In this episode, I’m thrilled to be joined by Dean van Zyl, CEO of EISH Management Consulting, wh. Dean walks us through a remarkable entrepreneurial journey, from humble beginnings in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), through sweeping floors in a furniture workshop, to founding 17 startups across continents (some that soared, some that tanked). We peel back the layers on resilience, failure, and growth. Together, we unravel the power of market validation, mentorship, cultural humility, and operational systems. Whether you're launching your first venture or scaling globally, Dean’s insights deliver both practical tools and emotional clarity.

[1:00] – Intro: Welcome to the Patent Hacks Podcast and intro to today’s guest, Dean Zyl.

[2:00] – Dean’s background: From missteps and getting fired to sweeping floors and launching his first business as a teenager.

[5:30] – Accidental entrepreneurship: How selling raw materials to competitors sparked a new path (and eventual success, and bankruptcy).

[8:20] – Multiple startups: Dean shares that he’s launched 17 ventures, some successful, some forced to close, and what each taught him.

[11:45] – The value of failure: “Failures are where my best lessons came from,” Dean shares his take on resilience and personal growth.

[16:10] – Going global: How Dean’s upbringing in Eswatini and South Africa shaped his ability to navigate culture and business across continents.

[19:50] – Cultural humility: Why assuming others are less intelligent because of language or differences is a critical misstep.

[23:30] – Systems matter: The importance of putting scalable, clear systems in place, especially as you grow and go remote.

[26:10] – Raising capital in the U.S.: What Dean learned about fundraising, pitch decks, networks, and “betting on the jockey, not the horse.

[29:50] – Market validation: Before building your product, validate the idea with real customers, avoid emotional biases and false assumptions.

[33:15] – Building market dominance: Don't just be first; execute better. Learn from competitors’ weak spots.

[36:20] – Consulting red flags and green lights: Dean looks for clarity of direction, delegation, systems efficiency, and aligned teams.

[40:10] – Evolving beliefs: Early on, Dean blamed external circumstances—but learned that as leader, responsibility always begins with you.

[43:30] – Advice for founders: Get a mentor, ask the hard questions, launch imperfectly, and keep putting yourself out there.

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanvanzyl/
• Patent Hacks Website: https://www.patenthacks.com
• Trevor Skene LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-skene/

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