Behind the Deal: The Founder’s Guide to Buying and Selling Businesses
Everyone loves a big acquisition headline—but what happens behind the scenes?This episode reveals the deals, doubts, and decisions founders don’t usually talk about.----------00:00 Introduction01:50 Mike Scott, SMB Mastery21:58 Patrick Rogers, Clara26:51 Simon Hartley, Wumdrop31:24 Greg Smith, Dis-chem Life43:43 Sean Sanders, Altify----------This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve is a team of focused experts committed to helping entrepreneurs like you scale their businesses successfully. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/To support The Founder Files:🔔 Subscribe and turn post notifications on⭐ Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram: / thefounderfilespodcastLinkedIn: / cameron-metavolve
--------
54:34
--------
54:34
Pivoting from Hyper Growth to Stability - Peter and Simon Magner, Iridium
In this episode, we reunite with Simon and Peter from Iridium, two years and 100+ episodes after their first TFF episode.Since then, their accounting business has scaled from 17 to 60+ people across multiple divisions—automation, advisory, and accounting.But here's the twist: after years of hyperscaling, they’re now shifting gears to focus on operational stability, refining systems, and removing themselves as bottlenecks.We unpack how they’re building a business that can scale without them—and why that’s the true mark of success.---------- Book a curiosity call with Cameron: https://www.metavolve.co/curiosity-callThis episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve is a team of focused experts committed to helping entrepreneurs like you scale their businesses successfully. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/---------- To support The Founder Files:🔔 Subscribe and turn post notifications on⭐ Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts💭 Share your thoughts on LinkedIn and tag Cameron Coutts----------00:00 Introduction03:25 What Is Iridium?05:34 The Current Scale of the Business09:51 Why Simon and Peter Stepped Back From Hyper-Scaling20:22 The Founding Story of Iridium35:30 How Iridium Actually Delivers on Its Value Propositions43:56 Rethinking the Entire Business50:55 How Simon and Peter Are Evolving in Their Roles as Leaders57:42 Delegation and Restructuring at Iridium01:11:08 How to Decide What to Run With — and What to Let Burn01:22:44 What Does the Future Look Like for Iridium?01:30:36 Can a Successful Founder Still Play Lots of Padel and Golf?01:32:21 Reflection
--------
1:34:23
--------
1:34:23
The Brutal Truth About How To Build and Scale a Business - Daniel Novitzkas, Specno
Daniel Novitzkas returns to The Founder Files to unpack how Specno scaled from a two-man startup to building over 200 ventures.We go deep on Daniel’s brutally honest approach to product-market fit, why early-stage startups need to stop chasing perfection, and how to validate real solutions with paying customers from day one. Daniel also breaks down Specno’s three business units—from venture building, to corporate innovation, to scaling global talent.This episode is packed with hard-won insight on building tech startups, thinking like a founder, and why talking to users is still the most underrated move in tech.---------- Book a curiosity call with Cameron: https://www.metavolve.co/curiosity-callThis episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve is a team of focused experts committed to helping entrepreneurs like you scale their businesses successfully. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/---------- To support The Founder Files:🔔 Subscribe and turn post notifications on⭐ Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts💭 Share your thoughts on LinkedIn and tag Cameron Coutts----------00:00 Introduction04:00 What Is Specno?15:39 Inside the Venture Builder Business Unit23:20 What Do You Look For in CEOs?28:34 Final Thoughts on the Venture Builder Unit31:49 How AI Will Truly Make a Difference45:16 Specno’s Second Business Unit49:42 Why Daniel Believes He Can Compete With McKinsey and Accenture58:48 A Core Skill Daniel Had to Learn01:07:44 Specno’s Third Business Unit01:22:14 Daniel’s Story: Lowest Low and Highest High01:41:45 What Does the Future Look Like for Daniel and Specno?01:45:14 Reflection
--------
1:46:42
--------
1:46:42
The Secret to Building a World-Class Sales Engine - Phillip Tillman, Konsise
