Through the Fog

PJ Claasen, leadership coach and author of The Bok Way, reveals the methods that built the culture behind the Springboks' remarkable success and how any organisation can apply them. Drawing on interviews with players, coaches, and key strategists, he explores how trust, shared purpose, accountability, and continuous self-improvement create teams that consistently perform under pressure. In this co...

Join Pierre du Plessis and Nic as they explore sensory seeking, burnout, success, AI's impact on work, and the art of being uniquely you. This episode offers deep insights into personal growth, entrepreneurship, and redefining success in a rapidly changing world. In this engaging conversation, Nic and Pierre explore the evolving landscape of AI, entrepreneurship, and the importance of building aut...

In this season finale of Through the Fog, host Pierre du Plessis dives deep with financial planner, entrepreneur, and thinker Nathan Mersereau. Broadcasting from opposite ends of the globe, Pierre and Nathan explore how our stories around money shape our lives, the pitfalls of measuring success purely through wealth, and the transformative power of introspection. From soup kitchens to billionaire...

In this episode of Through the Fog, Pierre sits down with Guy Ellis, global entrepreneur, investor, and co-founder of the Lekker Network. With over 60 board, advisory, and founder roles, Guy shares a wealth of insight into entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, and the power of helping others. From his roots as a wannabe “Dr. Farmer” to his groundbreaking work at Harvard and across global marke...

 In this deeply personal and visionary episode, Pierre speaks with Justinus, a passionate entrepreneur and co-founder of WeThinkCode_, about building a more equitable South Africa. They dive into Justinus’s background, his love for rugby, and the transformative power of access to education and opportunity. From developing world-class coders from underserved communities to launching a bold new init...

In this engaging and thought-provoking episode, Pierre sits down with futurist and economist Bronwyn Williams. Together, they dive deep into what it means to live purposefully in a chaotic world, the future of work in an age of AI, and how to retain agency in a society leaning towards automation and comfort. Bronwyn discusses the value of being a professional outsider, the illusion of goals for th...

In this episode of Through the Fog, we sit down with Flip van der Merwe, former Springbok rugby player turned French-resident strategist. Flip shares his remarkable journey from growing up on a farm in the Kalahari, to playing international rugby, to raising a bilingual family abroad. We explore the interplay between tradition and modernity, the challenges of choosing where to raise children, the...

In this episode of Through the Fog, I sit down with Sarah Rice, an organizational culture strategist and coach who has spent over two decades helping founders and leaders navigate the complex, often contradictory expectations of modern leadership. We explore the hidden pressures on entrepreneurs to become both “priests and parents” to their teams, how culture shapes behavior, and the power of bein...

In this heartfelt and insight-rich conversation, I sat down with my friend and mentor Andrew Smith, co-founder of YuppieChef and now co-creator of Brave Hardy. From the early days of web design to building one of South Africa's most beloved kitchenware brands, Andrew shared his journey of entrepreneurship, vulnerability, resilience, and the art of “staying in the game.” Whether you’re a founder na...

In this deeply inspiring episode of Through the Fog, Pierre speaks with Samantha Skyring, adventurer, visionary, and founder of the globally loved Oryx Desert Salt. From a transformative kayaking journey and losing her island dream, to single motherhood and building a business rooted in purpose, Samantha opens up about the intentionality behind everything she does. Expect powerful stories about re...

In this episode, I reconnect with someone I’ve known and admired for over two decades, the ever-evolving Dion Chang. You might know Dion as a fashion icon, trend analyst, and founder of Flux Trends. But what you probably don’t know is that Dion is now a certified end-of-life companion, yes, a death doula. This conversation left me both grounded and inspired. We talk about identity, reinvention, wh...

In this deeply moving and honest conversation, Pierre sits down with artist, teacher, and divorce doula Lira van Staden. Together they explore the intersections of creativity, loss, personal reinvention, and what it truly means to find your voice again after life doesn’t go according to plan. Lira shares her journey from a childhood dream shaped by societal expectations to becoming a celebrated pu...

In this thoughtful and deeply resonant conversation, Pierre speaks with clinical psychologist and executive coach Dr. Marc Rogatschnig. Together, they unpack what it means to live meaningfully, navigate midlife transitions with courage, and discover the power of boredom, friendship, and self reflection. Marc opens up about his early desire to become a politician, his detour into law, and how trave...

In this first episode, I sit down with entrepreneur, educator, and friend Rob Paddock. Together, we unravel what it means to live a life of depth, how boxing became a surprising teacher, and why marriage and fatherhood are proper spiritual practices. We touch on everything from men’s work, plant medicine, and the culture of overwork, to parenting, leadership, and the transformative power of commit...

Coming soon with Rob Paddock, co-founder of Get Smarter, founder Valenture Institute creating low fee online High Schools in Africa.