Networking for Introverts: Helen Nicholson

Welcome to Episode 66 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Richard Gorven, a filmmaker, creative director and communicator, youth leader for Trulife, and author of Before You Call Yourself a Mentor.  His story moves from growing up in Durban, navigating a difficult family environment and intense bullying at school, to discovering creativity, filmmaking, music and a deep commitment to investing in young people. He reflects on the teachers and leaders who recognised his potential, the challenges that shaped his convictions and the experiences that eventually led him to rethink what mentorship actually means.  At the centre of the conversation is Richard’s belief that mentorship is not simply a title somebody claims. It is a mantle carrying the weight, privilege and responsibility of being invited into another person’s life. He also shares the concept of unreasonable mentorship and how unexpected acts of care can break down barriers and create genuine trust.    This episode is a thoughtful exploration of mentorship, identity, leadership, faith, relationships and what it means to genuinely invest in another person.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  05:59 – Introduction to Richard Gorven and his journey into mentorship  08:13 – Richard on family, growing up and the influence of his mother  11:41 – Bullying at school, identity and refusing to change who he was  17:29 – Why young people carry hope and the value of investing in them  23:51 – Discovering video editing and finding creative mentors at school  30:33 – Writing Before You Call Yourself a Mentor and questioning what mentorship really means  35:27 – Friendship, boundaries and knowing when mentorship relationships need to change  40:38 – Why mentorship needs flexibility rather than rigid definitions  48:04 – Becoming a father during COVID and the traumatic premature birth of Richard’s daughter  55:31 – The origins of the word mentor and how its meaning has evolved  01:04:56 – The five phases of mentorship: spark, initiation, cultivation, separation and redefinition  01:15:09 – Mentoring young people and why parents should be part of the journey  01:21:05 – Driving teenagers to a pub and the lesson behind unreasonable mentorship  01:28:09 – Affinity bias, cultural awareness and mentoring people different from yourself  01:34:24 – Why mentorship is a mantle, not a title  01:40:43 – Listening, assumptions and the Mr Jambo lyric that stayed with Richard  01:44:19 – Unreasonable mentorship and the power of doing the unexpected  01:48:13 – Faith, moments of impact and Richard’s closing thoughts        💬 Quote of the Episode  “I think the fruit of great mentorship is a great relationship." – Richard Gorven  “Well, I couldn’t speak his language I couldn’t even understand a word, but I knew the meaning was what I decided I had heard” – Kyle Gordon (one of Richard Gorven’s favourite quotes)        🧠 Related Campaign Example   MTN Cheese Boy Campaign: Richard highlights the MTN Cheese Boy commercial as an example of advertising that captures the tension between traditional and modern African identity while showing how technology can create connection between people from different worlds. He describes the campaign as a powerful example of communicating complex cultural ideas in a simple and emotionally effective way.  MTN Cheese Boy Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH4ZYjWBDcI  Allan Gray Mark Lives Campaign: Richard also highlights Allan Gray’s Father’s Share campaign. He admires how the campaign sells the emotional outcome behind the brand rather than focusing solely on the financial product. For him, the campaign demonstrates how marketing can reveal the intention behind somebody’s actions and completely change the audience’s understanding of a character.  Allan Gray Mark Lives Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVv15eQL368     👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Richard Gorven Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rgorven/    Richard Gorven Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gorves/    Before You Call Yourself a Mentor Website: https://beforeyoumentor.com/    Before You Call Yourself a Mentor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforeyoumentor/          🌐 Connect with Tim Africa   🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica    🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_      Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 65 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Liza Clifford, the founder of Liza Clifford Professional Bra Fitting Studio, mother of two, and an advocate for women’s confidence, body acceptance and entrepreneurship.  Her journey stretches from a free-spirited childhood on a farm to building a business around something many people overlook: the impact that proper support can have on a woman’s confidence, comfort and ability to move through the world.  The conversation explores gender and education, motherhood, perfectionism, social media, entrepreneurship and the pressure women face to meet impossible beauty standards. Liza also shares the story behind Bra Squad, a campaign that began to create authentic South African content and became something far more meaningful. Through unretouched images of real women, the campaign challenged assumptions around what women’s bodies are supposed to look like. At the heart of Liza’s philosophy is a simple idea: Put on Courage.    This episode is a conversation about accepting yourself, challenging the boxes people put you in, building something before you feel completely ready and having the courage to show up anyway.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  01:04 – Introduction to Liza Clifford   04:00 – Growing up on a farm in an Italian immigrant family  09:19 – Family expectations, education and finding independence  14:07 – Single sex schools, gender and raising confident children  25:19 – Body image, beauty standards and the beginning of Bra Squad  28:24 – The emotional moment that transformed the Bra Squad photoshoot  37:24 – What Liza would tell her younger self about confidence and perfection  40:00 – Why young people have more time than they realise  49:46 – How showing up on social media became one of Liza’s biggest revenue drivers  52:08 – Mom guilt, entrepreneurship and the expectations placed on women  59:24 – Why audiences are increasingly looking for authenticity  01:02:31 – Failure, shame and why fear prevents people from trying  01:14:25 – How Liza uses AI in operations without letting it replace her thinking  01:28:13 – Why young South Africans should consider building businesses  01:33:37 – The personal experience that showed Liza why professional bra fitting matters  01:37:50 – The story behind Put on Courage  01:49:39 – Changing the conversation around women’s bodies  02:00:05 – Scaling the business to reach more women  02:06:55 – Why Liza accepts that the brand will not be for everyone  02:10:08 – Why old content can continue creating value years later      💬 Quote of the Episode  “A goal without a plan is a dream.” – Brian Tracy  “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”– Theodore Rosevelt        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Always #LikeAGirl Campaign:   Liza chose the Always #LikeAGirl campaign because it represents the kind of marketing she values most: marketing that goes beyond selling a product and changes a conversation.  The campaign took the phrase “like a girl”, which had become associated with weakness, and challenged people to think about what that message was teaching girls. In the advert, adults and older children act out running, throwing and fighting “like a girl” as weak or silly, while younger girls simply do those things as strongly as they can.  For Liza, the insight was powerful because it showed that girls eventually learn to associate being a girl with being less capable.  She also admired that Always did not make the product the hero. The brand identified a cultural tension and made that conversation the campaign. The #LikeAGirl hashtag then allowed people to participate in, share and reinterpret the idea themselves. For Liza, the lesson is simple: great marketing does not always need to sell the product directly. Sometimes it changes the conversation around the problem the brand exists to solve.  Always #LikeAGirl Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olUAKw66y2k          👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Lisa Clifford LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizaclifford/  Liza Clifford Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lcprofessionalbrafittingstudio  Liza Clifford Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizaclifford/  Liza Clifford Twitter: https://x.com/Liza_Clifford    Liza Clifford Professional Bra Fitting Studio Website: https://lizaclifford.com/  Liza Clifford Professional Bra Fitting Studio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LizaCliffordBraFitting  Liza Clifford Professional Bra Fitting Studio Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizacliffordbrafittingstudio/  Liza Clifford Professional Bra Fitting Studio YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJCpWERVN80LjQNGM3Jd1Dg        🌐 Connect with Tim Africa 🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa  📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica  🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_    Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 64 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Claire Armstrong, a consumer marketing insights leader at Unilever, mother of three, and a professional in marketing with nearly two decades of experience understanding why people do what they do.  She reflects on a journey that has taken her from growing up in Westville and moving to the UK at 16, to studying sociology, entering market research and ultimately building a 12-year career at Unilever. Along the way, she shares how her career became a source of stability through some of the most difficult periods of her personal life. We also unpack why human understanding, adaptability and strong relationships remain essential in an increasingly AI enabled world.  