The Braadcast by Norman Raad

What does it take to see an opportunity before everyone else does?

Pieter Feenstra has spent three decades finding out.

He began his career as a structural engineer. He went on to build one of South Africa’s largest facilities management businesses, with around 2,000 people and thousands of properties under its care. And then he walked away, starting again with little more than himself and a secretary.

That decision led to the Feenstra Group, a diversified property development and management business with more than 200 staff. Along the way, Pieter became a pioneer of purpose-built student accommodation in South Africa, challenging the idea that the real problem was simply a shortage of beds. For him, the opportunity was creating a product students would actually choose. That thinking has taken the group to roughly 10,000 student beds in South Africa and an international portfolio in Australia.

Not every bet paid off. Pieter speaks openly about the expensive lessons learned from failed partnerships and what they taught him about risk, trust and starting again.

Today, he is behind The Granger, a R2 billion mixed-use development next to Cape Town’s DHL Stadium, set to include a hotel, apartments, retail and premium office space.

In S2 Ep12 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Pieter Feenstra, CEO of Feenstra Group, to explore the question that runs through his entire career: how do you know when you’re early, and when you’re simply wrong?

This isn’t just a conversation about property. It’s about conviction, reinvention and the courage to back an idea before the rest of the market catches on.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, a property professional or someone who has ever wondered whether to trust your instincts, this conversation is one you won’t want to miss.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Pieter Feenstra (CEO, Feenstra Group)

Podcast Director: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Production Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Video Editor: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Some people spend their lives trying to build a name.

Others inherit one.

When Geoffrey Seeff founded Seeff Property Group in 1964, he built something that went far beyond real estate. He built a reputation, a culture and a name that generations of South Africans would come to trust.

Then, in 1984, he was gone.

Samuel Seeff was left to carry something he never expected to carry so soon. Not just a company, but a responsibility. A legacy. A name that already meant everything to so many people.

What followed was four decades of quiet, determined leadership. Under Samuel’s guidance, Seeff Property Group grew from a respected South African estate agency into one of the most recognised real estate brands across Southern Africa. Along the way, he helped professionalise an entire industry, champion collaboration and prove that the greatest challenge in business isn’t always building something from nothing.

Sometimes it’s carrying forward something that already means everything.

In S2 Ep11 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Samuel Seeff for one of the most personal conversations of the season. From losing his father at a young age to building his own legacy over four decades, this is a story about family, leadership, resilience and what it truly means to honour the people who came before you.

This isn’t just a conversation about property. It’s about succession, identity and the quiet question that follows every person who inherits something great: am I doing it justice?

Whether you’re a business leader, part of a family business or someone who believes that legacy is not what you leave behind but what you build on, this one will stay with you.

Some businesses are built in boardrooms.

WeBuyCars was built in a garage.

Faan van der Walt grew up in Bronkhorstspruit in a humble, working class family. His mother was a teacher. His father, after losing his government job, spent years trying to find work before becoming a security guard. As a boy, Faan wasn't always proud of that. As a man, he realised his father was simply doing whatever it took to put food on the table and give his children an education.

That same quiet determination would go on to define everything Faan built.

Starting with a love for cars, a teaching degree from the University of Pretoria and two years buying and selling vehicles on the side while teaching in the United Kingdom, Faan and his brother Dirk returned to South Africa in 2001 with a simple idea and a small amount of capital. What followed was one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial stories in South African history.

Today WeBuyCars is listed on the JSE, valued at more than R10 billion, and attracts nearly 9 million website visitors every month.

In S2 Ep10 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Faan van der Walt, Co-Founder and CEO of WeBuyCars, to unpack the journey from a small town upbringing to building one of South Africa's most recognised brands, what it is like to build a business with your brother and why humble beginnings so often produce the most extraordinary outcomes.

This isn't just a conversation about cars or business. It's about grit, family, conviction and what happens when you refuse to let where you come from define where you end up.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a dreamer or someone who believes the best businesses are built on the simplest ideas, this one is not to be missed.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Faan van der Walt (Co-Founder, WeBuyCars)

Podcast Director: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Production Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Video Editor: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Some people build businesses. Some build careers.

Saul Gumede has spent his life building people.

His journey began in a classroom in 1981, during one of South Africa's most divided and difficult chapters, standing in front of young learners as a teacher who believed that education could change lives. Over the decades that followed, his path would take him from teacher to auditor, entrepreneur, property executive and one of the most respected voices in South African commercial real estate.

