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On Change with Petro du Pisani
A podcast produced by Solid Gold · Business, Management · 48 episodes · 2017-11-18 to 2026-06-02
Petro du Pisani is a dynamic South African leader whose career bridges the worlds of mining, change leadership, coaching, and storytelling.
In the On Change podcast, Petro follows her curiosity to understand the many dimensions of change.
Through candid conversations with innovators, leaders and everyday trailblazers she explores what it really means to navigate change, whether that’s career pivots, sabbaticals, reinvention, leadership breakthroughs or simply embracing a new chapter.
The On Change podcast offers practical wisdom, personal stories and strategic insight for anyone ready to evolve with purpose.
Listen: iono.fm · Spotify · Apple Podcasts
Episodes
How curiosity became a technology business.
In the sixth episode of On Change: Powerful Women, Petro du Pisani speaks with Carmel Peinke, founder and CEO of eRoute2Market, a technology business that helps brands understand where their products are sold and how consumers buy.
Carmel Peinke built a business intelligence platform from scratch, without writing a single line of code, and kept it running for 17 years. This episode is for women climbing the corporate ladder or thinking about starting their own business who want honest proof that it is possible to lead, to grow, and to stay true to…
How women can take control of their financial destiny.
This is the fifth episode of the Powerful Women series of On Change, where we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have chose to lead on their own terms.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks with Ann Wilson, best-selling author, speaker, and financial empowerment activist, also known as The Wealth Chef.
Ann’s journey to financial freedom began unexpectedly. Trained as a civil engineer, she managed billion-dollar projects around the world. Yet despite her professional success, she found herself struggling with debt and…
Building businesses that last to drive social change.
This is the fourth episode of the Powerful Women series of On Change, where we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have shattered glass ceilings, defied expectations, and have chosen to lead on their own terms.
This episode features an insightful conversation between Petro du Pisani and Catherine Wijnberg, CEO of Fetola, a serial entrepreneur and adventurer who has built five businesses across three countries.
Catherine reflects on her early life in Zambia, her studies in biochemistry and agriculture, and the pivotal moment…
From the deepest mine to the highest mountain in the world.
This is the third episode of the Powerful Women series of On Change, where we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have shattered glass ceilings, defied expectations, and have chosen to lead on their own terms.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks with Jeannette McGill, who in 2025 became the oldest South African woman to summit Mt. Everest. Having walked the Three Passes Trek with Jeannette in 2024, Petro had some insight into how Jeannette had been preparing herself physically, mentally, and emotionally for her…
On shaping the future from the inside out.
This is the second episode of the Powerful Women series of On Change, where we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have shattered glass ceilings, defied expectations, and have chosen to lead on their own terms.
In this energetic and insightful episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Carmen Murray, CEO of Carmen Murray Communications and the Founder of the Conscious LeadHERs movement.
Carmen Murray is a reformed marketer and a futurist who wants to not only predict the future but shape it. She shares how she designed the Authentic…
Reputation, Authenticity, and a Radical Redesign of Leadership.
This is the first episode of a brand-new season of On Change. In this series about Powerful Women, we celebrate trail-blazing and visionary women who have shattered glass ceilings, defied expectations and have chosen to lead on their own terms.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks with Charlotte Otter, author of We Need New Leaders, a book about what leadership should look like in a world that’s hungry for authenticity, clarity, and connection.
Charlotte Otter is a speaker, leadership coach, and former journalist. She has…
The Power of Rest: Embracing Cycles of Rest and Renewal.
Episode 16 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this last episode of the sabbatical series, Petro du Pisani interviews Amy Martin about her research on rest, renewal, and life’s natural cycles.
Amy shares how burnout led her to explore seasonality, and rhythms like menstrual, circadian, and academic cycles. She discusses integrating these insights into coaching and organisational development, emphasising the need to honour energy fluctuations.
The conversation highlights how organisations can support…
Burnout: A Warning Sign, Not a Weakness.
Episode 15 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work. This is a special focus episode on Burnout.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks with burnout coach Shannon Royden-Turner about the causes, prevention, and recovery from burnout.
Shannon explains that burnout isn’t just stress — it’s a gradual decline into exhaustion, often caused by disconnection from purpose.
She shares her personal journey into burnout coaching and highlights three key indicators: scattered focus, depleted energy, and withdrawn connection. Shannon…
Burnout: Recognise, Recover and Rebalance.
Episode 14 of s series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work. This is a special focus episode on Burnout.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to fellow-coaches Laura-Jean Evens and Lurinda Maree.
Laura-Jean, an executive coach with an industrial psychology background, and Lurinda, an industrial psychologist and applied theatre specialist, share their expertise on burnout.
According to SADAC statistics mentioned by Laura-Jean, one in four people experience burnout. The conversation covers the definition of burnout, warning signs,…
Thriving Through Breaks: Balance & Success
Episode 13 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Omri van Zyl (CEO of RussellStone Capital) about taking career breaks and sabbaticals for adventure and self-reflection.
Omri discusses how these breaks helped him reset, gain new perspectives, and eventually led him to change careers from corporate to the agriculture sector.
Omri emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between ambition and one's adventurous spirit, and how visualization, meditation, and healthy habits have…
Lessons from a longer-than-intended break.
Episode 12 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani interviews Mike Stopforth, a serial entrepreneur and seasoned marketing and communications professional, who took an extended break after selling his digital marketing business in 2018.
Mike shares his journey of pursuing a master’s degree, navigating challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflecting on personal growth, family connections, and lessons in entrepreneurship.
He emphasises the value of executing ideas, refining thoughts…
Burnout as a catalyst: Pamela's journey to a career pivot.
Episode 11 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Pamela Naidoo-Amegio, an executive leader and geoscientist. Pamela shares her journey of taking a sabbatical in 2015 after nearly burning out.
Pamela reflects on her reasons for the break, the gap between her expectations and reality, and the transformative lessons learned. Pamela used the time for self-reflection, pursuing hobbies, and ultimately pivoting her career from mining to the nuclear industry.
She…
Moving from a fear mindset to a world of opportunity.
Episode 10 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Sas Wessels, a seasoned mechanical engineer and business improvement professional in the mining industry, about his recent sabbatical from corporate life.
After years of facing numerous company restructures, Sas shares what led him to take this intentional break, including his initial fears around financial security and the planning that went into it.
He describes how the sabbatical is allowing him to explore options…
First Love Yourself.
Episode 9 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to career and leadership coach Briony Liber about her sabbatical after 25 years in the corporate world. She took a sabbatical after experiencing burnout due to a lifetime of not managing boundaries, overworking, and people-pleasing.
Briony shares her journey of self-reflection through baking, traveling, journaling, and studying coaching. Briony highlights the importance of work-life balance, setting boundaries, and taking breaks before getting to the point…
From Doing to Being.
Episode 8 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks with Dr Zaheera Soomar about her transformative sabbatical after 20 years in the corporate world. Zaheera shares her journey of overcoming self-doubt, regaining a sense of purpose, and finding balance through reflection, adventure, and completing her doctoral thesis. She reflects on the importance of breaks, work-life alignment, and prioritising values as she prepares to re-enter the workforce with a renewed perspective.
This inspiring conversation…
A story of personal healing, self-discovery, and a bold new way of being.
Episode 7 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, freelance writer and editor Louise Rapley opens up about her transformative sabbatical. During this time, Louise transitioned from a textbook editor to writing her memoir, confronting her past traumas, and embracing self-discovery.
She shares how the sabbatical allowed her to heal, set boundaries, connect with, and understand her inner child. Though her memoir remains unpublished, the experience led to profound personal growth…
From overwork to self-care and career pivots.
Episode 6 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Dr Gargi Mishra about taking career breaks or sabbaticals.
Gargi shares her experience of taking an intentional break during the COVID-19 pandemic when she realized she was overworking and neglecting her health. During the break, she re-skilled herself and eventually pivoted to being a futurist.
She discusses the importance of planning finances, being patient for the right opportunity, setting boundaries between work and personal…
Pausing with Purpose: Giving back, Parenthood, and Resilience.
Episode 5 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Thea Weeks who shares her transformative journey of taking three significant career breaks. In her breaks, Thea worked for an NGO for 5 years, focused on her new baby, and had to adapt to life and work after losing hearing in one ear.
Thea offers deep insights into the motivations behind each break, how she prepared, and the challenges she faced both personally and professionally.
Throughout the conversation Thea…
Health First: The Power of taking a Career Break for Self-Care.
Episode 4 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Ntseiseng Lephole about her experience of taking a career break to focus on health issues and to further her studies. Ntseiseng highlights the importance of self-care, reflection, and finding a work-life balance. She emphasizes the need to listen to one's body and prioritize health over work demands. After her break, Ntseiseng returned to the workforce but faced challenges in managing stress levels again. She…
The transformative power of a sabbatical.
Episode 3 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from work. In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Hermien Uys, a corporate lawyer in the mining industry.
Hermien took a sabbatical in 2017-2018. She discusses her motivations for taking the break which include a desire for travel and personal enrichment.
During her sabbatical, Hermien traveled to India, volunteered with underprivileged children, took a wine course, and spent time reading and reflecting on mindfulness and meaningfulness.
The key takeaway is the value of taking a…
Self-care, adventure, and realignment to purpose.
Episode 2 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from the rat-race.
