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
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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
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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?
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1:09:25
How He Built a Business That Actually Helps the Planet - Jasper Eales, Sealand
In this episode, I sit down with Jasper Eales — co-founder and creative director of Sealand Gear — to unpack the journey of one of South Africa’s most iconic sustainable brands.Sealand Gear is a proudly local business based in Cape Town, known for its world-class upcycled bags, apparel, and accessories. But behind the brand is a powerful story of resilience, purpose, and a deep commitment to sustainability.We dive into:- What it really means to build a sustainable business- How Sealand secured global certifications (after a 6-year process!)- The tough realities of scaling production while staying true to your values- The operational challenges of upcycling — and how they manage supply consistency- What it means to be a “Sealander” and build a values-driven company culture- And finally, what inspires Jasper to keep pushing this mission forwardThis one is for the builders who care about purpose and performance — and anyone curious about what it takes to scale a brand with integrity.---------- 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 Introduction04:11 What Is Sealand?06:30 The Founding Story of Sealand22:03 How to Hire A-Players29:34 Educating the Market Before We Could Sell41:03 Transparency and Sustainability Reporting at Scale51:15 Moving Away From D2C — and Then Returning59:32 Selling Face Masks During COVID and the Impact It Had01:04:47 Comparing Sealand’s Scale in 2021 vs. Today01:12:32 The Biggest Challenges Sealand Has Overcome01:28:30 The Main Challenges Sealand Is Currently Facing01:33:46 The Future of Sealand and What Lies Ahead for Jasper01:36:18 What Inspires Jasper01:39:02 Reflection
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1:40:07
The Truth Behind Building a Business in South Africa’s Townships - Jessica Boonstra, Yebo Fresh
In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Boonstra — founder and CEO of Yebo Fresh — for a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, and what it really takes to build a business in South Africa.Yebo Fresh’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary: from a small B2C e-commerce startup before COVID, to pivoting overnight into emergency meal delivery with NGOs, and eventually emerging as a key player in the township spaza shop economy. Now acquired by the Smollan Group, Jessica and her team are scaling at an entirely new level.We talk about what it’s like growing a team from 6 to 60 people in 3 weeks, leading a business of over 220 people today, and navigating real South African challenges — from fraud, crime, and gangsterism to building trust as a white Dutch woman working within township communities.This episode is storytelling at its finest. It’s about the human side of entrepreneurship, the lessons Jessica learned the hard way, and the humility it takes to lead with compassion while staying hard on performance.If you're an entrepreneur, leader, or South African who believes in building something that matters — this one’s for you.---------- 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 Introduction04:09 What Is Yebo Fresh?05:19 How Jessica Cracked the Township Market08:36 The Founding Story of Yebo Fresh19:46 Challenges of Being a White Dutch Woman in the South African Market23:39 Navigating Difficult Investor Conversations31:22 Understanding the Problem and Customer on a Deeper Level42:37 The Tough Journey of Building the Business Model49:21 Scaling Challenges: Crime, Fraud, and Gangsterism in the Supply Chain58:30 Balancing Compassion and Leadership01:01:28 South Africa’s Greatest Strength: Its People01:08:05 The Future of General Trade: Digitizing With AI and Yebo Fresh’s Role01:17:12 How Jessica Had to Evolve as a Leader to Scale the Business01:22:51 Choosing to Stay in a Consciously Incapable State01:32:29 Jessica’s Advice for Entrepreneurs
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.
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