The conversation explores “Yesterday’s Best”, her belief that what is meant for you will never pass you by, and the importance of remembering that difficult seasons aren’t permanent. Claire also shares how becoming a mother changed her approach to ambition, leadership and work, and why she believes being a working parent has made her a better leader.    This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating career ambition, parenthood, leadership, personal change or the challenge of building a life that makes room for all of who you are.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:47 – Introduction to Claire Armstrong and the Lifeline Exercise  05:10 – Yesterday’s Best, gratitude and finding something good in every day  10:06 – “What’s meant for you will not pass you by” and doing the work  20:09 – Career stability, moving to the UK and travelling the world  30:05 – Entering consumer insights and building a career at Unilever  40:42 – Keeping personal struggles separate from professional life  50:04 – Career as a coping mechanism and Claire’s biggest promotion  59:04 – Consumer insights, connecting data and understanding human behaviour  01:05:25 – Forecasting the future and becoming comfortable with uncertainty  01:25:18 – Authentic brand storytelling and finding the human truth  01:35:12 – Redefining ambition through job sharing and motherhood  01:45:23 – Leading with empathy, compassion and servant leadership  01:50:02 – “It will either be great or a great story” and what comes next      💬 Quote of the Episode  "What's meant for you will never pass you by"  “It will either be great or a great story”   – Claire Armstrong    🧠 Related Campaign Example   Vaseline’s 'Mntana ka Gogo’ Campaign: Claire selected this campaign as an example of consumer insight rooted in real human behaviour. Rather than leading with product functionality, the campaign taps into heritage, love and the familiar relationship between a grandmother, her grandchild and a product already embedded in everyday South African life.  As Claire explains, the campaign demonstrates the power of understanding the emotional role a brand already plays in consumers’ lives. She describes it as “the most beautiful South African example of real consumer behaviour that is absolutely covered in love and emotion.”  Vaseline's 'Mntana ka Gogo' Campaign: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1QNAOA2Q64   👣 Relevant Links & Mentions   Claire Armstrong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-armstrong-b2b737aa/    Claire Armstrong Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claire_e_armstrong/    Claire Armstrong Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claire.bekker.9          🌐 Connect with Tim Africa Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica    🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_     Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 63 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Dr. Candice Bailey, a journalist, science communicator, researcher and coauthor of We Were Always Here: Stories of Black Inventors Across the African Diaspora.  Her relationship with storytelling began early. She started a small community newspaper while still at school, later helped launch a campus newspaper, worked as a crime and investigative journalist and eventually completed a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand, a path she describes as almost accidental.  Through stories of inventors working across telecommunications, space exploration, medicine, sustainability and everyday technology, Candice and the hosts explore a recurring theme: innovation rarely arrives without failure. From Victor Lawrence’s contribution to modern telecommunications to inventors turning environmental problems into practical solutions, the episode looks at the perseverance behind invention and the importance of approaching familiar problems differently.    This episode is a must listen for anyone interested in journalism, innovation, African history, science communication, representation and the power of knowing that people like you have done extraordinary things before.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  01:04 – Introduction to Dr Candice Bailey and We Were Always Here  05:27 – Why the book puts contemporary Black inventors first for young readers  07:11 – Candice on storytelling, music and growing up  13:08 – Discovering journalism and starting a community newspaper  16:01 – Studying journalism and starting her career as a crime reporter   21:28 – Moving from investigative journalism into an accidental PhD in politics  29:00 – Why We Were Always Here was created and the importance of retelling history  40:08 – Victor Lawrence and Patricia Cowings learnings and reflections.  47:11 – Katherine Johnson and George Carruthers learnings and reflections.  