Why Pineapple Insurance Is Winning (And What Leaders Can Learn From Their CEO, Marnus van Heerden)

10/06/2025 35 min Temporada 1 Episodio 6
Why Pineapple Insurance Is Winning (And What Leaders Can Learn From Their CEO, Marnus van Heerden)

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Episode Synopsis

Most CEOs talk about building culture. Marnus van Heerden is actually doing it. As Co-Founder and CEO of Pineapple, South Africa's fastest-growing InsurTech, Marnus has scaled from startup to 140+ employees and R400+ million in funding.But here's what makes this conversation different: He did it by leading with love, demanding radical responsibility, and creating what he calls "superior discontent."This isn't your typical founder success story. It's a raw, honest dive into the messy reality of scaling a company without losing your humanity, or breaking your people.Marnus reveals:The mindset shift from motivating employees to creating ownersThe neuroscience behind why most leaders burn out (and how to avoid it)His counterintuitive approach to "superior discontent" that drives performanceWhy love isn't soft, it’s the hardest leadership skill to masterThe OKR framework that helped Pineapple consistently beat their goalsHow cold showers and radical honesty keep him grounded as a leaderIf you're building a team and wondering how to push for excellence, this conversation will change how you lead.-Connect with Christiaan van den Berg on LinkedIn. Build the People is proudly brought to you by JOBJACK, a smart hiring platform that eliminates manual recruitment tasks, helping businesses find, filter, and hire the best entry-level talent, fast.