On Change with Petro du Pisani

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 Though her memoir remains unpublished, the experience led to profound personal growth and a new perspective on work-life balance. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 life, and practicing self-care habits like exercise and mindfulness.

When this episode was recorded, Gargi was on a mini-break seeking opportunities aligned with her interests in strategy, foresight, and academia. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 highlights the importance of listening to your body's signals and knowing when to pause. She emphasizes the invaluable support from mentors and coaches and she shares the lessons learned on adaptability and maintaining a support network.

Thea also emphasises the value of taking smaller breaks regularly to avoid burnout and incorporating work-life balance practices like hybrid work environments. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 eventually found a better balance by incorporating healthy habits like exercise, journaling, and meditation into her routine.

The conversation underscores the value of taking breaks for personal growth, rejuvenation, and reassessing priorities. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 career break for personal growth and finding fulfilment beyond professional success. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 professional help when needed. The interview also touches on her passion for design, healthcare, and helping others through her work. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 breaks, as well as strategies for reintegrating into the workforce afterwards. Key takeaways include the value of self-reflection, the pursuit of purpose, and the ability to design a life aligned with one's values. More about Petro du Pisani and On Change here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 innovation collaborations, and views on the most promising and exciting future technologies like AI, IoT, robotics, and remote operations.

Elaine mentions that the main reasons for innovation in the mining industry are usually to improve efficiency, productivity, sustainability, safety, and business expansion. The discussion emphasizes the need for collaboration between companies, startups, research institutions, and local communities in developing and deploying new solutions. Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts

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 Superpowers," which teaches women how to navigate and succeed in a male-dominated mining work environment. Find Dr. Patience Mpofu here · Peak Performance with Patience · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts

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. Her study resulted in her theory of open banking, whether open banking is useful (i.e. would it make a difference if this model is applied) and how this could be applied to the South African banking system. Learn more about the UCT GSB's EMBA programme here · Reach out to Karen Nadasen here · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts