Seedpod

Hello again, its me, Lee, I am back finally with season 2 called Big Questions.This is just an intro and small taste of whats to come.Look out for new episodes dropping soon!

Thank you to my faithful listeners for your ears and attention over the last 2 years. This is the last seedpod episode of the year and of season 1. I will be launching a season 2 in the coming months, i have some big ideas and intentions so stay tuned. And this final podcast is a message from my heart to yours amongst the madness we find ourselves in. Much love and peace, see you next year.

I had the absolute privilege of meeting and interviewing Theo Ndindwa, who is for those who don't know, one of the first internationally recognised black ballet dancers in South Africa. He was selected to be part of a Nutcracker production in the early 90’s which was the first multiracial ballet production in post Apartheid South Africa. Then aged 12 he had the foresight to see that this was an opportunity to greater possibilities than what he had dreamt available to him till that point. Theo threw himself into the ballet world which took him to great heights, ultimately studying and dancing at some of the top institutions in Europe.But he knew in his heart that he was destined to return home to South Africa to play his part in providing the opportunity he was given to children from similar disadvantaged backgrounds. Having successfully run Ikapa Dance with his wife for 15 years doing just that, Theo now finds himself in search of the next challenge, how to expand and scale this type of access to creativity and education to the townships of South Africa.Theo is a legend, generous with his time and his heart and I could not help being totally inspired by his story. Its a story of vision, will and passion. Enjoy.

This weeks guest Peter Schelstraete is the co-founder and CEO of UBUNTOO, a technology startup whose mission is to accelerate scalable sustainability solutions and innovations by providing a digital platform for global visibility and collaboration. The Ubuntoo platform connects innovators and industry leaders to collaborate on solutions and technologies in support of the UN SDGs, starting with solutions to end plastic waste & pollution.Previously, Peter was at The Coca-Cola Company for 19 years’ tenure, where he held a variety of high profile roles including CMO for Asia Pacific region. Being a true world citizen, Peter has lived and worked in four continents. He has a Master’s degree in Commercial Engineering at the University of Leuven, Belgium and also holds a Postgraduate Master’s degree in Business Management from the University of Montpellier in France.I was inspired by Peters positivity, enthusiasm and drive to effect real change in our world. He has a huge wealth of knowledge in many areas of the sustainability sector and I see his platform making a massive contribution towards shifting the world towards a more sustainable one. Thank you Peter.

Misha Teasdale needs little introduction. As the self proclaimed Tree-E-O of Greenpop South Africa, a tree planting land restoration organization, he aims to not only facilitate the healing of our planet but ourselves as well. Misha has a B-Tech in Sustainable Industrial Design, and before he started Greenpop, he went on a journey from Cape Town to London, profiling NGO’s and CBO’s across the continent to attract CSI funding and encourage knowledge sharing and grassroots volunteering. This experience changed his life, altering his thinking and planted the seeds that have become the Greenpop we see today.September is Arbour month, its not something many of us know or celebrate anymore, and so this conversation comes at the right time. Misha for me represents the innovative, powerful energy of the social entrepreneurs and eco warriors pushing every day for the improvement of life on our planet. It was a privilege to share some thoughts with him and I have no doubt you will walk away richer from this conversation. Enjoy.

Earlier this year at design Indaba I had the pleasure of talking to in my mind one of the most influential designers alive today. Swedish graphic designer Jakob Trollbäck is the main architect behind the communication language for the United Nations’ 17 Global Goals – an ambitious and inspiring agenda for a better world by 2030. With a client list that is impressive – Apple, Google, Nike, Spotify, Volvo, BBC, ESPN, NBC, CBS and the TED conferences – his team has received a slew of creative industry awards over the years. But now since working on the Global Goals project he dedicates all his time at The New Division, his sustainability agency that focuses solely on work that promotes new thinking and sustainable values.We discuss how the global goals project fundamentally changed his life, shifting his work focus, turning vegetarian and causing a complete life perspective change. We discuss the weight of the knowledge of the global issues that he now carries and how he deals with that on a daily basis. For me it felt like sitting down with an elder where I gained insights and left a better person for the conversation. Thank you Jacob.

This weeks guest is based in one of my favourite countries in the world, Bangkok Thailand. Peetachai Dejkraisak or more simply known as Niel is the co-founder and CEO of Jasberry a sustainable social enterprise that seeks to solve some of the worlds most pressing issues. The jasberry rice is a superfood which delivers high nutrition, is farmed sustainably and organically and is helping to lift the ordinary rice farmers of South east Asia out of poverty. Niel has a degree in Environmental engineering and an MBA and by combining these he and his co-founder have developed a model that is changing the lives of thousands of people, giving them dignity, pride and rebuilding communities.What struck me most about Niel from our conversation was his empathy, humility and strong desire to change the status quo. He shares some incredible stories about the changes he has seen in the small holder farmers that he works with, about the personal journey he is on and where he is heading. I left our conversation feeling inspired and hopeful knowing that there are people like Niel dedicating themselves to improving the lives of others in a way that for me demonstrates a great model for the people planet profit paradigm, enjoy.

