Building a $1.5B Fintech Giant from Scratch | Coen Jonker

Building a $1.5B Fintech Giant from Scratch | Coen Jonker

In this episode of Startup & Scaleup People, Mario sits down with Coen Jonker, Co-Founder of Tyme Group, one of the world's fastest-growing digital banking businesses.Tyme Group operates across South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Singapore, serving more than 22 million customers and reaching a valuation of $1.5 billion. Coen shares the journey of building a digital bank from scratch, the challenges of operating in highly regulated markets, and why financial inclusion remains at the heart of the company's mission.The conversation explores the innovative kiosk model that helped TymeBank scale, lessons on leadership, customer obsession, operational excellence, hiring, culture, and the importance of staying focused as a founder. Coen also shares his views on AI, how it is already transforming decision-making inside organizations, and why the future belongs to businesses that combine technology with human connection.Don't forget to subscribe! Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Coen Jonker and His Journey 02:32 Understanding the Business Model of a Multi-Country Digital Bank 04:19 Empowering Emerging Markets Through Financial Services 07:01 Innovative Kiosk Model for Banking Services 11:27 Challenges of Banking vs. Fintech 14:25 The Complexity of Building a Bank 21:55 Key Insights for Founders in Fintech 25:42 The Importance of Customer Focus 27:51 Building Customer Relationships in Large Businesses 30:53 Connecting with Customers for Product Improvement 32:12 Empowering Employees for Better Decision Making 35:24 The Role of AI in Business Transformation #StartupScaleupPeople #CoenJonker #TymeGroup #TymeBank #Fintech #DigitalBanking #FinancialInclusion #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #ArtificialIntelligence #AI #Scaleups #Startups #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #CustomerExperience #EmergingMarkets #FounderJourney #BusinessStrategy #Podcast Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: YS8O6F9QUCRMAZTI

From Kitchen Recipe to 500 Stores: Building a Food Brand from Scratch | Karen Prado

In this episode of Startup and Scaleup People, Mario sits down with Karen Prado, founder of ChimiLove, the award-winning South American sauce brand now stocked in more than 500 stores across the UK and Canada.Karen shares how a homemade chimichurri recipe became a fast-growing FMCG business, the realities of scaling a food brand, and the lessons learned from building a premium product in a highly competitive retail market.We discuss:• Building ChimiLove from a kitchen startup to 500+ stores• Winning prestigious Great Taste Awards• Raising investment to fuel growth• Social media, e-commerce, and founder-led branding• The biggest mistakes and lessons from five years of entrepreneurshipAnd more!Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Chimichurri and Its Origins 02:18 The Journey of Building a Brand 04:50 Challenges of Scaling a Business 07:22 Navigating the Food Industry and Awards 09:59 Market Expansion and Strategy 12:38 Consumer Preferences and Health Trends 15:04 Product Range and Flavor Innovations 17:43 Cultural Significance of Chimichurri 20:32 Distribution Channels and Partnerships 23:01 FMCG Industry Insights and Challenges 25:26 Marketing Strategies and Social Media 28:13 Lessons Learned and Future Vision#StartupAndScaleupPeople #FMCG #Retail #FoodBusiness #Entrepreneurship #ScalingUp #ChimiLove #ConsumerBrands

Founder Psychology: Is Your Nervous System Overloaded? | Sasha Cayward

What does it really take to build resilience as a startup founder in high-pressure environments? In Episode 32, we explore mental fitness, emotional intelligence, neuroscience, and founder performance with Sasha Cayward — ex-VC, former elite tennis player, founder coach, and Head of Community at Hubble. Hosted by Mario Rivas, this conversation dives deep into nervous system regulation, startup stress, burnout, founder psychology, performance under pressure, emotional resilience, and the hidden cost of the modern wellness industry. Sasha shares lessons from elite sports, venture capital, and coaching startup founders across London and San Francisco. Startup Scaleup People: Real stories from startup, scaleup & enterprise leaders. From boardrooms to founder garages, we bring you insights on growth, leadership, funding, exits, governance, AI, fintech, SaaS, and business transformation. New episodes every Sunday at 4PM UK time. Chapters: 00:00 Intro to Sasha Cayward 03:00 Elite Sports, Coaching & Mental Resilience 07:00 Founder Burnout & Nervous System Overload 11:00 Anxiety, Stress & Startup Performance15:00 Mental Fitness vs Mental Health 20:00 Neuroscience, Emotional Intelligence & Leadership 26:00 The Wellness Industry & Founder Obsession 34:00 Why Great Founders “Always Find a Way” 40:00 Knowing When to Quit as a Founder

From House Move to 140M Meals Rescued | Olio's Unlikely Story | Tessa Clarke

In this episode of Startup & Scaleup People, Mario sits down with Tessa Clarke, Founder & CEO of Olio, the climate-tech platform fighting food waste through hyperlocal sharing. Olio has grown into a global community with nearly 10 million users, redistributed more than 140 million meals, and built a network of over 100,000 volunteers helping businesses and local communities reduce waste. Tessa shares the full journey behind building Olio, from the original idea sparked during a house move, to scaling a marketplace business across multiple countries, managing complex logistics operations, fundraising over $50M, building remote-first culture, and using AI to dramatically increase operational efficiency. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Olio and Its Mission 02:47 The Role of Food Waste Heroes 06:04 Challenges of Scaling a Volunteer Community 08:55 The Journey of Founding Olio 11:49 Operational Complexity and Logistics 15:10 Leveraging AI for Efficiency 17:58 Fundraising and Growth Strategies 21:04 Building a Strong Company Culture 23:54 The Importance of Community Impact 27:01 Lessons Learned and Future Outlook

From Bartender to Inventor: The Self-Cooling Can That Could Disrupt Coca-Cola | James Weiss

What happens after a founder exits a company… and realizes the next big opportunity is even bigger? In this episode, Mario sits down with James Weiss, former bartender turned entrepreneur, inventor, and startup founder, to unpack the journey from building a 7-figure cocktail business to inventing the world’s first self-cooling can. From living in his in-laws’ spare bedroom while bootstrapping a startup to pitching Coca-Cola, Carlsberg, and global beverage giants… this conversation dives deep into entrepreneurship, resilience, IP protection, innovation, and the brutal realities of scaling companies. Sometimes your biggest business failure becomes the foundation for your most important invention. About James Weiss: James Weiss is a Welsh entrepreneur, inventor, and founder of Delta Innovations. After building and exiting a successful cocktail delivery business, he shifted into product innovation and created a patented self-cooling beverage can designed to chill drinks in under 90 seconds.His work has attracted attention from some of the world’s biggest beverage brands, including Coca-Cola, Carlsberg, and major global can manufacturers. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the Journey 02:12 From Bartender to Entrepreneur 06:52 Scaling the Cocktail Business 11:41 Navigating Investment Challenges 14:34 The Decision to Exit 18:11 Lessons Learned and New Ventures 22:22 Innovating in Beverage Packaging 37:34 Future of the Product and Market Potential