The Finance Ghost talks with SA business owners about the highs, lows and turning points of running their businesses.
Welcome to The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec – a proudly South African podcast showcasing the entrepreneurial talent we have in our country. From side hustles to success stories and from SMEs to bigger businesses, this podcast series will explore what it really takes to build a business in South Africa.
Hosted by experienced entrepreneur and ex-investment banker, The Finance Ghost, each episode features honest conversations with local entrepreneurs. They share inspiration and insights that helped them on their business journey. Whether you are years into the journey or still planning to take that first step, there’s something here for you.
What does it really take to build a business from nothing in South Africa? Founder of Universal Kitchens, Clinton Van Breda, shares the unfiltered story of how he dedicated 2 decades to turning a R500 000 loan into a business employing over 200 people.
There was no single breakthrough moment or overnight success. Instead, his story is one of discipline, reflection and relentless execution over 2 decades, driven by a strong sense of purpose.
From reviewing his diary line by line each year to making tough sacrifices early on (including skipping his honeymoon), Clinton reveals the mindset and habits that compound into long-term success.
This episode dives into the realities of entrepreneurship – the chaos, doubt and faith it demands. It also unpacks why focusing on the process, not the money, is what ultimately builds a lasting business.
Most entrepreneurs don’t dream of becoming accounting software founders. Yet, in the back of a Joburg shuttle, Tayla Dandridge and her co-founders spotted a glaring gap: everyday businesses were being left behind by global ‘whales’ like QuickBooks and Sage. stub was born to serve the trader in Durban, the side hustler in Soweto and the small business owner who needs simplicity, intelligence and local relevance instead of intimidating spreadsheets.
In this episode, Tayla shares how stub grew from a bootstrapped idea into a well-funded Software as a Service (SaaS) platform used by thousands of entrepreneurs across 14 countries. She explains why partnerships, including with us, are critical to unlocking real-time financial insights, and how stub integrates payments to become a true ‘business-in-a-box.’
Any business owner knows that software can make or break a business. And when software is built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, the benefits are even clearer.
Like many great businesses, Olympia Engage was created to solve the challenges its founders faced in their previous businesses. With hands-on experience managing large teams and running performance and incentivisation programmes, brothers Manie and George Van Greunen set out to build digital solutions that address these challenges.
In episode 9 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, get ready to learn from these software ‘brogrammers’ about how Olympia Engage uses various techniques to improve adoption rates, create internal alignment and support measurable performance.
At Capitec, we understand the challenges faced by entrepreneurs. Throughout this season of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, we’ve explored how affordable transactional banking and access to finance can help business owners grow.
But how does it all come together? And how did we make such a strong impact on the business banking scene so quickly?
In episode 8, we reflect on our acquisition of Mercantile Bank just before COVID hit – and how our innovative approach helped shape the products, systems and client experience that followed.
We’re in conversation with Karl Kumbier (Executive for Business Bank), Amrei Botha (Executive of Client Experience Delivery) and Sicelo Mkhize (Head of Distribution).
Priscilla Msimanga made the leap that so many dream of, yet few are willing to make: leaving a big corporate role and shifting into the grinding world of entrepreneurship. To add to the intrigue, she bought a Shell forecourt and stepped into specialist retail.
From managing staff to complying with petroleum regulations, the learning curve was steep. Drawing on her corporate experience, her love of sales and her passion for service, Priscilla rolled up her sleeves and did everything – from pumping fuel to serving food.
And yes, that means there’s a food truck to go with this great story!
On episode 7 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, Priscilla tells us more about her leap from corporate life to entrepreneurship.
Lu-ise Hattingh and Ruan Botha are a great example of the power and value of travel. After spending time in Japan, they fell in love with the culture and food. As all great entrepreneurs do, they also took the opportunity to learn about the Japanese approach to consumer brands. That curiosity eventually sparked a business idea they brought back home.
Today, Lu-ise and Ruan are rolling out Market Kokoro franchise stores in South Africa and especially the Western Cape, tapping into the existing Market Kokoro infrastructure in South Africa and adding their particular flavour of experiential retail. If you love the thought of cooking your off-the-shelf noodles in the store, then Market Kokoro is for you.
In bringing miso to Mzansi, one of the biggest insights is about the importance of meeting customers where they are, both in terms of tastes and locations.
On episode 6 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, Lu-ise and Ruan share the journey behind building a cross-cultural brand.
Ricky Ruthenberg has truly taken a ground-up approach to his career. Adapting to opportunities as they present themselves is clearly a powerful skill. From waiting tables at Col’Cacchio to helping launch the first Bootlegger in Sea Point, he’s gone on to build the team that runs a national chain of nearly 100 Bootlegger restaurants.
From espresso to enterprise, this is the story of building something from nothing. Hard work, perseverance and self-belief are the ingredients in this delicious recipe.
On episode 5 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, Ricky talks about what it takes to grow a local brand into a national success story.
Hugh Cunningham is as passionate about customer service and product assortment as he is about medicine. As the co-owner of The Local Choice Pharmacy Harmelia, Hugh focuses on business management, while his wife and co-founder Yolandi ensures the dispensary runs smoothly.
On episode 4 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, Hugh shares excellent insights on specialist retail and how pharmacies really work.
With a background in law and economics, Obaratile (OB) Semenya’s approach to property includes exposure at practically every part of the value chain.
From developing high-end residential projects through Legaro Property Development to driving sales at his real estate agency, Natural Property, he’s mastered the full property journey.
And with extensive experience working closely with Balwin, OB also knows his way around the biggest developments around.
On episode 3 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, he talks about building the world he wants to see around him, all while ‘nerding out’ on the business and sector he loves most.
Rabia Ghoor, founder of swiitchbeauty® and winner of multiple awards, is one of South Africa’s most celebrated young entrepreneurs thanks to her fascinating backstory of starting the business at the age of 14 and dropping out of high school shortly thereafter.
But in the decade or so since then, Rabia has built a powerhouse of an eCommerce business – a business that deserves the limelight beyond its founder.
On episode 2 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, we gave the business lessons from the journey building swiitchbeauty® just as much attention as Rabia’s story.
Makomborero Mutezo bootstrapped his brownie business TheHungryMute and recently won the Capitec Rising Star award at Decorex. But he’s so much more than a creator of the finest gourmet brownies.
Mako is in the early stages of building a food design empire. With a wonderful mix of culinary and design skills – not to mention a deliciously curious mind – he shares terrific insights in episode 1 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec.
When it comes to the hustle, Mako offers a flavour we can all get behind.
