The Founder Files

• From South Africa to the World: How AURA Is Revolutionizing Emergency Response - Ryan Green, AURA

  What does it take to build a tech company that literally saves lives, and scale it from South Africa to the world?In this episode of The Founder Files, Cameron Coutts sits down with Ryan Green, Co-Founder and CPO of AURA, the emergency-response platform transforming how people access help anywhere, anytime.Ryan shares the story behind AURA’s rise from an idea inside a security company to a global safety platform trusted by insurers, banks, and e-hailing giants:• How AURA started by solving South Africa’s broken emergency-response system• The decision to go B2B instead of B2C, and why it changed everything• Building a marketplace that connects users to the nearest vetted responders in seconds• Expanding from South Africa to Kenya, the UK, and the US• Working with government to use data to predict and prevent crime• The culture, systems, and leadership mindset behind scaling a mission-driven companyIf you’re a founder, operator, or visionary building in tough markets, this episode will challenge your idea of scale, focus, and purpose, and remind you what it really means to build something that matters.---------- 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🔗 Connect with Ryan:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-green-48b47952/🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram:   / thefounderfilespodcast  LinkedIn:   / cameron-metavolve  ---------- Chapters:00:00 Introduction04:19 The Problem That Sparked AURA08:47 Security Meets Medical: Expanding the Vision11:20 Inside AURA’s Business Model & Scale 15:06  The “Powered by AURA” Ecosystem26:10 Scaling to 1.5 Million Users in SA31:08 Building Radical Convenience for Users and Responders46:35 Turning Data into Real-World Impact01:00:54 The Truth About Crime in South Africa01:09:16 Going Global: From SA to the UK & USA01:20:11 Culture, Leadership & Scaling a Mission-Driven Team01:35:19 Founder Reflections: Motivation, Mindset & Smart Hustle

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• How Humanity SA Built a 7-Figure Business with Zero Experience - Shaun Raaff, Humanity SA

  What does it really take to build a business from nothing: no experience, no funding, and no plan, and still make it work?In this episode of The Founder Files, Cameron Coutts sits down with Shaun Raaff, the co-founder and CEO of Humanity SA, a people-first talent and consulting group that’s reshaping the way recruitment and employer branding is done in South Africa.Shaun shares the real story behind Humanity SA’s journey:How he went from PE teacher to entrepreneur with no business background.The eight years of no profit before their hockey-stick growth.The power of ADHD, sport, and resilience in business.Why Humanity wins by playing the long game, putting people and relationships before quick wins.The founder breakup lessons that shaped the company’s futureIf you’re a founder, business owner, or builder who’s stuck in the trenches, this episode will give you perspective, patience, and practical lessons to keep going.---------- Unlock Your Scale-Ready Score: https://playbook.metavolve.co/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🔗 Connect with Shaun:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaun-raaff-98257230/🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefounderfilespodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-metavolve/----------Chapters:00:00 Introduction04:28 How Humanity SA Started07:21 Hockey Stick Growth: 8 Years, No Profit14:18 How Sports and ADHD Shaped My Mindset as a Founder26:14 The Real Reason Humanity SA Finally Scaled49:54 From Four Founders to One: The Shareholding Journey1:10:47 Crucial Conversations: Lessons in Conflict, Clarity, and Leadership1:27:32 The Future of Humanity SA: Betting Big on People

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• Life After the Exit: Rebuilding, Reflecting, and Investing Smarter - Ariel Navarro, OneCart

  What really happens after you sell your company?In this episode of The Founder Files, Ariel Navarro (Past co-founder of OneCart, acquired by Massmart/Walmart) opens up about life after exiting his business: the highs, the lows, and the lessons he wishes every founder knew.We dive into the emotional rollercoaster of stepping away, the reality of burnout, the money mistakes no one talks about, and how Ariel is rebuilding his life and career with new clarity and purpose.If you’re an entrepreneur chasing an exit (or recovering from one), this conversation is packed with hard truths and practical wisdom about wealth, identity, and what comes next.---------- Unlock Your Scale-Ready Score: https://playbook.metavolve.co/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🔗 Connect with Ariel:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielnavarro/?originalSubdomain=za🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefounderfilespodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-metavolve/----------Chapters:00:00 Introduction08:16 How Ariel’s Business Philosophy Changed After His Exit22:20 The OneCart Exit: Relief, Accomplishment, and the Next Mountain41:45 Money Mistakes & Lessons After Exit58:19 From Exit Cash Mistakes to a Smarter Investment Playbook01:18:38 Ariel Navarro’s Vision: The Next 6–18 Months

