In this episode of You Win or You Learn, I chat with Cape Town-based filmmaker Thomas Sandell about his incredible journey in the world of filmmaking. From building DIY cable cams as a teenager to documenting some of the world’s top mountain biking events, Thomas shares how passion, persistence, and a bit of serendipity shaped his career.

We dive into his early days shooting BMX and downhill with a borrowed handycam, how he landed his first job with Monster Energy, and the full-circle moment of finally filming the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup—nearly a decade after he first dreamed of it.

Thomas opens up about what it means to stay creative, the pressure of freelancing, burnout, and learning to see world-class athletes as humans first.

🎧 Watch the full episode for an honest and inspiring conversation about filmmaking, growth, and chasing what you love.

📌 New episodes every month – Subscribe for more stories like this!

Thomas Links : https://www.instagram.com/thomassandell_/

In this episode:

00:37 What YWOYL is about.

01:22 Who is Thomas Sandell.

03:23 Starting with film making.

16:54 Getting a job with Monster.

20:54 Mountain Bike World Cup dream actualising.

28:43 Dealing with nervousness.

32:12 Trust in the process.

35:35 Clients are just other humans.

38:49 Goals

44:33 Working smarter not harder.

46:20 Biggest Challenge

49:29 Staying Organised

54:38 Advice for aspiring film makers.

01:02:10 Learning to let go

01:08:15 Personal Projects

01:09:43 Work Life Balance

Links

Instagram : http://www.instagram.com/dylanhaskin

Website : http://www.dylanhaskin.com

Subscribe https://bit.ly/2H4LSmW

Work with me : contact@dylanhaskin.com

In this episode of You Win or You Learn, I sit down with Simon and Tammy from The RoofPod to chat about their journey building lightweight rooftop tents. What started as a side project during the COVID lockdown quickly turned into a thriving business. Simon, with no prior tent-making experience, crafted a prototype in his garage, and that led to the creation of The RoofPod—a company focused on making camping more accessible for everyday people, not just hardcore overlanders.

We talk about their struggles and triumphs, from creating their first models to facing cash flow problems, production hiccups, and slow growth. But with determination, they found success by building a community of loyal fans and customers who love the brand for its integrity and personal touch.

Tune in as we explore how they made their vision a reality, the lessons they learned from launching a business without a traditional business background, and why staying authentic has been the key to their success. We also dive into some major business hurdles, like managing stock and international shipping challenges, and the importance of passion and persistence when building something from scratch.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

01:05 How did The RoofPod start?

03:26 Current product range available.

04:34: Why lightweight rooftop tents and benefits there of?

08:32 Challenges of bringing a new product into the South African market.

13:25 Was a pivotal moment when The RoofPod turned from a personal project to product?

17:18 Marketing & building a community.

21:56 Where is the business run from?

24:09 Is the product made per order?

25:32 Is the product only sold locally?

32:22 Has there been any challenges with having employees?

34:42 Background with running businesses and lessons learned.

46:45 How do you handle client complaint?

48:42 Marketing besides social media.

58:07 What advice would you give other South Africans wanting to create and launch a product in South Africa?

1:03:02 Future plans for The RoofPod.

1:06:57 How can people find and contact The RoofPod?

1:08:02 Outro

Find The RoofPod here:

Home | The RoofPod

Instagram (@the_roofpod)

The RoofPod | Cape Town

The RoofPod

In this episode of You Win or You Learn, I break down a concept that seriously got me thinking—straight out of Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: “In the beginner’s mind, there are many options. In the expert’s mind, there are few.”

The more experience we get, the easier it is to fall into patterns and miss new opportunities. But what if we could keep that fresh, open mindset—while still using what we’ve learned? That’s what I’ve been thinking about lately, especially in business and creativity.

Let me know what you think—where could a beginner’s mindset change the game for you? Drop a comment below. 👇

Get the book here! Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice