MASHSTARTUP

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 story of conviction, discipline, and belief in what’s possible when you build with purpose. The journey from a single idea to a scaled retail presence has tested every part of Mathebe’s leadership. Running both an online store and physical locations demanded sharper systems, stronger teams, and a deeper understanding of customer behaviour. “Walk-in retail is a completely different beast,” she said. “You can’t hide behind a screen. The expectations, the stock control, the customer experience — it all has to be right, every day.” For Mathebe, expanding into retail wasn’t just about growing sales — it was about building community. Each store is designed as a physical extension of Beauty on TApp’s digital promise: a space where people can explore, ask questions, and feel seen. Mathebe’s vision stretches beyond the four stores and e-commerce growth. She’s building towards South Africa’s first beauty multinational — one that reflects African creativity and excellence at a global scale. At the heart of that ambition is Pastry Skincare, her locally made line that responds directly to the needs of African skin. The challenge now is managing growth: deciding whether to scale Pastry independently or keep it exclusive to Beauty on TApp. “We’ve had retailers approach us to stock Pastry,” she shared. “It’s exciting — but it’s also about protecting the brand and ensuring we grow with intention.” Scaling has also reshaped how Mathebe leads. No longer the founder doing it all, she’s learning to trust her team, delegate with confidence, and empower others to grow alongside the business. “Even in a beauty business, people still tend to trust men more,” she reflected. “So you have to prove yourself twice — once to the world, and once to yourself.” Her story is a reminder that building something meaningful takes more than great products — it takes people, purpose, and perseverance. Beauty on TApp’s momentum has been powered by listening to its customers, refining its offering, and showing up — every single day. Mathebe Ngwenya isn’t just building a beauty brand; she’s shaping the future of South Africa’s beauty ecosystem. Her dream is to prove that world-class brands can be built here — with local insight, local teams, and local heart. “I want young women to look at this and know it’s possible,” she said. “We can build big, we can build here, and we can build for the world.” From Startup to ScaleBuilding for the FutureLessons in LeadershipThe Future of Beauty Is Local

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 a business with 70+ stores, 620 employees, and a footprint across the continent. Sheldon shares the real story — the wins and the setbacks. From doing house calls on a scooter after his first shop closed, to turning that same hustle into mobile barbershops that now travel across South Africa, Botswana, and Lesotho. We talk about how faith shapes his leadership, why relationships will always matter more than profit, and how the Legends Training & Development Centre is creating jobs and building entrepreneurs of the future. This isn’t just a story about business growth — it’s a blueprint for building something from nothing, staying grounded in purpose, and using what you build to serve others. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling your own venture, Sheldon’s journey is proof that passion, perseverance, and people-first thinking can take you further than you ever imagined.

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 disconnected from the world they lived in. That frustration became fuel. Together with her husband, Tshego created the Tshala Foundation, an NPO using coding and robotics to make learning engaging. But as she quickly discovered, passion alone wasn’t enough to sustain impact. If she wanted change to scale, she needed a business model that could fund its own growth. That’s how AfriCAN Code was born—a for-profit company that’s transforming primary education across South Africa while developing tools and experiences that make STEM subjects come alive. AfriCAN Code doesn’t just teach coding and robotics; it creates a bridge between abstract maths and science concepts and the hands-on, problem-solving skills that kids will need for the future. Today, Tshego is building a team of black female tech developers, designing proudly South African educational tools and applications, and scaling her impact from classrooms to the continent. Every project, every curriculum, and every lesson is grounded in a simple principle: learning should be fun, accessible, and relevant. This isn’t just a story about education. It’s about entrepreneurship with purpose. It’s about turning frustration into innovation, passion into a sustainable business, and education into opportunity. For founders, educators, and anyone passionate about African innovation, Tshego’s journey is proof that building something that matters starts with seeing a problem clearly—and refusing to settle for the status quo.

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 how Vuleka’s hybrid online-offline model makes bulk buying simple, builds credit profiles for unbanked entrepreneurs, and turns everyday shopkeepers into a powerful economic force. From navigating tech adoption in low-connectivity areas to using data to unlock new opportunities, Brian shares the grit, innovation, and community-led thinking driving Vuleka’s growth. This is a masterclass in building tech that works for the people who need it most—while keeping impact and sustainability at the core.

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 one of South Africa’s most intentional healthtech startups. After losing a close friend to suicide and navigating her own search for support, she set out to create a platform that makes mental healthcare more affordable, inclusive, and culturally relevant. We dive into the lessons of building with purpose, the complexity of tackling taboo issues in African communities, and the balance between AI-driven technology and deeply human empathy. Onkgopotse opens up about the influence of her mother’s entrepreneurial journey, the realities of raising capital as a black woman founder, and the vision behind Amari: a Pan-African platform where mental wellness is accessible to all. This is a story about more than healthtech. It’s about resilience, cultural sensitivity, and the heart it takes to build solutions that carry both personal and societal weight. If you care about the future of African entrepreneurship, the role of technology in solving real problems, and the fight to make mental healthcare accessible for everyone — this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.