The One-Eyed Man with Mike Stopforth

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Sep 2025

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About the show

In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king The One-Eyed Man is a podcast about navigating complexity with curiosity. It’s a noisy, messy world out there. The challenges we face - whether in business, leadership, or life - are seldom simple. But instead of pretending to have all the answers, I prefer to have conversations with people who ask better questions. From entrepreneurs and innovators to impact-driven leaders and technologists, these conversations explore what it really takes to lead thoughtfully, adapt strategically, and create meaning in an age of uncertainty. I’m Mike Stopforth, and I believe leadership isn’t about perfection - it’s about clarity, courage, and conversation. Let’s figure it out, together.

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September 25, 202537 min

#072 52 Big Questions for Business Leaders — Book Launch in Cape Town

This episode is a live recording from the Cape Town launch of my new book, 52 Big Questions for Business Leaders. This was hosted by my good friend John Bradshaw at Exclusive Books in Cavendish. In the discussion we explore the genesis of the book, we unpack some of the most provocative questions, we tackle what it means to lead in uncertainty, and we explore how asking better questions can unlock a new dimension of leadership - something I think is probably critical in the world today. If you'd like to get a copy of the book for yourself, please visit www.mikestopforth.com/books or visit your nearest Exclusive Books. You can also find it online at Takealot or Loot, in the Kindle Store, and as an audiobook on Audible and Spotify. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in person on the night and made the event so memorable. I hope this recording captures some of that vibe, that energy, and gives you a few big questions of your own to wrestle with. Get the book through my website · Takealot · Loot · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

August 30, 202542 min

#071 Why we need new leaders — Charlotte Otter

In this episode of The One-Eyed Man, I sit down with Charlotte Otter. Charlotte is the author of the brand new book We Need New Leaders, host of the Speech Bubbles podcast, and a powerhouse in executive communications. Her book is a bold and visionary work that helps leaders from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds master reputation management as a bridge to career success. Charlotte’s also a two-time novelist, poet, journalist, advisor, and former corporate executive who now coaches emerging leaders into their next big roles. We talk about the origins of We Need New Leaders, her vision for a new dimension of leadership, and practical steps you can take to accelerate your own leadership journey (regardless of where it - or you - started out). Connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn · Buy We Need New Leaders on Amazon · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

May 26, 202540 min

#070 Marketing is Business — Dale Hefer

My guest on this episode is Dale Hefer, CEO of the IMC (the Integrated Marketing Collective) Conference. Dale is a former SA Businesswoman of the Year (awarded during her time running her ad agency Chillibush, which she sold in 2014). She is a best-selling author and a still life artist whose prints sell around the world. Dale launched the Nedbank IMC in 2019, and under her leadership, it has become Africa’s biggest marketing conference with over 2,000 delegates. The theme for this year's event is Marketing is Business® (a topic Dale is so passionate about, she trademarked it!) and it takes place in-person (Johannesburg) and online on the 18th September. In this conversation, we talk about the conference; where it all started, its remarkable growth despite the COVID interruption, her partnerships, and get neck-deep in the topic of marketing is business. The IMC Conference website · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

February 28, 202544 min

#069 Twelve principles of start-up growth and momentum — Professor Greg Fisher

My guest on this week’s show is Prof Greg Fisher. Greg is the Larry and Barbara Sharpf Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. He is also a visiting lecturer at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in South Africa and, more recently, the author of a fantastic book titled The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress. The book catalogues twelve principles that help create and sustain momentum when launching a start-up, gathered from Greg’s experience teaching and coaching entrepreneurs for two decades. In this episode, we talk about how the idea for the book came about, some of the processes of putting the publication together, and dive into some of the more pertinent principles for entrepreneurs in the South African context. The Principles of Entrepreneurial Progress book on Amazon · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

November 1, 202431 min

#068 Digital transformation at scale — Dhesen Ramsamy (OML + SingularityU Part 3 of 3)

Old Mutual is the headline sponsor of this year’s edition of the SingularityU South Africa Summit. In this three-part series, I speak with some of OML's most interesting movers and shakers, understanding how they are moving the needle at the intersection of leadership, technology and impact. My guest on the final episode of the series is Dhesen Ramsamy, the Group Chief Technology and Data Officer at Old Mutual. Dhesen was appointed as Old Mutual's group CTO in November 2023, and has more than twenty years of digital transformation experience at companies like Woolworths, Nedbank and Unilever. He has led functions in charge of insights, R&D, segmentation, value proposition development, market segmentation, customer experience design, digitisation, and marketing. He focuses on digital transformation, technology strategy, channel build, customer strategy and experience as disciplines. At Old Mutual Dhesen leads functions responsible for corporate innovation, venture capital and corporate venturing. In this conversation, we cover the importance of digital literacy in fostering meaningful organisational transformation at scale, and speak about his plans for leveraging OM's scale and scope for bettering financial access and inclusion on the continent. MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

