#215 Justin Bridges | AI Companions and the Cost of Connection
What happens when intimacy becomes a transaction? When validation feels like a drug and “love” turns into labor? Author Justin Bridges (pen name) joins Rocco Strydom to unpack his explosive new novel, Service, a thinly veiled fiction about a tennis pro who spirals through sex/love addiction, hits bottom, and finds recovery.We dig into:Masculinity myths, dopamine loops, and why “rescue” isn’t loveThe porn/AI economy and industrialized intimacyParasocial fandoms, OnlyFans, and algorithmic wiringAbstinence, 12-step recovery, and rebuilding self-worthWhy community (not clicks) is the antidote to isolation
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#214 Msizi Mtolo and Persy Qamata | The South African Startup Taking on Uber
While global ride-hailing giants take up to 25% from every trip, Bro Cabs takes zero.Founded by Persy and Msizi, this Johannesburg-based startup is flipping the power dynamic in mobility by putting drivers first — a radical move in an industry dominated by global platforms like Uber and Bolt.From challenging e-hailing laws in Parliament to running grassroots activations across Joburg, Bro is building a movement around fairness, local innovation, and shared value. Their app is subscription-based — R600 a month, flat — and drivers keep 100% of their earnings.In this episode, Rocco Strydom dives into how they’re scaling the business, what makes South Africa a testing ground for global disruption, and how tech, talent, and purpose collide when you decide to take on the giants.What You’ll LearnWhy Bro charges zero commission — and how that works sustainablyHow South African founders are building tech with local contextThe real economics behind ride-hailing and driver payoutsLessons from bootstrapping a tech startup without VC backingWhy Uber drivers are leaving and what Bro learned from itThe road to Africa-wide expansion — and what comes nextQuote to Remember“We’re not just building an app — we’re building a fair system where drivers finally win.” — Persy, Co-Founder of Bro Cabs
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#213 Dr. Michelle Griffin | Inside the AI Layoff Wave - What Founders Must Learn
Startups love to talk about product, markets, and money. But when hypergrowth hits, people ops is where things break, hiring goes sideways, culture frays, and compliance gets ignored until it’s too late.In this episode, Dr. Michelle Griffin, founder of Griffin Resources, joins Rocco Strydom to unpack how companies can stay human while scaling fast. The conversation kicks off with Accenture’s recent decision to cut 11 000 jobs , citing AI reskilling challenges and explores whether that’s a warning sign for every industry facing automation.What You’ll LearnWhy big firms like Accenture are struggling to “reskill” for AIHow AI is transforming HR, payroll, and workforce planningThe first people systems every startup needs before scalingWhen founders should not outsource HR or accountingHow to protect culture when growth or M&A hits hardWhy listening beats speed in 2025’s hiring landscape
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24:53
#212 Robert Grzesik | Build AI Trading Bots with Plain English Prompts
Algorithmic trading is finally getting democratized. Robert Grzesik, founder of Botspot and LumiWealth, has built a platform where anyone can turn plain English prompts into live trading bots — no coding required.In this episode, we dive into how AI is reshaping the trading landscape, why execution is becoming instant, and how the line between idea and deployment is shrinking fast.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Botspot turns English prompts into fully functional trading botsWhy AI is closing the gap between strategy and executionThe power of backtesting and live data to improve performanceHow market signals like tweets and Reddit posts can influence automated tradingThe vision for a bot marketplace where you can buy and sell strategiesWhy democratizing algo trading makes markets more efficient and fairUpcoming features: AI agents, analytics, and monetization for creatorsQuote to Remember“We’re not just hiding the code — we’re giving you a flowchart, a plain-English explanation, and the data to make better trades.” — Robert Grzesik
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#211 Remco Coerman | Global Tax Reform, Governance and Family Office Succession
Half-built businesses often collapse under their own success. Without governance, compliance, and succession planning, big wins become fragile legacies. My guest today, Remco Coerman, has spent more than 25 years advising entrepreneurs, investors, and family offices across Africa and the Middle East. He helps build the scaffolding behind businesses, ensuring wealth and impact survive beyond the first generation.In this episode:What the global minimum tax really means for founders and multinationalsWhy “substance and structure” are now essential in low-tax jurisdictions like the UAEGovernance as the foundation for scaling family officesWhy talent and technology follow strong structuresHow to design investment committees and Chinese walls to avoid conflict of interestLessons from advising families where succession planning went wrongWhy only a third of family businesses survive to the second generationWhen it makes sense to start a family office and how little as €200,000 can get you started abroadThe UK’s tax crunch, inheritance tax, and why more families are moving to the UAEQuote to remember:“You need a system stronger than family emotions.”
South Africa