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!

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!

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.

What actually works in raising countries out of poverty? On this episode of The Non Fiction Book Club, ecosystem builder and CEO for Africa at Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies, Ant Farr, discusses the ‘The Prosperity Paradox’ We discuss market-creating innovation, the concept of ‘competing against nothing’, and what he is already seeing on the ground in South and East Africa as he applies this thinking to raising up entrepreneurs.

In our enthusiasm for generative AI we have forgotten that AI is fundamentally predictive. In this episode of The Non Fiction Book Club, digital pioneer Mike Stopforth discusses the brilliant 2022 book, ‘Power and Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence’ by Agarwal, Gans, and Goldfarb. We dive into the shift from generative AI to near-zero cost prediction, how decisions will split between judgement and prediction, why incumbents struggle with systems solutions, and Mike's experience wrestling with organizational adaptation to massive technological change.

The key to a good negotiation is listening well!. On this episode of The Non Fiction Book Club, the brilliant lawyer and Startup ecosystem builder Adrian Dommisse discusses the excellent book ‘Never split the difference’ by Chris Voss. We discuss late night DJ voice, calibrated questions, tactical empathy, getting to ‘thats right’ and the power of ‘No’ versus the deceit of ‘Yes’.

Healthspan beats lifespan. Dr Michael Mol joins us to talk about the brilliant book ‘Outlive’ by Peter Attia. We talk about why it's so hard to make sensible decisions, what it means to live life well until your last day, and some of the ways to think about the changes that can make your last decades more fulfilling.

It was wonderful to have Michael on the Non Fiction book club talking all things health, and providing practical thoughts to extended health.

Sign up to the newsletter on www.nonfictionbookclub.com to get 10% off every book we review.

A big thank you to INN8, our headline sponsor for Season 1.

Your company is not the hero of the story! Join John Bradshaw and Kieno Kammies as they discuss the brilliant Storybrand 2.0 by Don Miller and Kieno shares his journey in story telling. Kieno is funny, insightful and wonderfully vulnerable about his journey into the ecosystem builder he is today.

A big thank you to INN8, our headline sponsor for Season 1.