LinkedIn has the power to change your business and life. All you have to do is use it right!

Hi, I’m Renier Lombard – 

One relationship can change everything > Let me show you how to use your LinkedIn Personal Brand to find and attract those relationships.

It’s the superpower many don’t know they have in their arsenal.

I’ve seen the landscape on all platforms change. LinkedIn is no exception. It’s evolved into a powerful tool that many people and companies don’t utilise to its full potential. 

This is understandable as it requires a vast amount of time and energy to visit profiles, create content, invite users to connect, run searches, manage the messages, see who visited your profile, connect with them and much, much more…

With FDC, you don’t have to do any of the above but still reap the rewards.

LinkedIn is a professional landscape with opportunities at your fingertips; all you need is the right team to bring those opportunities to you.

👉  We will build your personal brand, 
👉  Grow your network
👉  Add value for your audience through your content.

With your industry knowledge and our LinkedIn expertise, we'll grow your business from great to the upper-most echelons.

If you'd like to save money and time and still grow your business, LinkedIn's the place to do it.

It is the vehicle to achieve your goals, from talent acquisition to networking, lead generation, investor sourcing and personal brand awareness.

And if you'd like all that the easy way, connect with me, and let's get the conversation rolling.

So get in touch!

📧  Email me at renier@flance.co.za 
🤝   Book a time with me on https://go.oncehub.com/RenierLombard 
💻   To see more, visit https://fdc.agency/linkedin/

Renier Lombard "The Digital Animal"

If you want to help South Africa,
Here’s my advice to all South African entrepreneurs:

Grow your business.

You don’t need to donate to every cause.
You don’t need to volunteer every weekend.
You don’t need to carry the country on your back.

You just need to build something that grows.

Here’s why 👇

1. Growth creates jobs
More revenue → more hires.
More hires → less unemployment.
Less unemployment → stronger families, communities, and futures.

That impact compounds fast.

2. Growth stimulates the economy
Growing businesses buy assets.
Pay suppliers.
Invest in systems.
Money moves. Confidence follows.

3. Global growth brings capital home
International clients = forex inflows.
Foreign capital strengthens the local economy.
That matters more than most people realise.

So if you’re asking how to contribute this year:

Don’t overcomplicate it.

Build.
Grow your business.
Hire more people.

If you have one goal this year, make it this.

Happy building 🚀

Renier Lombard

One relationship can change your business & life > Let me show you how to use your LinkedIn Personal Brand to find and attract those relationships. | Building in public. Follow to watch us build our agency.

I never went to a traditional high school.

When I finished primary school, I realised something pretty quickly: I could get my school work done far faster without someone constantly telling me what to do, when to do it, or how to do it. 

And to be honest, I hated being told what to do.

Primary school was great, but I always felt restricted. I knew I needed a different way of learning, something more practical, more hands-on, and more aligned with how my mind worked.

My dad noticed this early on. Instead of forcing me down a traditional path, he gave me a choice: take responsibility for my own education and do it my way, or go the conventional route. I chose to back myself.

He set up a small workspace next to his own office and supported me in completing my schooling through the UK Cambridge system online. This allowed me to learn at my own pace and in my own way, blending structured education with real-world exposure.

We still had dial-up internet back then, so it wasn’t exactly seamless, but I made it work.

My days weren’t just about studying. I spent hours sitting next to my dad, watching him negotiate, strategise, and run his small construction business. 

My “high school friends” weren’t classmates, they were my dad’s contractors. The construction workers, The carpenters, The plumbers, The electricians. I had lunch with them. I observed them. I engaged with them. I listened.

That became my real education.

This combination of self-directed learning and hands-on experience taught me discipline, independence, and a deep understanding of how business actually works. 

I finished school a year early, not because I was rushing, but because I was driven and motivated to learn on my own terms.

The most valuable lessons didn’t come from textbooks. They came from proximity, observing work ethic, decision-making, and problem-solving in real time. 

It showed me that while building a business is complex, it becomes far more manageable with the right mindset and systems.

Today, I apply those lessons daily as I lead our companies. 

And I encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to look beyond conventional education paths.

Sometimes the best school is life itself, and the best lessons are learned by doing.

Happy building ✌️

There are almost a million South Africans living abroad around the world.

Read that again.
Nearly a million.

South Africans are building companies in London boardrooms, Running mining operations in Perth, Scaling tech in Amsterdam, Closing deals in Dubai, And leading teams in New York.