In this episode, I sit down with Phillip Tillman, founder of SurTech and Konsise, to explore the real-world challenges of building and scaling software businesses in the African market.We unpack the founding story of SurTech, a specialist distribution business in the SaaS space, and dive deep into what it takes to build a high-performance sales function from the ground up.Phillip shares practical insights on:- The power of cold calling and why rainmakers still matter- How to cultivate strong salespeople and structure a sales engine that scales- Understanding the customer buying cycle and aligning your team around it- The iterative journey of building Konsise and how customer feedback shaped the product- Balancing growth between two businesses and managing control as a founder- Why company culture, intellectual property, and exit strategy all matter more than you thinkWe also discuss remote work, future plans, and what it means to build a sustainable business while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.This one is packed with valuable lessons for founders building sales-led companies, especially in emerging markets.---------- Book a curiosity call with Cameron: https://www.metavolve.co/curiosity-callThis episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve is a team of focused experts committed to helping entrepreneurs like you scale their businesses successfully. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/---------- To support The Founder Files:🔔 Subscribe and turn post notifications on⭐ Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts💭 Share your thoughts on LinkedIn and tag Cameron Coutts----------00:00 Introduction03:50 What Is SurTech and Konsise?08:48 The Founding Story of SurTech18:11 Building the First Sales Function at SurTech26:52 How to Get Other People to Sell Like You35:50 How to Cultivate Rainmaker Characteristics in Yourself and Your Team45:24 How to Map Out Your Customer Buying Cycle51:52 Next Steps to Cultivate a Rainmaker Salesperson57:56 How to Take Someone From Immature to Mature in Sales59:55 How to Get the Best Salespeople Into the Hiring Process01:09:02 How Konsise Came Into the Fold01:15:19 Phillip’s Relationship With His CIO01:18:30 Current Growth Obstacles01:23:39 How Phillip Is Thinking About Exit01:38:07 What Does the Future Look Like for Phillip?01:42:24 Phillip’s Advice to Other Entrepreneurs
--------
1:45:17
--------
1:45:17
He Cracked Last-Mile Delivery in South Africa’s Toughest Markets - Godiragetse, Delivery Ka Speed
In this episode, I sit down with Godiragetse, founder and CEO of Delivery Ka Speed, to explore how he’s building one of South Africa’s most exciting township logistics businesses.What started with bicycles and WhatsApp has grown into a company now partnered with global giants like Alibaba, Temu, and Shein, delivering across four provinces—and aiming to go national.We dive into how Godi pivoted from food delivery to logistics, broke even in just three months, and tackled the challenge of managing customer complexity while scaling fast.He shares how founders often become bottlenecks, and how stepping into “full founder mode” helped him unlock his team’s potential.We also get into how he’s built a culture of ownership, getting employees 100% bought into the mission, and why customer service is still their biggest edge—especially in township markets.Securing multinational clients has changed the game for Delivery Ka Speed—and Godi reveals what this means for their future growth.This episode is packed with real talk on scaling, pivoting, and building something that truly serves its market.---------- Book a curiosity call with Cameron: https://www.metavolve.co/curiosity-callThis episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve is a team of focused experts committed to helping entrepreneurs like you scale their businesses successfully. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/---------- To support The Founder Files:🔔 Subscribe and turn post notifications on⭐ Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts💭 Share your thoughts on LinkedIn and tag Cameron Coutts----------00:00 Introduction03:36 What Is Delivery Ka Speed?06:26 Who Is the Target Market and Customer?08:37 Handling Complexity in Managing Customer Relationships and Sales14:12 The First Route to Growth19:22 Realizing They Needed to Pivot24:41 Managing Customer Experience as We Scale34:12 Bottlenecks That Come From the Founder’s Intuition37:36 How to Get Employees 100% Bought In44:23 How to Focus on the Right Things52:49 How to Turn Your Customers Into Advocates57:33 Securing Big Multinational Clients and What It Changes for the Business01:00:40 What Does the Future Look Like for Delivery Ka Speed?01:04:27 Who Is Godi?
Rated #1 Podcast for Entrepreneurs in South Africa in 2023 by Feedspot.
The Founder Files is where founders come to explore proven growth strategies and real entrepreneurial challenges.
Hosted by Cameron Coutts, each episode unpacks the complex journeys of scaling businesses, delivered by entrepreneurs who've walked the path. No script, no filter – just a fireside chat between growth-driven founders.
If you’re seeking practical advice and relatable stories to fuel your growth journey, this is your go-to resource. Subscribe now!
South Africa