The Quiet Win

Published September 4, 2025

Not every victory comes with applause or hype.

Some of the most important wins are small, steady and almost invisible.

In rugby, those were hitting rehab milestones no one celebrated, being able to jog again after surgery, adding a few extra reps in the gym, or finishing a recovery session without pain.

No cameras, no crowd. Just small steps forward that built confidence over time.

In business, it’s been the same. Signing my first small client. Learning how to deliver consistently. Figuring out systems that work, even if nobody notices.

Those quiet wins didn’t feel big in the moment. But stacked together, they became the foundation for growth.

That’s the heart of what I call The Quiet Win:
Progress often hides in the little things that add up over time.

Here’s how you can practice it this week:

Notice the small steps. Celebrate them, even if no one else does.

Stay consistent. Small wins compound but only if you keep showing up.

Share them. You never know who might need the reminder that progress doesn’t always look like a highlight reel.

The truth is, the quiet wins are the ones that prepare you for the loud ones.
And over time, they matter just as much.

The Bounce Back Principle

Published August 28, 2025

Resilience isn’t about never falling.
It’s about how fast you get back up.

In rugby, mistakes happen. You miss a tackle, drop a ball, get stepped. The best players weren’t the ones who never made mistakes, they were the ones who could reset the fastest and be ready for the next phase.

That short memory is what kept a mistake from turning into a disaster. Because in rugby, one error isn’t the problem. The problem is when you start compounding errors.

I had to carry that same mindset into life after sport.
When my shoulder ended my career.
When I ruptured my Achilles just as I was finding my feet again.
When I started over in business with more questions than answers.

Each time, the temptation was the same: get stuck in the failure.
Replay it in my mind. Try to “fix it.” Spiral.

But resilience isn’t about living mistake-free.
It’s about developing the tools and mindset to bounce back quickly when life knocks you down.

That’s the heart of what I call The Bounce Back Principle:

Here are three things that help me apply it:

Reframe fast. A setback is feedback, not a final verdict.

Anchor in habits. My routine gives me something steady to fall back on when everything else feels shaky.

Ask for support. Whether it was teammates, family, or mentors; I’ve learned that bouncing back isn’t a solo sport.

The truth is, everyone falls. Everyone fails.
What separates people isn’t the fall, it’s the bounce back.

The Hidden Work

Published August 21, 2025

In rugby, trust was never built on game day.

It was built in the hidden hours, the extra gym sessions, the video analysis, the recovery routine no one clapped for.

Those quiet wins created confidence when it mattered most. Because on the field, you’re only as strong as the trust you’ve already built.

I’ve come to realise that the same principle applies in life and business. Trust isn’t about big moments; it’s about the so-called hidden work.
The calls you follow through on.
The promises you keep.
The consistency no one sees but everyone feels when pressure arrives.

That’s the heart of the Hidden Work:

The things you do in the dark determine the trust you carry in the light.

When you show up consistently in small ways, people begin to rely on you in big ways.

Here’s how you can practice it this week:

• Pick one area of your life or work where you want to build trust.
• Commit to one small, consistent action in that area, even if nobody’s watching.
• Repeat it until it becomes second nature.

Trust is slow to build but powerful when it’s tested.
And when the spotlight comes, you won’t need to prove anything , your unseen work will already speak for you.

Why My Work Must Have Impact

Published August 14, 2025

I grew up in Belhar in Cape Town, a place that taught me more about resilience, community, and grit than any textbook ever could. It wasn’t the easiest start, but it was real, full of people who showed up for each other, even when resources were scarce.

When rugby entered my life, it opened doors I never imagined. I got to travel, meet incredible people, and experience moments I used to only dream about. But it also gave me something deeper, perspective.

Because no matter how far I’ve gone, I’ve never forgotten where I started.

Today, in boardrooms and business meetings, that perspective guides me. I don’t just want to “win” in business. I want my work to create opportunities. I want young people from communities like Belhar to see that it’s possible to take what you’ve learned on the field, in life and use it to make real change.

Impact isn’t just a nice to have for me; it’s my compass.

Here’s what I’ve learned about doing work that matters:

• Purpose beats profit (but purpose drives profit when done right)

• Partnership is the multiplier - nothing impactful is built alone

• Impact needs follow-through - vision without action is just talk

From the streets of Belhar to the boardroom table, my mission has been the same:

Use my platform, my skills, and my network to create something that outlasts me.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your work can really make a difference, here’s my answer: It can. But only if you decide that it must.

The Resilience Toolkit: 5 Principles That Helped Me Rebuild

Published August 6, 2025

After I ruptured my Achilles during the first tournament back with the Springbok Sevens, it felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs. A wave of disbelief settled in.

I had just come off a 3-month pre-season. I was the fittest I’d ever been. And after two years of grinding through rehab from a shoulder injury that ended my rugby career, I truly thought I was back.

