Shows
History of South Africa podcastEpisode 252 — Chelmsford’s Fatal Confidence: The Day Before IsandlwanaThis is episode 252, it is January 19th 1879, and we’re standing alongside Lord Chelmsford at the British camp based at Rorke’s Drift — and nearby is Henry Francis Fynn Junior.
Chelmsford had grown frustrated by the rain which had slowed the crossing of the Mzinyathi at Rorke’s Drift. He had also been frustrated by Henry Francis Fynn Junior who had been negotiating with Zulu chiefs without his permission. Fynn’s father, Henry Francis senior was the first English trader in Natal, and had spent time with King Shaka. The Fynn’s were all fluent in Zulu, and extremely in...
2025-12-0718 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 252 — Chelmsford’s Fatal Confidence: The Day Before IsandlwanaThis is episode 252, it is January 19th 1879, and we’re standing alongside Lord Chelmsford at the British camp based at Rorke’s Drift — and nearby is Henry Francis Fynn Junior.
Chelmsford had grown frustrated by the rain which had slowed the crossing of the Mzinyathi at Rorke’s Drift. He had also been frustrated by Henry Francis Fynn Junior who had been negotiating with Zulu chiefs without his permission. Fynn’s father, Henry Francis senior was the first English trader in Natal, and had spent time with King Shaka. The Fynn’s were all fluent in Zulu, and extremely in...
2025-12-0718 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 193: Guthrie’s 1852 Four-Colour Problem, Sports Schedules, Mobile Frequencies, AI, and the Battle of BereaFirst off, congratulations to Gcina Mhlophe who is DStv’s content Creator podcaster of the year — I was so happy to shortlisted and incredibly happy for her. Gcina’s African Storytelling podcast is ground breaking please look out for it on all podcast platforms.
And a big shout out to all the other finalists, I was amazed at just how many people in South Africa are making a living out of creating their own content, their own stories. Things sure have changed in the media space!
Back to 1852.
Planet earth had seen quite a few in...
2024-10-2023 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 193: Guthrie’s 1852 Four-Colour Problem, Sports Schedules, Mobile Frequencies, AI, and the Battle of BereaFirst off, congratulations to Gcina Mhlophe who is DStv’s content Creator podcaster of the year — I was so happy to shortlisted and incredibly happy for her. Gcina’s African Storytelling podcast is ground breaking please look out for it on all podcast platforms.
And a big shout out to all the other finalists, I was amazed at just how many people in South Africa are making a living out of creating their own content, their own stories. Things sure have changed in the media space!
Back to 1852.
Planet earth had seen quite a few in...
2024-10-2023 min
How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#19 - Tanja Lau - How to Succeed as a Solopreneur & ParentSummaryIn this conversation, Tanja Lau shares her journey as a solopreneur and parent, discussing the pivotal moments that led her to leave corporate life and start her own business, Product Academy. She reflects on the challenges of balancing entrepreneurship with parenting, the importance of defining personal success, and the systems she has created to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Tanja emphasizes the significance of understanding one's values, creating a supportive environment, and being proactive in decision-making to foster both personal and professional growth.TakeawaysIt's always the right time to launch a business if you feel called to do so...
2024-10-181h 01How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#20 - Jeremy Jenson - Lessons in selling from a $12m+ entrepreneurSummary
In this conversation, Jeremy Jenson, founder of Encore Search, shares insights into the headhunting industry, discussing its potential as a business opportunity, the importance of building trust with clients, and the personal costs associated with running a successful business. He emphasizes the need for transparency, the value of storytelling in recruitment, and the significance of focusing on quality of life over financial gain. Jeremy also provides actionable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, encouraging them to start their ventures and learn from their experiences.
Takeaways
Headhunting can create significant value for...
2024-10-1856 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#18 - Maja Voje - Start with buy (not why): How to make your product launch a successIn this conversation, Maja Voje discusses the intricacies of Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies, emphasizing that GTM is not just about launching a product but involves understanding the market, testing willingness to pay, and focusing on differentiation. She shares insights on bootstrapping, the importance of sales strategies, and the need for iterative development. Maja also highlights the significance of focus in entrepreneurship and offers practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, encouraging them to take action and validate their ideas quickly.
Takeaways
GTM starts before the product launch.
Understanding your target market is crucial.
Testing willingness to...
2024-10-0459 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#17 - Simon Klobas - How To Build a Successful Digital Asset Holding CompanySummary
In this conversation, Simon Klobas shares his entrepreneurial journey, emphasizing the importance of real-world experience, pro-social skills, and the value of bootstrapping. He discusses the significance of preparing for investment, prioritizing product development, and building relationships in less conventional sectors. Simon also highlights the opportunities in the Saudi market and the unique model of his digital asset holding company, Brick Road, which focuses on solving specific problems for clients. He concludes with advice for aspiring entrepreneurs on the importance of networking and being adaptable.
Takeaways
2024-09-2755 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 189 - Karl Marx at the Great Exhibition, Eyre's Great Cattle Patrol and Smith gets the boot1851 it is, and the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October 1851.
It was the first in a series of World's Fairs, exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century.
Famous people of the time attended the Great Exhibition, including Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Michael Faraday, Samuel Colt, writers like Charlotte Brontë, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, George Eliot, Alfred Tennyson, and William Makepeace Thackeray.
Schweppes was the o...
2024-09-2220 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 189 - Karl Marx at the Great Exhibition, Eyre's Great Cattle Patrol and Smith gets the boot1851 it is, and the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition took place in Hyde Park, London, from 1 May to 15 October 1851.
It was the first in a series of World's Fairs, exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century.
Famous people of the time attended the Great Exhibition, including Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Michael Faraday, Samuel Colt, writers like Charlotte Brontë, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, George Eliot, Alfred Tennyson, and William Makepeace Thackeray.
Schweppes was the o...
2024-09-2220 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#16 - Natalie Furness - Why You Should NEVER Be A SolopreneurNatalie Furness, CEO and founder of RevOps Automated, discusses the decision to scale a business and the pros and cons of going solo versus building a team. She emphasizes the importance of building a business that distributes wealth and allows people to work the way they want. Natalie shares her experience of hiring the first team members and the challenges of covering costs as a founder. She also highlights the significance of focusing on go-to-market and sales to fill capacity and achieve growth. Natalie Furness, CEO of RevOps Automated, discusses the crossroads she is facing in scaling her business...
