Lindi du Plessis arrived at Isa Carstens® Academy to look at the Isa Student Residence, not to rethink the direction of her life.
At that stage, her future felt fairly certain. She was planning to study food science. It made sense: she enjoyed science, she wanted something practical, and it felt like a safe option. But the more she thought about it, the less certain she felt.
“I’ve always just loved working with people; helping people.”
The more she understood what food science would actually involve, the clearer it became that it would take her further away from that instinct. She had considered other paths, such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy, but the hospital environment felt overwhelming. Food science had become a compromise. Until the day she visited Isa Carstens® Academy and discovered Somatology.
“It just clicked. It’s science, it’s the body, but it’s also people.”
It was not the obvious choice. From the outside, choosing a diploma instead of a degree may have looked risky, but for Lindi, it felt right.
For the first time, the choice felt aligned with both her interest in science and her desire to work with people. She completed her three-year Diploma in Somatology in 2016 at the Stellenbosch Campus.
Discovering a Different Kind of Learning
From the beginning, she immersed herself fully in the experience. The programme was demanding, with long days and hands-on work that required focus, care, and presence. At the same time, it challenged her intellectually in ways she had not anticipated.
“It’s not just beauty. There’s so much science behind it.”
She became fascinated with anatomy, physiology, and nutrition, eager to share what she was learning on her weekends at home. The human body was no longer an abstract theory; it had become something she understood and worked with daily. Her growth during those years went beyond academics. The relationships formed through shared pressure and long hours remain some of the strongest in her life.
“You bond with people in a different way when you study intensely and in practical classroom settings.”
Students were expected to take ownership, not just of their treatments, but of their environments. They learned how to run spaces, manage operational details, and take responsibility for the smaller tasks that often go unseen. At the time, those expectations felt rigorous. Later, they would prove invaluable.
A Mindset of Earning What She Wanted Became Her Driving Force
The discipline and work ethic required at Isa Carstens® Academy were not entirely new to Lindi. She had grown up with a clear understanding that if she wanted something, she would need to work for it.
“My parents always said, you can have what you want, but you must work for it.”
That lesson had already shaped her behaviour long before she entered the academy. As a school student, she started baking rusks and selling them to teachers to earn her own money. It was simple, but it taught her how to create opportunities for herself.
During her studies, that same entrepreneurial instinct became part of her daily life. She began providing nail technology services on the side, gradually building a small but consistent client base from the student residences. What started as a practical way to support herself financially became an early lesson in client relationships, reliability, and creating value for others.
At the same time, she gained experience in a busy Durbanville salon, where she eventually worked as a receptionist and observed what happened behind the scenes of a successful business. She was not only gaining confidence in providing treatments; she was watching how bookings were managed, how teams operated, how clients were cared for, and how a professional wellness environment functioned day to day. Those experiences helped her understand that building a business required far more than technical skill. It required initiative, ownership, and the ability to see opportunity where others might only see extra work.
Stepping Beyond South Africa
After qualifying, Lindi was ready to test herself beyond South Africa. She pursued opportunities on cruise ships, even though she did not initially meet all the typical requirements. Although it was not a straightforward path, she pushed ahead and completed the necessary safety certifications, medical requirements, and product training within a short period.
“I just knew I wanted to see the world.”
In 2019, she stepped onto her first expedition cruise vessel, which exposed her to a very different kind of client and approach to wellness. This was not traditional leisure travel. Guests were active, often preparing for hikes and physically demanding excursions, and they came for treatments to support recovery and performance rather than relaxation alone.
Choosing a New Course
After her initial cruise ship contract, Lindi faced a decision. She could return to the cruise ships, or she could take a risk and try something new. She chose to invest in the next step of her journey and, in 2020, she completed additional specialised yacht training through Superyacht Training Academy. The training expanded her skill set beyond therapy and prepared her for the standards, responsibilities, and service expectations of the superyacht industry.
Her training included a Stewardess Course, which focused on interior crew preparation and five-star hospitality standards. She also completed Food Health and Safety training, specifically the MCA/Highfield Food Safety and Hygiene Level 2 certificate, an internationally recognised maritime-approved qualification required for crew members who handle or serve food on board.
In addition, she completed a Security Course, commonly aligned with Proficiency in Designated Security Duties, a mandatory STCW module for crew members with assigned security responsibilities on board.
This training built on the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) course and the ENG1 Maritime and Coastguard Agency Medical Fitness Certificate she had already completed before working on cruise ships. Together, these certifications gave her the legal foundation, practical competence, and confidence to work on board commercial vessels and enter the yachting industry.
“That decision changed everything.”
