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- Burn the Boats. Going All In On Your Startup Idea.
Burn the Boats. Going All In On Your Startup Idea.
Inside the moments with founders who didn't play it safe. No Plan B.
The Startup Leap
June 01, 2025
Hey Hey Startup Leapers (😂 we’re still figuring out what to call this awesome crew!)
It’s a new month and we are buzzing because we hit 1k subscribers on Youtube! 🎉
This week, we dive into stories of founders who burned the boats—those moments when they made the irreversible decision to go all in on their startup idea. Full time.
And wow, these episodes hit differently.
No plan B. No hedging. Just the leap and all the lessons that come with it.
🎧 Dare Okoudjou — Africa’s Fintech Pioneer - Founder Onafriq
Dare left behind a thriving corporate career at MTN to build something that didn’t exist yet: a payments network that truly connected the continent.
Fast forward to today, Onafriq (formerly MFS Africa) links over 500 million wallets across 42 countries.They’ve also raised over $300m.
"There's no smooth bridge from corporate to startup (the informal economy I like to call it). Sometimes, like the vikings, you just have to burn the boat. No way back"
What struck us most was Dare’s clarity around purpose, his vision wasn’t just about product-market fit, it was about systems-level change.
And he knew “if you don’t do it now, there’s no chance i’d do it…burn the boat”
He also gets real about leaving MTN without being sure, talks about real tough moments after he left — when the bank called on his mortgage to his apartment because he had left MTN, when his girlfriend mentioned she was pregnant just as he took the leap.
The moment the business almost ran out of money and kindness of strangers, brought them back from the brink!
This one’s a must-listen if you’ve ever doubted the leap from comfort to chaos.
🎧 Ivan Beckley — From Medical School to Healthcare Trailblazer
What if you set out to be a surgeon and end up trying to fix the entire healthcare system?
That’s Ivan’s story.
In this episode, he shares how a stint in medicine, and an internship at DeepMind, opened his eyes to systemic barriers in healthcare and led him to build Suvera, a company using data to radically improve patient outcomes.
But it wasn’t easy - from fundraising, navigating business pivots, to evolving as a founder…Ivan shares his experience on this episode…
“It takes a while to go from founder to CEO... CEO requires investment, evolution of yourself, your mindset, your willingness to take risk.”
This one’s for the builders who care deeply about impact and are asking big, hard questions
Why doesn’t this work better?
What can I do about it?
Ivan’s leap leaving the world of medicine behind, to tackle healthcare delivery more broadly is a reminder that sometimes solving a problem means stepping outside the system entirely—and creating a better one.
🎧 Ida Tin — From Broke & Pregnant to FemTech Pioneer
What do you do when you’re broke, pregnant, and have no technical background? If you’re Ida Tin, you build Clue—and coin the term FemTech while you’re at it.
"I had no money. I was super broke. I had no skills in coding or being a doctor. I was also pregnant."
This episode is full of fire and vulnerability. Ida’s story navigates starting before you’re ready,handling pivots, monetising a consumer product, stepping down as CEO, and many more.
She also shares some sage advice on a founder fundraising dilemma
Ida didn’t just start a company—she catalyzed a $60B industry.
We hope these inspire you as much as they did us.
Whether you’re thinking about your next move or knee-deep in the build, remember:
The leap is less about the perfect plan, and more about the decision to commit and of course - surrounding yourself with a strong support system.
Until next time!
📚 Interesting Reads & Resources
What is all the fuss with vibe coding?
Here’s what you need to know to vibe code an MVP
Thanks for reading 💜
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