The Founder Files

We all love a good disruptor who shakes things up in an industry dominated by a few big players.Meet Calvin Collett, the CEO and founder of Melon Mobile. You might not have heard of Melon Mobile yet, but they’re about to make a big splash in the telecommunications industry.In just 18 months, Calvin went from having no employees to a team of 47 people! That’s incredible, especially in a highly competitive and established industry.We’ll dive into how he did it, talk about his sales and marketing strategies, and how he prioritised them in his business, as well as some valuable lessons about culture and the importance of valuing people.We’ll also discuss his current scaling journey and how he’s expanding his business geographically, building out into retail and physical stores, and forming partnerships with companies like Lyft to reach new customers.There’s a lot going on with Melon Mobile, and Calvin shares his insights on how he’s managing it all while keeping his mental health in check.Enjoy!----This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----To support The Founder Files:🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE⭐ Leave a review right here💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts----00:00 Introduction03:04 What is Melon Mobile?08:18 The Stage Melon Mobile is at Right Now14:02 How to Compete in an Established Industry20:22 Step 1 is Culture27:18 Finding Product Market Fit in 18 Months35:56 How to Know When You Have Product Market Fit41:43 10 Questions About Customer Experience to Ask Yourself44:27 Why Calvin Founded Melon Mobile52:40 The Scale of Melon Mobile54:19 Why Majority of The Staff is Customer Service57:43 Why Does MTN Let Melon Mobile Compete With Them?01:02:27 Getting Sales and Marketing Right01:14:24 Why Calvin Says They’re a Sales and Marketing Company First01:20:37 Melon Mobiles Current Scaling Strategy01:29:22 Team Structure to Execute The Strategy01:34:42 How to Find Work-life Balance

In this episode, we chat with Mark Collie, the co-founder of Airvantage.Expect to learn what they were able to unlock with alternative credit scoring with mobile network operators and their consumers, how to run effective exco & management meetings, how to build a high-performance culture with almost zero employee turnover and more!We also get into a macro-level view of Africa’s digital & financial evolution, organizational design, strategy, and execution management.This episode is filled with practical insights that any founder can use. Enjoy!----This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----To support The Founder Files:🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE⭐ Leave a review right here💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts----00:00 Introduction02:44 What is Airvantage?10:08 How to Achieve a High Uptime14:17 Why Can’t Your Customers Just Do It Themselves18:07 Play Where The Market is Going, Not Where The Cash is Right Now23:18 What Airvantage Can Do for Digital Inclusion29:54 Why We Started The Founder Files32:03 Mark’s Involvement in Driving Entrepreneurship in the School Curriculum39:23 Creating a Start-up Within Airvantage47:50 Appointing a CEO for the Core Business52:53 How Does the Structure of the Business Work Now?57:14 Learnings From Transitioning Leadership01:11:32 How Airvantage Created a Culture That is Attractive for People to Work at01:16:58 Mark’s Biggest Entrepreneurship Lessons01:21:56 Why Start a Company in South Africa?01:25:32 Conclusion

In this episode, we dive into the story of Donkey Long Tong, a uniquely South African business founded by Marcel Hattingh and Nic Eve. Donkey Long Tong manufactures long braai tongs and they’ve scaled into the US, UK, Canada and Australia! We get into how they’ve got their brand and marketing right to leverage word of mouth at scale and protect their brand. We also talk about how they’ve achieved a lean manufacturing process and smooth operations, and how they’ve developed a strong culture where their employees take ownership of their work. In between all that, some really cool lessons around their philosophy of scaling their business that are a bit counterintuitive but are actually working super well. ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 02:09 What is Donkey Long Tong? 25:28 The Issues Scaling Donkey Long Tong 29:22 Building Strong Relationships With Suppliers 33:31 Why We Started The Founder Files 35:40 Creating a Very Authentic Brand 39:37 Developing a Manufacturing Process That Allows for Scale 53:51 Charging a Premium Price and Maintaining Premium Quality 01:02:29 How to Get Staff to Take Ownership and Care About Their Work 01:17:11 Scaling Internationally and How it Affects Branding and Marketing 01:33:36 Impacting South African Tourism 01:48:39 Goals & Challenges of Donkey Long Tong’s Scaling Journey 01:54:32 Conclusion