In this episode, Dr. Lizette Spangenberg shares her experiences of taking two sabbaticals from work. The first sabbatical was for a month in 2017 to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and travel through Kenya and Tanzania. The second sabbatical was for three and a half months in 2022 after completing her PhD, during which she took a break from work, traveled, planned her wedding, and reflected on her career path. Lizette emphasises the importance of self-care and seeking…
Rediscovering balance between meaningful work and personal fulfilment.
Episode 1 of a series of podcasts on taking conscious breaks from the rat-race.
Fatima Collins, Women in Mining Project Manager (Sibanye-Stillwater), shares her experiences of taking four different breaks throughout her career for different reasons, including travel, self-discovery, studying, and grieving. She emphasises the importance of introspection, finding meaningful work, and maintaining a balance between work and personal fulfilment. The conversation explores the motivations, challenges, and benefits of taking…
Three innovators talk about their experiences in mining innovation.
In this episode, host Petro du Pisani speaks to Elaine Hattingh (Exxaro Resources) and Sandiso Sibisi (COOi Studios) about innovation and technology in the mining industry. This conversation follows on from a panel discussion at the 2023 Mining Indaba in Cape Town which explored models on how to deploy innovation in the mining industry.
Key topics covered in this podcast include whether and why the mining industry needs innovation given its long history, how to decide which technologies to invest in, the potential of open…
A lesson on how to navigate in a male-dominated mining work environment.
In this episode, Petro du Pisani speaks to Dr. Patience Mpofu, who is a multi-award winner as one of the most influential women in Mining, and a former Vice President of an Australian listed company. She is a global mining sustainability thought leader (ESG) an IWF fellow alumni, executive leadership coach, and STEM advocate.
In this episode Dr. Mpofu gives an overview of her personal history, a story of grit and determination... and how she ended up writing her No. 1 International best seller "Unleashing my…
A learning journey conversation with a fellow EMBA student.
I recently completed an Executive MBA through the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business. With classes moving on-line (in 2020 and 2021) due to the covid-19 pandemic there wasn't enough time (for me) to connect with fellow students and hear about their research projects.
In this episode, I speak to Karen Nadasen, CEO of PayU. Her research project focused on the relevance of open bank and how to assess whether open banking should be used. Karen patiently explained open banking to me, a non-finance technical person.…
A learning journey conversation with a fellow EMBA student.
I recently completed an Executive MBA through the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business. With classes moving on-line (in 2020 and 2021) due to the covid-19 pandemic there wasn't enough time (for me) to connect with fellow students and hear about their research projects. I decided to interview my fellow students to learn about their research. In this podcast I speak to Jordan Ludlow, who is the managing director of Tradereach.
In his research project Jordan explored the role of shared leadership to improve the flow…
A learning journey conversation with a fellow EMBA student.
I recently completed an Executive MBA through the University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business.
With classes moving on-line (in 2020 and 2021) due to the covid-19 pandemic there wasn't enough time (for me) to connect with fellow students and hear about their research projects. I decided to interview my fellow students to learn about their research.
In this podcast I speak to Dr. Mauritz Venter, CEO and co-founder of AzarGen Biotechnologies about his desire to be a biotech entrepreneur.
Being an entrepreneur is risky, and…
A learning journey conversation with a fellow EMBA student.
Over the past two years (2020-2021) we have been working towards our Executive MBAs through the University of Cape Town's Graduate Business School. With classes moving on-line due to the covid-19 pandemic there wasn't enough time (for me) to connect with fellow students and hear about their research projects. I decided to interview my fellow students to hear about their research.
In this podcast I speak to Desereé van den Berg (RBS | HR Executive) about her research project which explored the link between remote work and…
A learning journey conversation with a fellow EMBA student
In this episode Petro speaks to fellow UCT EMBA student, Chris Smith (Freelance Consultant in Project and Business Management).
Over the past two years (2020-2021) we have been working towards our Executive MBAs through the University of Cape Town's Graduate Business School. With classes moving on-line due to the covid-19 pandemic there wasn't enough time (for me) to connect with fellow students and hear about their research projects. I decided to interview my fellow students to hear about their research.
In this podcast I ask…
A learning journey conversation with a fellow EMBA student.
In this episode Petro speaks to fellow UCT EMBA student, Gordon Wilson (Achievement Awards Group)
Over the past two years we have been working towards our Executive MBAs through the University of Cape Town's Graduate Business School.
With classes moving on-line due to the covid-19 pandemic there wasn't enough time (for me) to connect with fellow students and hear about their research projects. I decided to interview my fellow students to hear about their research.
In this podcast I ask Gordon about his research, which focused on…
A learning journey conversation
Sean Lewis (UCT GSB | Lecturer)
This episode is part of a series of learning journey conversations Petro du Pisani is having, as a result of meeting inspiring people as part of doing her EMBA through UCT's Graduate School of Business.
