Inside the Mind of South Africa's Most Dominant Heavyweight | Andrew van Zyl

Inside the Mind of South Africa's Most Dominant Heavyweight | Andrew van Zyl

3x EFC Heavyweight Champion Andrew "One Gear" van Zyl sits down to share the full story behind his journey from Parktown Boys' High rugby player to the top of South African MMA — and the realities of fighting that fans rarely hear about. Andrew retired in 2018 with a 19-5 record, having defeated Ruan Potts for the EFC Heavyweight title and successfully defended against Wesley "Cowboy" Mostert and Jared Vanderaa. But behind the wins were pre-fight anxiety, a hypnotherapist, a missed UFC opportunity, and a parallel career shaping young men in the classroom. In this episode we cover: 00:00 Intro — meet Andrew "One Gear" van Zyl 01:15 Misconceptions about MMA fighters 02:30 How it started — Rodney King's Streetfight Gym & the "Couch Potato" class 05:00 Andrew's first ever fight at Caesar's Palace 09:00 The hiatus, becoming a teacher & getting back into MMA 10:00 Signing with EFC in 2009 — first fight vs Raymond Ohana 14:00 Pre-fight anxiety, hypnotherapy & the power of visualization 16:30 The "One Gear" nickname and the "steel jaw" reputation 19:00 The fight that stands out the most 22:00 The Ruan Potts trilogy & defending the belt 25:00 Why ground game dominated the EFC heavyweight division 28:00 Dealing with people trying to start fights in public 29:30 Being a pro fighter AND a schoolteacher at Parktown Boys 33:00 Life lessons fighting taught him in the classroom 35:00 Family life & raising his 4-year-old son 36:30 Advice on juggling multiple careers 38:00 Why everyone should try combat sports 40:00 The UFC contract that went to Ruan Potts instead 43:30 Dricus du Plessis & the new era of South African MMA 46:00 The book everyone should read Andrew currently runs One Gear Grappling and continues teaching at Parktown Boys' High School in Johannesburg. #EFC #MMA #AndrewVanZyl #OneGear #SouthAfricanMMA #HeavyweightChampion #Podcast #DricusDuPlessis #UFC #BrazilianJiuJitsu 🔔 Subscribe for more long-form conversations with South African legends 👍 Like if you enjoyed — it genuinely helps the channel 💬 Drop a comment: who should we have on next?

From Tech Startup Crash to Half-a-Billion Rand Property Fund | Elli De Guevara

🎙️ WHOLEFULL 006: Elli De Guevara | From Stealing Cigarettes to Building South Africa's First Petrol Station Property FundElli De Guevara, a 30-year-old South African entrepreneur, sits down with Sean Davey for an unscripted, no-holds-barred conversation about what it really takes to build serious wealth from nothing. From selling his grandmother's stolen cigarettes to high schoolers in primary school, to dropping out of Varsity College after three months, to building a live-streaming app that got crushed by Universal — Elli opens up about the failures that shaped him. He shares how he went from fixing walls outside Builders Warehouse at 21, to building the only Cuban Nando's in the world, to riding the crypto wave to a $150 million business in 7 days, and now closing a half-a-billion rand petrol station property fund. He breaks down the mechanics of his game-changing fund — buying petrol stations with expiring 20-year leases, vertically integrating into wholesale and transport, and delivering investors an 18% cap rate — and gives a brutally honest take on millennials, renting vs. buying, AI as your new co-founder, and why his biggest regret was saying NO to money.This is a masterclass in finding the edge in boring industries, surrounding yourself with people smarter than you, and having the balls to drive a vision until someone believes in it. 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Welcome & Introducing Elli 1:00 — The Cigarette Hustle: Earliest Entrepreneur Memories 2:30 — Dropping Out of Varsity College After 3 Months 3:30 — First Startup: Live-Streaming Nightclubs (and Getting Crushed by Universal) 5:00 — Pivoting to Hard Assets: Construction at 21 6:00 — Building the Only Cuban Nando's in the World 7:30 — Why Construction Wasn't Cash-Flow Enough 9:00 — Why Millennials Are Cooked: The Speculative Markets Argument 9:30 — Getting "Orange Pilled": Discovering Crypto via TikTok & Gary Vee 12:00 — NFTs Explained: Art, Community & Membership Tokens 13:30 — Crypto Cycles: ICOs → NFTs → Meme Coins 15:00 — Building a $150 Million Business in 7 Days with GoFundMeme 16:30 — Rolling Crypto Profits Into Hard Property Assets 18:00 — Millennials vs Gen Z: The In-Betweener Generation 20:00 — Rent vs Buy: Why Most Millennials Get It Wrong 24:00 — How to Build a Property Empire When You Don't Know How to Build a House 27:00 — Greenfield Developments & The Joburg Property Bet 30:00 — How He Got Safari Investments to Back a 24,000sqm Shopping Centre 33:00 — Why Banks Won't Lend Anymore (Even With 50% Down) 36:00 — Go Make More Money: The Honest Advice Nobody Wants to Hear 40:00 — AI as a Co-Founder: Running Claude Code Locally 44:00 — The Cloud Bots Experiment: AI Agents Building Their Own Businesses 47:00 — AI Safety, Singularity & The Real Threat to Humanity 51:00 — AI as a Service: The Biggest Opportunity for Young Entrepreneurs 54:00 — The Petrol Station Property Fund Explained 57:00 — Buying Sites With Expiring Leases: The 18% Cap Rate Strategy 1:02:00 — Vertical Integration: 4 Million Litres/Month Wholesale 1:04:00 — Closing a Half-a-Billion Rand Round 1:06:00 — The Wholefull Question: His Biggest Regret Was Saying No to Money 1:09:00 — Closing & Thank You 🔗 CONNECT WITH ELLI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellihandro/ X: https://x.com/ellihandro 🔗 CONNECT WITH WHOLEFULL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wholefullpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholefull_podcast/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oZavYzETcOWPvpyN09Im5?si=QnvKzcrZTBWkcqPgU5xtYw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/wholefull/id1857422744 🎙️ Welcome to Wholefull, a podcast about what it really takes to feel whole. No clichés, no fluff, just real conversations with real people about purpose, grit, and growth. #WholefullPodcast #ElliDeGuevara #SouthAfricanEntrepreneur #PropertyDevelopment #PetrolStationFund #SeanDavey #Crypto #AI #Podcast #BusinessLessons

