PODCAST · business
MASHSTARTUP
by Mashudu Modau
What does it take to build a business in South Africa’s toughest conditions? Host Mashudu Modau sits down with the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs to uncover the failures, pivots, and breakthroughs that shaped their journeys. From building independent African media platforms to creating township-born sneaker care brands, and reimagining digital education for millions of learners—these are the untold stories of turning South Africa’s challenges into opportunity. Each episode is a masterclass in resourcefulness, innovation, and building in South Africa’s uniquely complex landscape.
Episodes
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Building Beauty with Purpose: How Mathebe Ngwenya Is Redefining South Africa’s Beauty Industry
Few founders have reshaped South Africa’s beauty industry like Mathebe Ngwenya. What began as a digital platform connecting customers to beauty services has evolved into Beauty on TApp — a thriving online retailer and a growing network of four brick-and-mortar stores across the country. It’s a...
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The Business of Purpose: Lessons from Legends Barber’s Journey with Sheldon Tatchell
What does it really take to turn a pair of clippers and a dream into one of Africa’s most loved grooming brands? In this episode, we sit down with Sheldon Tatchell, the founder of Legends Barber, to trace the journey from cutting hair on a stoep in Eldorado Park at just 14 years old, to building…
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Coding, Robotics, and Opportunity: The Journey of AfriCAN Code with Tshegofatso Dludla
When Tshegofatso Dludla started tutoring high school students in maths and science, she noticed something that stuck with her: it wasn’t just that learners were struggling—it was that they didn’t understand why these subjects mattered. For many, the learning felt abstract, boring, and…
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From Spaza Shops to Scale: How Vuleka is Changing Township Economies with Brian Makwaiba
What if the key to transforming township economies isn’t outside investment—but collective buying power? In this episode, I sit down with Brian Makwaiba, founder of Vuleka, the multi-award-winning platform helping township spaza shops and informal businesses compete on equal footing. We unpack…
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Building Inclusion, Empathy, and the Future of Mental Health Tech with Onkgopotse Khumalo (Amari Health)
What does it take to turn a deeply personal struggle into a Pan-African healthtech startup that’s reimagining how we access mental healthcare? In this episode, I sit down with Onkgopotse Khumalo, founder of Amari Health, to unpack her journey from the world of finance and consulting to building…
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Wings, Culture, Community: The Rise of The Wing Republic with Tlhompho Mokoena
Some brands are born to be more than just businesses—they become cultural icons. The Wing Republic, founded by Tlhompho Mokoena, has spent over a decade proving exactly that. What started in 2014 as a single pop-up stand has grown into one of Gauteng’s most recognized food brands. From the early...
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Building Access, Community, and the Future of South African Tech with Ntsako Mgiba (Darkies in Tech)
What does it take to build real power for Black founders in South Africa’s tech ecosystem — and create a future where professionals of colour have equitable access to knowledge, networks, and funding? In this episode, I sit down with Ntsako Mgiba, founder of Darkies in Tech — the country’s…
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Building Trust, Scaling Impact: How Thato Schermer Is Shaping the Future of Women’s Health
In South Africa and across the continent, millions of women still face healthcare that is expensive, fragmented, and impersonal. For far too long, care has been treated as a service, not a relationship. And when the system fails, it’s community — not institutions — that women turn to for support....
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The Human Work of Entrepreneurship: Ian Calvert on Building with Impact (Futher)
This episode is a deep dive into what it really takes to build ventures that last — and why starting with the human being behind the idea is the most powerful form of entrepreneurship. Ian Calvert, co-founder of FURTHER and former Global Project Leader at Red Bull Amaphiko, joins us to explore…
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Reclaiming the Narrative: Community, Media & Africa's Startup Story with Andile Masuku(African Tech Roundup)
What if the real power in Africa’s startup ecosystem isn’t capital — but control of the narrative? This episode is a reckoning with how stories are told, who gets to tell them, and what gets left out. Andile Masuku, co-founder of African Tech Roundup, joins us to unpack the tension between media,...
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Building the Future of African Media with Thabile Ngwato (Newzroom Afrika)
In this powerful episode of the Mashstartup Podcast, we sit down with one of South Africa’s most formidable media entrepreneurs — Thabile Ngwato. As the founder and CEO of Rapid Innovation Group, the force behind Newzroom Afrika, Ray Content Hub, Bluestream Technologies and Emerge, Thabile is not...
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The 10-Year Journey of TSHEPO Jeans: How Tshepo Mohlala Built a South African Icon
Meet Tshepo Mohlala, founder of TSHEPO—the premium denim brand worn by presidents, royalty, and everyday believers in quality and identity. But this isn’t just a story about jeans. It’s about a young man from Tsakane who dared to dream bigger than the limitations placed on him. It’s about betting...