My guest for this week, Maryke Musson grew up with the ambition of being a dolphin. When that didnt work out, she managed to obtain science degrees in various fields including marine biology, medical physiology, fisheries science, psychology and neurology. She has worked in the marine science field for the past 25 years, from aquariology, to research to sustainable production and governance, and has presented at many conferences locally and internationally.Her focus is on making a difference, every day, through marine conservation, awareness, research, education and sharing inspiring ocean stories. She is currently the CEO of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation, a Public Benefit and Non-Profit Organisation with a variety of environmental education and outreach programmes and a very successful sea turtle rescue, rehabilitation and release programme.My biggest take away from this conversation was Maryke’s overwhelming positivity, even in the face of suffering and devastation. She shared some incredible stories with me about some of the animals she has helped save and rewild. I left with a deeper connection and understanding of what the lives of, in this case marine conservationists, and all conservationists must be like. We need these brave souls to remind us of our humanity and role as custodians of this earth, I thank and salute all of you!

In this week's episode I jump back to an interview I did at Design Indaba earlier this year but the relevance of the content has not changed and if anything in light of recent events is that much more powerful to listen to. I had the privilege of a half an hour conversation with Nhlanhla Mahlangu known both locally and internationally for his richly choreographed theatrical productions and his work with the famous South African artist William Kentridge. Nhlanhla is the very embodiment of tenacity. Born in Phola Park informal settlement on Johannesburg’s East Rand during the height of Apartheid, he was unable to complete his matric due to the ANC, IFP and the ‘Third Force’ violence in the Nineties, dashing his dreams of going to music school.This is probably the most political conversation I have had on my podcast and it was humbling. I learnt a lot from this short exchange. Nhlanlha does not hold back on his beliefs about the state of our country. He embodies a fierce courage that gently cuts straight to the heart of the matter. Listening to this again 6 months later I am deeply saddened about where we are as a country today, made even worse by the events of our times. Don’t skip this episode, it is important to have the difficult conversations and hear the hard things in order to heal and move forward.

Justin Needham, my last guest for the plastics free July series, has been involved in recycling for many years on a grassroots level. Having started one of the first consumer recycling collections businesses in South Africa he has first hand knowledge of how the system works and what the inherent shortfalls are. After spotting a gap in the market he is now pioneering the sector once again by bringing the reverse vending machine concept to our shores but tweaking it for local application and backing it with data and a custom consumer app.We discuss the state of the recycling industry here in South Africa and some of the stumbling blocks in the way of really scaling and reaching true success. We also discussed the current business models, how they are not currently serving the planet and its communities and what needs to change to drive real transformation and make business a strong force for good.This was an enlivening and motivating conversation for me, I learnt a lot and enjoyed throwing some big ideas around with Justin. If you are interested in recycling you cant miss this one, enjoy.

In his latest incarnation, this weeks guest, George van der Schyff heads up Pristine earth, an NGO based in Cape Town working in the environment and specifically plastics waste and pollution. Their goal is to form collaborations and bring stakeholders together to enhance the best solutions in order to support them to achieve maximum impact.One of the projects they have involvement with at the moment is brimming the Litterboom concept to Cape Town which provides a simple yet innovative way or retrieving litter from rivers.Our conversation traversed plastics pollution, our plastics industry, poverty and equality in South Africa, Surviving Covid as a new parent and the effects of having a father who was an Apartheid policeman.George shares his passion to make change in such an open heart felt way that cant help but rub off and inspire me to do the same. Thank you George.

London-based Paul Cocksedge has worked on projects as diverse as a flower-powered light, a canopy for the world’s largest botanical gardens, and furniture that fuses different metals through a freezing process. It’s impossible to pigeonhole the restlessly inventive Cocksedge, who studied industrial design at Sheffield Hallam University and product design under Ron Arad at the Royal College of Art in London. Few people are more adept at seeing everyday problems that cry out for design solutions – and he’s intent upon solving these problems in elegant and unexpected ways.For me to sit and unpack the creative mind of someone like Paul Cocksedge at Design Indaba earlier this year was an incredible privilege. He is such a humble down to earth human being and I could not help but be inspired by his infections enthusiasm. This definitely ranks as one of my favourite conversations to date, enjoy.

This week for plastic free July I chat to eco pioneer Ian Dommisse who is an architect with a passion for alternative, environmentally friendly construction methods. In 2013 he founded The EcoBrick Exchange (EBE), a recycling non-profit, which aims to use upcycled plastic waste as a building material. Ian now also focuses on landscaping projects, education and training as his way of making a difference.We chatted about many of the myths around Ecobricks and how they can best be used to divert waste from landfill and microplastics from the ocean. Going into the conversation I was speculative about the use of Ecobricks but after understanding their place in the eco system I am totally convinced they can play an important role in tackling our plastic problem. Thanks Ian for your dedication and vision.

