PG Tops Strategic Consulting, Cape Town (2026)

19/06/2026

Standing backstage at the EO Ignite Conference last week, I was convinced someone on the organising committee had decided to punish me.

Why?

Because I was scheduled to speak immediately after Harris III, a world-class performer who had the audience completely captivated.

The facts were not great. It was late in the day. Energy levels were dropping.
The speaker before me was exceptional.

Then Caroline helped me see it differently.

What if this wasn't a punishment? What if it were a vote of confidence?

Nothing changed except the frame.

The same thing happens in business every day. A delayed client becomes an opportunity to strengthen other relationships. A missed target becomes feedback. A difficult quarter becomes preparation for a stronger one.

Golf offers the same lesson. Two golfers can walk off the same course. One talks about the score. The other talks about the conversations, the lessons and the privilege of spending four hours outdoors with friends. Same round. Different experience.

Perspective shapes performance.

AI Prompt:
"I am currently facing the following situation: [Insert situation].

Help me reframe this challenge. Give me five alternative perspectives that an entrepreneur, coach, stoic philosopher, psychologist and trusted friend might take. For each perspective, explain what opportunities become visible, what assumptions may be limiting me, and what practical actions I should consider taking. End by recommending the most constructive frame and explain why it is likely to create the best long-term outcome."

17/06/2026

Last week started with a room full of entrepreneurs building their own Vision Traction Organisers using EOS. To make the session practical, I drew on ideas from Scott Galloway's The Four and the stories of Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Google.

What struck me was that while Galloway focuses on the competitive advantages that made these companies dominant, I found myself looking at something completely different. I was fascinated by the systems, rhythms and communication structures they built to turn vision into ex*****on.

Same companies. Same facts. Different frame.

It reminded me of watching the Springboks. One person sees physicality and power. Another sees communication, trust and role clarity. The scoreboard tells one story. The system behind it tells another.

As entrepreneurs, we often assume the challenge is the situation in front of us. More often than not, the challenge lies in the lens through which we view it.

Dan sien ons mos dieselfde perdjie maar in 'n ander kleur.

This week's newsletter explores why reframing may be one of the most valuable leadership skills we can develop, and how shifting perspective can transform outcomes without altering a single fact.

Newsletter out tomorrow. Sign up here: www.pgtops.com/newsletter

*****on

15/06/2026

I've been reflecting on something from last week's newsletter.

For years, I've believed that one of the ways we feed the soul is through contribution. Stephen Covey often wrote about the fulfilment that comes from serving something bigger than ourselves, and that idea has always resonated with me.

What I'm less sure about these days is whether contribution is ever entirely selfless.

The more time I spend in communities that matter to me, whether that's family, business, school, sport or EO, the more I realise that the people who give the most often seem to receive the most as well.

The school auction was a perfect example. Yes, we helped raise meaningful funds that will create a lasting impact for future learners. But I also walked away with stronger friendships, deeper connections and a greater sense of belonging to a community that cares deeply about its children.

The school gained something.

So did I.

Maybe that's exactly how healthy communities are supposed to work. People bring their talents, energy, experience and time to a common cause, and in doing so create value for everyone involved, including themselves.

Lekker man, what a privilege to be part of something like that.

As we start a new week, perhaps the question isn't whether you belong to a community. Most of us already do.

The better question might be: what are you bringing to it?

12/06/2026

One of the biggest highlights of last weekend wasn't the record-breaking amount raised at our school's annual auction.

It was watching a group of highly capable mothers quietly run circles around problems that would leave many executive teams scratching their heads.

Over three months, I watched them coordinate donors, secure auction items, manage suppliers, solve last-minute crises, rally support, and somehow keep hundreds of moving parts moving in the same direction.

Many had stepped away from traditional corporate careers years ago.

Yet the leadership, influence, ex*****on and organisational abilities on display were extraordinary.

As Sonia remarked at one point, "It's weird. This level of competence is not normal."

She wasn't wrong.

The experience reminded me that leadership isn't a title. Influence doesn't require authority. And some of the most impressive operators you'll ever meet may not sit inside a boardroom.

What struck me most was how much everyone seemed to gain from contributing. The school benefited. The families benefited. Future generations will benefit.

But so did every person who gave their time.

Dis mos die lekker deel.

Perhaps contribution isn't sacrifice at all. Perhaps it's participation in something bigger than ourselves.

🤖 Prompt:

"Act as a community impact coach. Help me identify the key communities I belong to across my family, work, social, sporting, educational and charitable life. For each community, assess my current level of contribution, identify the unique strengths and talents I could offer, and suggest practical ways I could increase my contribution by 10% over the next 90 days. Then recommend which community would benefit most from my increased involvement and create a simple action plan to get started."

10/06/2026

As you read this, I'm preparing to take the stage at our annual Entrepreneurs' Organisation conference, sharing a deeply personal story with 200 fellow entrepreneurs.

To be honest, calling them peers still triggers a healthy dose of imposter syndrome.

It's a strange way to finish a week that started somewhere completely different. Yesterday, I was facilitating conversations about how small businesses can learn from companies like Apple, Google, Amazon and Meta. We spoke about vision, ex*****on and the systems that allow organisations to scale.

Fast forward a few days, and I found myself preparing for a very different conversation, one about presence, transition and how we remain grounded when life changes around us.

Different audiences. Different topics. Different outcomes.

Yet one theme kept showing up.

Community.

Ironically, the biggest lesson didn't come from a stage at all. It came from spending three months working alongside an extraordinary group of volunteers helping to deliver our school's fundraising auction.

