Ways to Wealth EP64: Fixing Broken Businesses and the Planet, with Dave Rous

In this episode of the Ways to Wealth Podcast, Charlie is joined by Dave Rous!Dave is an entrepreneurial leader and the CEO of CarbonClick, a climate tech company focused on high-quality carbon offsetting. With a career spanning aviation, business turnarounds, and social enterprise, Dave brings a uniquely practical perspective to building and deploying wealth.The conversation traces Dave’s journey from commercial pilot to business auditor, where he negotiated a profit-sharing deal to run an airline’s Auckland base. He went on to build a track record of identifying underperforming businesses, optimising operations, and exiting them profitably—his most notable turnaround involved a municipal engineering firm where he nearly tripled revenue and quintupled profits within two years.Dave shares his philosophy around wealth, which he views as a tool for impact. He describes his approach as “philanthropic gambling”—supporting early-stage founders and innovative start-ups that align with purpose over profit. The conversation also explores challenges in climate tech, particularly public distrust of low-quality carbon offset schemes. Dave explains how CarbonClick ensures integrity through stringent project vetting and transparent reporting.Check out CarbonClick here: www.carbonclick.comWatch all episodes of the Ways to Wealth Podcast here: www.eccuity.com/podcasts#WaysToWealth #ClimateTech #BusinessTurnaround #CarbonOffsetting #StartUps #ImpactInvesting #WealthWithPurpose #SustainableBusiness #Entrepreneurship #LegacyBuilding