Cape Town, South Africa
Ryan “Choppy” Pike
Digital Entrepreneur and Web Strategist.
finished
raced
race
built
shipping
The through-line
Five chapters, one instinctBuild something real, make it work, and understand the people it is for.
I co-founded a tour company that became the highest-rated Airbnb Experience in Cape Town within two months, recruited engineers in fintech and e-commerce, and spent five years working on super yachts around the world.
Then I founded Haven Mental Health, where I am building an app that gives yacht crew 24/7 mental health support. Now I am channelling all of it into Chayne Studio, a web studio I launched with Wayne Van Niekerk to help established businesses build modern, high-performing websites.
Off the clock I am on a mountain trail. My first ultra was 161km.
Track record
Newest firstChayne Studio
I co-founded a web studio with Wayne Van Niekerk to build and manage modern, high-performing websites for established businesses. We are already shipping real work: a members platform for a trading community (Beyond Finance, perfect NPS from paying members) and Haven, a mental-health platform for yacht crews.
Haven Mental Health
I founded Haven to bring mental wellbeing education to the super yacht industry, focused on nervous system management to make the industry more sustainable for crew. I am currently building the Haven App: an in-pocket therapist giving yacht crew 24/7 mental health support through somatic therapy, hypnotherapy, and BWRT.
Super Yacht Industry
I spent five years in the deck department of luxury super yachts, progressing from deckhand to Bosun. I worked aboard vessels including the 75m M/Y Kensho. During leave periods I trained in somatic and nervous system therapy, hypnotherapy, and BWRT: the foundation that led directly to founding Haven Mental Health.
SALT Tech Recruitment
I placed engineers across fintech and e-commerce, contributing to 20+ placements alongside senior recruiters while consistently hitting KPIs from day one. I made my first solo placement within a month of receiving my own client book.
Local Knowledge Cape Tours
I co-founded a locally-curated tour company. Within two months of launching it became the highest-rated experience provider on Airbnb Experiences: 4.9/5.0 and the most-reviewed tour in its category.
Race log
7 finishes / 748km totalIt started after a tough breakup. My longest run to that point was 30km, so I entered a 161km race. It was not rational, which was exactly the point. That same mindset drives the business side.