This weeks guest Manu Prakash, who I met at the design Indaba earlier this year, did his master’s and PhD in applied physics at MIT before founding the Prakash Lab at Stanford. “Manu works at the molecular scale to literally try and understand how the world really works. he is the co-inventor of the Foldscope and co-founder of Foldscope Instruments. Manu is dedicated towards inventing and distributing “frugal science” tools to democratize access to science , diagnostics of deadly diseases like malaria and convening global citizen science communities to tackle planetary scale environmental challenges such as mosquito surveillance or plankton surveillance by citizen sailors mapping the oceanThe Foldscope is an idea that's more relevant now than ever. We are in my mind seeing the decentralisation of power on so many spheres and this is yet another. As we discuss in our conversation there has been a big loss of trust in science today because the funding system often builds in biases which are hard to overlook. Manu has the goal of democratising science through making it accessible to everyone which I find a thrilling and powerful idea. You can’t argue against something that is proven by hundreds or thousands of people. The recent months have shown again how polarised and distrustful many people are in science and for good reason, but with people like Manu pioneering projects like Foldscope, there is hope. Listen to our conversation to find out more.

As part of my Foodnext conference series I had the privilege to interview Rowan le Roux, who has been involved in sustainable activities for over 15 years from ecological economic research, to environmental finance to being sustainability manager within a large plastic manufacturer. Rowan believes, wholeheartedly, in business as a force for good and in the role that purpose driven businesses can play in restoring environmental and community systems in South Africa. Rowan is currently Operations Director at the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa where changing business for good is their businessI learnt a hell of a lot in this conversation. Rowan is a powerhouse with such a depth of knowledge around the various aspects of how plastics are produced, used, recycled and has some fascinating thoughts on the situation we find ourselves in environmentally and economically and how we might move forward. We discussed everything from the gig economy, social entrepreneurship to circular economy and climate change. This is a must listen episode with many seeds for thought.

Together with a multidisciplinary team, Catalina Lotero is tackling the global energy crisis with a surprisingly simple, plant-based idea. The Colombian-born American, who studied industrial design in Bogotá, Colombia, and is currently doing her Masters in design at Keio University in Tokyo, came up with the sustainable solution to solve a pressing problem. One in eight people worldwide does not have access to electricity, with 84% of them living in rural areas. Lotero’s ‘Raiki’ – essentially an autonomous generator – is sure to be a game-changing project. This conversation was one of the inspiring interactions I had at Design Indaba earlier this year. Catalina and I discussed how her ground breaking research works, the creative process, some of the larger issues facing us as humanity and a one of my biggest take aways was that some of the things we are doing to try and solve our problems might be creating even more. We also explored the concept of soft power where we can accept mistakes, be ok with being wrong and take a collaborative approach to solving problems. Enjoy this fat dose of inspiration.

This weeks guest, Pavitray Pillay, is the manager of the WWF (SASSI) program or Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative. She has been involved in consumer awareness, education, outreach and public engagement on sustainable seafood and marine conservation for the last 5 years. Coming from humble beginnings and a background in marine biology Pavs brings both passion and deep knowledge to the work she does. She is now heading up behaviour change at WWF using the experienced gained through the SASSI program combined with behaviour science to bring a new edge to the campaigns WWF are running aimed at driving real change.We went into detail on the mechanics of the SASSI program, whats working, where the challenges are where the biggest successes have been. We also had a fascinating discussion on behaviour change, how its been used commercially and medically and now how these tools can be used around environmental, climate related issues and plastics consumption here in South Africa. I really found this a stimulating and thought provoking conversation, enjoy.

“Named “one of the most creative people in business” by Fast Company, and “one of the most influential designers working today” by Graphic Design USA, Debbie Millman is also an author, educator, curator and host of the Design Matters podcast.As the founder and host of Design Matters, one of the world’s first and longest running podcasts, Millman has interviewed nearly 500 artists, designers and cultural commentators over the past 14 years. Design Matters won a 2011 Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, in 2015 Apple designated it one of the best overall podcasts on iTunes, and in 2018 the show was honored by the Webby Awards. Debbie is the author of six books, her illustrations have appeared in publications such as The New York Times, New York Magazine, Print Magazine, Design Observer and Fast Company and her artwork appears in galleries across America.Debbie cofounded the world’s first graduate program in branding at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, was the President of Sterling Brands, one of the world’s leading branding consultancies, and has worked withn many of the worlds leading companies. She is frequently asked to speak internationally on design and branding and loves to travel.Debbie is currently working with Law & Order SVUactor and activist Mariska Hargitay’s Joyful Heart Foundation to eradicate sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and the rape-kit backlog.Needless to say that it was an absolute honour for me to have Debbie on my podcast at Design Indaba 2020. We discussed a wide range of topics and our conversation ended up quite a philosophical one, discussing her personal visioning process that she does with her students, why people are not brands, some ideas about why we are addicted to things and she was very open about sharing some of her fears and struggles as a creative person. A lot has changed since this interview but we still remain the same flawed humans with the same needs and fears and I have no doubt you will be inspired by this amazing women and our conversation.