53:00 – South African inventions that solve everyday problems  01:10:42 – Why Black inventors need to receive credit for their work  01:17:53 – Patents, ownership and protecting new ideas  01:33:23 – The future of We Were Always Here and getting the book into schools and libraries        💬 Quote of the Episode  “When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It’s very simple.” – Paulo Coelho  "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." – Newton's Third Law of Motion        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Volkswagen's classic South African TV Campaign: Candice chose a Volkswagen advert that she remembers from childhood. Beyond the product itself, she connects with its music, storytelling and depiction of life in South Africa, particularly the way it brings back memories of growing up in Cape Town.  Volkswagen's classic South African TV Campaign: https://youtu.be/DkWmA8hcRPc?si=qyHEwCziBK-UiU5Y         👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Dr. Candice Bailey Website: https://theconversation.com/profiles/candice-bailey-161268  Dr. Candice Bailey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-bailey-61b108a/   Dr. Candice Bailey Twitter: https://x.com/candice_bailey     Purchase the We Were Always Here book via this link: https://wewerealwayshere.com/         🌐 Connect with Tim Africa Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa   📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica   🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_     Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa  

Welcome to Episode 62 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Professor Linda Meyer, an experienced higher education leader and passionate advocate for lifelong learning, women in leadership and greater access to quality education across Africa.  Professor Meyer reflects on a career that has taken her from working as a flight attendant and full-time trade unionist to the CCMA, government, justice, statutory institutions and senior leadership in higher education. She explains how these experiences shaped her understanding of dignity; fairness and the responsibility institutions have to improve people’s lives.  Jon and Linda discuss artificial intelligence in education, the challenges facing first generation students, graduate employability and the urgent need for stronger collaboration between public and private institutions. Professor Meyer also discusses Rosebank International’s partnership with the University of the Free State and her ambition to expand high-quality African education across the continent.    This episode is essential listening for education leaders, policymakers, employers and anyone interested in building a more accessible, collaborative and future ready higher education system.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:47 – Introduction to Linda Meyer and artificial intelligence in education  06:52 – The childhood experience that shaped Professor Meyer’s moral compass  14:27 – Trade unionism, the CCMA and discovering the power of education  24:29 – Working across community colleges, government, justice and higher education  34:31 – Financial pressure and sustainability within the public university system  37:04 – Why education must remain the purpose of every higher education institution  39:16 – Online learning and the disruption of traditional education  40:19 – Youth unemployment and the continuing value of a university degree  51:07 – Different learning styles and the importance of applying knowledge  57:44 – The leaders who taught Professor Meyer humility, kindness and commercial judgement  1:02:46 – The challenges facing first generation university students  1:07:00 – Building African solutions for African education challenges  1:11:36 – The four principles guiding Professor Meyer’s leadership  1:17:31 – Women’s access to education, unequal pay and leadership opportunities  1:23:31 – Patriarchal systems and recognising women’s contributions  1:29:40 – Creating opportunities through social responsibility  1:33:44 – What Professor Meyer would tell her younger self  1:36:47 – Why people must look beyond artificial intelligence summaries        💬 Quote of the Episode  “Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou.        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Me Too Movement: Although it’s not a conventional advertising campaign, “Me Too” is one of the most consequential global advocacy campaigns of our time. It transformed experiences that had often been endured privately into a collective demand for recognition, accountability and institutional change. Its power lay in two simple words that enabled millions of women to recognise that their experiences were not isolated and that silence frequently protects systems rather than victims.   “The campaign is particularly relevant to my work in leadership, higher education and labour-market policy because sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination are not merely interpersonal problems. They are institutional and workplace governance failures that restrict women’s participation, progression and psychological safety. “Me Too” demonstrated how personal testimony, shared at scale, can challenge entrenched power and compel organisations to examine cultures that formal policies alone have failed to change. Its enduring lesson is that institutions cannot claim to support women while tolerating environments in which misconduct is concealed, complainants are discredited and perpetrators remain protected.”  The campaign changed the global conversation; the continuing challenge is to translate that visibility into due process, prevention, accountability and lasting institutional reform.  Me Too Movement: https://metoomvmt.org/         👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Professor Linda Meyer LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-meyer-2b236866/        🌐 Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa   📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica   🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_     Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa  

