About CtrlFuture
For 30 years, we've had front-row seats to the genius of founders. We've seen their vision and resilience build incredible companies from scratch.
But we've also seen many hit an invisible wall—a point where their initial strengths create a growth ceiling. This is The Founder's Paradox.
It's a lonely place to be.
I've watched brilliant founders hit walls they didn't see coming.
They've built something real - R50m+ in revenue, real customers, strong teams. Then growth stalls. Culture fractures. The leadership team that got them here isn't ready for there.
The hard truth: most of these problems are preventable. They're predictable patterns that show up at scale.
For three decades, I've worked alongside CEOs and founders in South Africa as they navigate these transitions. Sometimes as a strategic advisor. Sometimes as an interim executive stepping into operational roles. Always as someone who's trying to help them build something sustainable.
I've seen what works and what doesn't. I've made plenty of mistakes myself. I've learned that the difference between scale-ups that thrive and those that plateau isn't intelligence or work ethic. It's having the right systems, making hard decisions early, and being ruthlessly honest about what needs to change.
This isn't traditional consulting. I'm not interested in selling you a process or building decks. I'm interested in helping you navigate the specific, practical challenges of scaling: building sales systems that work without you, creating cultures that retain top talent, making financial decisions with strategic clarity, and yes, figuring out where AI actually creates value versus where it's just hype.
I'll be sharing what I've learned - the frameworks, the diagnostics, the hard conversations - on my blog.
If you're scaling a business and some of this resonates, reach out. The challenges you're facing are solvable.
#Entrepreneurship #ScaleUp #BusinessStrategy #SouthAfrica