2024-09-201h 11How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#15 - Alice Egan - How to Run a Successful Paid Beta Online CourseAlice Egan, the founder of SaaS Savvy, shares her journey from a linguistics background to becoming an entrepreneur in the tech industry. She discusses how her love for languages and understanding people's stories led her to a career in pre-sales. Alice emphasizes the importance of asking questions and being transparent about not knowing certain technical concepts. She saw a gap in the market for teaching non-technical professionals about technology and started creating resources and courses to fill that gap. Alice's experience in pre-sales and product marketing gave her the confidence to start SaaS Savvy and help others speak the...
2024-09-131h 09History of South Africa podcastEpisode 187 - The Albany Rangers and Mantsopa the soothsayer emerges amongst the BaSothoThis is episode 187 - it’s 1851. Time to take stock of what’s going on across southern Africa which as you know was in the throes of the 8th Frontier War. A significant war. After that we’ll return to Thomas Stubbs who had turned himself into a useful night raider and was about to show the British how to fight in the Albany thickets.
To the north, in the mountains of the BaSotho people, King Moshoeshoe the first was not idle in early 1851and his patience with his own kith and kin as well as with the Boers...
2024-09-0822 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 187 - The Albany Rangers and Mantsopa the soothsayer emerges amongst the BaSothoThis is episode 187 - it’s 1851. Time to take stock of what’s going on across southern Africa which as you know was in the throes of the 8th Frontier War. A significant war. After that we’ll return to Thomas Stubbs who had turned himself into a useful night raider and was about to show the British how to fight in the Albany thickets.
To the north, in the mountains of the BaSotho people, King Moshoeshoe the first was not idle in early 1851and his patience with his own kith and kin as well as with the Boers...
2024-09-0822 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#14 - Cecilia Razak - When to Pivot or Persist as an entrepreneurCecilia Razak, a serial entrepreneur, shares her experience of resilience and entrepreneurial thinking. She discusses the challenges she faced when her startup, SpotWalk, was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a significant drop in revenue and the need to let go of 100 team members. Cecilia emphasizes the importance of adapting to change and making strategic pivots to stay afloat. She also highlights the value of having a support system and understanding the holistic system of a business. Cecilia encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to start small, iterate, and seek help when needed. Cecilia shares her journey of transitioning from...
2024-08-3057 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#13 - Călin Balea - How to go from Freelancer to 6-figure Design Studio FounderWelcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from successful, under-the-radar solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Călin Balea
He's…
More than 10 years experience in UX/UI design
Was a Toptal freelancer, who only accepts the top 3% of freelancers
Now runs Contrast Studio, a design studio he’s scaled to $20k/month in a year
There are a lot of design agencies. Building one that stands out & creates a great lif...
2024-08-2352 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 184 - A Fort Hare rout, “Vieux d’Afrique” Somerset and a British rethink about the role of chiefs in AfricaThis is episode 184 and we’re picking up our story on old year’s eve 1850. Last episode, we heard how Cape Governor Harry Smith was holed up in Fort Cox, and the amaXhosa were in control of most of British Kaffraria - the 8th Frontier War was in full flow.
There were fears amongst the settlers that the war would spread as far as the Cape Colony, and the five thousand British troops stationed in southern Africa were spread as far as across the Orange River. What was also unclear was what was going on across the Kei, had...
2024-08-1822 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 184 - A Fort Hare rout, “Vieux d’Afrique” Somerset and a British rethink about the role of chiefs in AfricaThis is episode 184 and we’re picking up our story on old year’s eve 1850. Last episode, we heard how Cape Governor Harry Smith was holed up in Fort Cox, and the amaXhosa were in control of most of British Kaffraria - the 8th Frontier War was in full flow.
There were fears amongst the settlers that the war would spread as far as the Cape Colony, and the five thousand British troops stationed in southern Africa were spread as far as across the Orange River. What was also unclear was what was going on across the Kei, had...
2024-08-1822 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#12 - Tamir Bashkin - Why The Future of Entrepreneurship is Micro-SaasWelcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from successful, under-the-radar solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Tamir Bashkin
Tamir has:
A decade of entrepreneurial experience - & still in the game
Runs Adelante, Zendesk implementation agency, making $300k/year
And Thank You GPT, $30k/ARR
Working on cyber security product we’ll hear about..
Expect t...
2024-08-161h 08How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#11 - Emily Claire Hughes - How to Build a Profitable Newsletter & Copywriting Solo-BusinessWelcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from the world's best solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Emily Claire Hughes.
Emily...
- Started out as a singer off Broadway, New York, then moved to Germany as a cruise ship singer
- Went all in on copywriting after that
- Now runs Emily Claire & Co, where she helps female-focused companies communicate their superpowers through better copy & influencer marketing
Emily THINKS ever...
2024-08-121h 13How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#10 - Alex Latham - From a 400-Person Slack Channel to Managing £40b in Assets in 6 YearsWelcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from the world's best solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Alex Latham
Co-founder & Chief Marketing Officer of Chip
Considered the brain behind the biggest crowdfunding raise ever `9maybe behind Brewdog)
Won a LOAD of fintech marketing awards
Also, has the honour of being my cousin
Alex & Simon have reall...
2024-08-0259 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#9 - André Marquet - Why You Should Irrationally Pursue Your VisionExpect to learn…
The power of doggedly following your vision
How André helped build an entire tech ecosystem in Portugal
The power of starting your own conference for your entrepreneurial career
Why Andre wants to Make Europe Great Again (MEGA)
Welcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from under the radar, successful solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Andre Marquet.
He...
2024-07-261h 00How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#8 - Rob Brightwell - Why I Quit My 20-Year Product Career BehindExpect to learn…
Why a career change is the only step to take for some people
How to mitigate risk for any major career change
Welcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from the world's best solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Rob Brightwell
Rob has
Spent his career in product. Head of Prod...
2024-07-191h 00How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#7 - Thibaut Souyris - You MUST Learn How To Sell to Succeed as a SolopreneurMy guest today is Thibaut Souyris
Thibaut is
- A solopreneur & founder of SalesLabs, a sales training company, running profitably since 2018
- Also strikes me as a really “successful” founder: Running a profitable business, but also enjoying the journey.
Thibaut will - I hope - radically change how you think about sales.
Expect to learn…
- The myths about sales preventing you getting to six figures
- How to get your first sale
- How to build a scalable productised sales funnel
I’ve hired Thibaut. I’ve had Thibaut over for dinner. Thibaut is my go-to guy when it comes t...