October 31, 202431 min

#067 From startup to SMEgo — Nobesuthu Ndlovu (OML + SingularityU Part 2 of 3)

Old Mutual is the headline sponsor of this year’s edition of the SingularityU South Africa Summit. In this three-part series, I speak with some of OML's most interesting movers and shakers, understanding how they are moving the needle at the intersection of leadership, technology and impact. My guest on part 2 of the series is Nobesuthu Ndlovu, the director of SMEs at Old Mutual. Suthu is an intuitive and seasoned executive and entrepreneur with vast strategic and operational experience in the finance and retail sectors. Young and highly energetic, Nobesuthu also possesses intrinsic wisdom that she garnered when she astutely nurtured her business, Burgundy Fly, from its challenging bootstrap start-up phase right through to when it became a flourishing entity that generated a R31million turnover in the space of a decade. We talk about the start-up and SME ecosystem in SA and how, under Suthu's guidance, OML has curated a one-stop turnkey solution for start-ups that need administrative support and access to the kind of network and distribution that only an organisation of Old Mutual's scale can offer. Old Mutual SMEgo · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

October 30, 202431 min

#066 Corporate-backed venture success stories (Kena and JOBJACK) — Vuyo Mpako (OML + SingularityU Part 1 of 3)

Old Mutual is the headline sponsor of this year’s edition of the SingularityU South Africa Summit. In this three-part series, I speak with some of OML's most interesting movers and shakers, understanding how they are moving the needle at the intersection of leadership, technology and impact. My guest on this first Vuyo is a growth-focused CEO with an impressive track record spanning over 25 years, at the forefront of technology and business transformations, innovation and building new businesses across diverse sectors such as banking, telecoms, insurance, and technology. Vuyo is the Managing Director NEXT176 at Old Mutual Limited, leading innovation, partnerships, strategic investments and venture building across Africa for the Old Mutual Group, a position he has held since 01 September 2021. In this episode, we talk about NEXT176's journey, its early success stories, and its investment and growth philosophy. NEXT176 website · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

September 15, 202436 min

#065 A bold strategy for a digital first telco — Nicola van Ast

My guest for this episode is Nicola van Ast, CMO at Melon Mobile, and co-founder of Growthink Group (where - full disclosure - she is my wonderful wife Anna's business partner). Nicola is one of the brains behind Melon's bold, cheeky and by all accounts extremely effective takeover of other trusted and loved SA brand's billboards - including Lyft, Veldskoen, Expresso, and Faf de Klerk. We talk about where the idea came from, what it took to bring it to life, and what we can expect from Melon in the weeks and months to come. Nicola's LinkedIn profile · Melon's 14-day trial offer · Growthink Group · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

April 3, 202448 min

#064 Why creativity still counts and the problem with purpose — Dean Oelschig

My guest on this week’s show is Dean Oelschig. I met Dean on Twitter in the early days of social media, where we’d share notes on advertising, rugby, and just about any other topic both cared about, and which we inevitably argued about. We still argue about everything. Dean is a pure ad man and the founder of Halo Advertising. Halo has built an excellent reputation over the last decade and has done extraordinarily well in recent years, with some truly standout and award-winning, above-the-line creative work. In this episode, we discuss why creativity matters more now than ever and how advertising agencies can better assist clients in producing brave and meaningful work. We also discuss the problems with purpose-based marketing and Halo’s exciting upcoming conference, Conspicuous, where Mark Ritson will be the keynote speaker. Enjoy the conversation. Halo's website · Halo's Creative Marketing Newsletter · Connect with Dean on LinkedIn · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy

December 1, 202341 min

#063 Firing up the gig economy one person at a time — Aasiyah Adams

Aasiyah Adams is the inspirational founder of Abaguquli4IR and called herself the Gig Economy Driver. What does that mean? Well, few people are more passionate about equipping the unemployed, small and informal business owners and traders, and aspirant entrepreneurs with a platform to accelerate or incubate their businesses or ideas for business. She does this by providing entrepreneurship skills, applications, programs and tools in all functional areas that prepare this critical notch of the South African economy for the Gig Economy. In this episode, we discuss her background, her interest in digital literacy, the challenges of her work, and making a meaningful impact at scale. Abaguquli 4IR's website · MikeStopforth.com · Connect with Mike on LinkedIn · Follow Mike on Twitter · 48h crisis communication consultancy