Last year as part of the Foodnext series I had the privilege of chatting to Nicki Russell, head of Innovation at Pick n Pay.Nicki is a passionate foodie and product developer demonstrating a 20 year history of working across multiple categories in food retail. She is skilled in trend analysis, creating and landing new concepts and inspiring teams and suppliers to push product boundaries. Her world is “all about the product,” and the customer experience is key to ongoing growth.We had a great conversation focused on innovation in the retail space from supporting, growing and encouraging local small businesses to plastics, waste and food waste and how a large retailer like pick n Pay is pushing the envelope towards sustainability in South Africa. Its great to know that a large company like Pick n Pay still has a big heart and a willingness to change for the better for us all. Enjoy the conversation.

Earlier this year I had the privilege of attending the Design Indaba before lockdown. This weeks guest, similarly to last week really impressed me with his energy, passion and focus toward making our world a better place.A born innovator, Vukheta Mukhari was always going to be at the forefront of human knowledge. As a Masters candidate in civil engineering at the University of Cape Town (UCT) he is passionate about greening the economy, and the ground-breaking project he is currently involved with seeks to develop more eco-friendly building materials, such as bricks. What makes these ‘bio-bricks’ unique is that they are created from human urine. When not working in the lab, Mukhari drives a plastic pollution awareness campaign and is building smart technology that promises to revolutionise the health and fitness space.I thoroughly enjoyed my change with this bright inspiring young man and I am sure you will too.

Its been quite a long time since this conversation was recorded and the world has changed significantly but I feel its even more relevant today where we are busy evaluating the world we want to see post Covid.Gift Lubele is the co-founder of Kudoti – South Africa’s first data and analytics recycling platform that increase efficiency and reduce costs in food, general and other waste operations. Kudoti was named one of the 25 Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company SA. He is one of the 2019 top 20 under 30 entrepreneurs by Fast company and currently works as a research engineer at Internet Solutions. At 22 years of age, Gift has received some prestigious awards from the President of Mauritius and the United Nations in Bangkok, for more information visit www.giftlubele.comI was really impressed by Gift. For a young man aged 22 with a very unique perspective, born from his humble beginnings, and a very sharp mind he has such a clear sense of purpose that I could not help but be inspired and uplifted by this conversation. We spoke about many things chiefly sustainability and recycling but through the lens of equality and the unique South African context as well as technology, AI and what it essentially means to be human. I had so much fun chatting to this amazing young man, enjoy the conversation.

This week I had the fortune of connecting with Stephen Fern who has a background working with many of the worlds wealthiest families and helping them to find purpose in their wealth.He has now created his own project called Ark2030 which has among others the ambitious goal of restoring 500 Million hectares of land to their pre-industrial state by 2030. He aims to do this using a unique organisational and funding model which I will leave you to listen to the conversation to discover. This conversation left me feeling inspired and motivated knowing that there are people like Stephen working tirelessly to to bring about the change we need and giving us all a way to get involved. Thank you Stephen.

Earlier this year I had the privilege of chatting to Jon Duncan, head of Responsible Investment at Old Mutual. An engineer by training, with a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Jon has over 20 years of professional experience in the field of sustainability research and engagement. He has worked extensively throughout Africa across a range of sectors supporting organisations with strategic social, environmental and sustainability related issues. Jon now leads the Responsible Investment Programme at Old Mutual. The Programme is focused on driving the systematic integration of material environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues across the management Old Mutual Group. Jon also heads up the Sustainability Research and Engagement function at the Group’s South African-based asset manager, Old Mutual Investment Group, where he is involved in industry ESG research, the analysis of green growth opportunities, and engagement on regulatory issues and local industry initiatives.I found this conversation truly engaging giving me the opportunity to explore some of the systematic questions I have had on my mind - like how do we shift the financial industry towards a more sustainable outlook as a key driver for the change we need in our monetary systems and the way profits are derived. I really appreciate the depth of thought and knowledge that Jon brought to this stimulating conversation.

Seraj Toefy joins me on Seedpod again bringing with him a wealth of knowledge to talk about entrepreneurship and what is like for business owners during this difficult time of COVID-19. He has some practical advice for what we can as business owners do now to minimise the damage while we try to reach the other side and then some things to start thinking about for when we can start operating again. Seraj is a father, husband, entrepreneur, mento, speaker and awesome human, we also speak about the juggle that we are all facing being at home with kids back at school on top of the challenge to earn money and keep a home running. I got a tremendous amount of value from this as I am sure you will too.