2024-07-121h 05How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#6 - Gleb Gordeev - How to “fill the void” as an entrepreneurMy guest today is Gleb Gordeev
He’s…
Worked in product for companies like Amazon, Share Now, Delivery Hero
Founder of Kodebusters, a unique app builder company, & consults on the side
He is also living life differently… In 2023, packing up his life in Berlin to move to Bali, Indonesia.
Expect to learn…
Why “filling the void” is so important as an entrepreneur
How Gleb defines success for himself as a solopreneur
Tips & tactics for launching a successful app builder company in a busy, highly compet...
2024-07-051h 01
She Founds PodcastHenry Latham | Benefits of launching a micro-business and tactics for testing your ideaIn today’s episode, we are joined by Henry Latham. Henry is the founder of ProdMBA, a company that he bootstrapped in 2020 after almost a decade in the tech industry. Through prodMBA, he has trained over 400 product managers and He’s now launched Break Free, a coaching program for Senior Product Managers to build micro businesses and escape the corporate grind. In this episode Henry shares: His journey prior to starting ProdMBA which included starting Backtracker, a VC backed tech startup that failed The importance of of understanding what an ideal business ment for him Managing the tran...
2024-06-2844 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#5 - Jason Knight - The Reality of Building a Podcast Audience Over 5 YearsExpect to learn…
The secret to launch / run a successful podcast without a big brand
How to leverage an audience to drive a paid product offer
The pros/cons of podcasting as a platform
Welcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from the world's best solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Jason Knight
2024-06-281h 14How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#4 - Daniel Dabés - Why you Should Move to Lisbon to Start Your BusinessWelcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from the world's best solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Daniel.
He’s
Run Creative Product Managers, a community of 77k, since 2008
Founder & CEO of both WhistleOn & Ouvidor Digital
Built businesses in both Brazil & Europe
Expect to learn…
The opportunities & challenges of launching in a developing country
How to thi...
2024-06-2132 minHow I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#3 - Behrad Mirafshar - Solopreneurship is an Extreme Sport.Welcome back to Free Founders, where we share actionable lessons from the world's best solopreneurs & small business owners.
This is for aspiring entrepreneurs who want proven strategies to go from zero → 1st sale → scale (& unlock financial freedom & freedom of time in the process).
My guest today is Behrad Mirafshar.
He’s…
Launched 30+ app businesses through his company Bonanza studio, a product & design studio
2x startup founder, inc. Grover, now a unicorn
3x successfully bootstrapped companies
He’s got some unconventional, but powerful insights into what it takes to su...
2024-06-141h 09How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#2 - João Moita - Unlocking Solopreneur Opportunities by Defying TrendsMy guest today is Joao Moita, founder of Product Weekend, a company organising in-person weekend events for Product Managers to connect & learn together.
He’s…
Within just 2 years… went from first job as a product manager at a startup to a PM consulting agency to quitting to quit & go full-time on his new business
Bootstrapped Product Weekend by himself to now running events across Europe (& soon the US)
Helps curate the Productized conference in Lisbon
He is also A Trained Aerospace Engineer
His company also, in my view, goes against convention (who would have thought product managers would want to giv...
2024-06-121h 12How I Built 12 Startups in 12 Months#1 - Antonia Landi - How to Become a Solopreneur Through Personal BrandingMy guest today is Antonia Landi. Antonia has:
Almost doubled her salary within 12 months through building her personal brand
Spoken at product conferences around the world
One of the leading names in product ops
Full-time coach & consultant in that area
Antonia has not followed a conventional career path - thank god - and some really unique advice & insights to fast-track your path to whatever career you want to create for yourself.
Expect to learn…
How to build a personal brand from scratch
...
2024-06-071h 03
Product for Product ManagementEP 106 - Break-Free with Henry LathamHenry Latham is a good friend of the podcast, and we talked with him in the past on a few occasions (episode 25 - Tools for Aspiring Product Managers, episode 47 - No Code Platforms - Softr, and episode 65 New book: Product Strategy is Simple). We are happy to have Henry on the show again, introducing his new venture and program Break Free.In recent year, Henry have identified a trend in the Product Management world, where many product people shows dissatisfaction with their career, moving from one company to the next, trying to find the best culture to work...
2024-05-1555 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 169 - The Kat River Settlement seethes and the inglorious treachery of Sandile’s arrestFirst off, a big thank you to those listeners who’ve been sending me emails, a great deal of useful information emerges from our discussions which always improves the quality of this podcast, specifically thanks to John for sending me your book and to Doctor Nkosi for the contact in eSwatini.
When we left off in episode 168, pressure was being exerted on the Kat River Settlement by the new Governor, Sir Henry Pottinger.
A quick revisit. The Kat River Settlement came into being in I829 after a clash on the eastern border when the authorities of th...
2024-05-0423 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 169 - The Kat River Settlement seethes and the inglorious treachery of Sandile’s arrestFirst off, a big thank you to those listeners who’ve been sending me emails, a great deal of useful information emerges from our discussions which always improves the quality of this podcast, specifically thanks to John for sending me your book and to Doctor Nkosi for the contact in eSwatini.
When we left off in episode 168, pressure was being exerted on the Kat River Settlement by the new Governor, Sir Henry Pottinger.
A quick revisit. The Kat River Settlement came into being in I829 after a clash on the eastern border when the authorities of th...
2024-05-0423 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 168 - Earl Grey and the irascible Sir Henry Pottinger leave their mark on South AfricaThis is episode 168 and the world by the middle of the 19th Century was shifting gear, changing rapidly. Southern Africa was caught in the currents of world history and within a few years with the discovery of Diamonds, was going to be very much in the current of world economics.
Not that the Cape had not been crucial since the days of the Dutch East India Company, the VOR.
As you heard last episode, the British government has fallen, Robert Peel had resigned on 19 June 1846, in the wake of political divisions that followed the repeal of...
2024-04-2823 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 168 - Earl Grey and the irascible Sir Henry Pottinger leave their mark on South AfricaThis is episode 168 and the world by the middle of the 19th Century was shifting gear, changing rapidly. Southern Africa was caught in the currents of world history and within a few years with the discovery of Diamonds, was going to be very much in the current of world economics.
Not that the Cape had not been crucial since the days of the Dutch East India Company, the VOR.
As you heard last episode, the British government has fallen, Robert Peel had resigned on 19 June 1846, in the wake of political divisions that followed the repeal of...
2024-04-2823 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 167 - Maitland dithers, Stockenstrom sallies forth into the Transkei and biblical storms change everythingThis is episode 167 and the British army is clumping along towards the Amathola fastnesses, the deep ravines and steep riverine environment not the most ideal for an army that dragged everything around on wagons.
Leading this army were officers steeped in the traditions of empire, and marching under their command were men from across Great Britain and beyond. They were poor, some with debts to pay back home, many were recruited from the haunts of dissipation and inebriation as historian Noel Mostert notes one officer saying in a somewhat sneering tone.
But that’s a bit ha...
2024-04-2122 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 167 - Maitland dithers, Stockenstrom sallies forth into the Transkei and biblical storms change everythingThis is episode 167 and the British army is clumping along towards the Amathola fastnesses, the deep ravines and steep riverine environment not the most ideal for an army that dragged everything around on wagons.
Leading this army were officers steeped in the traditions of empire, and marching under their command were men from across Great Britain and beyond. They were poor, some with debts to pay back home, many were recruited from the haunts of dissipation and inebriation as historian Noel Mostert notes one officer saying in a somewhat sneering tone.
But that’s a bit ha...
2024-04-2122 min
Products of MusicA New Path for Product Leaders Tired of the Corporate Grind | Henry Latham (Founder, Break Free)Henry Latham is Founder of Break Free. He is a 2x bootstrapper and has coached over 280+ people through his Prod MBA.In today's episode:• Henry's product journey• A deep dive into his manifesto for senior product people tired of the corporate grind.• How to launch a micro-business—Henry's contact info:• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henrylatham/—Where to find the host, Adam Wakeling:• Twitter: https://twitter.com/adamjwakeling• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-wakeling-26494b35/• YouTu...
2024-04-1852 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 166 - Colonel Lindsay lashes a local lad, Fort Peddie attacked and the Battle of Gwangqa RiverThe Seventh Frontier war has burst into flame, and across the Ceded Territory and down into the land around Port Elizabeth amaXhosa warriors are on the warpath, the British have been forced into the defensive.
If you remember, Sir Peregrine Maitland declared war on the amaXhosa chief Mgolombane Sandile Ngqika on 1st April 1846 — but the eastern Xhosa, the Gcaleka under Sarhili, had remained out of the latest war - at least for now.
The amaXhosa have notched up two major victories against the British, one in the Amatola mountains where Sandile ambushed Gibson’s column, destroyed over 60 wagons then...
2024-04-1420 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 166 - Colonel Lindsay lashes a local lad, Fort Peddie attacked and the Battle of Gwangqa RiverThe Seventh Frontier war has burst into flame, and across the Ceded Territory and down into the land around Port Elizabeth amaXhosa warriors are on the warpath, the British have been forced into the defensive.
If you remember, Sir Peregrine Maitland declared war on the amaXhosa chief Mgolombane Sandile Ngqika on 1st April 1846 — but the eastern Xhosa, the Gcaleka under Sarhili, had remained out of the latest war - at least for now.
The amaXhosa have notched up two major victories against the British, one in the Amatola mountains where Sandile ambushed Gibson’s column, destroyed over 60 wagons then...
2024-04-1420 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 164 - British sappers cross Block Drift into Xhosaland setting off a chain of events on the eve of warThis is episode 164. Remember when we left off we’d been hearing about the squad of Royal engineers who’d crossed into amaXhosa territory over the Tyhume River in January 1846.
They were led by Lieutenant J Stokes — this small team of five were surveying land for the site of the new fort.
Little did they know that their crossing of Block Drift into Ngqika country was a small initial skirmish that was going to lead to war. Some say war was coming anyway, however their blatant trespass definitely applied the amaXhosa chief’s minds as you’re going t...
2024-03-3121 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 164 - British sappers cross Block Drift into Xhosaland setting off a chain of events on the eve of warThis is episode 164. Remember when we left off we’d been hearing about the squad of Royal engineers who’d crossed into amaXhosa territory over the Tyhume River in January 1846.
They were led by Lieutenant J Stokes — this small team of five were surveying land for the site of the new fort.
Little did they know that their crossing of Block Drift into Ngqika country was a small initial skirmish that was going to lead to war. Some say war was coming anyway, however their blatant trespass definitely applied the amaXhosa chief’s minds as you’re going t...
2024-03-3121 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 163 - British engineers build forts and semaphores while disabled chief Mgolombane Sandile signs a treatyThis is episode 163, the year, 1845. New Cape Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland had shown he was a man of action — as a veteran of the Peninsular Campaign against Napoleon you’d expect that, particularly as he fought at Waterloo.
This new man of action governor had some doubts about a few things here in sunny South Africa.
He doubted the effectiveness of Andries Stockenstrom’s Eastern Cape Ceded territory system for a start. He would sort that he thought with the introduction of a new system which was actually an old system. More about that later.
Maitland also d...
2024-03-2423 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 163 - British engineers build forts and semaphores while disabled chief Mgolombane Sandile signs a treatyThis is episode 163, the year, 1845. New Cape Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland had shown he was a man of action — as a veteran of the Peninsular Campaign against Napoleon you’d expect that, particularly as he fought at Waterloo.
This new man of action governor had some doubts about a few things here in sunny South Africa.
He doubted the effectiveness of Andries Stockenstrom’s Eastern Cape Ceded territory system for a start. He would sort that he thought with the introduction of a new system which was actually an old system. More about that later.
Maitland also d...
2024-03-2423 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 156 - The Battle of Congella leaves 34 British soldiers dead on a moonlit Durban beachWhen we left off last episode, Captain Thomas Smith and two companies of the 27th Inniskilling Regiment, an 18 pounder that had just arrived by ship, two six pounder field guns, a small section of the Royal Artillery, a hand full of Royal Engineers, Sappers and miners, along with a company of Cape Mountain Rifles had formed their laager at level area to then north of Durban CBD today - where the Old Fort can be seen.
Just a note - the 27th Inniskilling were an Irish infantry regiment of the British army, formed in 1689 so they’d been ar...
2024-02-0421 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 156 - The Battle of Congella leaves 34 British soldiers dead on a moonlit Durban beachWhen we left off last episode, Captain Thomas Smith and two companies of the 27th Inniskilling Regiment, an 18 pounder that had just arrived by ship, two six pounder field guns, a small section of the Royal Artillery, a hand full of Royal Engineers, Sappers and miners, along with a company of Cape Mountain Rifles had formed their laager at level area to then north of Durban CBD today - where the Old Fort can be seen.