Then, just like that, everything changed.

When life strips away everything you’ve fought so hard to reclaim, you’re forced to ask:

What’s left when everything stops?

For me, what remained were a few core principles. Not motivational quotes or silver linings but habits and truths I could hold onto when nothing else made sense. I now call them my Resilience Toolkit. And whether you're coming back from an injury, a business failure, or a life curveball, I hope something here helps you too.

1. Discipline > Motivation

When your body is broken and your spirit is drained, motivation disappears.

But discipline. Showing up, doing what matters, even in small ways, becomes the anchor.

There were mornings I didn’t want to get out of bed. Days where the progress felt invisible, even pointless. But sticking to my rehab schedule, writing (which became the foundation for this blog), and even just showing up for my family taught me this:

builds momentum, even when results don’t show.

2. Build a better Environment

Resilience doesn’t just come from within, it’s shaped by what surrounds you.

I became intentional about what I consumed: less noise, more signal, better quality.

I cleaned up my social feeds, reconnected with uplifting voices, and created a space that reminded me of who I was becoming.

Your environment either feeds your strength or drains it.

Build one that backs your growth.

3. Let People In

As an athlete, you’re taught to push through, to tough it out. But isolation is the enemy of resilience.

This time, I allowed myself to be supported. By my wife, my family, my mentors. I had honest conversations, accepted help, and let myself be seen.

Resilience isn’t about doing it alone.

It’s about healing in community.

4. Rebuild the Identity First

What makes injury or failure hard isn’t just the physical loss, it’s the identity crisis.

Who are you without the game? The job? The title?

The turning point came when I started asking: Who do I want to become next?

That question helped me move forward with purpose, not just recovery. It’s what led me to entrepreneurship, to writing, and to this journey I’m now on.

5. Zoom Out Often

Pain pulls you into the now. It makes your world feel small.

What helped was learning to zoom out, to see this setback as part of a bigger picture.

That didn’t mean pretending it didn’t hurt. But it reminded me that this was a chapter, not the whole story. And some of the most meaningful chapters are written in silence, without applause.

Remember

Setbacks test more than your body, they test your belief.

And real resilience is built long before the comeback is visible.

If you're going through your own rebuilding season, I hope you know this:

You're not starting from scratch. You're starting from strength.

Let’s connect:

If this resonated with you, subscribe to the blog or share it with someone in the thick of it. Your story’s not over either.

Sport Taught me about showing up without applause

Published July 30 2025

In professional sport we have the advantage of getting instant feedback. As an individual on the field you immediately know whether you had a positive or negative action by the reactions of the crowd, applause echoing around the stands. On the other hand, the score board is an easy indicator of whether your teams plans or strategies worked or not. So, you see, there is that constant feedback loop.

When I stepped away from the game into corporate and entrepreneurship that instant feedback loop was no longer there. Things went quiet.

No match day, no jersey to put on and no fans cheering. Just early mornings, a whole lot of unanswered emails and late nights working and figuring things out. It’s in this time when nobody’s watching that the self-doubt creeps in.

There is a shift that no one talks about. In rugby, I know my role. I know exactly how to prepare for a match; I know the structure.

But starting something new. Building from scratch was a whole new game for me. It felt like being in rehab all over again. Learning to make small basic movements and hoping they’d add up. No applause for showing up. No one clapping when I signed my first small client. No one watching when I stayed up late fixing things I barely understood.

That was hard.

But that is also where the real growth started.

What rugby taught me and what I had to hold on to is this:

The reps or work that matters most are the ones that no one sees.

The belief that matters most is the belief you have in yourself. The belief that doesn’t need applause, that doesn’t need external validation.

The habits that matter most are the ones that even though they feel boring builds something real over time.

Whether it’s in the gym, doing recovery or showing up for rehab, the mindset is the same in business: You show up. Even when its quiet. Especially when its quiet.

So why am I sharing this? Because I know what it’s like to feel unseen. To pour your effort into something new and wonder if it’s even working. If you’ve left a title, a team or identity behind and you’re starting over… I see you.

Keep showing up. Even if it feels small now, you're building something that matters.

From the Field to the Boardroom: How Rugby Set Me Up for Business

Published July 23 2025

When I first had to stop playing professional rugby I didn’t know where to start or what I will be doing next. So, I started with the one thing I knew – Rugby. I ended up coaching part time and I must admit it was something I enjoyed. I always figured I would give back in one way or another when I am done playing. I was still searching though.

I longed for something different, something that will have impact, something other than rugby. My first step forward? Transport and logistics, not by design, purely by chance. It wasn’t glamorous, but honestly, it grounded me. It gave me direction when I needed it most.

What did Rugby Really Teach Me…

Looking back, rugby didn’t just teach me how to perform — it taught me how to live.

- Game plans became business strategies

- Opponents became competitors

- Coaches became mentors

- Physical endurance became mental resilience

It all transferred — just in ways I didn’t expect.

