The Founder Files

In this episode of The Founder Files, we dive deep into the scaling journey with Cheri Afonso, the CEO and co-founder of HouseHoppers—a relocation concierge business that's revolutionising the moving industry. Cheri shares her powerful story of building a business that thrives on operational excellence. From restructuring her role as CEO to managing branches across multiple geographies, Cheri takes us through her journey of mastering processes, building a management team, and ensuring customer satisfaction—while navigating the complexities of logistics. What you’ll learn in this episode: - How HouseHoppers revolutionised industry standards and achieved product-market fit - The keys to building a management team that drives business growth - How to stop wearing all the hats as an entrepreneur and scale efficiently - Cheri’s process for expanding into new locations without permanent teams - The importance of systems, processes, and standards in scaling any business If you're an entrepreneur on the path to scaling or interested in operational excellence, this episode is packed with practical takeaways just for you! ---- 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 Intro 04:00 Welcomes 04:44 HouseHoppers' Business Model 05:44 Getting A Coach During The Scaling Journey 09:39 Revolutionising Industry Standards 14:29 Finding Product-Market Fit 17:20 Hiring A Great Team 23:40 Overcoming Burnout & Breakdown 28:51 Replacing Family With Strangers 37:29 Growing Without Even Trying 42:07 Brought To You By Metavolve 43:30 Systems And Process Mapping 51:48 Building And Structuring A Management Team 59:58 What Does Cheri’s Job as CEO Entail? 01:06:35 Creating Systems & Automations 01:20:01 Managing Multiple Geographies 01:24:40 Next Steps For HouseHoppers 01:25:46 Advice For Entrepreneurs Starting The Scale-Up Journey

Imagine ordering groceries and getting them delivered in 15 minutes. Well, Zulzi does just that! In this episode, we dive deep with Donald Valoyi, the founder and CEO who's turning the retail world on its head. You'll discover: - The secret sauce behind Zulzi's lightning-fast 15-minute deliveries - How Valoyi navigated hypergrowth and cash flow challenges - The game-changing strategies that keep customers coming back for more - Insider tips on staying ahead in a cutthroat market - The bold move that gave Zulzi total control over its supply chain In between all of that, we hear about the challenges, triumphs and important lessons learned along the way. ---- 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 03:52 Welcomes 04:37 Zulzi’s Business Model 06:36 Zulzi’s Founding Story 09:26 A look into one of Zulzi’s Dark Stores 11:28 Lessons Learnt From Initial Naivety 16:37 Pivoting From Electronics Into Groceries 25:33 Building Out Tech Capabilities 33:34 How To Keep Up With The Market 40:43 Overcoming Scaling Challenges 49:06 Brought To You By Metavolve 50:29 Not Being Ready For Huge Growth 57:35 Importance of Customer Experience in Scaling 58:37 Running A Founder-led Company Successfully 01:15:41 How To Build Out Management Layers 01:24:19 Transition Into Dark Stores 01:33:14 The Future Of Zulzi

In this episode of The Founder Files, we chat with Greg Blend and Grant Friedman from Africrest. From starting with nothing but ambition and a few naive assumptions, they scaled their property business to managing over 3.3 billion rand in assets! We delve into how they managed to scale their business without initial capital. We also explore their unique approach to sourcing feedback from tenants and customers at scale, ensuring that property improvements are based on tenant input and preferences. Additionally, they share insights on building robust systems during rapid expansion and scaling their team effectively to sustain growth and 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 02:37 Welcomes 03:02 Africrest’s Business Model 06:28 The Scale Of Africrest Today 09:12 Africrest Founding Story 13:53 Starting A Property Company With No Cash 20:47 Greg & Grant’s First Property 30:34 Getting Useful Feedback From Customers 36:53 Merging Into Africrest 43:57 Brought To You By Metavolve 45:20 How To Stay Aligned As A Leadership Team 49:52 Making Sure You Choose The Right Partnerships 58:24 Converting Office Buildings To Apartments 01:03:29 Scaling The Business Through Covid 01:11:58 Changes To Handle Rapid Growth 01:21:28 Learnings From Rapid Expansion 01:25:53 The Future Of Africrest 01:28:29 Why Choose The South African Market?