In early 2020, she secured a role on a superyacht and was flown from South Africa to start a new and exciting career. Not long after she arrived, COVID-19 changed everything.
COVID-19 disrupted global travel and brought entire industries to a standstill. Many people lost their jobs almost overnight. Having already joined the yacht and established the owners’ trust, Lindi was fortunate to remain employed.
“We couldn’t leave. We stayed on the boat for months… but I kept thinking, at least I still have a job.”
While the world around her was uncertain, Lindi chose to focus on what she could still offer and look for ways to support the people around her. She opened the onboard spa to the crew, offering treatments during a stressful time and seeing first-hand how much people needed space to recover, reconnect, and feel cared for.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Looking back, this was where the philosophy behind her work began to take shape.
The Moment Her Thinking About Wellness Changed
Working on luxury yachts was rewarding, but it also demanded resilience, discipline and consistency.
To perform at her best, Lindi realised that looking after her own wellbeing was just as important as caring for her clients. Small recovery practices, including stretching, cold exposure and intentional self-care, became part of her daily routine.
At the same time, she was introduced to some of the world’s most advanced wellness facilities, from saunas and steam rooms to ice baths, designed to support recovery and optimise performance.
Experiencing these practices firsthand changed the way she viewed wellness. She saw that these tools could have a meaningful impact, not only on physical recovery but also on mental well-being.
“No matter who you are, everyone still has stress. Everyone still needs to feel better.”
The Idea That Would Bring Her Home
Over time, one question kept coming back to her: why were these tools accessible to so few people?
“They’re incredible… but only available to a very small group of people.”
Back in South Africa, access to these kinds of wellness practices was limited. It planted an idea that would not go away. She had always intended to return home eventually, but now that return had direction.
When her work schedule shifted to a structured rotation, she began using her time differently. Each period back home became an opportunity to research, plan, save, and refine the idea that would eventually become Bodi Therapi. Instead of seeing her time off as a pause, she treated it as preparation for the business she knew she wanted to build.
“I didn’t want to waste that time.”
Slowly and intentionally, she began preparing for what would come next. Her entrepreneurial spirit had been there from the schoolgirl selling rusks, to the student providing nail technology services after hours, to the therapist using every global experience as research for a future wellness concept back home.
Building Something of Her Own
The decision to return to South Africa was the result of years of preparation, reflection, and experience, shaped by a clear desire to create something of her own. By the time she opened Bodi Therapi, she had brought together everything she had learned about service, recovery, operational discipline, client care, and the importance of making wellness more accessible.
Today, Lindi du Plessis is the founder of Bodi Therapi in Stellenbosch. Her business is built on a simple but powerful belief.
“Wellness should be something you do regularly, not something you wait for.”
Her focus is on making treatments such as therapeutic massage, Body Roll lymphatic therapy, infrared sauna sessions and ice bath recovery accessible as standalone wellness services, rather than available only through luxury spa packages or gym memberships. By allowing clients to book only the treatment they need, she is helping people incorporate wellness into everyday life.
Living the Standard
For Lindi, wellness is not something separate from who she is. It is something she lives.
“You need to live your brand.”
She believes that credibility comes from alignment. From showing up in a way that reflects the values you promote.
That standard was shaped during her time at Isa Carstens® Academy, where professionalism, attention to detail, and personal presentation were non-negotiable. Those lessons stayed with her, becoming part of how she operates every day.
“People notice everything. How you look, how you speak, how you carry yourself.”
Making Sense of the Journey
When Lindi reflects on her journey, it is the unexpected decisions, the risks and the moments where things did not go as planned that stand out.
“It didn’t always make sense at the time… but when I look back now, everything led me here.”
She advises that you do not need to have everything figured out early on. What matters is choosing something that feels meaningful and being willing to follow it, even when the path is unconventional. Take opportunities. Travel if you can. Learn practical skills.
“Choose something where you work with people. That will always matter.”
It Was Always About People
Through every stage of her journey, her desire to work with people has remained constant. It led her away from food science, carried her across the world, and continues to define her work today.
After all the places she has been and everything she has learned, her work has come back to one purpose: helping people feel better.
And through Bodi Therapi, that is exactly what Lindi du Plessis does, every single day.
A Shared Commitment to Industry-Relevant Education
The connection between Isa Carstens® Academy and Superyacht Training Academy also reflects their shared place within the NetEd Group, an educational group backed by EXEO Capital and serving more than 25,000 students across South Africa. The group also includes Eduvos, one of the country’s leading private higher education institutions, and is committed to ensuring that qualifications remain relevant to industry needs and translate into meaningful career opportunities for graduates.