About

Been there, done that… doing it all over again!

A product of South Africa, vintage 1963. My childhood began in the black-and-white world of apartheid, but by the age of nine, I was discovering just how colourful the wider world could be.

An insatiable curiosity led me to devour books, explore electronics and listen to shortwave radio from the age of six. Different languages, unfamiliar cultures and distant places became lifelong fascinations.

I’ve been roaming the world since 1986, living, learning and working wherever opportunity and curiosity take me.

Jack of all trades, master of none? Perhaps. But it’s a handy collection of trades.

TECHIE

I started blowing household fuses at seven, usually while dismantling something electronic to find out how it worked.

Built my first computer in 1977 and began programming in BASIC. Over the years, that expanded to 13 programming languages, 15 hardware platforms and 10 operating systems, from mainframes to personal computers.

Technology has been part of my everyday life for nearly half a century. I’m still exploring its leading edge, particularly artificial intelligence, large language models and the possibilities of connected systems.

I don’t follow technology trends for their own sake. I research, experiment and implement what actually works.

INTERNAUT

I’ve been online since 1982, long before the World Wide Web transformed the internet into something the general public could use.

I discovered early that IP addressing had absolutely nothing to do with urinals.

Working near CERN in 1989, I had the opportunity to attend early talks by Tim Berners-Lee. Around 1994, I opened an Internet Café in Geneva, Switzerland, and spent several years teaching people how to navigate this extraordinary new world.

I’ve watched the internet evolve from a remarkable community of discovery and collaboration into an increasingly commercialised environment. Not every development has been an improvement!

Nevertheless, I remain convinced that technology, when applied intelligently, can empower almost anyone, anywhere.

AFFILIATE MARKETER

Since 1996, I’ve been fascinated by the potential of affiliate marketing and fair revenue sharing.

To me, the attraction was simple: people should be able to earn an income by recommending products and services they genuinely believe in, without resorting to intrusive advertising, spam or multilevel marketing.

In 1999, I founded the Internet Affiliate Marketing Association. It failed spectacularly. Apparently, herding a thousand cats would have been easier.

The idea, however, never died.

Today, iAfma.org has been resurrected with a renewed mission: demystifying affiliate marketing and teaching people how to build legitimate opportunities for recurring income.

It’s not magic. It’s a business model that rewards participation and genuine value.

MENTOR & PHILANTHROPIST

Retired? In theory. Never been busier.

These days, much of my attention is devoted to helping others discover greater financial independence and personal freedom.

I believe success is about far more than money, although financial security certainly makes pursuing a meaningful life considerably easier.

That philosophy has inspired a growing ecosystem of 47 initiatives, designed to combine learning, income opportunities, collaboration and practical contributions to society.

I prefer empowerment over dependency. Giving someone a fish might help today; teaching them to fish can change their future.

My belief is that charity begins at the cash register.

CONSERVATIONIST

There is no Planet B.

I was taught from an early age that looking after our environment is a responsibility, not an optional extra.

Over the years, that has meant everything from walking dogs in animal shelters and helping with feral cat sterilisation to supporting anti-poaching efforts and training wardens in South Africa.

Humanity’s treatment of animals and the natural world continues to trouble me deeply.

Rather than simply complain, I prefer to do something constructive. Many of my initiatives aim to make conservation and animal welfare practical, sustainable and economically rewarding.

YACHTSMAN

The sea has always offered a special kind of freedom.

As a lifelong adventurer and nautical navigator, I’ve found that few things compare with leaving the harbour behind and having the horizon ahead.

I’m even exploring the possibility of a 170-foot expedition yacht.

An unconventional retirement home? Quite possibly.

AVIATOR

Flying is more than a passion. It’s one of the great freedoms of my life.

As a commercial, multi-engine, instrument-rated pilot, I’ve always appreciated the extraordinary possibilities that aviation provides.

Through projects involving aircraft development, humanitarian transport and animal rescue, I want to make practical use of that experience.

Aircraft should be able to do much more than carry passengers from one airport to another.

And yes, I recognise that aviation comes with an environmental footprint. I’d rather confront that responsibility through constructive action than pretend it doesn’t exist.

AUTHOR

Eventually, I got around to putting pen to paper.

The Art of Living Freely! brings together my experiences, observations and philosophy into a practical exploration of personal freedom and a more purposeful way of life.

It’s about questioning conventional expectations, making independent choices and learning how to create a life on your own terms.

After all, the ultimate objective is not simply to make a living. It’s to make a life.

THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND IT ALL

Learn. Earn. Care. Share.

Four simple words that increasingly define what I do.

Keep learning, create opportunities to earn, care about the world around you and share what you’ve discovered along the way.

Life is an adventure. I intend to keep exploring it.

“Better to light a candle for one lost dog than to curse the darkness, of man’s indifference. Saving just one dog won’t change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog.” – Richard C. Call