The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec

n this episode of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, The Finance Ghost sits down with Lorraine Mekwa, founder of Earned Africa, to talk about her leap from corporate executive to entrepreneur. 

After 2 decades in financial services, Lorraine had worked her way up to a divisional executive role at a listed group. She then made the leap into entrepreneurship, driven by a desire to help businesses grow and create broader economic opportunities. 

Throughout her career, Lorraine had seen a recurring challenge: businesses needed access to highly skilled professionals, but traditional hiring could be costly and complex. She set out to find a better way. 

Lorraine shares the vision behind Earned Africa, a platform designed to connect businesses with independent talent, while using technology to make contracting and consulting simpler. From the challenges of building a two-sided marketplace to the realities of startup life, she offers a candid look at life beyond the corporate world. 

This is a story about entrepreneurship, problem-solving and having the courage to bet on yourself. 

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

In this episode of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, The Finance Ghost sits down with Gelato Mania Financial Director Kosta Kappatos to unpack the journey behind one of South Africa's favourite gelato brands. 

From making gelato in the basement of a Cape Town shopping centre to building a national brand and manufacturing base, Kosta shares the highs, challenges and lessons of growing a family business over 20 years. 

Along the way, he explains why quality matters, what entrepreneurship really looks like behind the scenes and why the family remains focused on sustainable growth rather than chasing a quick exit. 

This is a story about family, resilience and building a business that makes people happy. 

 The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

In this episode of The Finance Ghost: Plugged in with Capitec, The Finance Ghost sits down with Comic Con Africa show director and Mogul Media founder Carla Massmann to explore the growth of the geek economy in South Africa. 

From gaming, comics and collectibles to cosplay, anime and pop culture, Comic Con Africa has become far more than an event. It’s a gathering place for people who share the same passions, a celebration of creativity and storytelling and a powerful reminder that everyone has an inner geek waiting to be discovered. 

Carla shares her journey from launching Comic Con Africa in 2018, through the devastation of the pandemic, to building a profitable business that now attracts more than 70 000 visitors. 

Along the way, she explains why community is at the heart of everything Comic Con does and why the future of the industry looks brighter than ever. 

This is a story about entrepreneurship, adaptation and the power of helping people find where they belong. 

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

From humble beginnings selling Bluetooth car kits to building Planetworld into a diversified importer and distributor of 78 global brands, Planetworld co-founder and CEO Maurice van Heerden shares a refreshingly honest view of what it takes to scale a business. 

In this episode, Maurice shares why culture and curating a team of winners are key to thriving in South Africa’s tough market. While the product range varies from musical instruments and pro audio to smart home tech and consumer electronics, the foundation of this business is its people. 

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

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. 

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The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

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 localisation instead of intimidating spreadsheets. 

In this episode, Tayla shares how stub grew from a bootstrapped idea into a well-funded SaaS platform used by thousands of entrepreneurs across 14 countries. She explains why partnerships, especially with Capitec, are critical to unlocking real-time financial insights, and how stub integrates payments to become a true “business-in-a-box.” 

This episode covers: 

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

Introducing Olympia Holdings founders George Van Greunen and Manie Van Greunen

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.

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

Capitec understands 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 Capitec make such a strong impact on the business banking scene so quickly? 

In episode 8, we reflect on the acquisition of Mercantile Bank just before COVID hit – and how Capitec’s innovative approach helped shape the products, systems and client experience that followed.  

This is The Finance Ghost in conversation with Karl Kumbier (Executive for Business Bank), Amrei Botha (Executive of Client Experience Delivery) and Sicelo Mkhize (Head of Distribution).

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

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. 

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.

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.

The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.