Today, I’m sitting down with Issa Lopez — a visionary entrepreneur whose journey stretches across continents. From growing up in Spain, to finding his path in Cape Town, Issa has built a career that blends creativity, commerce, and global perspective.
This episode dives deep into his story — from breaking into fashion and retail, to pivoting into procurement and product development, to uncovering the realities of dropshipping and e-commerce from a South African lens.
Together, we’ll explore what it really takes to build across borders: the lessons, the setbacks, the mindset, and the power of connections that open doors along the way.
So, if you’ve ever wondered how to build a brand that travels, create products that scale, and navigate global commerce while staying true to your roots — this conversation with Issa Lopez is one you don’t want to miss.
--------
54:50
--------
54:50
The Financial Portfolio That Could Save Your Life
There’s a moment every entrepreneur faces —
Not when things are going well.
Not when the money’s flowing.
But when the runway is short...
and the bank balance can’t cover the dream anymore.
It’s called the dry season.
And most people pretend it’s not coming.
In this episode, I sat down with Anru — a financial strategist who doesn’t just talk numbers. He talks about how to survive when the money stops…
Why most of us have the wrong idea about capital…
And how building a financial portfolio is the difference between surviving and creating a legacy.
If you’ve ever said, ‘I can’t start because I don’t have money’ — this conversation will change the way you see wealth, risk, and your next move.
--------
46:38
--------
46:38
Tom Raynham: The Cost of Wanting More
What if the person saving lives is also quietly pushing the limits of his own?
Tom Raynham is a medical student. But he’s not just learning how to treat the body—he’s been testing his own, training for his first marathon while navigating one of the most brutal academic programs in the world.
In today’s episode, we dive into the mental endurance behind medicine, why getting paid by the hour might be a trap, and Tom’s unfiltered take on the Enhanced Games—where human limits are challenged by science, ethics, and ego.
This conversation isn’t about motivation—it’s about the moments you break, and what you find on the other side.
Welcome to a story of ambition, pressure, and performance. This is not just another episode. This is a wake-up call.
--------
50:53
--------
50:53
The Fintech Founder Who’s Changing the Game for African SMEs – The Untold Story of Zazu
Every now and then, I sit across someone who’s not just building a business… but rewriting the rules of an entire industry. Germain is one of those people.
At a time when African SMEs are still underserved, underbanked, and often invisible to traditional financial systems, he made a decision most wouldn’t dare: to build a neobank… for the overlooked.
In this conversation, Germain shares the truth behind building Zazu — a fintech platform designed to give African entrepreneurs the financial infrastructure they’ve been denied for decades. He opens up about failure, the mental toll of startup life, what no one tells you about raising capital, and why simplicity, not complexity, is the future of banking on the continent.
This isn’t a conversation about hype. It’s about hardship. About vision. About how one founder is putting African SMEs on the financial map — one transaction at a time.
This is Germain. And this is The Ambition Diaries.
--------
38:46
--------
38:46
Raising Men / Wesley Chetty
What does it really mean to raise a man?
Not just a rugby player. Not just a student. But a man — grounded, resilient, and ready for the world when the applause fades and the stadium lights go out.
In today’s conversation, I sat down with Wesley Chetty — a man who doesn’t just coach boys… he builds men. An Old Boy of Bishops and a mentor to some of South Africa’s finest rugby talent, Wesley’s influence reaches far beyond the pitch. Many of his players have gone on to wear the green and gold, but this episode isn’t about the game. It’s about everything that happens off it.
We talk about the quiet lessons that build character. The moments no one sees. The conversations that echo years later. Fatherhood. Mentorship. Masculinity. Legacy.
This is a raw and powerful exploration of what it means to truly raise men in a world that often forgets how.
This is Wesley Chetty.
This is Raising Men.
The Ambition Diaries is the honest, unfiltered journey of what it really takes to build something meaningful as a young entrepreneur.
Hosted by Tommy Jones, a 22-year-old business owner navigating the highs, lows, and lessons of entrepreneurship, this podcast is a space where ambition meets reality. Each week, we sit down with experts in finance, psychology, fitness, business strategy, relationships, and more — to have the conversations we wish we had earlier.
This isn’t about overnight success or hustle culture. It’s about depth. It’s about understanding how to make smarter decisions, how to grow with intention, and how to build a business that doesn’t come at the cost of your health, relationships, or peace of mind.
We ask the difficult questions. We challenge the typical definitions of success. And most importantly, we share the tools that help us become better — in business and in life.
Because ambition is powerful. But when it’s guided by wisdom, it becomes unstoppable.
South Africa