Once again, I was in the Deep End

I didn’t go into Logistics because I was passionate about it. I went into it because I was searching, looking for ways and opportunities to expand my knowledge base and expertise. Looking for different systems to explore and learn.

I didn’t know anything about transport; it was all new and I had to learn quickly. Handling different tasks, I was managing deliveries, figuring out systems, handling clients — most days felt like I was scrambling.

But I’d been here before. On the field, under pressure, learning fast. That muscle memory kicked in. The mindset from sport carried me through the early chaos.

Now, I am Rewriting My Story

These days, I spend most of my time in business development and marketing — helping build brands, drive growth, and most importantly – helping people connect. It’s a different game, but the same principles apply, preparation, execution, trust.

The biggest shift? I’ve gone from chasing personal performance to building something bigger — a career, a brand, a legacy.

What’s Stuck with Me

- Stay humble: You’re never too experienced to start at the bottom again.

- Discipline wins: My habits on the field became my anchor in business.

- Identity can evolve: You’re not limited to who you were — you can become more.

Honestly

I didn’t plan or want to leave rugby when I did - but life has a way of redirecting us when we least expect it.

Now, I’m learning to tap into that past to guide me in building what’s next. It’s not perfect. I’m still figuring things out. But if you’re reading this and you’ve had to start over, I want you to know this:

Starting over isn’t failure. It’s a chance to discover your purpose and build with more intention.

And that, to me, is a win.

The Slipstream Principle

Published July 14 2025

“A slipstream is a region of lower pressure that forms behind a moving object, like a car, aircraft, or even cyclist.” By riding in the slipstream, cyclists or cars can reduce the force of aerodynamic drag, making it easier to move and potentially increasing speed.

Having been living a life of sport for as long as I can remember it has been the guiding light for me when it comes to dealing with life and its challenges. Over the years I have had to deal with many challenges in sport and in life. Through sport I’ve had the opportunity to deal with great success and massive failure and all within a short time frame, one day you can be up in the clouds and a few days later down in the gutters. I’ve had to learn how to deal with these massive emotional and mental rollercoasters on a frequent basis. Again, it was within sport that I found many of my answers and developed principles that guided me.

We all have dreams and aspirations, if not, we wouldn’t be able to get ourselves out of bed in the morning. The thing with dreams is, they rarely fall into your lap. It takes extreme discipline and perseverance to chase your dreams. So, what happens when you have been doing the work, putting in the hours, operating under enormous amounts of pressure and yet you still no closer to reaching your goal? We end up losing hope, our drive starts diminishing and our cadence declines. Why does this happen? One major reason is because we have been the "lead rider" in a solo race trying to do it all ourselves without even realising it. It was through experiencing rollercoasters like this that I unconsciously found myself applying what I now refer to as the “Slipstream Principle” in all areas of my life.

Let me explain how it works.

1. Find someone who resembles who you want to be or has the career you want to have or the body you wish to have - you get the point.

2. Think of a way you can assist them in achieving what they want.

3. Convince them to allow you to help them.

4. Let them take charge and guide you (let them be “lead rider’’)

5. Learn as much as you can as fast as you can (Ride the slipstream)

By applying these principles, you relieve enormous amounts of pressure from yourself. You mitigate unnecessary costly errors (there will always be errors) and you are forced to operate at a higher cadence, only this time having to exert less energy. Your “lead rider” will be absorbing most of the drag for you and you will likely get valuable exercise in taking the lead by relieving your “lead rider” from time to time, only this time when your cadence starts to drop your “lead rider” will be there to take the lead and push the pace once again. Using this principle with the consent and co-operation of your fellow rider/partner is a sure way of strengthening your resolve, increasing your endurance and getting both of you to your objectives much quicker. Make no mistake, this is not a free ride. To stay in the slipstream, you will need to keep up with the pace and stay close enough, because if the gap gets too big you will be left fighting the drag and surely be left behind.

So, ask yourself this question, are you currently a “lead rider” or do you need to slide into a slipstream?

The Art of Becoming

Published July 10 2025

One of my favourite concepts in life is a Japanese proverb called Wabi – Sabi which simply means “beauty in imperfection.”

In life we are indoctrinated to believe if we are not perfect then we are not enough. If we do not fit into a system, then we do not fit into society. We spend our entire life fighting and striving to fit in and through that find a sense of belonging. How then do we grow, how do we learn and how do we become?

You see, growth does not lie in always trying to be perfect. The mere aspiration of trying to be perfect unintentionally eliminates countless opportunities and possibilities that cannot be considered unless it will turn out to be perfect.

Consider this. What if you attempted everything you ever dreamed of without attaching a certain result to it. What if you fail while colouring outside the lines as well as inside.

What if you dare to break everything down then try and glue it back together and in the process stumble upon perfection. Isn’t that the point of living.