But titles alone don't tell Saul's story.

Growing up in a community where black, white and Indian lived side by side, until apartheid changed everything, he saw the world shift around him in ways that would shape his character, his values and his purpose for the rest of his life. Throughout every chapter that followed, one theme has remained constant: he has quietly spent his career opening doors for others.

In S2 Ep9 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Saul Gumede for one of the most personal and moving conversations the show has ever had. From childhood memories of apartheid to the boardrooms of South African property, this is a story about purpose, dignity, resilience and what it truly means to lead.

This isn't just a conversation about property or business. It's about the responsibility that comes with success and why the greatest legacy any of us can leave is not the buildings we construct, but the people we help build.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a young professional or someone who believes that real leadership means leaving the door open for those who come after you, this one will stay with you.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Saul Gumede (Co-Founder, Dipula)

Podcast Director: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Production Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Video Editor: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

The easiest thing in business is to follow the crowd.

The harder path is backing your convictions when everyone else is uncertain.

For more than a decade, Laurence Rapp has done exactly that.

After building a successful career in banking, insurance and asset management, he entered the listed property sector and has spent 14 years leading Vukile Property Fund through one of the most transformative periods in its history. Under his leadership, Vukile evolved from a South African focused REIT into an international retail property platform with a significant footprint across Spain and Portugal.

At a time when many questioned retail property, Vukile doubled down.

At a time when many businesses were retreating, Vukile expanded.

In S2 Ep8 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Laurence Rapp, CEO of Vukile Property Fund, to unpack what it takes to lead through uncertainty, why retail property continues to outperform expectations and how one South African company built a business capable of competing on a global stage.

This isn't just a conversation about property or capital allocation. It's about conviction, courage and what separates the leaders who build something lasting from the ones who simply follow the market.

Whether you're an investor, an entrepreneur or someone who believes the biggest opportunities are always the ones nobody else can see yet — this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Laurence Rapp (CEO, Vukile Property Fund)

Podcast Director: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Series Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Studio Production: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Some businesses grow because they follow the market.

Others grow because they completely rethink it.

When Ivan and Lynette Saltzman opened their first pharmacy in Mondeor in 1978 with just R10,000 in capital, the prevailing view was that pharmacy retail was expensive, conservative and difficult to scale.

Ivan saw something different.

Customers wanted better pricing, better access and a more personal experience - and he believed pharmacy could become retail in a far bigger sense. What followed was the creation of Dis-Chem Pharmacies, a business that would go on to fundamentally reshape South African pharmacy retail and become one of the most trusted brands in the country.

But behind the growth story is something deeper. A founder-led culture, relentless operational discipline and a business built over decades - not quarters.

In S2 Ep7 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Ivan Saltzman, Co-Founder of Dis-Chem Pharmacies, to explore nearly five decades of entrepreneurship, the art of building trust at scale, what it takes to transition a family business into a listed company and why giving back has always been at the heart of everything Dis-Chem does.

This isn't just a conversation about pharmacy or retail. It's about understanding people better than your industry does, building something that outlives its founder and recognising that real success is measured not only by what a business earns - but by the difference it makes in the lives of the people it serves.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a business leader or someone who believes that trust is the most valuable thing a brand can build - this conversation is one you won't want to miss.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Ivan Saltzman (Co-Founder, Dis-Chem Pharmacies)

Podcast Director: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Series Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Studio Production: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

The Braadcast with Jason McCormick (S2, Ep6): "Building Opportunity Beyond the Balance Sheet"

Some leaders build businesses. Jason McCormick builds opportunity.

Growing up in a family that survived on R273 a month, with a father who planted vegetables to put food on the table and made one promise to his children - a good education - Jason learned early that opportunity is never something to take for granted.

That foundation would shape everything that followed.

When he joined the family business in 2002, it employed fewer than ten people. Under his leadership, it evolved into one of South Africa's most significant township and rural retail specialists, developing more than 60 retail assets and ultimately listing Exemplar REITail on the JSE.

But Jason's story extends well beyond property.

A self-described Afro-optimist, conservationist and community advocate, he has spent his career investing in places others overlook — rural towns, township communities and emerging markets defined not by their challenges, but by their potential. From Exemplar's Change For Good initiatives to co-founding the One People Fund during COVID-19, which helped deliver more than 7.5 million meals, his work reflects an unshakeable belief in people, possibility and the future of Africa.