Every business eventually reaches a pivotal moment: transitioning away from being heavily dependent on its founders. This phase often involves leadership handovers, which can be both challenging and transformative. In this episode, we dive into this very process with Digiata, where Nemanja, the new CEO, joins us alongside Dawie, the co-founder and former Managing Director. Together, they share how they've successfully navigated this transition, from restructuring the organization and redefining decision-making processes to maintaining and evolving the company's culture. We also explore the dynamics between the CEO's vision and the founder's original vision for the business. This insightful conversation is packed with practical advice for entrepreneurs looking to manage leadership transitions effectively. Enjoy the episode! ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 02:58 What is Digiata? 10:28 How Digiata Got to This Point 18:56 Navigating Lockdown and How The Business Changed 29:30 How Nem Made it Easy to be Chosen For Leadership 33:30 What are the Leadership Traits That Dawie Saw in Nem 39:14 How Did the COO Role Turn into a CEO role 46:39 What Happened to Dawie’s MD Role Now That There is a CEO Role 50:14 What’s it Like to Take on So Much Responsibility? 59:25 How to Structure a Co-founder Relationship for Longevity 01:04:04 The New Organisational Structure and Where the Founding Team is Moving to 01:12:02 Power and Authority Challenges During This CEO Handover 01:18:14 Navigating This Change in Terms of Culture 01:20:22 Other Challenges Nem and Dawie Are Facing 01:23:35 How Does the Approach Towards Vision Shift Now? 01:26:01 Dawie’s Plans for the Future of Digiata 01:28:26 Advice to Anyone Going Through This Process 01:30:57 Conclusion

Sebenza is making it possible for commuters to get free wifi in taxis and busses, in exchange for interacting with their platform. Whether that’s watching an ad, playing a game, or filling out a survey, users get rewards Sebenza bucks which they can they use to access the wifi in these vehicles. In this episode, we chat with Calvin Le Mottée and Wesley Dorning, the co-founders of Sebenza. Expect to learn: - How they were able to find the fit in the market - The balance between software and hardware - How they navigated the complexity of building these offerings - How they manage so much hardware in so many locations with such lean team - What the 4 verticals that drive Sebenza are And much more! This is a very uniquely South African story, but one that is quite complex as well. Enjoy! ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 02:46 The Scale of Sebenza Today 03:50 The Business Model of Sebenza 08:27 The Founding Story 10:30 Where Does Revenue Come From? 12:43 How Sebenza Competes With Other Advertising Methods? 16:10 How Did Calvin & Wesley First Launch Sebenza? 21:40 The 4 Verticals That Drive Sebenza 35:25 Finding Product Fit 38:57 Managing Identity As Complexity Increases 41:00 How To Maintain Focus With so Many Opportunities 51:35 Becoming The Digitisation Partner For SANTACO And What That Unlocked 56:19 What Have The Investors Brought To The Table? 01:00:43 Managing Operational Complexity With A Small Team of 50 01:08:00 What Does The Organisational Structure Look Like? 01:09:07 Sebenza’s Sales Processes 01:12:45 How to Hand Over Relationships as You Scale And Remove Sales Dependence From The Founders 01:16:52 How Managing Culture Changes as You Grow 01:21:41 Sebenza’s Plans For 2025 01:24:22 The Importance of Having a Strong Network to Help You Solve Problems

Welcome to the first episode of The Founder Files where we have 4 guests at once! Today we get insights from the founders of paymenow, a fintech that has pioneered earned wage access in South Africa. Learn how they chose private equity over VC to secure the right investor, hit key milestones for early profitability, and simplified an incredibly complex product to unlock growth. We also dive into hard lessons from geographical expansion and how they turned mistakes into a scalable model. This episode is packed with insights on scaling smarter, staying lean, and building for success. ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 03:51 What does paymenow do? 14:08 The founding story of paymenow 19:44 Challenges in the 0-1 journey 27:32 How does the money flow in the business? 30:22 paymenow’s first investor 48:49 Staying focused on the right thing before breaking even 53:45 Paying school fees when expanding to Namibia 01:02:07 Pros and cons of using a licensing model 01:13:12 Product development approach to deal with complexity 01:25:24 Complexities of having a multinational customer base 01:29:36 Making the app data-free 01:31:42 The future of paymenow 01:34:12 Why paymenow has no COO