Fred Roed runs the Heavy Chef events platform and entrepreneurship community, is a seasoned entrepreneur himself and is well respected across the board for good reason. Fred is a legend. So I thought it would be great to get his perspective on the COVID-19 crisis we find ourselves in, the business side of its impact and take a peak behind the scenes at Heavy Chef and find out what it takes to turn your business into a digital one practically overnight. Fred is also filled with wisdom and advice but you will need to listen to the episode to find out what he has to offer. Thanks Fred I really valued this conversation.

In this conversation I tap into the deep wisdom and intentionality that Gavin brings to everything he does. To find out more about the phenomenal human that is Gavin please listen to the first episode of this podcast. We discuss some deep penetrating ideas about what this time means for us as humans and bring it back to some practical steps and advice on how to move through this time in the best was possible for each of us. The episode is packed with information so might even require more than 1 listen. Gavin helps me remember what it is to be human and how to get the most out of this life experience. Enjoy and please share this with anyone who might get benefit.

I have decided to pause my normal content stream in light of the current paradigm we are living through and attempt to bring you conversations that will be of value around the COVID-19 topic. Thomas lives in China half his time, has worked in healthcare and now in finance so I believe has a unique perspective to bring and I hope some clarity and ideas for moving forward in this unprecedented time.

This first guest from Design Indaba has done just that, he is looking at the people who live on the fringe of society on the streets and how he can help them using the skills that he has. Bas Timmer is a Dutch independent clothing designer who created the shelter suit after a father of a close friend died from hypothermia after finding himself on the streets. The shelter suit aims to protect the homeless from the elements by providing them warmth, protection from the wind, cold and rain using recycled materials from top outdoor gear manufacturers. Bas and his shelter suits are growing from strength to strength, already having made 10000 of them, he is an inspiration to all of us and to me a true social entrepreneur.This podcast is shorter than my usual ones as I had time restraints at Indaba with each speaker needing to do many interviews. People like Bas give me a sense of hope in the future of our world, enjoy the conversation.

Ever since I had Zachariah George on the show last year we have been threatening to get him back in the studio. There are 2 sides to Zach, the startup, corporate, finance, hustle side and the free flowing, hippie, musician side. Last time we spoke business and ran out of time so I thought it was time to show you his alter ego. This week Zach is in studio sharing his philosophy of life, a few songs and why travel is a big part of who he is. It was a fun, thought provoking conversation filled with some great pearls of wisdom. Enjoy.

This week the tables are turned and I am interviewed by my friend Rayne Stroebel. Our conversation doesn't really go into what I do for a living and my work but rather asks the deeper question of who I am? Its a tough question to answer if anyone has really spent time thinking about and articulating this its not that easy. I hope it makes for interesting listening because I have always said this podcast is not about me but rather the people I interview. For those who are interested in finding out a bit more about me, enjoy the conversation and thanks for listening.

This weeks guest Karoline Hanks is a passionate anti-SUP campaigner, and has been spear-heading a campaign against the use of plastic water sachets in road running in South Africa for over five years. She is a competitive Ultra distance trail runner, and recently scooped her fourth Puffer (80k) win. On the back of her latest race, she managed to raise R14 000 for a community project she manages with her partner in Noordhoek: Project Noordhoeked. She started a small business three years ago (called SUPA) making single-use plastic alternative products, which has grown from strength to strength, and which upskills a small sewing group in Masiphumelele.We discuss some of the campaigning work that Karoline does in turning the tide on single use plastic with a focus on the waste produced during big running events around South Africa and the alternative solutions that are available. What gives me a sense of hope from this conversation is that people like Karoline are tackling their industries head on to do what they can to shift awareness, change behaviour move towards a sustainable future. I am grateful to Karoline and any of you who are pushing the boundries and calling for change in your own way.

This podcast is the next in the series that was recorded at the foodnext conference at the CTICC in September 2019.This weeks guest, Sipamandla Manqele is a 28-year-old entrepreneur breaking fresh ground in the realm of agro-processing with her business, Local Village. She produces a variety of artisanal and organic foods and has built a compelling value proposition within a niche health market. Manqele’s business has been running for three years and has already proven itself a viable and valuable startup, providing employment and community growth.Sipamandla has been named one of South Africas’ top 200 Young People to watch in 2019 by Mail and Guardian. She is inspired by the African continent, its diverse cultures and its quest for social and economic unity and wants to play a role in the implementation of free and fair trade across Africa.I was very inspired by the powerful presence that Sipamandla carries and the strong leadership values that she exudes. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to sit down with such a powerful young black woman and hear the way she thinks. Our conversation spanned many topics from gender parity to the lack of leadership in South Africa to Xenophobia and her views on some of the race issues we have in our country. Sipamandla has a refreshingly clear voice and is a true future leader in our country. Enjoy.

