Non Fiction Book Club

Pepe Marais talks HEART OF BUSINESS by Hubert Joly

In this episode of the Non Fiction book club, we discuss Hubert Joly’s excellent story of the turnaround at Best Buy THE HEART OF BUSINESS.  We are joined by the excellent Pepe Marias, respected creative and agency leader, and researcher and practitioner of purpose in business.

Rich Mulholland talks SELLING THE INVISIBLE by Harry Beckwith

How do you sell a service?  This is the deceptively simple question that Harry Beckwith brilliantly solves in his seminal work SELLING THE INVISIBLE. Join Rich Mulholland, best selling author, multi company founder, and brilliant speaker as he discusses this thought changing book, and how it has influenced his thinking.   In this episode of the Non Fiction book club we discuss selling the ambulance, the importance of brand, the death zone of pricing, the nearly impossible task of constantly updating your ideas, and a thousand other thoughts that emanate from the extraordinary mind of Rich Mulholland.  Enjoy!

Khaya Dlanga, Best selling author and Managing Partner of EatBigFish talks about his book LIFE IS LIKE THAT SOMETIMES with the Non Fiction Book Club

In this episode, we are joined by one of my favourite authors, the brilliant Khaya Dlanga. A great story teller opens up new worlds for the reader.  And Khaya has so many worlds to open up for us.  He brings to life rural village life. He lets us into the Joburg high life, and he trusts us with a journey through some of his most difficult moments and he navigates tragedy, loss and guilt.  All the time his stories are vivid and compelling, and carry deep human truth that make it possible for us all to relate to them, no matter how different our worlds are, Khaya is a multi-award-winning marketing executive who has led major change at brands like Coca-Cola, Heineken, and Rain. Today, he brings that expertise to his role as Managing Partner at the growth consultancy EatBigFish, but he is perhaps most beloved as one of the country’s most brilliant story tellers. This podcast is primarily a discussion of his latest book “Life is like that sometimes” but we end up touching on some of the great stories from his other books. Khaya has already lived an extraordinary life, but when you mix it together with the magical cast of supporting actors, you get stories that are truly memorable. Happy listening!

Will Battersby, CEO of BOS Brands talks HOW BRANDS GROW by Bryon Sharp with the Non Fiction Book Club

How do brands grow? In this episode, we dive into the "marketing bible": Byron Sharp’s How Brands Grow. To help us separate marketing myths from scientific reality, I’m joined by Will Battersby, CEO of BOS Brands. Will brings a unique perspective to the table, discussing how he applies Sharp’s evidence-based laws to the fast-moving, high-energy world of BOS. We move beyond the fluff to discuss the mechanics of how brands actually scale in the real world. Key themes we explore include: * The Power of Light Buyers: Why your heaviest users aren't the primary key to growth. * Distinctiveness over Differentiation: Why standing out matters more than being "better." * Mental & Physical Availability: The two non-negotiables for brand dominance. * Category Entry Points: How to own the "buying moment" in a consumer’s mind. * Innovation & Brand Assets: Building a visual language that consumers can’t miss. Whether you’re a marketing professional, an entrepreneur, or a student of business strategy, this conversation offers a masterclass in bridging the gap between academic theory and FMCG practice. This is our first Episode of season 2. Make sure you subscribe to listen to all the amazing guests we have lined up. Enjoy the episode!

Vuyokazi Henda talks BE LESS ZOMBIE by Elvin Turner

Real innovation is hard, and most companies are just "walking dead" organizations waiting to fail. On the Season 1 finale of The Non Fiction Book Club, the powerhouse CMO of Spur Corporation, Vuyokazi Henda, dives into Elvin Turner’s ‘Be Less Zombie’. Drawing on her massive experience at Unilever and Spur, Vuyo explores how to build a sustainable innovation engine and escape the "zombification" of corporate life. We discuss the unique challenges of innovating within a franchise, the power of rapid experimentation, the "just do it" test methodology, and why real change always starts with yourself. This is our final episode of the season! Thank you for an incredible journey so far—stay tuned for some big announcements regarding Season 2.