We are wired to make a plan.
To figure things out.
To punch above our weight.

This is what The Lekker Network is really about.

Not complaining about why people left. But recognising that South African grit didn’t stop at the border.

We multiplied.

And what excites me most is what becomes possible when you connect them. Shared opportunities. Trusted introductions. Global reach with local heart.

We are everywhere.
Now it’s time to act like it.

Happy building!

And just like that.. the year is officially underway. 

We were back last week, but it feels like this is the week when the world really switches back on.

This morning kicked off with my first in-person meeting of the year with Nic Latouf and a few incredible Lekker Network supporters at the wonderful Tasha's, and honestly, the energy is next level.

We have so much planned for this year it’s almost hard to believe.

🌍 International meetups across nine countries, including:

-Netherlands (Mid February)
-Ireland (end of March)
-Isle of Man
-Australia
-Finland
-England
-USA
-China
-Dubai

Our first major international meetup will be in Amsterdam, and I’ll be sharing more details and comms on that very soon.

We’re also on track to hit 500 members at The Lekker Network, likely before the end of January. 🚀

Last year was about building, testing, refining, and learning what truly works. 

This year? We’re perfectly positioned to scale, market, and expand in a big way.

It’s going to be a significant year, and yes, we’re very glad we managed to squeeze in a bit of downtime, because things are about to get wildly busy.

Wishing everyone an incredible year ahead.

Nic and I are here for you, and we’re just getting started.

Let’s build. 🌍

What if generosity is our greatest strength?

South Africa was recently recognised as the most generous country in the world, based on a global study conducted by Remitly.

What matters is how generosity was measured.

This wasn’t about money.

It was about everyday human behaviour.

The study looked at things like:
>Empathy
>Emotional support
>Patience and kindness
>Willingness to put others first

Thousands of people across multiple countries were surveyed using a recognised behavioural scale, and South Africa came out on top. 

Not because we have the most, but because we show up for others.

And honestly, I think this is exactly why, as a country, we keep overcoming things.

- We always find a way through.
- We always come out the other side.

And I believe this is why.
It shows up in a simple question we ask so naturally:
 “How can I help you?”

So if there’s anything I’d love to encourage this year, it’s this:
Just keep being you.

- Be the South African you are.
- Be the generous person you are.
- Be the empathetic person you are.

That’s why we’ve been recognised.
That’s why this matters.

Let’s make generosity a daily habit in how we lead, how we do business, and how we show up for one another.

Because when you give time, energy, support, and belief, you receive tenfold.

I love buying from you, but I hate being sold to.

Most people join a network and immediately ask: Who can buy from me?

Wrong question.

The real value to be found in any network is in becoming the kind of person people want to introduce. The kind of person people trust and want in their corner.

If you walk into a community guns blazing, you will get isolated fast.
If you walk in curious, you will get pulled into rooms you did not even know existed.

Ask questions.
Observe first.
Connect people without needing a kick back.
Help someone solve a problem, even if it does nothing for you today.

Because the funny thing about business is this.

People buy from the people they like.
People buy from the people they trust.
People buy from the people who played the long game.

Put in the time, and you will be surprised by the outsized returns.

Just under a year ago, this was an idea.

Today, we’re ten months into building something special.

The Lekker Network has grown into a global community of South African business owners, professionals, founders, and investors, connected across continents, industries, and time zones.

And in March, we take a big step forward.

We’re hosting our first annual Lekker Network Summit in Cape Town.
A two-day, fully catered gathering with 200+ confirmed attendees already locked in > business owners, professionals, investors, and members flying in from around the world.

We’ve lined up some exceptional speakers, including:

- John Sanei
- Christo Wiese (fireside chat)
- Barry Hilton, speaking openly about mental health

Add to that world-class catering by Bertus Basson, curated experiences, and a room full of people who genuinely want to connect, collaborate, and build.

Because of demand, we’ve decided to open a limited number of tickets to the public.

Only 25 tickets are available.

They are paid tickets, fully catered, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

If you’re a business owner or professional, based anywhere in the world, and you’d like to be part of this experience in Cape Town, 

send me a DM and I’ll share the ticket link.

Cheers 🙌🏼

Happy 2026 to all our wonderful followers and connections here on LinkedIn. 

We’re kicking off the year with something special.

Have a listen to this powerful song that Guy Ellis and Tanner Wareham have collaborated on.