This week's guest Carmen Stevens is an award-winning winemaker selling her own brand of wines on the international stage. She is the first post apartheid Black female wine maker and her story is an incredible one. Growing up on the cape flats experiencing the effects of gangsterism and drug first hand she was determined to live a different life but becoming a winemaker in an all white, all male Apartheid South African industry brought a whole new set of challenges. She now has a foundation that feeds over 5000 children every year and has just opened her own winery.I was blown away by Carmen's courage and determination in the face of the challenges that she faced. This is a story that you have to listen to. It's raw, honest and bloody inspiring. Carmens story illustrates our transition as a country out of Apartheid into the modern world and show me just what is possible for us all. Enjoy.

This week I sit down with Franc co founder Thomas Brennan who is a Rhodes scholarship recipient, ex Google employee, MIT researcher and ex Discovery Health technology and innovation team leader with a passion for the health sector and finance. Once he realised that the financial products currently offered to the general market weren’t as good as it could be and excludes much of the population he sought about finding a solution. After taking the leap from the comforts of a pay-check he founded Franc and is on a mission to bring financial instruments to the lower end of our population.We spoke about capitalism, our current money systems, inequality and a number of fascinating topics which I know you will enjoy. Thomas is a very bright mind with a passion for solving some of the worlds large issues and is rolling up his sleeves, getting his hands dirty and trying to help educate and enable the mass population around investing their money.

Abe Cambridge is a serial energy entrepreneur who establishes businesses and projects that use solar energy to effect socio-economic change. In 2012, one of his businesses, The Renewable Energy Co-operative, was nominated ‘International Co-operative of The Year’ in the UN Year of Co-operatives. He now lives in South Africa, where in 2014 he launched Sun Exchange, a global solar micro-leasing marketplace that closes the funding gap for commercial- and community-scale solar projects in emerging markets, while streaming monetized sunshine all over the world. Sun Exchange has been named Best Bitcoin & Blockchain Business in Africa two years in a row.I was struck by Abe’s clarity of vision and strength of personality and I have no doubt that he will take Sun Exchange to great success. His story is one of chance and luck in fast changing landscape, and his trajectory has a sense of destiny to it. Its a great entrepreneurial story with a growing positive impact. I learnt more about solar energy, electricity generation and carbon impact than any other conversation on this podcast so far. Enjoy the ride.

Nicola Jerkin has 20 years of experience working in the sustainability field with a particular focus on adding value to the supply chain, sustainable food systems, food waste, alien vegetation and forestry, ocean plastic, packaging and green skills. She holds a MEd in Environmental Education (Rhodes University); BSc (Hons) in Environmental & Geographical Science (University of Cape Town); and a BA in Geography and Anthropology (Rhodes University).She is the founder of Pinpoint, which provides independent and advisory services. Nicola is a member of the UN’s One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food System’s Multi-Actor Committee and is currently advising the Consumer Goods Council of SA, and the Department of Trade & Industry, in the development of a Food Waste Voluntary Agreement for South Africa.This was one of the most honest and refreshing conversations I have had on this podcast so far. We acknowledged that we are all in this together, we are all in the same situation and are constantly living a life of contradiction between wanting to live a life that is healthier for ourselves and the planet and the consumerist based rat race that most of us are part of. I loved Nicola’s unique perspective on working to solve many of the problems we face and drew a lot of inspiration from her wealth of knowledge.

This is a short podcast wrapping up the year and giving you a few hints about whats coming next year. Thank you if you support this podcast as a listener!

This weeks guest Tracey Davies runs Just Share which is a non-profit shareholder activism and responsible investment organisation that promotes the use of investor power for a fairer South Africa.Tracey spends her days fighting for transparency, equality and positive impact in the private sector or corporate sector of South Africa. She advocates that in order for South Africa to begin to find solutions to our problems the corporate sector need to shift their focus from shareholder profit and the bottom line to the greater responsibility they have to improve the lives of the people of this beautiful country.We spoke about the overwhelm we all feel when dealing with the multitude of issues we face daily, what engagement with the corporate sector looks like and how we can start to have influence in the boardrooms of our country to create greater positive impact. We need people like Tracey, she inspired me and I hope will inspire you too.

This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Industrial engineer turned WWF plastics consultant Lorren de Kock. In her mid 30’s Lorren realised she needed a change in a career path and needed to do something that made a difference so she went back to University part time while still working and raising a familNow Lorren heads up the Plastics team at WWF where she works with the various stakeholders in the industry to find solutions to the problems we face.We discussed many aspects of the plastic problem from bioplastics and why they are not a solution for us here in South Africa yet to the plastics system and industry as a whole and the shift towards a circular economy. I left far more educated as to where we stand and what the issues are that we face as well as more questions about how we move forward and start solving the problem. If you want to know more about our plastic system and issues you must listen to this podcast.

Makoma Lekalakala is a soft spoken, unassuming South African human rights activist and the director of the Earthlife Africa in Johannesburg. Earthlife Africa is an environmental NGO that lobbies the SA government to ensure environmental and climate justice in our communities. Makoma and Liz McDaid, were awarded the 2018 Goldman Environmental Prize for the African region, for their groundbreaking work on using the justice system to stop a Russian-South African nuclear deal in 2017. Makoma believes that we all have a part to play, and that together our small contributions complete the bigger puzzle that brings change. In our conversation we discussed the nuclear deal and what it takes to be a human rights activist. We also looked at some of the global threats that we are facing, and how they will affect us differently based on our culture and economic class. This podcast with one of the heroes of our time will open your eyes and leave you energised to take action.