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Engineering Everyday Solutions: Bootstrapping a Scalable Startup with Ayanda Dladla (Mowash)
Ayanda Dladla is the co-founder of Mowash – a mobile car wash platform turning everyday inconvenience into innovation. What started as long Saturday waits at local car washes became the spark for a tech-enabled service that connects customers to car washers on demand. In this episode, Ayanda…
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Built to Last: A Decade of Walk Fresh with Lethabo Mokoena
What does it take to build something that lasts — not just in profit, but in purpose? Lethabo Mokoena, the founder of Walk Fresh, unpacks the lessons, phases, and grit behind building a township-born business that’s stood the test of 10 years. What began in a backyard in Daveyton is now a…
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From Engineering to Impact: Redefining Success with Kay Radebe
What does it really take to walk away from stability and build a life on your own terms? In this episode, I sit down with Kay Radebe — a Mechanical Engineer turned Social Media Strategist and Entrepreneur — to unpack the bold pivot that reshaped her career and purpose. After leaving behind a...
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Filtering the Future: Lessons in Impact and Innovation with Murendeni Mafumo
What does it really take to build a solution that changes lives? Murendeni Mafumo, founder of Kusini Water, a groundbreaking South African social enterprise using macadamia nut shells and nanotech to purify water for communities across the country. From developing his first prototype to scaling…
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Driving South Africa’s EV Future with Fezile Dhlamini (Green Scooter)
Fezile Dhlamini is the founder and CEO of Green Scooter, the company behind Africa’s first electric motor-tricycle — the Zbee. In this episode, Fezile shares how he built a locally assembled electric vehicle business from the ground up, with no external funding, and why he believes the future of...
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Reimagining Maternal Healthcare with Tsitsi Marote (Guardian Health)
Tsitsi Primrose Marote, co-founder of Guardian Health — a platform reimagining maternal healthcare in South Africa through AI, data, and community-driven innovation. From academic research to award-winning innovation, Tsitsi’s journey is rooted in a deep desire to solve real challenges faced by...
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Changing Education for South Africa’s Future with Kagisho Masae (Matric Live)
Matric Live is a mobile-first learning platform that has supported over 600,000 high school learners — the majority from under-resourced communities — with free, accessible, and engaging tools to prepare for matric. Built by co-founders Kagisho Masae and Lesego Finger, the platform is reshaping…
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From Start to Scale: The Wumdrop Journey with Simon Hartley
Simon Hartley — the entrepreneur behind Wumdrop, a last-mile delivery startup that grew from humble beginnings into a game-changing logistics platform, eventually acquired by Makro. Wumdrop started with a simple idea: deliver nappies on subscription. But when Simon and co-founder Roy Borole…
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Reimagining Stokvels and Unlocking R50 Billion in Community Wealth with Tshepo Moloi (StokFella)
Tshepo Moloi — founder and CEO of StokFella, a fintech platform reimagining South Africa’s stokvel culture through innovation, technology, and community-driven design. Inspired by his own experience in a traditional stokvel, Tshepo saw the inefficiencies firsthand — from manual records to limited...
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Building Healthcare for Africa’s Future with Zanele Matome (Welo)
Zanele Abraham Matome, the visionary founder of Welo Health — a platform revolutionizing healthcare access across South Africa and the SADC region. From growing up in communities with limited healthcare, to building a nationwide gig-economy model connecting nurses, doctors, and patients, Zanele...
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Unlocking South Africa’s Township Economy with Bulelani Balabala (TEA)
Bulelani Balabala is the founder of the Township Entrepreneurs Alliance (TEA), a platform that has supported over 50,000 township entrepreneurs with access to skills, mentorship, and markets. From humble beginnings selling sweets and fat cakes to building one of the country’s most impactful...
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How Startup Club ZA is Building South Africa’s Largest Startup Community with Mathew Marsden (Startup Club ZA)
Startup Club ZA is changing the game for South African founders—fostering connections, unlocking opportunities, and accelerating growth in the local startup ecosystem. In this episode, we sit down with founder Mathew Marsden to talk about the journey of building SCZA, the lessons learned along…
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Empowering Entrepreneurs to Master Sales with Michelle Lima (Resonate Hub)
Resonate Hub is changing the game for entrepreneurs, equipping them with the sales skills and business strategies needed to thrive. In this episode, we sit down with founder & CEO Michelle Lima to talk about her journey—from learning sales in her parents’ business to building a global platform…
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Growing South Africa's Agriculture Economy with Karidas Tshintsholo (Khula!)
