Author: Damien J du Preez
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VC-backed LAP is Disrupting Germany’s Stale Coffee Game
If you believe the hype, LAP (Life Among People) may be about to disrupt Germany’s lacklustre coffee market. Like AirBnB or Uber, their goal is simple: to grow big and to grow fast. While they may operate in a very traditional market, they actually operate more like tech startups.
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Building From First Principles
What if we built a new business not by outsourcing our thinking to conventional wisdom, but by reasoning from first principles? We start by forgetting everything we think we know or that others have told us, break the problem down into its fundamentals, and rebuild a novel solution from the ground up.
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Building a Travel Company Without Social Media
To not exist on social media, particularly as a travel company would be to set yourself up for failure. But you know what? I just don’t buy it. Going forward, I’m going to build and grow a travel company without social media.
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Converting My South African Driving License to a German One
If you’re a South African that’s recently moved to Germany and plan on staying longer than six months, you’ll need to convert your South African driving license to a German one. While you’re allowed to drive on a South African license within those first six months, thereafter you’re legally obligated to make the swap. Fortunately…
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My Build Strategy (So Far)
The past few months of building Beagle & Baobab have been a whirlwind. Thankfully, I married a patient woman. What started out in February 2025 as a simple idea to start a company focused on luxury travel to South Africa quickly hit a brick wall: What does that actually look like? How do I differentiate…
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Why I Started a Company
On the 22nd of April 2025 (exactly a month after my wedding), I incorporated my first company – Beagle & Baobab. But why start a company at all? It’s certainly a big decision, one that locks you in for 3 – 5 years of late nights and early mornings with no guarantee of success. Then…
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Setting Up House in Germany
It’s official – Jess and I have moved into our new apartment in Frankfurt, Germany. After eight months in temporary housing in the nearby town of Bad Vilbel, we’ve managed to secure a bright and recently renovated 1-bedroom apartment in the leafy district of Dornbusch.
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Stellenbosch University to investigate citizens’ assemblies for the future of South African democracy
The popularity of citizens’ assemblies continues to grow across the democracies of the Global North. From Ireland to New Zealand, citizens are increasingly being given the opportunity to directly involve themselves in democratic decision-making. What challenges and opportunities does this democratic innovation offer South Africa on the 30th anniversary of its democracy, and how does…
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Can Democracy Handle the Heat?
If democratic governments fail to address the growing climate emergency, they risk the rise of populist and authoritarian sentiments and the complete erosion of democracy as we know it.
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South Africa’s Democracy Problem
The vast majority of South Africans are unhappy with the way democracy is working, while our trust in public institutions and government officials continues to decline. Political participation (especially among the youth) is also at an all-time low. On the eve of our seventh general elections, which will also mark the 30th anniversary of the…