Just a note - the 27th Inniskilling were an Irish infantry regiment of the British army, formed in 1689 so they’d been ar...
2024-02-0421 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 148 - The AmaZulu routed by amaSwazi Widow Bird warriors and Mpande’s exodusThis is episode 148 and there’re negotiations afoot between Dingana and the Voortrekkers, at the behest of Captain Henry Jervis who led the small detachment of British troops based at Port Natal.
Their role was to stabilise the Natal region after a year of extreme violence, the Voortrekkers and the AmaZulu king Dingana were fighting tooth and nail.
Jervis as you heard was one of the characters in our history that crop up here and there and are able to act as neutral arbitrators between different factions.
Gambusha the trusted inceku sent by Dinanga ha...
2023-12-0724 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 148 - The AmaZulu routed by amaSwazi Widow Bird warriors and Mpande’s exodusThis is episode 148 and there’re negotiations afoot between Dingana and the Voortrekkers, at the behest of Captain Henry Jervis who led the small detachment of British troops based at Port Natal.
Their role was to stabilise the Natal region after a year of extreme violence, the Voortrekkers and the AmaZulu king Dingana were fighting tooth and nail.
Jervis as you heard was one of the characters in our history that crop up here and there and are able to act as neutral arbitrators between different factions.
Gambusha the trusted inceku sent by Dinanga ha...
2023-12-0724 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 135 - The Zulu army overruns the Voortrekkers along the Bloukrans and Bushman’s RiverAs you heard, Piet Retief and 100 Boers and Khoesan agterryes had been killed by Dingana on the 6th February 1838.
Missionary Owen watched the killings through his telescope until he couldn’t take it any more and collapsed in shock.
The Zulu king was not done, he’d ordered his amabutho warriors to seek and destroy the Voortrekkers who’d camped along the rivers below the Drakensberg where they’d arrived in large numbers expecting Retief’s negotiations to have ended well. Retief had thought so too, particularly after he’d returned Dingana’s cattle rustled by Sekhonyela of...
2023-09-0927 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 135 - The Zulu army overruns the Voortrekkers along the Bloukrans and Bushman’s RiverAs you heard, Piet Retief and 100 Boers and Khoesan agterryes had been killed by Dingana on the 6th February 1838.
Missionary Owen watched the killings through his telescope until he couldn’t take it any more and collapsed in shock.
The Zulu king was not done, he’d ordered his amabutho warriors to seek and destroy the Voortrekkers who’d camped along the rivers below the Drakensberg where they’d arrived in large numbers expecting Retief’s negotiations to have ended well. Retief had thought so too, particularly after he’d returned Dingana’s cattle rustled by Sekhonyela of...
2023-09-0927 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 131 - Sharpened horns at the battle of eGabeni and the story of the Liebenberg girlsMzilikazi Khumalo was trying to piece together his shattered amaNdebele after the attack on Mosega in early 1837 by the Boers and their allies the Griqua and Rolong.
Then in midyear, he’d been attacked again by Dingana’s impis — he’d managed to survive that invasion but things were looking very bad as he hunkered down in his imizi of eGabeni in the Marico area of what is now north west province.
Across southern Africa, movers and shakers were moving and shaking.
By now, Durban was a busy place. Dingana was vacillating about its future. Trader J...
2023-08-1325 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 131 - Sharpened horns at the battle of eGabeni and the story of the Liebenberg girlsMzilikazi Khumalo was trying to piece together his shattered amaNdebele after the attack on Mosega in early 1837 by the Boers and their allies the Griqua and Rolong.
Then in midyear, he’d been attacked again by Dingana’s impis — he’d managed to survive that invasion but things were looking very bad as he hunkered down in his imizi of eGabeni in the Marico area of what is now north west province.
Across southern Africa, movers and shakers were moving and shaking.
By now, Durban was a busy place. Dingana was vacillating about its future. Trader J...
2023-08-1325 minHistory of South Africa podcastEPISODE 128 - Dingane smells blood and Retief leads the United LaagersThis is episode 128 and the bell is tolling for Mzilikazi Khumalo of the amaNdebele. We’ll also hear about the introduction of Maize by hunter-traders, and the relationship between Dingane and the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay.
A compounding problem for Mzilikazi was how he’d treated the indigenous Sotho speaking people of the area north of the Vaal. He’d failed to assimilate them into his system of control completely, rather using some as Hole, who were basically domestic and community menials — servants.
Others who were overcome by his warriors were assigned to villages of their own wher...
2023-07-2324 minHistory of South Africa podcastEPISODE 128 - Dingane smells blood and Retief leads the United LaagersThis is episode 128 and the bell is tolling for Mzilikazi Khumalo of the amaNdebele. We’ll also hear about the introduction of Maize by hunter-traders, and the relationship between Dingane and the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay.
A compounding problem for Mzilikazi was how he’d treated the indigenous Sotho speaking people of the area north of the Vaal. He’d failed to assimilate them into his system of control completely, rather using some as Hole, who were basically domestic and community menials — servants.
Others who were overcome by his warriors were assigned to villages of their own wher...
2023-07-2324 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 125 - The Battle of Vegkop pits the Voortrekkers against the amaNdebeleLast episode, we heard how the battle of Kopjeskraal near Parys had ended, where Mzilikazi’s second in command Kaliphi and his force of 500 men had been repulsed in a close fought affair.
This was an important clash, pitting Andries Potgieter’s second in command and brother in law, Piet Botha against Kaliphi, who was responsible for the entire southern reaches of Mzilikazi’s territory.
They had failed to overrun the Voortrekkers, but had decimated the Liebenberg party a few kilometers upriver, catching the small group unawares. That was also after destroying the Erasmus party and its wa...
2023-07-0231 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 125 - The Battle of Vegkop pits the Voortrekkers against the amaNdebeleLast episode, we heard how the battle of Kopjeskraal near Parys had ended, where Mzilikazi’s second in command Kaliphi and his force of 500 men had been repulsed in a close fought affair.
This was an important clash, pitting Andries Potgieter’s second in command and brother in law, Piet Botha against Kaliphi, who was responsible for the entire southern reaches of Mzilikazi’s territory.
