In this candid conversation at the Ignite 2025 conference, Nairobi-based leader Ashif Kassam (RSM Eastern Africa) unpacks a pivotal moment—being told he wasn’t a great leader—and how it sparked a rigorous journey back to his core. From defining his purpose (“to touch the heart of everyone I meet”) to the practical tools he keeps on a card before every meeting, Ashif shows how servant leadership and genuine self-assessment translate into better teams and lasting impact.

In this energizing episode of the Ignite 2025 series, we hear from Mark Kalkwarf, founder of Atypical Agency and a relatively new EO member. Recorded during the EO Ignite event in Durban, Mark opens up about diving headfirst into the EO community, the unique inspiration drawn from fellow entrepreneurs, and how a deep industry niche helped scale his business from 1 to 25 team members across global markets. Whether you’re new to EO or scaling your own venture, this episode is packed with relatable insights about the power of discomfort, the energy of community, and the value of intentional growth.

A former tech founder turned M&A advisor recounts moving from due diligence work to corporate finance in London, shaped by a scarcity driven why. She argues most founders should use advisors, combining commercial corporate finance, legal, and tax expertise. Buyers price deals through five-year forecasts, discounted cash flow, return on capital, and strategic fit. Lifestyle businesses can sell but often pay better to keep or exit via a management buyout funded by vendor finance, bank debt, and future cash flows. Pick advisors you trust, meet several, and align incentives with a retainer plus success fees that pay when you are paid, with higher tiers for outsized outcomes. Treat multiples as a negotiation anchor, real value comes from standalone cash flows plus quantified synergies, build a joint business case to justify a premium and pursue intentional, strategic processes over volume driven ones.

Richard Rayne shares the journey behind iLearn Corporate Education, a 24-year business that delivers workforce learning in South Africa’s mid to large corporate sector, addressing skills gaps shaped by B-BBEE, tax incentives and compliance. He explains how iLearn’s programs bridge the experience gap for first time entrants to work, and how MyMastery, a local take on masterclass style learning, grew from the Covid era. Richard reflects on discovering DJing as creative therapy during divorce, culminating in playing to 1,800 people at GLC Singapore. An EO member since 2012, he has served multiple leadership roles, including president and area director for Middle East chapters, using EO as a safe space for difficult conversations and personal growth, including a vulnerable Ignite talk on his father’s cancer journey. On the future of learning, he describes the pandemic swing to virtual, the strong return to in person connection, and his push toward hybrid accredited models with AI driven personalization that respects local accreditation realities.

In this high-stakes EO Ignite 2025 sit-down, scientist-turned-founder Gavin Hough traces a wild arc—from 14 months in Antarctica and a PhD in space physics to building RGBZ camera networks that spot fires in minutes, model their spread, and turn early detection into rapid response. He also tackles South Africa’s security reality—protecting remote sites, fighting theft, and why the same playbook of actionable data + fast decisions saves forests, mines, and infrastructure alike

Alan reflects on his experience at EO Ignite Durban 2025, celebrating the energy, community, and growth of EO across Africa. He emphasizes how Ignite transforms membership from being part of a single chapter to joining a continental community of hundreds of entrepreneurs, with the potential to grow to 1000. Alan highlights the value of rotating Ignite across cities, pointing to Cape Town’s strong chapter, resources, and excitement as it prepares to host the next event. With Cape Town’s reputation for vibrant gatherings and strong leadership, he looks forward to experiencing the energy again in 2026.

Guest Mpho Lengane, founder of Barker's Media, shares how her company built a reputation for top rated television across drama and reality. Mpho explains her why, sparking national conversation by placing rural, township, and urban perspectives side by side. She recounts getting fired three times in 2021, formalizing her business in 2022, and discovering that self-awareness and humility are the real growth engines. A pivotal boardroom conversation with the then COO of Ocean Basket reframed service, using their family centric ethos to show why accommodating the customer experience matters more than showcasing personal brilliance. Mpho closes with practical moves on sales and closing, including proactively engaging a respected industry leader for coaching and collaboration, and she encourages deeper interconnectedness across forums and events, so members get exactly what they need.

EO Cape Town president Gaynor sits down with former chapter president Julia to unpack how EO reshaped their leadership, especially around vulnerability, authenticity, and encouraging more women to step into leadership. They reflect on masks worn in male-dominated spaces, bringing vulnerability into company culture, navigating imposter syndrome, and the power of women championing women (with strong allyship from men in EO). Gaynor shares how she “made her own shoes” as president, and they close with an open invite to Ignite Cape Town next June, come for the learning, stay for the party (and avoid the FOMO!).