A Stranger, a Suitcase and a Story

Anton and Ben

We all carry a suitcase packed with stories from where we’ve come from and dreams of where we’re headed. A Stranger, A Suitcase, and A Story is a podcast about people who’ve left home to build a new life in a new land. Hosted by two immigrants, Anton van der Walt and Ben Liebenberg, this series explores the emotional, professional, and entrepreneurial journeys of immigrants who’ve rebuilt, reinvented, and reimagined their lives. Inspired by Bruno Catalano’s sculpture I Viaggiatori, this podcast dives into the themes of identity, belonging, resilience, and the spaces we fill along the way.

  1. 6d ago

    Where Purpose Meets Philanthropy with Lawrence Jackson

    He arrived in Australia in 1982 - one of the first wave of South Africans to leave. He brought Mango Groove on tour. Helped raise the first $1 billion philanthropy campaign in Australian history. And is now rebuilding a university's connection to its diaspora, from the outside. Oh, and he never even went to that university. Some people don't follow a plan. They follow a thread. Lawrence Jackson grew up in Sandton, Johannesburg, the oldest of three boys in a close-knit Jewish family, with a big house, a love of sport, and the kind of upbringing he describes as genuinely blessed. Until the late seventies, when things began to change. When his mother's brother came home from Angola in a military hospital bed, the decision was made. The family packed up and left for Sydney in 1982. Lawrence was 16. What happened next is one of those lives that takes you places you never planned and somehow makes perfect sense looking back. In this episode, Lawrence takes us through: ·      How a chance encounter at a Gold Coast pub led to him touring Mango Groove around Australia. ·      The blind job ad that accidentally launched a 25-year career in philanthropy and social impact. ·      How a lunch conversation led to him building WITS Australia and raising funds for scholarships from 10,000 km away. ·      Why he refuses to be the South African who "bought his Wallaby jersey on Thursday and forgot home on Friday" ·      What it means to hold two identities and why he thinks that tension is worth keeping Lawrence's story isn't about one career. It's about a life built around community, connection, and never quite letting go of where you came from. "I don't want to be one of those South Africans who arrived on Wednesday, bought their Wallaby jersey on Thursday, and washed their hands of South Africa on Friday."

    1h 15m

  2. May 21

    Accident of Design with Sanushka Seomangal

    She filled out a university application form for fun. Got accepted. Moved to Australia. Got rejected by every law firm she applied to. Went home. Came back. Got rejected again. Today she's a partner at one of Australia's top tier law firms.  Some stories don't follow a plan. This is one of them.    Sanushka Seomangal grew up in Durban on the North Coast, one of the youngest grandchildren in one of those big, beautiful South African Indian families where there's always someone at the door, always food on the stove, and you're never truly alone.  Australia was never the dream. It was almost an accident. A law student visit to the University of Queensland, a paper form filled out on a whim, and an acceptance letter that changed everything.  But the road from that form to where she stands today was anything but smooth.  In this episode, Sanushka gets real about:  ·                Being turned away by every Sydney law firm — twice — and what she did next.   ·                What it's like to walk into a room where nobody looks like you and choosing to stay anyway.   ·                How she co-founded a diplomatic youth dialogue that's now shaped Australia-India relations for 15 years.   ·                The moment in a Mumbai taxi when she finally knew Sydney was home.   ·                Why she believes your difference isn't a disadvantage, it's your superpower    And through all of it — the rejections, the loneliness, the long road to partnership — one thing remained constant: she kept showing up.  "Your lived experience is your resilience, your courage, your problem solving. That authentic side of you is what's most valuable."

    59 min

  3. May 7

    Towards Something with Dan Nel

    He spent two and a half years waking up at midnight to work Australian hours from South Africa. He got divorced three weeks before he boarded the plane. He landed in Melbourne — alone — with a golf bag that cost him R19,000 just to check in. Was it worth it?   This is one of those episodes that stays with you. Dan Nel is not someone who moved to Australia years ago and has it all figured out. He's living the journey right now. A certified financial planner from Bloemfontein, Dan arrived in Melbourne in January 2023, and more than three years later, permanent residency still hasn't come through. Every morning, he wakes up wondering if today's the day that email arrives.   But what Dan carries with him isn't a story of regret. It's one of deliberate, courageous choice.   In this episode, Dan gets honest about:   The toll two and a half years of uncertainty took on his marriage and his mental health What it actually feels like to be in between — committed to a future that hasn't materialised yet. How he worked his way from doing admin at 1am to becoming a trusted financial advisor in Melbourne.   The two types of immigrants, and which one determines whether you'll thrive or struggle The moment driving through rural Victoria felt like home, not South Africa. And through all of it - the divorce, the visa delays, the overpriced golf bag — one thing never wavered: his why.   "You need to know what you're coming towards, not just what you're running from."   If you're in that in-between space right now — this one's for you.