Welcome to Episode 61 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Pierre du Plessis, a strategist, keynote speaker, coach (and co-consoirator), author and founder of Be Brave, a Cape Town based Strategy Design Lab.  Drawing on more than two decades of experience across strategy, design, human development and leadership, Pierre helps people and organisations find clarity, make brave decisions and navigate complexity. He is the author of four books, including Train Naked: A Guide to a Meaningful Life and Work That Matters, and the host of the Through the Fog podcast.  Pierre discusses the daily writing practice behind his newsletter, his journey from theology to professional speaking and the responsibility that comes with receiving another person’s attention. He also explores how leaders can use listening to help people feel seen, why myths and archetypes give us a framework for navigating life and what it means to show up without masks or pretence.  The conversation moves through philosophy, Japanese culture, mental health, depression, wolves and sled dogs, and Pierre’s current body of work, Only the Brave.     The episode is a powerful invitation to discover who you are, accept that you belong and decide what to do with your one wild and precious life.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:33 – What Pierre would tell his younger self  07:32 – The story behind Pierre’s daily newsletter  13:21 – Theology, spirituality and writing multiple books  17:36 – Long form and short form media and how platforms shape thinking  27:12 – Algorithms, artificial intelligence and the loss of authentic expression  33:32 – Pierre’s journey into professional speaking  42:07 – Listening as a powerful and overlooked leadership skill  46:50 – The role of the jester in challenging authority and disrupting convention  50:40 – Doing difficult things and being willing to look foolish  55:12 – Japanese culture, and the philosophy of looking beyond the obstacle  1:00:24 – Archetypes, mythology and the search for identity  1:06:51 – Depression, introspection and the lifelong pursuit of self knowledge  1:13:26 – Pierre’s experience of antidepressants and emotional numbness  1:19:37 – Wolves, sled dogs and choosing between freedom and security  1:32:51 – Only the Brave and deciding what to do with your life  1:35:25 – What it really means to Train Naked  1:40:49 – Knowing that you belong and choosing how to use your one wild and precious life        💬 Quote of the Episode  “The most important thing in the world is to figure out who you are.” – Pierre du Plessis        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Pierre discusses a Nordic short film featuring a sled dog trainer reflecting on an imagined conversation between wolves and sled dogs. The wolves have freedom but little security, while the sled dogs have warmth, food, teamwork and purpose at the cost of some freedom.  Pierre uses the story as a metaphor for the decisions people face in their careers and lives. Neither path is inherently better. The real question is whether you currently need the independence of the wolf or the shared mission and security of the sled dog.         👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Pierre du Plessis Website: https://thisispierre.co/   Pierre du Plessis LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/pierredup    Pierre du Plessis Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pierreduplessis/   Pierre du Plessis YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thisispierre   Pierre du Plessis Podcast: https://thisispierre.co/podcast     Be Brave Website: https://www.be-brave.co.za/   Be Brave LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-brave-consulting/   Train Naked signed copy book: https://thisispierre.co/books     🌐 Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa   📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica   🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_     Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 60 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Helen Nicholson, the founder and CEO of The Networking Company, author, speaker and personal branding expert.  Helen reflects on her journey from studying accounting to building and selling her first business in Dubai before returning home to South Africa. She explains how a backpacking crisis in Malawi revealed the true power of having a strong network and inspired her to make networking her life’s work. In this episode we go through her practical networking techniques, including the groups of three principle and her Observe, Ask and Reveal method.  