Joining us for this week’s episode is Mkhululi Silandela, Senior Manager for the Sustainable Agriculture & Smallholder-Support program at WWF-SA. This podcast is part of a series in partnership with Foodnext.africa. FoodNext.Africa is a b2b food event where startups, food innovators, foodtech businesses, investors and partners who are redefining the food industry from farm-to-fork are able to connect.Mkhululi launched his career in the food & beverages industry, and later worked as the regional manager for Fairtrade Africa before Before joining WWF in 2012. With a B.Sc. Honours in Agribusiness & international food-chain management from the Dronten University of Applied Sciences, The Netherlands; an MBA and a unique insight into African value chains and some of the most pressing local and global issues, it is evident that Mkhululi has a passion for food security and sustainability.In this podcast Mkhululi talks about the program he’s involved with at WWF, which is working towards an inclusive regenerative agriculture & a food system which provides for people and gives back to nature. We also discussed the crises that we’re facing and the possible solutions to collectively overcome them. Mkhululi has such a depth of knowledge it was a privilege to site down with him, I hope you feel the same.“We are not limited in terms of the solutions and communities, but I think we limit ourselves when we think individually.” - Mkhululi Silandela

On the 18th of October 2019, this weeks guest Camille Olianti set off for Reunion Island where she challenged herself to run a 114km trail run with 6500m of altitude gain. The challenge was motivated by her love of nature and running, as well as her passion to bring about change. Camille ran to raise funds for the South African Endurance Academy (ENDUROCAD) based in Stellenbosch which helps female athletes from underprivileged backgrounds get an education and develop their talent in athletics. Camille has deep care for helping people to succeed which comes through in her being the Winelands Ambassador for Future Females. Her care for the planet runs just as deep. Camille has a BSc in Earth & Environmental Sciences from the University of Geneva, Switzerland, and an Hons and MSc in Geology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is involved in a number of water related projects here in Cape Town including the aquifer recharge project.We spoke about some of Camille’s own struggles that she has had to overcome including an eating disorder, her absolute love for nature and of course the environment and climate change with particular focus on water. You wont leave this conversation without inspiration.Enjoy.

Sarah Robyn Farrell, aka Sustainable Sarah, joins me this week to speak about her contribution to a more sustainable world. She is really multitalented working as a writer, environmental communicator, climate justice activist, and musician with a conscious work ethic combined with creativity, passion and a drive for instilling positive change. She is both the founder and creative director of transparenCI, creative agency that specialises in sustainability communications and a founding member of the African Climate Alliance, a youth-centered climate justice affinity group. Sarah's climate activism is centred around intersectional grassroots climate action that focuses on the youth. Her activism also flows further into her music, where she writes songs with the hope to prompt action towards environmental and social change. There are a lot of takeaways from this conversation. I enjoyed Sarah’s honesty and acknowledge her for her courage as well as her pragmatic approach to the issues that face us as a species providing simple first steps for those who are feeling lost and overwhelmed. For a genuine look down the rabbit hole, listen to this one...

Unlike most children, Rayne Stroebel grew up in an Aged Care Home where his mother was the Matron. There the seeds were planted that later developed into his heart for better care. He founded GERATEC which is a person-centred community where older people can live in a home-like environment and make their own decisions. They achieve this with a holistic and compassionate approach, meeting individual needs, encouraging independence and continued growth, rather than manage their decline. Through this, their dream is to transform and re-model long term care in South Africa. One of the striking concepts for me that came from this conversation is that when elderly people are no longer able to communicate outwardly their consciousness is never affected. Rayne’s approach to care for the elderly stems from this realisation.As he says, “We are passionate about continually raising the bar in terms of quality service, meeting the needs of the individual and moving right away from medically – nursing those in long term care. We focus on real care – encouraging residents’ independence, supporting their choices and acting on the things that are important to them.”After this enlightening conversation, l have a completely different view on getting old and interacting with the elderly. I feel some big questions were asked and some answered its something we all have to face some time or another. THis one went very deep, I hope you enjoy.

This week's guest, Emile Fourie, is focused on looking at waste differently. Emile is the CEO & Co-Founder of Ywaste, a company that specialised in Food Waste Management by transforming wasted food into organic compost. Ywaste started as a small company that manufactured domestic-scale worm farms, but in just 8 years they transformed into a substantial operation that diverts more than 1 500 tons of food waste from landfills each year. Scarily, 90% of South Africa’s food waste ends up in landfills, and soon we’ll be running out of space. Emile is a visionary and believes he has a globally relevant solution to our food waste crisis. Through making compost he is not only reducing the food waste contribution to landfills, but also enables the replenishment of the earth. I feel like I went down another rabbit hole with this one or took another red pill. I learnt a lot from our conversation and walked away with a feeling that I need to do more by way of reducing my impact and a good measure of inspiration to do so.