    1h 6m

  4. Apr 23

    Before You Pack That Suitcase with Sean Kupferberg

    80 enquiries a day. From people dreaming of leaving South Africa. Less than 10% actually make it happen. What separates the ones who do... from the ones who don't?  Anton and Ben sat down with someone who's seen it all, not as someone who emigrated, but as the person sitting across the desk when families take the biggest decision of their lives. Sean Kupferberg is the Managing Director of New World Immigration in Cape Town. Since 2016, he's helped hundreds of South Africans navigate the path to Australia — from corporate professionals to tradespeople — and he's watched the full spectrum: people who arrived and thrived beyond anything they imagined, and people who came back.  In this episode, Sean pulls back the curtain on things most people don't talk about: What does immigration actually cost? (It's not what most people think.) Why does the process take so long and what can you do about it? Why a plumber or diesel mechanic might have a better shot at Australia than an accountant right now.  The biggest misconceptions that keep people stuck — and what clarity really looks like. The story of the butchers that changed everything.  If you're still sitting at the kitchen table wondering whether this is even possible for your family — this episode was made for you.

    1h 6m

  5. Apr 9

    The long game with Tim Netscher

    Tim did not just build mines in some of the most remote parts of the world…he built something far more lasting.  Tim Netscher’s story stretches across continents, industries and decades, but what emerges from this conversation is not simply a career in mining. It is something far more human, and far more enduring.  Growing up in South Africa, moving from one mining town to another, Tim learned early that stability is not something you are given. It is something you create. That pattern would follow him throughout his life, taking him across the world and eventually to Australia, where what began as a six-month assignment became a permanent chapter.  What stands out is not just the scale of what he has been part of building. Projects like the Gruyere Gold Mine, delivered in some of the most remote and complex environments, on time and on budget, are rare achievements in their own right. But that is not where the story sits. It sits in how he chose to lead.  There is a principle that runs through everything Tim speaks about, and it is disarmingly simple. Leave every place better than you found it. Not only in terms of the asset or the outcome, but in the lives of the people around it. In the communities that exist long before a project arrives, and long after it leaves.  Listening to Tim, you begin to understand that leadership, at its best, is not about control or position. It is about contribution. It is about recognising the privilege of experience, of opportunity, and using that to create something that extends beyond your own success.  In a world where outcomes are often measured in numbers, this conversation is a reminder that the more meaningful measure is what remains when you are no longer there. 🎧 Listen to Episode 26 at https://3spod.com Also available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.   #Leadership #Legacy #MigrationStories #GlobalLeadership #PurposeDriven #3SPod

    1h 3m

  6. Mar 27

    What It Means to Be the Other with Paul Hanley

    You don’t realise who you are…until you arrive somewhere you have to learn how to belong  In Episode 25 of A Stranger, A Suitcase, and A Story, Anton and Ben are joined by Paul Hanley - a story that moves well beyond finance and into something far more human.  Born and raised in Johannesburg, Paul built his career in one of South Africa’s most dynamic financial environments before making the decision, like so many others, to start again in Australia. But this is not a simple migration story. It’s a story about resilience — or as Paul calls it, vasbyt — and what it really takes to rebuild when everything familiar falls away.  From early lessons shaped in national service, to navigating identity, leadership and belonging in a new country, Paul reflects on the realities of being “the other” — in business, in society, and in yourself. His journey takes us through unlearning deeply held assumptions, confronting new environments, and ultimately building a life and business from the ground up.  What stands out is not just the success that followed, but the honesty of the process - the uncertainty, the pressure, and the quiet determination to keep going when nothing is guaranteed.  This is a powerful conversation about migration, leadership and the internal shifts that define who we become.  🎧 Listen to Episode 25 at 3spod.comAlso available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.   #Belonging #Identity #Migration #LeadershipLessons #HumanStories #Resilience #3SPod