In S2 Ep6 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Jason McCormick to explore what it means to build with purpose, why the greatest opportunities often exist where the least people are looking, and how one family's humble beginnings became the foundation for something extraordinary.

This isn't just a conversation about property or business. It's about optimism, leadership and the belief that the most meaningful legacy isn't measured by what you own - but by what you leave behind.

Whether you're an entrepreneur, a property professional or someone who believes that business can be a genuine force for good - this conversation will stay with you.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Jason McCormick (CEO, Exemplar REITail)

Podcast Director: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Series Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Studio Production: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

What happens when an entire country becomes the stage for a global event?

For Lee Thomas, that question has been part of his career for more than two decades. His journey through the events and hospitality industry has taken him from the 1999 Rugby World Cup and 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup to one of the most significant sporting moments South Africa has ever hosted: the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

As CEO of Circa, Lee has built his career around making complex experiences work at scale. Behind the excitement of a major event are thousands of moving parts — venues, infrastructure, hospitality, logistics, people and decisions that often have to be made in real time.

In S2 Ep5 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad joins Lee for a conversation about what happens when the stakes are high and the world is watching. They explore the evolution of hospitality, the realities of delivering major international events, the pressure of leading teams in environments where there is no second chance, and the lessons Lee has gathered from decades of making big moments happen.

From the unforgettable to the almost disastrous, Lee offers a perspective few people get to see: what it takes to turn an enormous vision into an experience that feels effortless for everyone watching.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Lee Thomas (CEO, Circa)

Podcast Director: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Series Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Studio Production: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

In property, success is often measured by what you build.

But for Jannie Krüger, the most valuable things he's built over three decades have never appeared on a balance sheet.

From his early days at Woolworths and Downtown Development Corporation to co-founding Retail Africa and later establishing Dorpstraat, Jannie has spent his career at the intersection of property, investment and entrepreneurship. Not just developing buildings — but building businesses, raising capital and bringing together the right people around the right opportunities.

In S2 Ep4 of The Braadcast, Norman Raad sits down with Jannie Krüger, founder of Dorpstraat, to unpack three decades of dealmaking, the instinct required to spot opportunity before everyone else does, and what a lifetime in South African property has taught him about trust, relationships and long-term success.

This isn't just a conversation about property. It's about the art of the deal, the power of reputation and why the best investments are ultimately made in people.

Whether you're a property professional, an entrepreneur or someone who believes that lasting success is built on relationships rather than transactions - this one is for you.

EPISODE CREDITS:

Host: Norman Raad (CEO, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Guest: Jannie Krüger (Founder, Dorpstraat)

Podcast Director: Codi Bentley (Multimedia Designer, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Series Coordinator: Lesley Saunders (Head of Marketing, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Marketing & Distribution: Hayleigh Kolbe (Marketing Assistant, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Studio Production: Kevin Fanny (Multimedia, Broll Auctions and Sales)

Most people spend their lives searching for safety. The predictable career. The steady path. The familiar outcome.

Andrew Brooking has spent his life doing the exact opposite.

Growing up in Zimbabwe during one of the most turbulent periods in the country's history, Andrew learned early that uncertainty wasn't something to fear - it was something to navigate. That lesson would follow him to Wits, to Notre Dame, to a partnership at one of South Africa's top law firms, and eventually to the decision that would define his career - walking away from it all to build something of his own.

For the past 27 years, Andrew has been a quiet force behind some of South Africa's most significant corporate and property transactions as a Founding Director of Java Capital. But behind the listings and the mega-mergers is a deeply human story about reinvention, conviction and what it truly takes to back yourself when the outcome is anything but certain.

In Season 2 Episode 3 of The Braadcast, South African entrepreneur and Java Capital Founding Director Andrew Brooking sits down with Norman Raad to unpack a life shaped by bold decisions, unexpected turns and the belief that everything worth having lives just beyond your comfort zone.

This isn't just a conversation about business or corporate finance. It's about the courage to leave certainty behind, the wisdom that comes from 27 years at the negotiating table and why the most extraordinary lives are rarely built on safe choices.

Whether you're a South African entrepreneur, a young professional navigating your career, someone considering leaving a stable job to start a business, or simply someone who believes that real growth only happens outside your comfort zone - this conversation will stay with you.