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• Powering Africa: How Open Access Is Scaling Clean Energy, James Irons - Open Access Energy

  How do you take a renewable energy startup and scale it into one of Africa’s leading clean power providers?In this episode of The Founder Files, we sit down with James Irons, as the past co-founder of SolarAfrica, how he grew it into one of SA’s leading energy players before exiting. From early struggles with cancelled projects to raising capital and powering mines, factories, and communities, James shares the behind-the-scenes journey of scaling a business at the heart of Africa’s energy future.We dive into: • Why Africa’s energy crisis is also its biggest opportunity • The challenges of regulation, funding, and market trust • Lessons in resilience, leadership, and navigating the rollercoaster of entrepreneurshipIf you’ve ever wondered what it takes to solve some of Africa’s toughest infrastructure challenges, this conversation is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.---------- Unlock Your Scale-Ready Score: https://roadmap.metavolve.co/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🔗 Connect with James:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-irons-89299b36/🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefounderfilespodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-metavolve/----------Chapters00:00 Introduction08:10 How Solar Africa started in Kenya: The early challenges21:20 First Major Joint Venture: Managing R300–400 million in CapEx36:23 The Wheeling Revolution Explained54:42 Open Access Energy’s role in Simplifying a Complex Industry01:00:05 An existential founder moment: Why James Stepped Away from Solar Africa01:01:24 Visionary vs. Integrator Partnerships01:08:14 Entrepreneurship & Motivation Shifts01:30:00 The origin story of Open Access Energy 01:36:23 James’s new role as Executive Chairman01:45:38 Future of Open Access & Energy Markets

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• How RIYP Became South Africa’s Fastest-Growing Exporter - Uzair Essack, Riyp

  How do you turn debt and risk into global growth?In this episode of The Founder Files, we sit down with Uzair Essack, founder of Riyp one of South Africa’s fastest-growing exporters in agriculture and logistics. From being a million rand in debt in his early 20s to building a business that ships fresh produce across the globe, Uzair shares the raw realities of scaling under pressure.He opens up about why he risked his last money to fly to Qatar in search of opportunity, how he reinvented the exporter–farmer model, and why he believes outsourcing beats in-house hiring for scale. This is a masterclass in resilience, strategy, and spotting opportunity in tough markets.We dive into: • How Uzair went from R1M in debt to exporting globally • The leap of faith that changed his life in Qatar • Why the old export model was broken and what he built instead • The power of outsourcing vs. hiring internally • Lessons from scaling one of SA’s fastest-growing exporting companyThis episode is packed with lessons for founders about risk, resilience, and building scalable systems that last.---------- Unlock Your Scale-Ready Score: https://roadmap.metavolve.co/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🔗 Connect with Uzair:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uzairessack/🔗 Connect with Cameron:Instagram:   / thefounderfilespodcast  LinkedIn:   / cameron-metavolve  ----------Chapters:00:00 Introduction04:14 How Uzair Built a Global Export Business Alone11:19 The Hidden Cost of Scaling Solo: Burnout & Bottlenecks13:27 Why Growing Up With Less Sparked Uzair’s Drive18:17 University Struggles: Choosing Hustle Over Assignments25:18 Pineapples, Persistence, and the First Steps Toward RIYP35:33 Breaking the Old Model: How Uzair Won Farmers’ Trust47:27 At 23 A Million Rand in Debt: From Suicidal Thoughts to Lessons in Resilience55:34 The Sheikh, The Deal, The Funding: Riyp’s First Big Break01:18:06 Outsourcing + Systems: How Ripe Scaled Solo01:37:28 What Does The Future Look Like For Riyp

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