Rafael Oduya on Harvest Ledger

Rafael Oduya does not do many interviews. When we met in Nairobi, the conversation ran long past the hour we had been promised — and ranged from the economics of Harvest Ledger to the habits that keep a founder sane.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What did the first version get wrong?

It assumed farmers wanted dashboards. They wanted money before planting season.

How do you price risk without credit scores?

We look at harvests, not paperwork. A field tells you more than a form.

What would you tell your younger self?

Slow down on hiring, speed up on firing, and never confuse a busy calendar with a good week.