
Francois J Lubbe – The Bush Lessons Guy
As The Bush Lessons Guy, Francois J Lubbe is a seasoned business coach and leadership strategist who helps individuals and businesses unlock their full potential.
With 23 years of corporate and executive experience and 16 years of business coaching expertise, Francois combines real-world insights with transformative coaching. He’s passionate about helping businesses and leaders simplify, refocus, and achieve exceptional results by revisiting the fundamentals and embracing the lessons nature has to offer.
My Roots
I grew up in Kakamas, a small farming town in the Northern Cape, where life was tough but full of character.
At just 7 years old, my grandfather — a hardworking farmer — dropped me off next to the road outside town with a bakkie full of watermelons. “Sell them for this price,” he said, “but if you sell them for more, the extra is yours.” Then he drove off.
That day, standing alone under the African sun, I learned what it meant to sell with confidence, to believe in your product, and to back yourself — not because I was trained, but because I had watched my grandfather grow those watermelons with pride. His passion became my pitch.
The Unlikely Student
I wasn’t a top academic at school. In fact, I didn’t even get a matric exemption. But after my Defence Force service, a school friend casually asked, “Why don’t you try university?”
That question shifted something. I walked into the University of the Free State the day before it opened — no appointment, just hope. The Registrar listened, made one phone call to the Department of Education, and gave me a shot.
The catch? I’d have to pass an extra language course in my first year — in South Sotho, a language I didn’t speak.
I said yes.
I passed. I stayed the course. I went on to complete my B.Com full time and did my Honours and Master’s degrees while working full time.
That early tenacity became the trunk of who I am today — solid, tested, growing from deep roots but always reaching upward and outward toward possibility.
The Corporate Climb- and Fall
For 23 years, I climbed the ranks in the banking world — from cashier to General Manager at one of South Africa’s top five banks. Then, during a holiday in the Kruger Park in June 2008, I got a call.
I was flown from the bush to Johannesburg to join the “top 300 executives.” But it wasn’t for strategy or growth — it was to be retrenched, the result of global recession pressures.
That same afternoon, I was home. Without a job. It was a shock. But it was also a turning point.
Side note: I’ve often thought — not many people can say their company flew them in from the bush, picked them up at the airport, drove them home to change into a suit… all so they could attend a meeting in the corporate auditorium and be told they were being retrenched. That moment, surreal as it was, marked the end of one chapter and the unexpected beginning of another.
From Banking to Coaching
In October 2008, I made a bold move. With equal parts excitement and fear, I bought an ActionCOACH Franchise.
I was one of South Africa’s first coaches and tapped into a global network spanning 84 countries (including the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand), using world-class IP, tools and strategies to help businesses grow profitably, run more efficiently, and prepare for long-term success, including eventual ownership transitions.
Since then, I’ve worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs and leaders across industries — using proven global tools and real-world insight to help them:
- Grow profits
- Lead with clarity
- Build businesses of long-term value and freedom
But over time, something deeper began to emerge.
The Possibility Engine
Over the years, I’ve come to believe one thing deeply: most people operate at only a fraction of their true potential. I’ve seen it in boardrooms, across industries, and even in my own journey.
What shifts the game isn’t just working harder — it’s thinking differently, acting with purpose, and aligning your energy to what truly matters.
That belief led to the creation of the Entrepreneurial Mastery Model — a practical, experience-driven framework that acts like an engine, turning insight into action and potential into performance.
It’s the foundation behind how I help business owners break through plateaus, scale with clarity, and build long-term value — not just in their businesses, but in their lives.
This model continues to guide my work every day, helping people unlock what they didn’t even realise was possible. And in many ways, it brought my journey full circle when I authored “Bush Lessons 4 Business- Unlocking Your Possibility”.
Bush Lessons: Back to the Wild for Real Insight
The more I worked with businesses, the more I saw a pattern: the answers we seek are often found when we step back from complexity and reconnect with the fundamentals.
That realisation came into sharp focus during my time in nature — especially in the African bush. The rhythms, instincts, and survival strategies of wildlife mirror many of the challenges business leaders face: uncertainty, competition, timing, and adaptation.
That’s how Bush Lessons 4 Business was born.