They had failed to overrun the Voortrekkers, but had decimated the Liebenberg party a few kilometers upriver, catching the small group unawares. That was also after destroying the Erasmus party and its wa...
2023-07-0231 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 117 - The Sixth Frontier War ends in a draw and Trekboers like Louis Trichardt seek the promised landThere was a great exodus of some people, the movement of the people into the interior of South Africa - a moment that was going to reverberate all the way to the present.
The Great Trek as its known had begun by mid-1835, and to be honest, was a medium sized Trek already. It had been a steady flow across the Orange River for decades, led by the trekboers, traders and hunters steadily rolling their wagons inland.
They were following the trailblazers, the Kora, Bastaards, Oorlam, Kora.
Some of the traders didn’t come ba...
2023-05-0721 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 110 - Sir Harry Smith, his petite guerriere espagnole Lady Smith and the revenge of the amaXhosaThe Sixth Frontier war had started on 21st December 1834 and this would be a dirty affair - a calamity for the amaXhosa.
When it began Hintsa the Xhosa regent did not join in, but something that was first called Maqoma’s war was eventually to be known as Hintsa’s war because of what happened to him.
The amaxhosa were assaulting the frontier across a wide region from the Winterberg down to Algoa Bay. The English settlers fled to the towns of Bathurst, Grahamstown, Fort Beaufort, Salem. The Boers had setup laagers or entered the towns, the...
2023-03-1922 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 108 - Mzilikazi empties the lower Vaal, Sir Benjamin D’Urban arrives and slaves are emancipatedA new Governor was in town, the Cape Sheriff, and he was another Peninsular Campaign Veteran called Sir Benjamin D’Urban.
In July 1832 Frontier military commander Colonel Henry Somerset went on leave - his father the former governor Lord Charles had died in 1831 and Henry had to head back to the old country to sort out the extensive estate.
Andries Stockenstrom, his nemesis, was also going to leave the frontier in 1833, first to London where he tried to lobby the government to give him more authority - and when the Colonial authorities refused - he sailed ba...
2023-03-0426 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 108 - Mzilikazi empties the lower Vaal, Sir Benjamin D’Urban arrives and slaves are emancipatedA new Governor was in town, the Cape Sheriff, and he was another Peninsular Campaign Veteran called Sir Benjamin D’Urban.
In July 1832 Frontier military commander Colonel Henry Somerset went on leave - his father the former governor Lord Charles had died in 1831 and Henry had to head back to the old country to sort out the extensive estate.
Andries Stockenstrom, his nemesis, was also going to leave the frontier in 1833, first to London where he tried to lobby the government to give him more authority - and when the Colonial authorities refused - he sailed ba...
2023-03-0426 min
UX for AIEp. 34: The Intersection of Product Management and Entrepreneurship with Henry LathamSend us a textWelcome to another episode of LeanCast where we are joined by Henry Latham, a seasoned entrepreneur turned product management mentor. Henry shares with us his journey from starting his own business to becoming a mentor for product managers and helping them build better products from scratch.During the conversation, Henry emphasizes the importance of having a strong product strategy and leadership in order to build a successful product. He highlights the dangers of ego getting in the way of product managers' decision-making, and the importance of becoming objective thinkers.
2023-03-031h 04History of South Africa podcastEpisode 107 - Dr Andrew Smith, his mysterious Dingane expedition and a bit of XGaoXna- KnysnaThe small settlement of Port Natal had hardly grown by 1830. Dingane had moved his ikhanda which he named uMgungundlovu to the eMakhosini valley, close to Singonyama or Lion hill, just south of the White Umfolozi River.
The traders around Port Natal by now had mostly married Khoekhoe or AmaZulu women and were part of the Zulu landscape, but by 1834, colonial authorities were going to become far more interested in this part of southern Africa.
By now Charles Maclean aka John Ross was in his late teens - he’d arrived as a 9 year-old, Thomas Halstead had ar...
2023-02-2524 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 106 - Rustling along the Amatolas in 1830 and Dingane’s black liverSo here we are - 1830.
Maqoma had been ejected from his beloved region below the Amatola mountains of the Eastern Cape, to be replaced by the new Khoekhoe dominated Kat River Settlement - a buffer zone for a buffer zone.
It was a time of punitive patrols sent forth by the British to search for rustled cattle, across the Fish River, into amaXhosa territory. Known as the Patrol System, or the Reprisal System, based on the Spoor Law these all described a process where patrols would follow the tracks of stolen cattle. The military patrols were...
2023-02-1922 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 106 - Rustling along the Amatolas in 1830 and Dingane’s black liverSo here we are - 1830.
Maqoma had been ejected from his beloved region below the Amatola mountains of the Eastern Cape, to be replaced by the new Khoekhoe dominated Kat River Settlement - a buffer zone for a buffer zone.
It was a time of punitive patrols sent forth by the British to search for rustled cattle, across the Fish River, into amaXhosa territory. Known as the Patrol System, or the Reprisal System, based on the Spoor Law these all described a process where patrols would follow the tracks of stolen cattle. The military patrols were...
2023-02-1922 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 105 - The Kat River Settlement of 1829 and how Maqoma was evictedLast we heard about the attack on the Ngwane at Mbholompo west of Umtata, and the destruction of Matiwane’s raiders - sending him home back to Zululand where he was killed by Dingane.
After the 1828 battle, Hintsa of the Gcaleka line of the amaXhosa and Nqubencuka who was his rival, fell out spectacularly over the division of the spoils. They had gathered a booty of women, children and cattle. The British took about 70 children back to the Colony, but appeared to be disgusted when the amaThembu and Gcaleka amaXhosa seized civilians after for themselves.
Not lo...
2023-02-1224 min
Product for Product ManagementEP 65 - Product Strategy is Simple with Henry LathamWe are pleased to start 2023 with a returning guest, to talk about his upcoming new book for the Product Management community. Henry Latham, Founder and Lead Mentor at Prod MBA, is publishing “Product Strategy is Simple”. A much needed perspective in the ever growing world of product management knowledge, many people think that Product Strategy is HARD. This was the goal Henry had in front of him when writing the book. From his own words: Product Management is Simple is a short, actionable guide to craft, validate & communicate your product strategy effectively, perfected from coaching over 270 Product Managers, Owners & Leaders in p...
2023-01-1134 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 97 – Shaka shifts South, Mzilikazi raids West and Fynn becomes ZuluWe kick off this episode with Henry Francis Fynn, the trader who’d made his home in Port Natal and was part of a group of Englishmen who’d fought with Shaka against Sikhunyane of the Ndwande.