    1h 10m

  7. Mar 13

    Fighting Extinction with Dr Jenny Gray AM

    What does it feel like to arrive just in time to witness an extinction?  In Episode 24 of A Stranger, A Suitcase, and A Story, Anton and Ben are joined by Dr Jenny Gray AM, Chief Executive Officer of Zoos Victoria, whose journey spans Johannesburg, Durban and Melbourne, and whose leadership has reshaped conservation in Australia.  Jenny grew up between Johannesburg and Durban, immersed in storytelling, public service and a deep familiarity with wildlife. Early in her career, she found herself leading Durban Transport during South Africa’s political transition, learning resilience, humility and stakeholder leadership under extraordinary pressure.  But it was a moment in 2009 that changed everything.  Jenny and her team arrived on Christmas Island to try to save the pipistrelle bat. They recorded what turned out to be the final individual of the species. Within days, it was gone. They had arrived in time to document an extinction. That moment became a line in the sand.  Zoos Victoria made a commitment that no Victorian terrestrial vertebrate species would go extinct on their watch. Today, they work with 27 critically endangered species. Sixteen years later, not one has been lost. From rediscovering the Victorian grassland earless dragon after 54 years, to breeding programs, reintroductions and engaging children in conservation, Jenny’s work is not about spectacle. It is about responsibility.  Her migration story is just as powerful. Head-hunted to lead Werribee Open Range Zoo, Jenny rebuilt her professional network from scratch. She learned to soften her directness. She sought coaching. She consciously travelled light, knowing that what you carry in your suitcase can either strengthen you or weigh you down.  Her advice to young people is clear: Work hard. Take opportunities. Learn to lose. Build resilience. Do hard things. Because the glory is not on the easy road.   If you had to start again in a new country, what would you carry in your suitcase — and what would you be brave enough to leave behind?   🎧 Listen to Episode 24 at 3spod.comAlso available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube. #AStrangerASuitcaseAndAStory #3SPod #Episode24 #DrJennyGray #ZoosVictoria #Conservation #MigrationStories #Leadership #Australia #SouthAfrica

    1h 9m

  8. Feb 27

    Tinker First with Dawid Naudé

    What if the advantage isn’t being the smartest person in the room… but being willing to break things until they work? Anton speak to Dawid Naudé, whose story moves back and forth between Australia and South Africa with five years of childhood in Australia, then back to the Eastern Cape, and later a deliberate return to Australia on his own terms.   This episode starts in the real places that shape a person: Grahamstown and the National Arts Festival, where Dawid helped turn a local computer shop into an internet café by renting unused school computers and making it work, because mobile internet wasn’t a thing and journalists needed a place to file their stories. Then Rhodes: computer science… and the College House pub, where he ran it like a business (spreadsheets, inventory, beer counts) and learned early that “running something” teaches you things lectures don’t.   But one of the most defining moments is surprisingly simple: Dawid describes his mum giving him permission to play with the family computer to “break it,” get it fixed, and learn by doing. That permission became a way of operating: resourcefulness, curiosity, and tinkering over overthinking.   From there, the arc keeps unfolding: a restart at James Cook University, hard work on his dad’s prawn farm in North Queensland, a finance detour (including passing CFA Level 1) before taking a big leap, a 50% pay cut to move into tech at Accenture, then Cloud Sherpas, then back to Accenture where he became a Managing Director.   And then the moment that changed his direction again: ChatGPT. Dawid shares the “tinkering” story that sparked Pathfinder, using AI to make sense of legacy code and turning a painful, slow documentation task into something dramatically faster. For him, “AI for good” is not a slogan. It’s practical: AI as a universal tutor and a way for anyone, anywhere, in any language, to learn faster and better.   If you’re building a business (or thinking about it), Dawid’s advice is refreshingly direct: create demand first, make it easy for people to “window shop,” and become known in a niche by translating AI into something specific and useful for real people doing real jobs.   If tinkering is the real edge, what would you start testing this week?   🎧 Listen to Episode 23 of A Stranger, A Suitcase, and A Story at https://3spod.comAlso on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Podcasts.

    1h 22m
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About

We all carry a suitcase packed with stories from where we’ve come from and dreams of where we’re headed. A Stranger, A Suitcase, and A Story is a podcast about people who’ve left home to build a new life in a new land. Hosted by two immigrants, Anton van der Walt and Ben Liebenberg, this series explores the emotional, professional, and entrepreneurial journeys of immigrants who’ve rebuilt, reinvented, and reimagined their lives. Inspired by Bruno Catalano’s sculpture I Viaggiatori, this podcast dives into the themes of identity, belonging, resilience, and the spaces we fill along the way.

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