From Actress to Director: Christel van den Bergh on Grit, Faith, and Never Giving Up

🎙️ WHOLEFULL 005: Christel van den Bergh | From Actress to Director: Christel van den Bergh on Grit, Faith, and Never Giving Up Christel van den Bergh, one of South Africa's most recognisable Afrikaans actresses, sits down with Sean Davey for an unscripted, heart-to-heart conversation about what it really takes to build a life you're proud of. From growing up in Pretoria and dreaming of becoming a game ranger, to landing her first TV role while still finishing drama school, Christel opens up about 20+ years in the entertainment industry, the transition from acting to directing and producing, navigating a public divorce, the life-changing lesson that "nothing in life is personal," and why doing good for others is the simplest path to fulfilment. She also shares honest advice for aspiring actors and creatives: follow your dreams, have a backup plan, and never, ever, give up. 🕐 TIMESTAMPS 0:00 — Welcome & Introducing Christel 1:30 — Growing Up in Pretoria 2:08 — Wanting to Be a Game Ranger & Discovering Acting 5:33 — Family Life: Two Boys and Cattle Farming 5:51 — Pursuing Dreams: Faith, Spirituality & Chasing Goals 7:39 — You've Got to Fail to Reach It 9:34 — Breaking Into the SA Acting Industry 14:45 — Passion vs Fame: "I'm a Storyteller" 18:16 — Career Highlights Over 20+ Years 21:09 — Why Directing Is Her Favourite Role 24:05 — Her Latest Documentary & Giving Back 26:25 — The Power of Storytelling & Making an Impact 30:39 — From Acting to Producing 32:35 — Everyone Has an Amazing Story to Tell 33:53 — Victimhood vs Taking Responsibility 36:28 — You Are Where You Are Because of Your Decisions 41:23 — Life Coaching, Morning Routines & Finding Flow 42:41 — Letting Go of Guilt & Not Taking Things Personally 44:23 — Helping People Is the Real Fulfilment 47:58 — Advice for Aspiring Actors: "Don't Ever Give Up" 54:16 — The Wholefull Question: What Do You Truly Value? 58:47 — Closing & Thank You 🔗 CONNECT WITH CHRISTELhttps://www.instagram.com/christelvdbergh/ 🔗 CONNECT WITH WHOLEFULL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@wholefullpodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholefull_podcast/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oZavYzETcOWPvpyN09Im5?si=QnvKzcrZTBWkcqPgU5xtYw Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/wholefull/id1857422744 🎙️ Welcome to Wholefull, a podcast about what it really takes to feel whole. No clichés, no fluff, just real conversations with real people about purpose, grit, and growth.#WholefullPodcast #ChristelVanDenBergh #SouthAfricanActress #NeverGiveUp #Podcast #SeanDavey #AfrikaansEntertainment #PurposeDriven #GritAndGrace #Storytelling

