I never believed I would find my way back to clarity, let alone purpose. I began my working life at eighteen, straight out of school, selling furniture and handling administration. From there I moved into component sales, back when Yamaha 5.1 surround sound systems were the height of aspiration. A year later, I took a role at a quiet gym branch in South Africa, where I was mentored in telephonic sales and structured presentations. Within three months I had doubled my target. Soon after, I became an assistant sales manager and a Millionaire Club salesperson. I was earning consistent six figure commission cheques without any financial literacy, no real sense of direction and no understanding of what success was meant to serve. That emptiness created space for addiction. What followed was nearly two decades of hell. Homelessness. Isolation. A single minded desire to escape reality through heroin. I still remember my first night on the streets in the middle of winter, sitting on the steps of a block of flats in gang territory, freezing, my t shirt pulled over my knees as withdrawal tore through my body. Tormented while awake. Tormented while asleep. At times, survival felt like an unreasonable expectation. And yet, despite watching so many people lose their lives to addiction, I held onto one belief. I would survive. More than that, I would thrive. Today, my life looks very different. I am an account manager for one of the most powerful IT firms in Africa. I own my own agency. Through Skool, I connect daily with like minded entrepreneurs across the world, delivering high level IT and full spectrum marketing solutions that help organisations scale, move faster and work smarter. Much of the good that now exists in my life has been shaped by this platform and the people within it. Real conversations. Real support. Real growth. To the Skool community and to everyone who continues to walk alongside this journey, thank you. Our shared intention is to help one thousand business owners and startups scale and create meaningful impact in their own right.

TRIGGER WARNING Before you worry about me, I am not going anywhere, but sadly many men hit a stage where life feels like an uphill struggle where they are unable to speak openly and honestly, bottling in all up until their can't do it anymore. That's why Men Forge Forward exists. I have been that man, teetering on the edge of life and death after years saving others as a paramedic. When my health went over a cliff edge, I lost my sense of identity and purpose, and the downward spiral was real. Thankfully, I found a place at the right time, and those conversations saved me. Literally. Now, I am on a mission to help over 1,000 men in the next year to have that kind of space too. A place they can be honest without fear of judgement. A place where they don't have to suffer toxic masculinity and the "pull yourself together" approach. A place where friendships are formed, coaching is accessible, and a path forward made possible. You don’t need to be in crisis to enter the forge, and your contribution can make a huge difference to someone else, even without realising it. So, if you are a man, and you have read this far, join us today and start the 30-day challenge for free. Together, we can all forge forward. CLICK TO JOIN NOW MEN FORGE FORWARD Reclaim your edge at work and at home Mindset | Performance | Community

We are taking a deliberate step forward as ThriveLine Circle deepens its focus on community led growth and begins its journey into Meta certifications. This is not about collecting credentials for the sake of it. It is about grounding digital capability in real world application and shared learning. We are building a community for intentional growth through practical experience, thoughtful dialogue and cross disciplinary exploration. With 140 members and growing, ThriveLine Circle exists to create value added connections across borders, industries and stages of business. The goal is simple. Learn together, build together and apply what matters. Alongside this, we continue to help members 10X their workflows through robust IT solutions and full spectrum marketing that connects strategy to execution. If this resonates, we would appreciate your support. Join or support the ThriveLine Circle community on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586672216879

In a short space of time, we have reached 90 members. What began as a small, intentional space has developed into a community grounded in insight, generosity, and shared ambition. I am deeply proud of what we are building together. As we approach 100 members, ThriveLine Circle will transition into a paid community, with new memberships set at $20. This change reflects the depth of value, experience, and learning that continues to be invested into this space. For those of you who joined us early, please know this clearly: you will not be charged. Your membership will remain free, always. Thank you for your loyalty, your trust, and your commitment to this community. You believed early, and that matters. Over the past six months, I have dedicated myself to building ThriveLine Circle with intention. I have shared from my own experience and drawn on the wisdom and teachings of trusted friends and mentors, always with one aim in mind: to create meaningful value and practical insight that supports real growth. We now have ten complimentary places remaining before we move fully into a paid model. I invite you to refer someone you believe would genuinely benefit from the work we are doing here and who would contribute positively to this space. This is an exciting time for ThriveLine Circle as we grow and scale, with a continued focus on adding value and supporting you as you build, strengthen, and evolve your business from start-up to a recognised, world-class enterprise. Thank you for being part of this journey and for the role you play in shaping this community. https://www.skool.com/thriveline-circle-7438/about With appreciation, John Hamilton Lewis ThriveLine Circle

Most people still think Pinterest = cheesy potato recipes, wedding mood boards, and home decor inspo. But that’s only half the story. Pinterest is actually one of the most powerful evergreen traffic sources for small businesses in 2026 – Skool group owners, coaches, Etsy sellers, course creators, affiliate marketers, service providers, digital product makers, you name it. ⭐Why it works so well: - It’s a visual search engine – people type in exactly what they want (“beginner garden ideas,” “how to start a side hustle,” “printable planner 2026”) and they’re already in buying/learning mode - Pins don’t disappear after 24 hours – one strategic pin can send traffic to your offer, shop, or lead magnet for months or even years - No dancing, no trends, no daily posting required – just smart keywords + consistent pinning = quiet, compounding traffic ⭐Pinterest isn’t “just another social platform.” It’s a long-term traffic engine for any small business that wants views and clicks without burning out. If you’re ready to stop treating Pinterest like Instagram and start using it like the search engine it is, come join us inside Pinterest Skool (free to start). Comment “cheesy potato” below of you are hungry for more traffic!!! Let’s turn Pinterest into your quietest, most profitable traffic source in 2026. Who’s ready? 👇