It’s more than a book — it’s a compass. It captures timeless insights from the wild and applies them to leadership, growth, and navigating change. Whether it’s a young elephant breaking away from self-imposed limits or the resilience of an Impala during drought, these stories offer powerful metaphors for thriving in business and in life.
It brought together what I believe in — the power of perspective, the wisdom of nature, and the strength of intentional action. The book captures lessons from the wild and applies them directly to business and leadership. It’s become both a culmination of my journey and a conversation starter for those ready to shift from surviving to thriving.
That’s the heartbeat of Unlocking Your Possibility.
Today, I bring these lessons into my keynotes, coaching, and strategy sessions — helping leaders unlock possibility by seeing through a wilder, wiser lens.
Time spent in the bush — watching nature at work — reminded me of a truth I first saw as ‘a Boytjie’ (little boy) from Kakamas”
Simplicity isn’t weakness. It’s clarity.
Unlocking Your Possibility
If you’re ready to:
- Break through stagnation
- Reclaim energy and focus
- Build something extraordinary — not just functional
Then let’s start a new track on your journey.
Like the trees I’ve come to admire in the wild, you too have roots, a trunk built from experience, and branches waiting to grow in new directions.
Let’s explore what’s possible — together.
Experience and Success
Francois’s impressive track record speaks for itself. With a plethora of awards and accolades, he has established himself as a leading authority in business coaching. His latest achievement is the authorship of “Bush Lessons 4 Business”, a groundbreaking book that brings timeless wisdom “From the Bush to the Boardroom”.
ActionCOACH Awards
- National Brand Builder
- Sales Coach of the Year
- Diamond Coach
- Global ActionMAN
- MasterCOACH
- Global Speaker
- Global Trainer
- Best client retention in South Africa (2019-2022)
- President’s CLUB (2013)
- Chairman’s CLUB (2019)
Corporate Accolades
- Established the bank’s first Small Business Division
- Top Regional Sales Manager, nationally (three times)
- Pioneer in an Executive Leadership programme
- National winner of the “Prestige Award for Leadership”
Education and Development
Francois’s commitment to ongoing learning and development has equipped him with a broad range of skills and expertise.
- Comm degree (University of the Free State)
- Comm. Honours degree (University of the Free State)
- Master of Business Leadership (MBL) degree (UNISA)
- Executive Sales Development Programme (INSEAD Business School, France)
- “4-Day MBA” programme (Sydney, Australia)
- Strategic Leadership programme (The School of Business Leadership- Go Strategic, Wadsworth, USA)
Bush CV:
- Travelled through numerous Game reserves over 35 years totalled more than 500 days in the bush.
- Took more than 30 000 pictures.
- Longest waiting time at a leopard sighting: 5.5 hours at 37 degrees Celsius in the vehicle.
- Longest time in the Kruger Park at a given time: 36 days
- 17 different Nature reserves visited.
- 30 different camps visited.
- 382 bird species counting.
- 16 leopards seen during one visit.
Latest Achievement: “Bush Lessons 4 Business”- Unlocking Your Possibility
Francois Lubbe’s most recent achievement solidifies his authority in the business world as the author of the insightful book “Bush Lessons 4 Business”- Unlocking Your Possibility, which brings timeless wisdom “From the Bush to the Boardroom”. With “Bush Lessons 4 Business”, Francois is revolutionising the way businesses think, operate, and succeed.
Francois brings a unique blend of corporate leadership, executive experience, and business coaching expertise to the table, enhanced by world-class tools and intellectual property from Global ActionCOACH Business Coaching. This powerful combination enables him to deliver transformative results for businesses, offering both deep industry knowledge and nature-inspired lessons that drive innovative thinking, resilience, and strategic growth.
Francois has been featured across a variety of national and local media outlets, including appearances on various radio stations. Notable moments include his TV interviews on “Die Groot Ontbyt” on DSTV and eNCA TV, where he shared his unique insights on how nature’s wisdom can shape effective business strategies. His thought-provoking perspectives have also been shared through various podcasts and keynotes, further establishing him as a sought-after voice in the business world.
Personal Life
Francois values a well-rounded lifestyle, cherishing time with family and embracing enriching experiences. His passions include traveling, wildlife photography, birding, wine collecting, running, reading and cooking.