Episodes 140
Avg. Duration 42m
Activity Dormant
Apple Rating 5.0 (2)
Since Aug 2017
Latest Episode Oct 2025

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Schedule
Every 2 Weeks
Format
Episodic
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anchor.fm

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About This Podcast

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.

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Recent Episodes

Building Beauty with Purpose: How Mathebe Ngwenya Is Redefining South Africa’s Beauty Industry

Oct 14, 2025 1h 1m

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…

The Business of Purpose: Lessons from Legends Barber’s Journey with Sheldon Tatchell

Sep 30, 2025 1h 11m

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…

Coding, Robotics, and Opportunity: The Journey of AfriCAN Code with Tshegofatso Dludla

Sep 23, 2025 53m

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…

From Spaza Shops to Scale: How Vuleka is Changing Township Economies with Brian Makwaiba

Sep 09, 2025 53m

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…

Building Inclusion, Empathy, and the Future of Mental Health Tech with Onkgopotse Khumalo (Amari Health)

Sep 02, 2025 47m

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,…

Wings, Culture, Community: The Rise of The Wing Republic with Tlhompho Mokoena

Aug 19, 2025 49m

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…

Building Access, Community, and the Future of South African Tech with Ntsako Mgiba (Darkies in Tech)

Aug 12, 2025 51m

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…

Building Trust, Scaling Impact: How Thato Schermer Is Shaping the Future of Women’s Health

Aug 05, 2025 48m

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…

The Human Work of Entrepreneurship: Ian Calvert on Building with Impact (Futher)

Jul 31, 2025 1h 6m

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,…

Reclaiming the Narrative: Community, Media & Africa's Startup Story with Andile Masuku(African Tech Roundup)

Jul 29, 2025 1h 14m

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.…

Building the Future of African Media with Thabile Ngwato (Newzroom Afrika)

Jul 22, 2025 54m

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…

The 10-Year Journey of TSHEPO Jeans: How Tshepo Mohlala Built a South African Icon

Jul 08, 2025 48m

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…

Engineering Everyday Solutions: Bootstrapping a Scalable Startup with Ayanda Dladla (Mowash)

Jun 24, 2025 51m

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…

Built to Last: A Decade of Walk Fresh with Lethabo Mokoena

Jun 10, 2025 1h 5m

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…

From Engineering to Impact: Redefining Success with Kay Radebe

Jun 05, 2025 47m

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…

Filtering the Future: Lessons in Impact and Innovation with Murendeni Mafumo

Jun 03, 2025 44m

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…

Driving South Africa’s EV Future with Fezile Dhlamini (Green Scooter)

May 29, 2025 1h 21m

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…

Reimagining Maternal Healthcare with Tsitsi Marote (Guardian Health)

May 27, 2025 31m

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…

Changing Education for South Africa’s Future with Kagisho Masae (Matric Live)

May 20, 2025 57m

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…

From Start to Scale: The Wumdrop Journey with Simon Hartley

May 12, 2025 1h 15m

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…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does MASHSTARTUP have?

MASHSTARTUP has published 140 episodes since August 2017, covering topics in Business, Entrepreneurship.

Is MASHSTARTUP still active?

MASHSTARTUP is currently dormant with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 42m.

How do I contact MASHSTARTUP for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for MASHSTARTUP, including email and social media links.

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