Guy wrote this song for The Lekker Network, and for all South Africans, wherever they may be in the world.

It speaks to our shared spirit, our connection, and the belief that no matter where we land, we still belong to something bigger.

We collaborated with Tanner to bring this to life, and this marks his first song of 2026, which makes it even more special.

He’ll also be performing live at The Lekker Network Summit in March, which is going to be phenomenal.

The idea of South Africa’s 10th province, spread across the world but united by the same heartbeat, has never felt more real. And 2026 is shaping up to be an absolute banger of a year.

We’ve got close to 25 international  Lekker Network events planned across the globe, incredible people coming together, and big things ahead for this community.

Wishing everyone a beautiful, successful, and meaningful 2026.

Let’s build, connect, and show up for one another.

Remember this one? 
Good luck getting this out of your head today! 

It's a silly, simple ad that worked because it understood something important.

South Africans buy familiarity. 
We buy humour. 
We buy brands that make you smile before they make you buy. 
That feels like a braai conversation with mates on a Sunday. 

That's the lesson here for every brand trying to “localise” their message.

Culture isn’t a gimmick.
It’s a shortcut to trust.

If you tap into it with respect, people lean in.
If you miss it, they scroll right past, or worse, never look again. 

We remember that Wimpy ad because it wasn’t trying to be clever.

It was trying to be South African.

And that’s usually enough.

There are certain places in the world that quietly mark turning points in our lives.

This is the Platō Coffee, just as you exit Stellenbosch towards Somerset West.

In April 2024, I had just stopped here after a meeting to grab a coffee.

That’s when my phone rang.

It was Nic Latouf

We hadn’t spoken properly in almost a year. Out of the blue, he called and said:

“Renier, I need help. Will you come and help me build The Lekker Network?”

It didn’t take much convincing.

I’d been watching what was happening online. I could feel the momentum. I wanted to be part of it.

Standing there, coffee in hand, I said YES > without hesitation.

“Let’s do this. Let’s take this journey together.”

That moment changed everything.

My trajectory shifted.
My future took a different path.

And this spot became etched in my memory as the place where that decision was made.

I’ll always remember Plato as the place where I said yes, and where my life changed course.

Do you have places like this in your journey?

A café, a street corner, a parking lot…

A spot where one decision changed everything?

👇 Would love to hear your story.

Uncovering Tech in Africa. 15k+ read my newsletter about African Tech 🌍 You should too

I'm the Founder and CEO of Tech Safari - Africa's leading tech community and media company 🌍

Want to keep up to date what’s happening in African tech? Tech Safari is your tour guide 💌www.techsafari.io

Caleb Maru

It’s official: the African tech funding winter is over

Last year African startups raised $3.8 billion - a jump from $2.8 billion in 2025. 

The data is in and African tech funding is coming back - but with new rules.
 
The market has sobered up, and the key players in Africa’s tech scene are changing.

Diving deep into our friends at Briter’s Africa Investment Report 2025, tells us that the market has sobered up - and there are a few changes to who is raising money in African Tech.

A couple highlights from 2025:

🇳🇬 Nigeria ranked last among the Big Four (Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, South Africa)  - for the first time ever.

🇰🇪 Kenya’s funding was topped by familiar names like Zepz and d.Light - a reminder that in venture, the best players will keep attracting capital - even in tighter markets.

🌍 Climate tech exploded - it was the fastest-growing sector by deal count and second by total funding volume. 

🏦 And not just VC is growing - debt funding is on the rise, hitting $1 billion for the first time ever - with funding coming from impact investors backing models like solar power and agriculture. 


2025 answered questions VCs have been asking about African tech for years:
- Can companies scale sustainably?
- Can capital structures evolve beyond pure equity?
- Are there repeat winners?

The data says yes.

And tomorrow, we’re going deeper into Africa’s funding growth with our good buddies at Briter.  

We’ll unpack the numbers from 2025 - and what they can tell us about what to expect in 2026.

Join in tomorrow here! https://luma.com/dtf1g0ck

Turning Africa’s innovation story into action - through media, events and programs that help companies scale.

taplio

The Battle

Renier Lombard "The Digital Animal"

Caleb Maru

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreRenier Lombard "The Digital Animal"'s LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreCaleb Maru's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Renier Lombard "The Digital Animal"

Caleb Maru

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Renier Lombard "The Digital Animal"'s LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreCaleb Maru's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreRenier Lombard "The Digital Animal"'s LinkedIn Performance