Finding Purpose: Small Steps, Self-Awareness, and Healing with Jessica

🎙️ WHOLEFULL 004: Jessica | From Self-Awareness to Real Change: Coaching the Subconscious Welcome to Wholeful, the podcast where we sit down with inspiring guests to explore the four pillars of a fulfilling life: Spirituality, Health, Business, and Family. This episode features Jessica, a life coach and NLP practitioner passionate about helping others reach their true potential by starting with the mind. Jessica shares her story of overcoming personal challenges and what it truly means to grow. She discusses why lasting change requires more than just setting goals, how the subconscious drives our habits, and strategies for reprogramming old patterns. Discover the impact of self-awareness, the value of an accountability partner, and how small daily actions lead to real progress. Jessica shares her perspective on personality types, numerology, and other tools to help guide positive transformation. She provides actionable advice on routines, meditation, nutrition, and ways to build a life that is happy and aligned with your values. Episode Timestamps 01:00 – Why true change comes from the subconscious mind 04:10 – The discomfort and power of self-awareness10:00 – Jessica’s personal journey from trauma to becoming a coach 16:30 – Transforming habits with practical, small steps 22:10 – How personality, purpose, and values shape growth 34:00 – Using Insights Discovery and numerology in coaching 41:00 – Life purpose and why it shifts over time 50:00 – Routines, morning habits, and practical brain care 1:02:00 – Meditation, visualization, and letting go of thoughts 1:01:00 – ADHD, energy management, and living well 1:02:00 – Why curiosity and play unlock growthIf you’re ready to go deeper than surface-level advice and discover what really helps you grow, this episode is for you.

3 Generations of Music: How Mo-T Carries the Legacy of Mango Groove

🎙️ WHOLEFULL 003: Mo-T | From Bleeding Lips to Global Stages: Carrying the Torch of a Three-Generation Musical Legacy. Welcome to Wholeful, where we sit down with inspiring people to delve deeper into the four aspects of their life: Spirituality, Health, Business, and Family. In this episode, we are joined by Mo-T, the legendary trumpeter from Mi Casa. A third-generation musician, Mo-T has spent over a decade at the forefront of the global music scene. He reveals the relentless discipline required to honor his family name and the spiritual connection he feels every time he picks up his instrument. Mo-T shares the raw reality of a life dedicated to mastery, from the grueling practice sessions of his youth to navigating the pressures of international stardom. Success wasn't handed to Mo-T; it was forged through hours of solitary practice. He shares the story of practicing until his lips bled, driven by the desire to reach the standard set by his father (Mango Groove) and his grandfather before him. In the world of live performance, your frequency is everything. Mo-T breaks down how he maintains "highest energy" on stage and why he views his trumpet not just as an instrument, but as a vessel for a sound that belongs to the people. Beyond the hits and the global tours, Mo-T discusses the importance of being a present father and husband. He opens up about the spiritual bond within Mi Casa and how their collective faith has kept them grounded for over 10 years in a high-velocity industry. For Mo-T, the goal is bigger than personal fame. It’s about ensuring the musical fire continues to burn for the next generation. He reflects on his legacy and what it means to truly unlock growth for those coming after him. ⏱️ Episode Chapters * 01:00:00 – Welcome to Wholeful: Introducing Mo-T * 01:01:25 – Being a "Vessel": The spiritual connection to the trumpet * 01:04:10 – The Mango Groove Legacy: Watching my father from the side of the stage * 01:08:45 – Third-Generation Talent: The weight of a musical bloodline * 01:12:15 – Practicing until your lips bleed: The cost of mastery * 01:18:30 – The "Energy Wins" Philosophy: Maintaining frequency on a global stage * 01:25:50 – Joining Mi Casa: How a random jam session changed everything * 01:32:10 – 10 Years at the Top: The secret to band longevity * 01:40:45 – Unlocking Growth: Staying relevant in a high-velocity industry * 01:48:30 – The Fatherhood Reset: Balancing global tours with family life * 01:55:15 – Spirituality and Music: Why the gift doesn't belong to you * 02:05:00 – Identifying the Barrier: Advice for the next generation of artists * 02:08:00 – The Collective Future: What’s next for Mo-T and Mi Casa