In this episode Petro speaks to Sean Lewis who is a part-time lecturer for the UCT EMBA. He is also a past student of the programme.
Sean teaches evidence-based management and systems thinking, and he is also interested in integrative thinking. Sean balances his lecturing with a full-time corporate IT role, and still finds…
A learning journey conversation
Chris Breen (UCT GSB)
In this episode host, Petro du Pisani, speaks to Emeritus Professor Chris Breen (UCT GSB) about his life, the transformations he has seen in others and himself, and some of the concepts he teaches in his course on Personal Leadership in Complex times.
Chris has a carefully crafted teaching style which he describes as follows:
'In my sessions I try to disrupt our taken-for-granted assumptions and unconscious behavior by setting the class up as a real-life, real-time micro-laboratory where each participant gets a glimpse into themselves…
A learning journey conversation
Kosheek Sewchurran (UCT GSB | Associate Professor)
In this episode host Petro du Pisani speaks to Associate Professor Kosheek Sewchurran, who is the programme director for the University of Cape Town (UCT) Graduate School of Business (GSB) executive MBA.
As Petro embarks on her EMBA, she will speak to some of the amazing human beings she will encounter along the way.
Associate Professor Sewchurran has designed this programme in such a way as to nurture and create executives who are able, in their actions and their being, to lead authentically.
In this…
In this episode Petro du Pisani speaks to Tracey Swanepoel, Bernard Swanepoel and Lisa Shippey from Thinkspiration. They explore how storytelling can be used to explain business strategy and how to connect with people at various levels in an organisation. Storytelling is a skill that everyone can learn - it helps people to understand each other and the organisations they work in better. Thinkspiration is a company that helps leaders to tell stories, so that their strategy is easy to understand. This results in improved employee engagement, motivation and produces improved results. This…
This is another special edition end-of-year book-review On Change podcast.
In this episode Riaan Wolmarans (my BFF) and I talk about books about travel. Books that made us want to travel somewhere (or not). Books that we read, or were recommended to us while traveling. Books about places, real or invented.
Join us on a journey around the world and through genres.
We also reveal what we will be reading over the holiday season.
In this episode Petro speaks to Jo Rust, Personal Life Coach, Motorcycle adventurer and author of the book "Woman Alone Around Africa." Jo holds the record as the first woman to have circumnavigated the entire African continent on a motorcycle, solo.
Jo is now studying psychology and is a practical life coach.
This episode explores why Jo felt the need to ride around countries and continents on two wheels, and what she learnt about herself in the process.
Music Used : Sunny looks good on you, by Midnight North found at Youtube's Audio Library
In this episode Denis Beckett (journalist, adventurer, TV presenter, radio host and author) talks to host Petro du Pisani about his story and how life has changed for ordinary South African citizens over the years. We talk about his life as a journalist, writing, politics and reading newspapers, and in true Denis Beckett style we go off on a couple of tangents.
In this episode we take inspiration from a cartoon by Grant Snider and discuss books in twelve categories; those we couldn't pick up or put down. Books we lent each other. Books we thought were about one thing, then turned out to be about something different.
Books that changed us and shaped us through the years.
My guest is Steven Heyman (owner of Yogaworks), whose Vinyasa Flow class is a firm favourite of mine at The Yoga Republic. In this episode we explore how he went from being the managing director of a logistics company to becoming a yoga teacher. We also talk about the practice of mindfulness.
Petro du Pisani talks to Gail Cameron (MD of the Image Excellence Group) on how executive and life coaching has evolved over the past 30 years. They discuss excerpts from Gail's book "Authentic African Leadership," and touch on topics such as Emotional Intelligence, Social Intelligence, Resonant Leadership and the Quantum Physics of Leadership.
Petro du Pisani talks to Corrie Pitzer, from Safemap International, about resilience engineering in safety.
Petro du Pisani talks to Dr. Clifford Saunders (The Brain Reprogramming Doctor) about reprogramming your brain.
Petro du Pisani talks to Harry Sinko and Gary Lane, from Vuuma Collaborations, about mining simulations, digital twins and the people change required for Mining 4.0.
Petro du Pisani talks to Noleen Pauls and Lindi Nakedi from 'Women in Mining South Africa (WiMSA)' about gender diversity in the mining industry.
Petro du Pisani talks to George Lee Sye about the intersection between change management and business improvement.
Petro du Pisani talks to Dr. Barbra Trautline from 'Change Catalysts' about Change Intelligence (CQ).
Petro du Pisani talks to Dr. Ryk Croukamp from 'Indigo Skye' about logotherapy and self-awareness in change
Petro du Pisani talks to 'And Change' owner, Tom Marsicano about change in a production environment.
Source: the producer's own published feed and catalogue, as published. Maintained by Solid Gold · sources and corrections.