From humble beginnings, Tracy Gilmore has created a powerful personal development ‘sisterhood’. It started when she and her partner convinced retailers to donate excess garments, and empowered unemployed single mothers by teaching them basic business skills. The reach of their influence has expanded greatly and they have equipped 1000’s of women with the knowledge and ability to create a bright future through a healing, supportive entrepreneurship training programme. Above all, the programme strives to restore the pride and self-worth of participants. By doing so, the women are empowered to help themselves and their families, and grow a successful, profitable business.I was truly inspired by this conversation with a real innovative social entrepreneur. The clothing bank model ticks so many boxes and shows us all that there are opportunities and solutions to many of the problems we have in South Africa. It makes me feel proud to be a South African and gives me hope for our future when I see people working tirelessly and selflessly like Tracey and her team do. I hope you feel the same way.

Christina Tenjiwe Kaba is proof that anything is possible. Better known to locals as Mama Kaba, she cares for her community and goes out of her way to prevent anyone from going to bed hungry. Her conquest for change originated in Lesotho, when she started using her land to grow vegetables to contribute to the nutritional needs of her community. Today, Mama Kaba has founded numerous communal gardens in various South African townships. She exceeded expectations when she rose to the top and became a CEO, despite having only completed formal education up till halfway through standard 2. For her greatness, vision and dedication she has received more than 20 prestigious awards and is acknowledged as one of South Africa’s top farmers.Mama Kana’s caring heart is motivated to uplift communities in need and she sparks positive change wherever she goes.This is her story. Enjoy.

This week I have the pleasure of chatting to the barefoot coach aka Paddy Upton. He has been part of the coaching staff of the SA cricket team that reached World 1 ranking, he helped take the Inidian cricket team to a world cup win in 2011 and is Head Coach in four of the world's premier T20 cricket tournaments. He is also a mental coach to professional athletes from multiple sporting disciplines, leadership coach to business executives and teams, a professional speaker, and was recently appointed as a Professor of Practice at Deakin University’s Business School in Australia. Beyond his accolades Paddy has pioneered a way of thinking about leadership and coaching for many years that centres around honesty, vulnerability and collaboration.We spoke about what real success looks like, what reaching full potential as a humans looks like, what the drivers are that help us to get there and how we can support our children in their pursuits. I feel so grateful for this opportunity and walked away much wiser for it.

From a young age Eugene Oppelt was been inspired by his mother, a nurse, and watching her help and care for others helped shape his career as a psychologist. He is passionate about helping people reach their full potential in life.He’s currently focused on peak performance for elite athletes & teams, South African Olympians, & Paralympians. He is also a leadership advisor, team focus builder, change management consultant, and facilitation leader for a forward-thinking and dynamic international organization that trains men to live powerful and authentic lives.During my conversation with Geno, we discussed what it means to be a man in the world, role models, and toxic masculinity. Geno believes that mentorship should be an essential part of our lives that vulnerability is a major strength and that everyone should have someone to go to for guidance.

Aron Halevi is a musician, songwriter, producer, and social innovator with a self proclaimed obsessive percussive disorder. He is also a father, husband, dreamer and hummus addict.After Starting the highly successful Freshlyground in 2002, and an amazing seven year journey, spanning three albums, four SAMA awards, one MTV award, over 50 songs and 1000's of performances later, he decided to pursue his own career as a composer and producer. Besides enjoying his music, his hope is that his songs might touch you, move you, and possibly even inspire you to look within, to step up, and to dream big!This podcast was a unique experience for me because I had the privilege of being an audience of 1 to some Arons music in the most spectacular setting. Our conversation traversed Aron’s career from life as a young person growing up in Cape Town to his success through Freshly ground and the tension that brought with it, recording an album in a jail cell with Larry Joe to today launching is solo album and much more. I left the conversation inspired and filled with hope and possibility. If you need a strong dose of hope this is a must listen.

Marlon Parker is a leading social entrepreneur who uses information technology to empower communities. His passion for technology and innovation has led him to founding of R Labs which focuses on skills training and economic empowerment opportunities. He also co-founded JamiiX, one of the largest mobile chat counseling networks in the world with more than 4.5 million people being reached since inception.The Mail and Guardian named Marlon as 1 of 300 young South Africans you have to take out to lunch. He has been listed as one of the 100 World Class South Africans, an alumni of President Obama’s Young African Leaders initiative and a honorary faculty member of the International School of Digital Transformation. He was also selected as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Dangote Fellow and an Ashoka Fellow for his work in Social Entrepreneurship.With a heart filled with love, Marlon wants to change lives and make hope contagious. I left this conversation inspired, in awe and filled with hope , what a pleasure to spend time with this amazing human being.