Khula! is transforming the agricultural landscape in South Africa, making it easier for farmers to access markets and grow their businesses. In this episode, we sit down with founder & CEO Karidas Tshintsholo to talk about the journey of building Khula!, the challenges of scaling an agri-tech...
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The Holy Trinity of Marketing with Mike Sharman (Retroviral)
This is a conversation with Retroviral founder Mike Sharman. Retroviral has made more brands "go viral" globally than any other agency in Africa. Focusing on strategy, content creation, dissemination and reporting . Learn more here https://retroviral.co.za/To learn more about our new partnership...
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Democratising Creator Monetization with Scott Thwaites (EDC squared)
This is a conversation with EDC squared co-founder Scott Thwaites. EDC squared's purpose is to drive positive social impact by providing the opportunity for anyone with a mobile device to monetize their content. The company enables a more socially and morally responsible way of advertising by...
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For The Love of Technology with Daliso Ngoma (African Technopreneurs)
This is a conversation with African Technopreneurs co-founder Daliso Ngoma. African Technopreneurs is EARN’s innovative South African company specializing in the distribution of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality hardware and software. Their mission is to connect you with Virtual reality (VR),...
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Entrepreneurship IS Ministry with Luyanda Jafta (The People’s Fund)
This is a conversation with The People's Fund co-founder Luyanda Jafta. The People’s Fund is a purchase order crowdfunding platform for businesses that have orders with government and corporate and are looking for capital to deliver these orders. Our platform allows everyday people to participate...
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Making Moments: A Seat At The Table
Making Moments: A Seat At The Table hosted by Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons. Visionaries Desire Markgraaff, Nunu Ntshingila, and Zoe Modiga will share their unique, diverse, and connected stories of path-making and placemaking with you. Desireé Markgraaff is a world builder who has been at the...
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Every Day Is Day One with Alexandria Procter (DigsConnect)
This is a conversation with DigsConnect founder Alexandria Procter.DigsConnect is the largest platform connecting young people with the homes of their dreams on the African continent. They’ve connected more than 50 000 people on their platform over the past 36 months and counting! Learn more…
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Driving Impact In Healthcare - with Alex Schmid (Contro)
This is a conversation with Contro founder Alex Schmid. Contro is an online prescription and delivery service for sexual health and confidence products in South Africa - currently offering birth control and erectile dysfunction treatment. Learn more https://www.contro.co.za/ To learn more about…
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Build For A Higher Purpose - with Calvin Collett (Melon Mobile)
This is a conversation with Melon Mobile Founder Calvin Collett. Melon Mobile aims to disrupt South Africa's mobile industry by offering a fully customisable mobile subscription service. Learn more https://melonmobile.co.za/ To learn more about our new partnership with Sage and how…
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The Power Is In The Pivot - with Matt Kloos (CompariSure)
This is a conversation with CompariSure CFO Matt Kloos. CompariSure’s Digital Marketplace provides individuals with quick, reliable insurance comparisons from South Africa’s most trusted and established life insurers. Learn more https://www.comparisure.co.za/ To learn more about our new…
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Keep Purpose At The Center - with Vuyo Pakade (Foonda)
This is a conversation with Foonda founder Vuyo Pakade. Foonda is unlocking Africa's next generation of talent by connecting great companies with great young candidates superfast & without breaking the bank. Learn more: https://www.foonda.co/about To learn more about our new partnership with Sage...
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Let's Talk About Tax Baby - with André Bothma (Tax Maverick)
This is a conversation with Tax Maverick founder André Bothma. Tax Maverick is a Tax services company that specialises in crypto and digital assets (amongst other things). Learn more https://taxmaverick.co.za/ To learn more about our new partnership with Sage and how #SageForSmallBiz can impact...
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The Beauty Of The Industry - with Mathebe Molise (BeautyontApp)
This is a conversation with Beauty on tApp founder Mathebe Molise. Beauty on TApp is a 100% woman owned beauty online store that specializes in retailing the best in skincare, haircare and selfcare products. Learn more https://shopbeautyontapp.co.za/ The Mashstartup podcast explores practical...
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Information Is Power - with Dan Wells (EskomSePush)
This is a conversation with EskomSePush (ESP) co-founder Dan Wells. EskomSePush (ESP) is a smartphone app used by South Africans to receive push notifications when load shedding is implemented, and when they will be without power. Learn more https://esp.info/ The Mashstartup podcast explores...
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Entrepreneurship Drives Impact - with Nwabisa Mayema (Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa)
This is a conversation with Nwabisa Mayema, Strategic Partnerships Director at Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship South Africa. The Branson Centre is a venture studio that is changing business for good. They do this through venture building and venture investing. Learn more...
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The Legend of Zulzi Part Two - with Donald Valoyi (Zulzi)
This is part two of a conversation with Zulzi CEO and co-founder Donald Vutlharhi Valoyi. Zulzi is a grocery delivery marketplace that gives members direct access to thousands of grocery items through a mobile app. Learn more; www.zulzi.com/ The Mashstartup podcast explores practical learnings…
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The Legend of Zulzi Part One - with Donald Valoyi (Zulzi)
This is part one of a conversation with Zulzi CEO and co-founder Donald Vutlharhi Valoyi. Zulzi is a grocery delivery marketplace that gives members direct access to thousands of grocery items through a mobile app. Learn more; www.zulzi.com/ The Mashstartup podcast explores practical learnings…
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Making Moments: Fireside Conversations Panel
This is a conversation with Ofentse Pitse Founder of Anchored Sound, David Higgs Founding partner of The Marble Group and Chris Weylandt CEO of Weylandts. Making Moments by Rupert & Rothschild is a series that connects three business titans with the entrepreneur community for an intimate…
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It's All About Transparency - with Alex Thomson (Naked)
This is a conversation with Naked Co-founder Alex Thomson. Traditional insurance operates on the basis where fewer claims means more profits. Naked have removed their hand from the claims pot completely. Instead they take a flat fee off the monthly premiums clients pay to cover running costs and...
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The Multi-disciplinary Creative - LWAZI MADONSELA (348SELECT & CNR JUTA & DE BEE
This is a conversation with 348SELECT founder and CNR JUTA & DE BEE host LWAZI MADONSELA. 348SELECT is an online magazine covering the latest in South African fashion, sneakers, music, art and lifestyle. Learn more; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCakvdjwJsIUzq0K8z0sM5Q The Mashstartup podcast...
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Build It Slow - with Mawethu Soga (Fixxr)
This is a conversation with Fixxr co-founder Mawethu Soga. Fixxr makes it simple and convenient to request a quote online, book a repair with a mobile mechanic, and keep track of your car's service history. Learn more; www.fixxr.co.za The Mashstartup podcast explores practical learnings and…
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The Power of Community - with Ntsako Mgiba (JONGA & DIT)
This is a conversation with Jonga co-founder Ntsako Mgiba. Jonga's mission is to make home security affordable and accessible to the millions of people who live in townships. Learn more: http://www.jonga.co/ The Mashstartup podcast explores practical learnings and candid journeys of Africa's...
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This Is Not An Insurance Ad - with Ndabenhle Ngulube & Sizwe Ndlovu (Pineapple)
This is a conversation with Pineapple co-founder Ndabenhle Ngulube and CTO Sizwe Ndlovu. Pineapple allows you to insure your stuff and your car in the snap of a picture. Learn more here https://www.pineapple.co.za/ The Mashstartup podcast explores practical learnings and candid journeys of...
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Post "New Normal" - Dr. Nosipho Mhlanga
A podcast exploring practical learnings and candid journeys of Africa's emerging entrepreneurs and creators. The Mashstartup Podcast profiles the most talented creators, impactful entrepreneurs & high performing professionals with the purpose to drive insights and tactics to help you build what...
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Creating Room To Fail - with Mashudu Modau (FoundersSauce)
A podcast exploring practical learnings and candid journeys of Africa's emerging entrepreneurs and creators. The Mashstartup Podcast profiles the most talented creators, impactful entrepreneurs & high performing professionals with the purpose to drive insights and tactics to help you build what...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What does it take to build a business in South Africa’s toughest conditions? Host Mashudu Modau sits down with the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs to uncover the failures, pivots, and breakthroughs that shaped their journeys. From building independent African media platforms to creating township-born sneaker care brands, and reimagining digital education for millions of learners—these are the untold stories of turning South Africa’s challenges into opportunity. Each episode is a masterclass in resourcefulness, innovation, and building in South Africa’s uniquely complex landscape.
HOSTED BY
Mashudu Modau
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does MASHSTARTUP have?
MASHSTARTUP currently has 140 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is MASHSTARTUP about?
What does it take to build a business in South Africa’s toughest conditions? Host Mashudu Modau sits down with the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs to uncover the failures, pivots, and breakthroughs that shaped their journeys. From building independent African media platforms to creating...
How often does MASHSTARTUP release new episodes?
MASHSTARTUP publishes regularly with 140 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to MASHSTARTUP?
You can listen to MASHSTARTUP on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts MASHSTARTUP?
MASHSTARTUP is created and hosted by Mashudu Modau.
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