Born to Build

He's helping Africa move from consuming tech to creating it. In this conversation, Dr. Kamao Gachigi shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, highlighting the importance of industrialization for economic development in Africa. He discusses the founding of Gearbox, a makerspace and hardware accelerator in Kenya, and its mission to empower innovators and entrepreneurs. Dr. Gachigi e...

In this conversation, Sam and Brandon Bayman discuss the inception and growth of The Barn, a values-led grocer and eatery in George, South Africa. Brandon shares insights into the challenges of starting a food retail business, the importance of customer experience, and the strategies for sourcing local products. He emphasises the significance of cash flow management, building a positive company cu...

In this conversation, Sam and Sandras Phiri discuss the transformative approach of Pranary, an AI-focused business school that emphasises practical education over traditional academic methods. Sandras shares his personal journey from computer science to entrepreneurship, highlighting the gaps in conventional business education and the importance of real-world application. They explore the philosop...

In this episode of Born to Build , Sam sits down with Harry Welby-Cooke, the powerhouse behind ActionCOACH South Africa, to reveal why business coaching is the secret weapon of thriving entrepreneurs. From his leap out of corporate banking to building Africa's most impactful coaching network, Harry shares hard-hitting truths, success stories and practical tips to help founders scale faster, wo...

In this conversation, Sasha Knott, Global CEO of Job Crystal and Crystal AI, shares her entrepreneurial journey from waitress to tech leader, discussing the challenges and triumphs of building a recruitment platform that integrates AI with human empathy. She emphasises the importance of finding the right team, navigating funding, and balancing technology with the human touch in recruitment. Sasha...

In this episode of Born to Build, Sam speaks with Lisa Aspeling, a serial entrepreneur and marketing strategist, about the importance of storytelling in branding, the process of crafting a clear brand story, and the significance of building trust with customers. Lisa shares her insights on creating engaging content that resonates with audiences, the innovative journey of launching the Flower Cafe...

In this episode of Born to Build, Sam speaks with Fabio Rappenecker, co-founder and CEO of TenX Nutrition, a social enterprise in Kenya that is transforming the traditional street snack, Mandazi, into a nutritious food option to combat malnutrition. Fabio shares his journey from Germany to Kenya, the challenges of bootstrapping a startup, and the importance of understanding local culture and consu...

What does it take to turn a passion for design and craftsmanship into a thriving business? In this episode of Born to Build, we sit down with Wayne Ballard, founder of Coastal Kitchens in Cape Town. Wayne shares his journey from humble beginnings to building a bespoke kitchen and furniture business that is trusted and admired. We dig into the early struggles, the big wins, the importance of craft,...

What does it take to leave a career in public health and build one of Africa's fastest-growing online schools? In this episode of Born to Build, Lauren Anderson, CEO and co-founder of Koa Academy, shares the bold vision, creative grit, and practical steps behind reimagining modern education. From early funding wins to smashing myths about online learning, Lauren takes us inside the journey of...

Sauna's are becoming a thing on Cape Town's shores. In this episode of Born to Build , we meet Jari Salminen, a Finnish-Canadian carpenter with sauna in his soul, who's heating up Cape Town's coast one wood-fired session at a time. Discover how Jari brought the deep-rooted Nordic sauna experience to South Africa's beaches, overcame unexpected business challenges, and built a br...

What starts as a sock obsession becomes a bold creative business. In this episode of Born to Build , Sam chats with Chelsey Wilson-Roos, founder of Feat., a Cape Town based brand known for its playful, design-led products inspired by South Africa's wild beauty. Chelsey shares the highs and hurdles of building Feat. into a joyful, local-first brand that stands out. Expect honest stories, though...

In this episode of Born to Build , I sit down with my sister Tabitha Mee to unpack her inspiring journey from side hustle to successful photography business owner. From launching Illuminate Photography to pivoting into Grand Little Adventure, Tabitha shares what it really takes to build a brand from the heart, navigate change, and keep showing up when the going gets tough. If you've ever thoug...

What does it take to build something that truly transforms lives - across health, family, addiction recovery, agriculture, and more? In this powerful episode of  Born to Build , we sit down with the founder of Living Hope John Thomas to explore the spark behind a bold vision, the challenges of scaling a multi-faceted organisation, and the leadership values that have anchored it for decades. From s...

What does it take to leave a corporate career and build a business that transforms others? In this episode of Born to Build, we sit down with Terine Lott-Cupido, founder of EmpowerLink Services, an award-winning HR consultancy shaking up the SME space in South Africa. Terine shares the leap of faith that led her from multinational boardrooms to empowering entrepreneurs with the people, processes,...

What does it take to build a business that lasts three decades? In this episode of Born to Build , I sit down with Grant Gunston, founder of Gunstons Attorneys (now GSR Law ), to unpack his 30-year journey of building a legal firm with heart, purpose, and a deep commitment to people. From the grind of starting out to navigating succession, Grant reveals the leadership lessons, personal growth, and...

What happens when faith, vision, and timing collide at a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history? In this episode of Born to Build , I sit down with my mother-in-law, Avril Thomas — co-founder of Cape Town’s iconic Christian community radio station, CCFM . From the station's humble beginnings post-Apartheid to becoming a voice of hope across the city, Avril shares the story of CCFM’s birth, the b...

What do deep-sea rigging and backyard tree cutting have in common? More than you think. In this episode of Born to Build , Sam sits down with Dave Pena , the daring founder of Highworks Tree Services , to unpack how a career in high-risk offshore rope work became the foundation for a precision-driven, values-led business on land. Dave opens up about the moment he knew it was time to make a change,...

What kind of person opens a café during a global pandemic? Meet Andre Gouws - community builder, optimist, and founder of Shorebreak Café in Fish Hoek. In this energising episode of Born to Build , Andre shares how he launched his business when the world was shutting down, what it means to create a "sure break" in a seaside town, and how community beat capital in the early days of his st...

In this heartfelt episode of Born to Build , Sam sits down with his wife, Sheralyn Cloete, to share the raw, behind-the-scenes journey of launching Naked Truth South Africa - an organisation tackling the heavy realities of p😶rn addiction with grace, grit, and hope. Whether you're a founder, a faith-driven builder, or someone passionate about transformation, this episode will stir your heart a...

In this inspiring episode of Born to Build , we sit down with Heinrich Grové , a relentless entrepreneur whose journey started with peanut butter sales and fake Nike T-shirts - and led to founding one of South Africa’s most dynamic accounting communities. At just 19, Heinrich dove headfirst into entrepreneurship. From building a driving school with 10 instructors to founding the SA Accounting Netw...

What does it take to turn a spark of curiosity into a thriving automation business? In this episode of Born to Build, Sam sits down with George Smith - founder of Harmonic Automation SA - to uncover how he went from studying at UCT to solving operational headaches for businesses through tech. We dive into: - The moment that launched his company - Real-world automation wins and pitfalls - Where the...