Mervyn Niland

Raconteur Extraordinaire

Mervyn was born in Benoni, South Africa, on 3^rd November 1936. Son of Norman Wynne Niland and Sally Niland.

As a wild impetuous youth he explored over 20 000 km of Darkest Africa solo on a motorcycle. He drove a Land Rover for Ted Cottar, the “great white hunter” on safaris in Kenya. He worked 10 000 ft under ground on ERPM, the deepest gold mine in the world. He survived an aeroplane crash after a 3000 ft vertical dive in a Tiger Moth. He raced the gruelling “Roof of Africa” rally. He ran the seven-day Sahara Desert Race (toughest foot race on earth).

From Darkest Africa to Deepest Africa to Toughest Africa to the Roof of Africa – an abundantly full life of exciting adventure.

In 1959 Mervyn, the “Barefoot Boy from Benoni” together with his wife, Beryl, started in their backyard with a broomstick, a 5 gallon drum and made a hand cleaner (their own recipe) which they called Flight Hand cleaner. Together with their four children Tracey, Donovan, Katy and Sally, they grew this product from “Backyard to Bandleader” (also the title of their best selling book). When things are up and running they make and sell 6 tons of Flight per day.

Today millions of people around the world are cleaning the grease and grime off their hands with Flight Hand cleaner. This product now has a multimillion dollar value. Apart from Russia, Flight has been sold in virtually every country on earth. Since its humble beginnings Flight has generated over 100 million Rand for the Niland family. Flight became a Legend in it’s Lifetime. As Flight and the book BACKYARD TO BRANDLEADER became known in far off countries, so Mervyn and Beryl were invited to share their Flight story with Entrepreneurs all over the globe. “How do two ignorant backyard people take $70 and turn it into a multi million dollar brand leading business?

Mervyn has the longest list of business and personal achievements in Southern Africa. This long list are: inclusion in World Biographical Hall of Fame, Who’s Who in the World (Marquis). World’s Best Speaker (American Entrepreneurs Association) and International Man of the Year – USA). His message to all who care to listen “God will not give you a dream without the ability to achieve that dream”.

Mervyn’s exciting and varied background from underground miner to Business Man of the Year, combined with his dynamic and positive approach gives a unique edge to his professional speaking. “An adventurer, explorer, entrepreneur and RACONTEUR EXTRAORDINAIRE. His talks are friendly, sincere and interactive; they are presented with a personal passion born of experience, without referring to notes.

A man of faith and deep spiritual conviction. He is married (for over 45 years) to Beryl (his childhood sweetheart) with four children and eight grandchildren.

Mervyn is available as a professional speaker for your next conference, seminar, function, dinner, banquet, political rally, training session or sales meeting. To  inform, inspire, entertain and so increase sales, motivation, synergy, productivity, business and self-development.