In this unique episode, we dive into the highs and lows of a seasoned entrepreneur, Daniel Guasco. Best known as the co-founder and co-CEO of Groupon South Africa, Hyperli, and Team Africa Ventures, Daniel has also made his mark as the founder of Click2Sure and an investor in many businesses. In this episode we get into his first major high and low, going from having one of South Africa’s most successful Steers franchises to losing everything, and how he recovered. He tells the story of how he went from start to exit in 156 days, which is the story of how Groupon South Africa started. Get an insider’s look at his entry into the investment world with Team Africa Ventures and his ambitious venture into insurtech with Click2Sure. Despite backing from VCs, insurers, and corporates, he reveals what went wrong and why they ultimately had to shut the business down. Along the way, Daniel offers invaluable lessons and insights that every entrepreneur can learn from. Don’t miss this episode packed with wisdom, resilience, and real talk about the entrepreneurial journey. ---- 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 Intro 02:22 Welcomes 02:58 Being An Entrepreneur Since 16 05:27 From The Best Steers Franchise To Losing Everything 17:15 Moving Onto The Next Opportunity 21:53 Founding To Exiting In 156 days 41:51 Getting Acquired by Groupon 44:01 Lessons From Huge Growth 47:18 Changes Needed to Keep Up With Growth 49:24 Brought To You By Metavolve 50:47 Creating A Leadership Team 55:37 The Fall Of Groupon 01:01:28 Starting Hyperli 01:04:44 Getting Into The Investment World 01:09:41 Lessons From Click2Sure 01:38:19 What’s Next For Daniel? 01:42:40 What Is Daniel Doing In Italy? 01:44:17 Reflection

Only 7% of South Africans invest, but Franc is on a mission to change that. In this episode, we dive deep with Thomas Brennan, the co-founder and CEO of Franc, an investment marketplace that's making it easier than ever for South Africans to grow their wealth. Join us as we explore how Franc cracked the code to product-market fit in a market where investing is rare. Thomas shares insider insights on customer acquisition, scaling strategies, and what it took for Franc to become a standout success. We also uncover how Franc fosters a culture of innovation and autonomy within their team—a must-listen for leaders aiming to up their game. Plus, Thomas breaks down Franc’s journey from being predominantly B2C to exploring B2B opportunities, with lessons learned along the way. From scaling challenges to cybersecurity and fundraising, this episode is packed with actionable advice and inspiring stories from the frontlines of fintech innovation. Don’t miss it! ---- 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 02:06 Welcomes 02:53 Franc’s Business Model 15:33 Franc’s Founding Story 25:02 Finding Product Market Fit 38:06 Brought To You By Metavolve 39:28 How Franc Gets Customers In An Uneducated Market 44:04 Growing Revenue With Existing Customers 52:51 Crowd Sourcing Innovation Through The Team 01:00:42 Maximising Employee Productivity 01:07:46 Introducing A B2B Product 01:13:16 Managing Security & Regulation 01:18:22 Franc’s Geographical Expansion Strategy 01:26:19 Scaling Journey Challenges 01:29:05 What Does The Future Look Like For Franc & Thomas 01:30:51 Focus On The Why 01:32:39 Reflection

Sendmarc solves a problem that every single business faces; email security. In this episode I sit down with the co-founder and CEO, Sam Hutchinson. Sam has been an entrepreneur since the age of 16. He successfully exited an email marketing company, and his experience there allowed him to start Sendmarc. Sam shares how he built out the sales function of the business, his honest accounts of scaling internationally and the struggles they've faced, how to target the right partnerships and how he is still learning about his channel and distribution partners. Whether you're a cybersecurity enthusiast, an aspiring entrepreneur, or just curious about the realities of scaling a business globally, this episode is packed with insights you won't want to miss! 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 02:21 Welcomes 02:58 Sendmarc’s business model 08:15 Where is Sendmarc at now? 10:03 Sendmarc’s founding story 12:19 Getting Sendmarc off the ground 30:01 What were the early-stage sales like? 33:00 Starting to grow the business 39:37 Scaling the sales team to remove founder dependency 44:19 Brought to you by Metavolve 45:42 How to afford A-grade employees in the beginning 48:55 How Sam’s role changed as the business grew 51:38 Taking a partnership approach to sales 57:26 How to be satisfied with your growth 01:01:13 Expanding to different markets 01:08:20 Struggles when expanding to different countries 01:12:45 Why Sendmarc gives away free tools 01:15:07 Partnering with distributors 01:22:27 What the future looks like for Sam and Sendmarc 01:25:24 Why Sam chooses to be an entrepreneur 01:28:33 Reflection

We understand that a 2-hour podcast can be a lot of content to consume. So today, we have a special episode highlighting our favourite lessons from Africa's top founders about scaling and growth. If you found any of these clips valuable, be sure to watch the full episodes! ---- 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 02:04 Melvyn Lubega, Go1 14:31 Jon & Elan, Motion Ads 19:17 Nolan & Shadab, Payment24 29:09 Claude & Luke, Superbalist & Bash 38:19 Paul Cook, Silvertree Brands