By 1826 Fynn had been living basically as a Zulu at Mpendwini, near the Mbokodwe stream which is close to Isipingo south of Durban.
Last week I explained how Shaka had donated three herds of cattle to Fynn so he could set up his important Umuzi. One of the herds was payment for helping defeat the Ndwandwe. Fynn by now was...
2022-12-1821 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 96 – A “bipolar” Shaka hunts down and exterminates Sikhunyane’s NdwandweWe’re dealing with the period 1826 to 1828 and southern Africa was a rich patchwork of expanding trekboers, Shaka setting up his empire in Zululand, the Khoe and basters traveling and raiding along the Orange River, and the amaNdebele on the move into the highveld.
Of course 1826 was not a great year if you were Lord Charles Somerset, who was hastened home after his administration been scrutinized with an intense scrute, to quote Spike Milligan.
Lord Bathurst had setup the Advisory Council in Cape Town, a kind of forerunner to a cabinet, and the days of the Go...
2022-12-1123 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 95 – Sunset for Somerset and Maqoma eyes guns and horses in 1825We’re going to join one of the biweekly market gatherings held at Fort Willshire in 1825 where amaXhosa, English settlers, trekboers and khoekhoe met to exchange goods. Then we bid Cape Governor Lord Charles Somerset adieu.
The fair that had been established by Sir Rufane Donkin on the banks of the Keiskamma River was flourishing by 1825. Boxes of beads, brass goods, buttons, coils or wire, looking glasses alias spectacles, scissors, cotton textiles, European clothing and shoes, were exchanged for ivory, gum and cattle hides brought by the amaXhosa and khoekhoe.
As the traders travelled to the fa...
2022-12-0423 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 93 –Shaka survives an assassination attempt and Farewell gets Port NatalShaka met Henry Francis Fynn and Lieutenant Francis George Farewell in August 1824 and the traders were seeking his permission to live and work at Port Natal. Cape Governor Lord Charles Somerset had rejected Farewell’s request he annex the region, so that was the only option left for the traders.
In episode 92 I explained how the amazulu reacted to Fynn and Farewell, how their horses in particular were a shock.
The dress code was also a surprise, although their skin colour seemed less of a surprise. These Englishmen by now had been burnt brown by months in...
2022-11-2019 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 92 – The monsters from the sea and a Robben Island convict advises ShakaAs years go, 1824 was one for the history books. Not that the others weren’t, but 1824 is a one of those seminal 12 months in southern Africa history. It was the year that Shaka’s main impi south had a disastrous campaign attempting to subjugate the Mpondo and despite their training and their military prowess, Shaka’s amabutho were not invincible.
But more importantly, it was the year that English traders setup their base in Port Natal and immediately altered the social, military and political landscape.
Shaka was busy in 1824 with both conquest and raiding. His impi’s however, did not...
2022-11-1322 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 91 – An early history of Port Natal and its treacherous sand barIt’s the steamy coast of south east Africa 1824, Port Natal to be exact.
It’s now called eThekweni from the Zulu word for port itheku, although some say it is actually from the word emateku meaning the one-testicled thing. It of course was not a port during pre-settler times and original and ancient local name for this bay was isiBubulungu – that was what locals called it in 1824 - isiBubulungu means membership.
So I suppose we could call it eThekweni iNatali just for fun.
To further complicate the nomenclature, Port Natal was not a port back in 182...
2022-11-0620 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 91 – An early history of Port Natal and its treacherous sand barIt’s the steamy coast of south east Africa 1824, Port Natal to be exact.
It’s now called eThekweni from the Zulu word for port itheku, although some say it is actually from the word emateku meaning the one-testicled thing. It of course was not a port during pre-settler times and original and ancient local name for this bay was isiBubulungu – that was what locals called it in 1824 - isiBubulungu means membership.
So I suppose we could call it eThekweni iNatali just for fun.
To further complicate the nomenclature, Port Natal was not a port back in 182...
2022-11-0620 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 90 – Slaves, Somerset and the SA Commercial AdvertiserThis is episode 90 and it is 1823. The small coastal harbour town of Port Elizabeth had been founded but it still had no proper jetties, no lighthouse, nor a breakwater. Passengers were forced to disembark precariously through the angry surf.
The place was described as an “ugly, dirty, ill-scented, ill-built hamlet…”
Resembling some said, the worse fishing villages on the English coast. It also was known as disorderly, drunken and a place of immorality. Further up the coast, two separate towns had been founded on the Kowie River, settlers on the west bank named their little hamlet Port Kowie, and th...
2022-10-3021 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 90 – Slaves, Somerset and the SA Commercial AdvertiserThis is episode 90 and it is 1823. The small coastal harbour town of Port Elizabeth had been founded but it still had no proper jetties, no lighthouse, nor a breakwater. Passengers were forced to disembark precariously through the angry surf.
The place was described as an “ugly, dirty, ill-scented, ill-built hamlet…”
Resembling some said, the worse fishing villages on the English coast. It also was known as disorderly, drunken and a place of immorality. Further up the coast, two separate towns had been founded on the Kowie River, settlers on the west bank named their little hamlet Port Kowie, and th...
2022-10-3021 minHistory of South Africa podcastEpisode 71 – Calendars, the lunar month and the Zulu “houses of the sun”This is episode 71 and Shaka has just been installed as the Zulu regent in 1812. There is even debate about this as the year – some say it was more like 1816.
However, I believe historian Dan Wylie’s earlier date is probably the right one – by the way 1812 is the same year that Napoleon advanced on Moscow in his disastrous Russian campaign.
How dating worked in southern Africa prior to the use of the Gregorian calendar requires quite a bit of explanation. Folks have asked me how this all worked, how did the Khoekhoe or the Zulu keep track of import...
2022-06-1920 min
Product for Product ManagementEP 47 - Softr with Henry LathamOne of the great things about exploring the products for Product people, is finding new products we didn’t know about. In this episode, Matt and Moshe learn about Softr (is it pronounced Soft-er or Soft-R?), from Henry Latham, who returned to the podcast to tell us all about it (check out episode 25, Tools for Aspiring Product Managers for his first show with us). Henry, Founder and Lead Mentor at Prod MBA, uses multiple No Code platforms with his students, to help them learn how to manage products by building a product. He has a great series on Yo...