She also discusses burnout, learning to balance performance with recovery and the importance of protecting your health in an increasingly demanding world. She also discusses the risks of becoming consumed by AI and why sustainable performance begins with personal wellbeing.  The conversation explores the unwritten rules of business, the four people everyone needs on their personal board, and why authenticity, generosity and reciprocity are essential for building meaningful professional relationships.   This episode is a must listen for professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders who want to build stronger relationships, grow their influence and take greater ownership of their lives and careers.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:45 – Introduction to Helen Nicholson and networking in groups of three  02:17 – Studying accounting, moving to Dubai and becoming an entrepreneur  08:03 – Feeling invisible at university and developing compassion for introverts  14:20 – Professional appearance and showing up with intention  19:34 – Corporate politics and the unwritten rules that influence careers  24:48 – The phone call that revealed the power of having a network  27:06 – What defines a connector and why connecting can be learned  31:03 – Relationship building and avoiding SOS networking  35:11 – Why authenticity and generosity sustain valuable relationships  40:34 – The brain science behind introversion, extroversion and dopamine  47:49 – The four essential people to have on your personal board  56:16 – How to enter a networking group and meet new people  59:00 – Using Observe, Ask and Reveal to move beyond small talk  1:05:28 – The three stories every entrepreneur should be able to tell  1:08:16 – AI, distraction, burnout and protecting your wellbeing  1:17:26 – Why sustainable performance requires intentional recovery        💬 Quote of the Episode  “Stop waiting, you are the one you’ve been waiting for.” – Helen Nicholson        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Thinkbox’s “Every Home Needs a Harvey” Advertisement: Helen Nicholson selected this classic advertisement because it demonstrates the power of standing out. In the advert, a rescue dog named Harvey uses a video to show the value he could bring to a potential owner. Helen uses the campaign as an example of effective personal branding, preparation and communicating your value.  Thinkbox’s “Every Home Needs a Harvey” Advertisement: https://youtu.be/kYg_Rb2STAE?si=Q56CPq-s09M2-_ad         👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Helen Nicholson Website: https://helen-nicholson.com/   Helen Nicholson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helennicholson92/   Helen Nicholson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helen.nicholson.1428   Helen Nicholson Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/networkwithhelen/     The Networking Company Website: https://thenetworkingco.com/   The Networking Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/18739149/   The Networking Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNetworkingCo/   The Networking Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenetworkingco/           🌐 Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa   📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica   🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_     Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 59 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Les Owen, a negotiation and persuasion specialist whose career has taken him from industrial relations and high-stakes trade union negotiations to advising some of the world’s largest companies.  Les reflects on working for PUTCO (the Public Utility Transport Corporation) during a defining period in South African history, studying Zulu before the rise of the black trade union movement and developing his negotiation skills alongside influential union leaders. He also shares his experience as a trustee of the Independent Mediation Service of South Africa, the organisation that later helped shape the CCMA.  He also discusses the difference between persuasion and manipulation, the role of power and fairness in negotiation, the lessons he learned from business failure, South Africa’s 1994 elections and decades of resolving conflict.  The conversation explores the psychology behind negotiation and persuasion, including how body language, colour, timing, seating and preparation can influence an interaction before anyone has presented an argument.   This episode is a must listen for leaders, business owners, salespeople and anyone who wants to communicate more effectively, navigate conflict and become a better persuader.