappropriate for her to fight and I would win by default…

READ WHAT OTHER SXOLLIE CO-FOUNDER LAURA CLACEY SAID FOR OUR 10 QUESTIONS

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ABOUT #CapeTownMag10Q:

CapeTownMagazine.com’s 10 Questions project gets to know some of the Mother City’s most creative and inspiring people. From television personalities and musicians to politicians and entrepreneurs, we find out more about well-known and up-and-coming Capetonians. You can follow #CapeTownMag10Q on Twitter and Facebook to track recent interviews or read more here about our other awesome 10 Questions candidates. 

A FEW OF OUR OTHER 10Q CANDIDATES:

10 Questions for Cape Town radio personality Nigel Pierce

10 Questions For  Cape Town Chef Dion Vengatass

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