2022-04-1937 min
Lessons In Product ManagementHow Product Strategy Works With Product Discovery, featuring Henry Latham - Founder and CEO of ProdMBAAs we wrap up season 4 of Lessons in Product Management, we’re going to hear from Henry Latham, Founder and CEO of ProdMBA. Before starting ProdMBA, Henry served in UX and Product leadership roles for a variety of companies and has taken his experience and used it to produce a great book, “Product Leadership Starts With You,” as well as launch ProdMBA to fast track your career from PM to head of product. On this episode Henry and I break down product strategy and how it works in conjunction with product discovery. We’ve looked at product discovery from so many...
2021-11-2928 min
Product for Product ManagementEP 25 - Tools for Aspiring Product Managers with Henry LathamAre you an aspiring Product Manager looking to gain more experience in product, in order to land your first role? Or are you already a product professional and looking for more ways to do hands-on work in areas you might not have touched before? In this episode, Matt and Moshe met with Henry Latham, Founder and Lead Mentor at Prod MBA, and self-professed failed former startup founder who learned from his failures what it really means to build successful products. In the episode, Henry shared how learning by doing is the best approach to become great product people...
2021-10-1235 min
Problem BustersStarting a business with Henry LathamEntrepreneur, founder and coach Henry Latham shares the low down on how to start a business. From deciding if you really want to, to evaluating ideas, to building it in a way that fits in with your lifestyle (rather than replacing it). We cover a lot of ground here while discussing the founding game, and explore what might be in it for you and your family.About the show:Problem Busters is a show that explores solutions to the biggest and the smallest of problems. Hosts Jonathan Goodwin and Oliver Happy discuss making the world...
2021-10-091h 02
One Knight in ProductAvoiding Bulls**t Product Advice & Focusing on the Essential (with Henry Latham, founder @ Prod MBA)An interview with Henry Latham. Henry started out studying Spanish & Portuguese before having an epiphany and moving into foundership and product management. Disappointed with the applicability of some of the education materials out there, and reeling from being fired by a dysfunctional product company, he decided to double down and build an education programme to really help people move the needle and build products effectively.
We talk about a lot, including:
How dissatisfaction with all the standard product content out there drove him to start Prod MBA, and how it differs from other more established product...
2021-06-2537 min
Real Product Talk#11 Darja Gutnick: Pivoting Only Works When Your Mission is Crystal ClearIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-06-2528 minReal Product Talk#10: Ravi Mehta, Becoming A Peak Product ManagerIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-06-1820 minReal Product Talk#9 Marta Skassa: On Leading By Example & The Unique Challenges of AI/ML ProductsIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-06-1128 minReal Product Talk#8: Erik Fisher, The Importance Of Doing Work That MattersIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-06-0427 minReal Product Talk#7 Alex Mitchell on the Counter-Intuitive Nature of Product LeadershipIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-05-2823 minReal Product Talk#6 James Lynden on Your Product's Ethical StackIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-05-2127 minReal Product Talk#5 Kosta Kolev on How Company Stage Determines A Leader's RoleIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-05-1418 minReal Product Talk#4 Alfonso Fiore: Building a growth mindset, not growth teamsIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-05-0722 minReal Product Talk#12 Henry Latham: Learnings From The Product Leadership SummitIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-04-2311 minReal Product Talk#2 SC Moatti on The Evolving Nature of Product as a Role & Products in A Post-Covid WorldIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-04-1418 minReal Product Talk#3: Merissa Silk on the Messy Nature of Product LeadershipIf you want to learn more about how we help PM/POs fast-track their career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-04-1424 minReal Product Talk#1 Rob Hamblen: Soft Skills MatterIf you want to learn more about how we help you fast-track your product career towards Head of Product, book a call with Henry below: https://calendly.com/henry_latham/prod-mba
2021-04-1421 min
Product Team SuccessProduct and Mindset Mastery with Henry Latham (Founder of Product Mastery MBA)Product and Mindset Mastery with Henry Latham (Founder of Product Mastery MBA)
In this podcast I’m talking to Henry Latham the founder of the Product Mastery MBA course.
One of the big problems in product is that there's loads of courses out there but very few that actually give you hands on experience with problems as a product manager.
The Product Mastery MBA's objective is to fast track product managers to becoming a head of product where the students actually build a real product from idea to revenue in just 8 weeks.
...
2021-04-0659 min
Working WiselyWW Episode 2 - Why Your Startup is Failing with Henry LathamIn this episode, author and UX designer Henry Latham elaborates on ideas from his new book, Why Your Startup is Failing, and lays out his unique philosophy on how to have an impactful career and a purposeful life.
2019-07-1800 min
Innovate WorkHow Beliefs Shape Your Team with Henry Latham - Part 4Beliefs play a critical role in our decision making - and the quality of our decisions really drives the impact of our work.
The core thesis of Henry's book is that we focus too much on process when we should be focusing on ourselves and others as decision makers.
In this episode, we dive deeper into Decision Making and review:
What it takes to be mindful and robust
The importance of leading by example
How to shift the focus of your team back to the foundations of mindfulness, openness to change, and psychological safety.
...
2019-06-0900 minInnovate WorkOn Decision Making with Henry Latham - Part 3Prioritizing the most impactful action items requires a refined ability to make important decisions. And beliefs/mindset serve as the foundation for solid decision making.
In this episode, Henry details what he calls the 3 Pillars of Decision Making:
Be Mindful
Be Robust
Focus on the Essentials
Henry Latham - Agile Coach, Head of Product at Scribe, and Author of "Why Your Startup is Failing", available June 2019
Detailed show notes available at signal.cafe/6
2019-06-0700 minInnovate WorkAgile Anti-patterns with Henry Latham - Part 2One of the most common agile anti-patterns is focusing on efficiency rather than impact. Optimizing around story point completion without effectively prioritizing your backlog just means you'll get a lot of the wrong work done.
Henry Latham - Agile Coach, Head of Product at Scribe, and Author of "Why Your Startup is Failing"
Detailed show notes available at signal.cafe/5
2019-06-0700 minInnovate WorkWhy Your Startup is Failing with Henry Latham - Part 1Agile theory often translates poorly when put into practice. In part one of our interview, Henry shares his experiences with trying to adopt agile and lean startup principles in his first startup, BackTracker.
Henry Latham - Agile Coach, Head of Product at Scribe, and Author of "Why Your Startup is Failing", available June 2019
Detailed show notes available at signal.cafe/4
2019-06-0700 min