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:45 – Introduction to Les Owen, Psychology of Persuasion and 1976 Soweto uprising  03:19 – Studying Zulu and preparing for a changing South Africa  06:04 – The rise of black trade unions and Les’s first negotiation role  09:22 – Discovering a natural talent for negotiation and persuasion  13:05 – IMSA, international training and the foundation of the CCMA  18:25 – Helping to oversee the 1994 elections in Natal  27:09 – Using body language to influence expectations  35:36 – How clothing and colour affect a negotiation  42:16 – Why timing matters in negotiation  52:16 – We Were Always Here and the overlooked history of black inventors  59:09 – Why family negotiations can be the most difficult  1:05:09 – How language can influence the future we create  1:10:23 – Why people need to be right and seen positively  1:13:41 – The relationship between selling, negotiation and persuasion  1:19:10 – The grey area between persuasion and manipulation  1:28:25 – Cognitive biases and different interpretations of the same facts  1:32:21 – The difference between power and authority  1:41:30 – Nelson Mandela’s leadership and commitment to listening  1:51:05 – The three characteristics of a good negotiator        💬 Quote of the Episode  “You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.” – Friedrich Nietzsche (one of Leslie Owen’s favourite quotes)        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Cremora’s “It’s Not Inside, It’s On Top” Advertisement: Les selected this classic South African advertisement because it captures the cooperative and competitive nature of relationships. It also demonstrates the value of using fewer words, communicating through tone and context and avoiding the instinct to tell someone directly that they are wrong.  Cremora’s “It’s Not Inside, It’s On Top” Advertisement: https://youtu.be/0_t15vNuXP0?si=fWlNvRrvyD7Eidvt         👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Les Owens LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-owen-b9a50526/    Owen, Adendorff & Associates Website: https://www.owenaden.com/     Purchase the We Are Always Here book via this link: wewerealwayshere.com TED Talk on Being Wrong – Kathryn Schulz: https://youtu.be/QleRgTBMX88?si=dksQ1RuVptUASdon         🌐 Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica    🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_      Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 58 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Ryan Butcher, a world champion paddleboard athlete, entrepreneur and co-founder of Hurricane Surf.  Ryan reflects on growing up in Johannesburg, developing a deep connection with the ocean and committing himself to competitive surfing and surf lifesaving. That determination eventually led him to national titles, a world championship and the Red Bull Big Wave Africa event, where he competed despite breaking his leg weeks earlier.  He also shares how his sporting experience shaped his approach to business. From identifying a gap in the South African surf market and building Hurricane Surf to helping reposition Value Added Life and Procydin, Ryan explains the importance of authenticity, teamwork, brand DNA and creating genuine value.  The conversation explores the challenge of marketing a complex health product without presenting it as a cure for everything. Ryan explains how the team returned to the science, history and purpose behind Procydin to communicate a clearer essential nutrients story.  This episode offers practical insights into performance, entrepreneurship, brand building and the urgency required to turn ambitious ideas into action.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:45 – Introduction to Ryan Butcher and procrastination, pressure and urgency  03:48 – Growing up in Johannesburg, living in France and moving to Durban  08:59 – Winning national titles and becoming a paddleboard world champion  13:52 – Learning how to compete, lose and use failure as motivation  20:03 – Training, confidence and reaching a competitive flow state  25:07 – The Springboks, Rassie Erasmus and building a winning team  30:16 – Big wave surfing and searching for his personal limits  35:04 – Surfing Pipeline and pursuing bigger challenges  40:05 – Considering a return to competitive surfing  45:34 – Why Ryan performs better as part of a team  50:21 – Identifying a gap in the market and starting Hurricane Surf  55:02 – Developing products and expanding the Hurricane range  01:00:15 – Growing internationally and opening a surf school at Club Med  01:05:09 – Competing with international surf brands and protecting authenticity  01:10:19 – The stories behind successful brands  01:14:03 – Performance, supplementation and the origins of Value Added Life  01:18:53 – Entering the health market and taking the business internationally  01:21:00 – Rebuilding the brand DNA and establishing a digital presence  01:25:37 – Understanding what creates a successful breakout brand  01:29:45 – Essential nutrients, modern diets and the history behind Procydin  01:33:47 – Communicating a complex health product without overselling it  01:37:34 – Telling the essential nutrients story to reach a new market  01:39:12 – Elon Musk’s ten year goal and six month urgency mindset  01:42:04 – The people Ryan considers his incredible machines  01:45:44 – Recognising human potential and addressing personal weaknesses      💬 Quote of the Episode  “Stop being patient when it comes to trying to achieve your ten-year goal. Figure out how to do that in six months and put all your effort into doing your ten-year goal in six months.” – Elon Musk (one of Ryan Butcher’s favourite quotes)        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Value Added Life: Put Back in What Modern Life Takes Out  Ryan discusses the work behind communicating Value Added Life’s essential nutrients story. The campaign focuses on helping people understand what modern diets may be missing and how the company’s products are positioned to support the body’s natural processes without presenting them as a cure for everything.        👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Ryan Butcher’s LinkedIn: https://za.linkedin.com/in/ryan-butcher-515b28312   Hurricane Surf Website https://hurricanesurf.net/    Hurricane Surf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hurricanesurf/    Hurricane Surf Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hurricanesurf          🌐 Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica    🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_      Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa 

Welcome to Episode 57 of The Incredible Machines podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation, Jon Oliff and Luke Holden sit down with Graeme Stiles, the founder, CEO and Chief AI Officer of Algorithm, to unpack a journey that started with uncertainty and self-doubt and eventually led to building a global performance marketing agency.  The conversation explores what happens when a technical specialist becomes a business owner. Graeme shares the realities of starting Algorithm from a bedroom while preparing to become a father, learning to sell, building a team, expanding internationally and navigating the increasingly complex challenges that come with scaling beyond a founder led business.  AI also takes centre stage. He explains why automation does not necessarily remove the need for expertise, how Algorithm is approaching AI internally, why junior talent still needs to master the fundamentals and what happens when people begin outsourcing their thinking to technology.  This episode gives an insight about confidence, leadership, performance marketing, AI, entrepreneurship and the importance of knowing when technology should accelerate your thinking rather than replace it.        ⏱ Timestamped Overview  00:80 – Introduction to Graeme Stiles and what he would tell his younger self.  09:12: Working at Exclusive Books and accidentally entering digital marketing  17:27: Joining Quirk, learning agency life and moving beyond the quiet specialist role  26:24: Starting Algorithm from home and learning how to sell, invoice and run a business  31:10: The role of luck, hard work and creating opportunities for young talent  40:57: Military history, discipline, structure and the influence of Graeme's father  49:10: Growing Algorithm, building a UK presence and expanding internationally  58:23: Unreasonable Hospitality and the challenge of scaling without losing what makes a business special  01:00:16: Algorithm's early AI foundations and why automation does not replace strategy  01:07:30: How Google changed access to information and how AI is changing analysis  01:15:15: Why Algorithm requires people to master the fundamentals before using its AI tools  01:21:25: The 1 percent better philosophy and the power of compounding improvement  01:24:09: Why AI means business growth no longer necessarily means growing headcount  01:29:20: Moving beyond traditional SEO and the evolution of organic discovery  01:33:20: Entrepreneurship, becoming a father and the hidden personal cost of building a business  01:42:27: Burnout, openness, asking for help and challenging the glorification of entrepreneurship        💬 Quote of the Episode  “Service is one of my core values, and I do that because I get more from it than I think.” – Graeme Stiles  "Prioritise and execute" Jocko Willink (one of Graeme Stiles’ favourite quotes).        🧠 Related Campaign Example   Spotify Wrapped Concept: Graeme states why he chose this case study: “Chosen because the data is the creative. Principles: data is the creative; the audience is the media buy; AI belongs in the underlying product, not the interpretation; retention dressed as acquisition; not replicable without the data density.”  Spotify Wrapped Concept: https://support.spotify.com/td-en/article/spotify-wrapped/         👣 Relevant Links & Mentions  Graeme Stiles’ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graemestiles/     Algorithm Website: https://www.algorithm.agency/   Algortihm LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/algorithm-agency/   Algorithm Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/algorithmagency   Algorithm Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/algorithmagencyglobal       🌐 Connect with Tim Africa  🔗 Website: https://www.tim.africa   📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tim.africa   📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timdotafrica   🎬 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tim.africa_     Podcast Page: https://www.pod.tim.africa