In this episode of The Founder Files, we sit down with Bongani Sithole, the Co-founder and CEO of Founders Factory Africa (FFA). As one of the largest early-stage investors on the African continent, FFA has made significant strides, investing in over 70 startups in under six years. Bongani shares the innovative approach that sets FFA apart from traditional venture capital firms. Instead of relying on the conventional LP model, FFA used corporate partnerships for their capital. We delve into the state of early-stage investment in Africa, exploring the challenges and opportunities ahead. Gain a deep understanding of how Bongani scaled FFA into a thriving organization with a team of over 70 people across multiple countries. He discusses how he is managing a diverse and dispersed team and shares lessons learned from FFA’s portfolio’s successes and failures. This episode also covers FFA’s exit strategy and vision for the future. Enjoy this deep dive into the VC world where we see how another entrepreneur is helping the ecosystem thrive. ---- 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 Intro 01:52 Welcomes 02:40 The Business Model of Founders Factory 07:28 Founding Story and Raising Capital 15:39 Getting Standard Bank On Board 22:59 Learning and Evolving the Business Model 30:00 Establishing As a Pan-African Company From The Beginning 36:04 Growing And Scaling Investment Companies 43:46 Brought To You By Metavolve 45:09 Providing Businesses With Tailored Services 51:28 Shifting From Accelerator To VC Firm 58:26 Managing 70 Team Members Across 15 Countries 1:00:49 Lessons From Failures 1:06:57 Founders Factory Exit Strategy 1:11:28 The Future of Founders Factory 1:15:13 Bongani’s Take on Commercial & Impact 1:17:19 Reflection

This is an exciting episode, because I had the opportunity of hosting one of South Africa’s most esteemed venture capitalist, Clive Butkow. Clive is the ex-founder and CEO of Kalon Venture Partners, which he left to Start Conducive Capital. He is an expert in building, scaling and investing in businesses, and he has a Silicon Valley exit, a VC firm and more than 10 highly successful startups under his belt! In this episode, we dive deep into the world of venture capital. We discuss the industry and business model of VC, how it operates, what VCs need to succeed, and why it's such a challenging business to run. Clive also shares his vision for the South African VC industry and how he plans to shape its future. You’ll find out Clive’s views on what makes a start up an ideal investment, what he’s seen over and over again that always leads to success and what mistakes to avoid. Clive’s portfolio companies have scaled out of SA and achieved revenues of well over 100 million dollars each, so he gives us a breakdown of how to take a company global. And in between all of that, we unpack valuable principles, strategic concepts and leadership lessons that any founder can learn from. Enjoy this value-packed 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 Intro 02:17 Welcomes 02:45 Clive’s Impressive Background 15:11 How The VC Business Model Works 28:42 Why Clive Started A VC 40:28 Brought To You By Metavolve 41:50 The Bigger Scope For Success 45:22 The Reality Of VC Funds 48:20 How To Take A Company Global 1:09:58 How To Improve The Way You Sell 1:21:32 The Three Types Of People You Need In A Tech Business 1:25:10 The 5 Characteristics Of An Investable Founder 1:29:17 The Biggest Challenge Entrepreneurs Have Around Raising Capital 1:31:14 Reflection

Payment24 is a fintech SAAS business that services the oil & gas industry. Their growth has been impressive and they currently operate in 20 countries, across 4 continents. I got the pleasure of talking with the co-founders Nolan Daniel and Shadab Rahil. Shadab and Nolan started out with a “if they buy it, we’ll build it” mindset but after some time they integrated all the separate products they built into one modularised product. They take us through the transition from being development driven to product driven. We hear the story of how Standard Bank acquired 40 percent of the company and what that unlocked for them. As well as how they maintained focus and discipline as technical founders to grow organically and avoid the temptation of shiny new opportunities. They talk about their investment into a Swiss fintech company to open channels in Europe. They also give us some insights into how they expanded internationally so successfully and how they got new customers to come to them. Without a doubt, an episode you won’t want to miss. --- 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 02:12 Welcomes 02:38 What Is Payment24? 14:08 Payment24’s Founding Story 20:55 More About The Oil & Gas Industry 26:23 Developing The Product & Initial Growth 34:22 Transitioning From Development Driven To Product Driven 42:09 Brought To You By Metavolve 43:32 Getting Investment From Standard Bank 59:27 Organic Growth As The Main Growth Strategy 1:05:28 Getting The First Customer In New Countries 1:09:38 Making Yourself Findable To Prospects 1:16:39 Investing In A Swiss Company 1:19:13 Learnings From Investing Into The European Market 1:23:02 What’s Next For Payment24? 1:25:55 How Nolan & Shadab Have Worked Together For 21 Years 1:30:01 Outro