The last season of The Founder Files has seen some amazing success stories, but behind every success are the many challenges you often don’t hear about. In this special montage episode, we highlight some of the biggest challenges and successes, and the lessons we can take away from them. Sit tight and enjoy the last episode of 2024! ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 01:10 Simon Hartley, Wumdrop 04:06 Donald Valoyi, Zulzi 12:29 Paul Cook, Silvertree Brands 28:16 Why we created The Founder Files 31:43 Steve Uria, Switch Playground 41:18 Luke Jedeikin & Luke Hanan, Bash

Over the past episodes of The Founder Files, we've been inspired, amazed, and completely blown away by the stories and insights from some of the brightest entrepreneurial minds in South Africa. This special montage brings together the most jaw-dropping, game-changing, and unforgettable moments from our podcast. From Melvyn Lubegas's unique approach to B2B outreach that always gets a response, to Daniel Guasco going from 0 to exit in 156 days. This is sure to be an entertaining episode filled with the most awesome things we've heard this year. ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 01:47 Melvyn Lubega, Go1 09:20 Daniel Guasco, Team Africa Ventures 29:43 Why we created The Founder Files 33:10 Jan Parmentier, Supernova Brands 39:58 Paul Raphaely, NOMU 53:04 Greg Blend, Africrest Properties

Today we're doing something different as we hear from a non-profit organisation for the first time on the podcast. In this episode, we chat with Tracey Chambers, the co-founder and CEO of Taking Care of Business. TCB helps families escape the cycle of poverty by equipping unemployed and aspiring entrepreneurs with the skills and resources they need to unlock their full potential. We get into the philosophy of why Tracey left her corporate job to start an NPO, and why you would start something where you’re helping other people with their wealth creation with a model where you are not able to create wealth for yourself—A fascinating perspective about fulfilment that will remind you why you are doing all of this. We get into the practicalities of scaling this organisation—what made it unique, why it needed funding, how she set up her leadership team, the importance of systems, developing culture in new locations, and much more. This is a great episode filled with practical lessons and great philosophies to shift your thinking. ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 03:10 What is Taking Care of Business? 20:16 Why choose to run an NPO 32:02 Tracey’s mid-life crisis and why she left her high-paying job 45:37 The mindsets and beliefs that hold first-time entrepreneurs back 01:00:49 How Tracey scaled this from starting out of the back of an orphanage 01:07:52 The most important things to consider when scaling 01:16:00 How to ensure the culture is right in new branches 01:21:57 What Tracey has in place to be able to personally role model culture at new branches while being CEO 01:24:36 What does Tracey’s day-to-day look like? 01:29:07 What does the future hold for Taking Care of Business? 01:31:42 Would you take that jump again?

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Founder Files! It’s amazing to hit this century milestone and we’re excited to keep releasing more episodes and providing valuable conversations. Harry Scherzer, CEO and co-founder of Future Forex, joins us today to talk about his company which has grown to almost 100 people in just 4 years, processes R2 billion in transactions a month and is completely bootstrapped. In this conversation, we cover: - How have they managed to grow something so quickly out of the gate? - How their focus on customer service and experience has helped them stand out in the market while challenging the banking industry's oligopolies - Harry’s views on leadership, and how he navigates the uncomfortable parts - Finding the balance between gratitude and ambition, especially while his identity is so tied to the business. This episode looks at entrepreneurship both through a business lens and a human being perspective. ---- This episode is brought to you by Metavolve. Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://metavolve.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ---- To support The Founder Files: 🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE ⭐ Leave a review right here 💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts ---- 00:00 Introduction 03:29 What is Future Forex? 07:26 Scaling to 100 people in 4 years 10:46 Developing a product with a lot of demand 15:10 What is Future Forex’s competitive advantage 17:29 How Future Forex started 21:16 Is it possible to scale this internationally? 27:00 Developing a second product and competing with major banks 35:37 How to make better decisions when things are going wrong 47:40 The importance of leave for the business 52:48 How to tackle difficult conversations 01:06:08 The importance of being grateful and achieving happiness 01:13:39 Future Forex’s plans for 2025 01:18:58 Are you happy?