The amount raised was remarkable.

The people were even more remarkable.

Tomorrow's newsletter explores why community is not something we find. It's something we build through contribution, participation and a willingness to show up.

Ja nee, there was a lot to learn this week.

📩 Newsletter out tomorrow: www.pgtops.com/newsletter

08/06/2026

Reflecting on last week, one of the moments that has stayed with me most wasn't on a golf course, a rugby field or in a training room. It was Saturday evening at the Mount Nelson, with parents, teachers, alumni and friends of the school gathered for a common purpose.

Fundraising events can sometimes feel like they're simply about numbers. Targets to hit. Auction items to sell. Funds to raise. Yet sitting in that room, it felt like something much bigger than that.

What struck me was the collective commitment of so many people who care deeply about creating opportunities for the next generation. The reality is that world-class schools don't simply happen. They are built over decades through the contributions of countless individuals who give their time, energy, expertise and resources to help create an environment where children can flourish.

As parents, we often see the visible outcomes. The sporting fixtures on a Saturday morning, the cultural events, the music performances, the academic achievements and the friendships that shape our children's lives. What we don't always see is the extraordinary community that sits behind it all, working quietly to ensure those opportunities continue to exist for future generations.

Watching the generosity in the room reminded me that community is one of the most powerful forces we have. It brings people together around a shared purpose and creates outcomes that no individual could achieve alone.

Last week's newsletter focused on the impact our communities have on our standards, happiness, and success. Saturday evening was a beautiful reminder of that in action. A group of people coming together not for personal gain, but because they believe in something bigger than themselves.

Ja nee, that's the kind of community that leaves you feeling optimistic about the future.

As we head into another week, I'm feeling grateful to be part of a school community that invests so heavily in the educational, cultural and sporting experiences that help shape our children into the people they will one day become.

05/06/2026

This weekend I played Royal Cape with a few mates and shot one of my better rounds there in years.

What struck me afterwards wasn't the score. It was how many people had contributed to it.

Over the past few months, I've spent countless hours working with my coach. Every time I thought I was making progress, he seemed capable of finding three more things that still needed fixing. Frustrating in the moment. Invaluable over time.

Earlier in the week, I experienced something similar while facilitating alongside James Summers. Knowing I'd be sharing a room with someone operating at such a high level pushed me to prepare harder and raise my own standards.

That's what great communities do.

They don't just support you.

They elevate you.

It reminds me of the Springboks. We celebrate the stars, but the real magic sits in the environment. High standards become normal. Excellence becomes contagious.

Dis mos die geheim.

The people around you quietly shape your standards, and your standards eventually shape your results.

🤖 Prompt:

"Act as a performance coach and life strategist. Help me evaluate the people, communities, commitments, and activities that currently occupy my time. Categorise each as Uplifts Me, Neutral, or Drains Me. Recommend practical changes that will help me spend more time with people and activities that elevate my performance, happiness and sense of community."

03/06/2026

Late on Sunday afternoon, we decided to take the dog for a walk.

Nothing planned. Just a quick leg stretch before the week ahead.

As it happened, we bumped into a few other families from the soccer club and school who had the same idea. Within minutes, cones appeared, a soccer ball materialised, and suddenly, there was a full-blown dads-versus-lads match taking place as the sun started setting over Cape Town.

The boys celebrated every goal like they'd won the World Cup. The dads were doing their best not to pull a hamstring.

It was chaotic, noisy and completely unplanned.

And it was probably my favourite moment of the entire weekend.

Not the golf. Not the work wins. Not the results.

The people.

Community, hey.

Tomorrow's newsletter explores why the people around us have a far greater influence on our performance, happiness and success than we often realise.

📩 Subscribe here: www.pgtops.com/newsletter

01/06/2026

Caroline and I have started exploring a new tourism venture and one of the first things we did was build a website prototype using AI.

It struck me afterwards because a task that previously felt like it immediately required a subcontractor suddenly became something we could experiment with ourselves. Yet interestingly, it did not make me want the subcontractor less. It simply made me expect more.

The opportunity has not disappeared. The expectation has shifted.

The person you hire tomorrow will hopefully be using the same tools to create faster, better and more accessible outcomes, and perhaps that is one of the more exciting parts of this whole AI wave.

In a country with such a divide between haves and have-nots, lowering the cost of access, making knowledge more freely available, and opening up opportunities for creation are worth paying attention to.

The wave is moving quickly. The question is probably not whether it arrives, but how we choose to ride it.

🌍

29/05/2026

A conversation over dinner this weekend stayed with me longer than I expected.

A friend asked what I charge to build AI systems and automation solutions for businesses, and then followed it up with a question I had honestly not framed that way before: “How many jobs are you helping remove?”

It was not confrontational. It was thoughtful. And it sat with me.

Because most of the businesses I work with are not trying to replace people. They are trying to reduce admin, improve systems, remove friction, and create space for people to spend more time on higher-value work.

The newsletter this week explores the idea that perhaps the bigger opportunity is not removing people from systems but elevating them through better ones.

Dis mos nou die ding.

Read the whole post here: https://www.pgtops.com/post/ai-jobs-and-the-dinner-question-i-wasn-t-expecting

🤖 Prompt:
“Act as an AI transformation advisor. Review my role or business and categorise activities into Automate, Accelerate and Human Advantage.”

PG Tops Strategic Consulting

19/06/2026

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15/06/2026

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29/05/2026

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