Meet the founder of The Lazy Makoti, Mogau Seshoene

by Sibongile Vukela

A lot of young people spend their time trying to look good and having fun all in the name of YOLO (You Only Live Once). The sad truth is that most young people are lazy and can’t cook. However, not Mogau Seshoene, she made a brave career spin and left the safety of the corporate world to follow her entrepreneurial dream. In 2014, she launched a company, The Lazy Makoti, an informative one-on-one cooking course for the modern Afropolitan. She also sells branded kitchen accessories including aprons, chopping boards, and wooden spoon sets.

The 29-year-old dedicates her time to providing comprehensive cooking lessons to young professionals who would like to improve their skills in the kitchen.

Mogau said her inspiration which resulted in establishing the company came about when a friend required lessons for cooking South African cuisine and she struggled finding a place to help her out, the only available places offered lessons on French, Italian and other cuisines. 

After a couple of lessons with her friend, Mogau realized there was a gap in the market as a result of word getting out there and more people requesting cooking lessons. She then decided to quit her fulltime job in the finance sector and registered The Lazy Makoti as a business and source of livelihood.

Mogau was born in a township called Turfloop in Mankweng, Limpopo. She studied towards a BCom Consumer Science and Retail Management degree at the University of Pretoria. She has received a lot of print coverage in publications including Sowetan, The Times, Woolies, Taste Mag, Drum, Move, The Star and others. She has also been interviewed on radio stations including but not limited to 5 FM, Metro FM, Radio2000, Y FM, Power FM, and SA FM. Her unique business has seen her make appearances in television shows including Tonight with Bruce Whitefield, CNBC Africa, Shift, and Sunday Live. Judging by her social media following, she has a massive customer base and support. Mogau’s love for entrepreneurship, empowering women and creativity in the kitchen has been nurtured over a long time.

Mogau’s future plans and aspirations include producing a cookbook documenting the South African food story. She would like to launch the next phase of The Lazy Makoti which will provide an opportunity for women in rural and township, South Africa, to host cooking lessons. Mogau also believes this would create an authentic cultural experience for the consumer as they learn about local food whilst also providing an income for local women. “I would also like to have The Lazy Makoti merchandise line in a major retail outlet in the country and eventually around the world,” she states.

Being in control of her own time and talents gives her the most satisfaction as an entrepreneur while she also aspires to build a legacy for the next generation. “As a girl from a South African township, I believe my success is not simply my own. I have the chance to make my family proud and have every person from a township believe this is possible,” she says.

The biggest piece of advice she can give to women with an interest in establishing a business is that they should get started - ASAP. “With the little knowledge, experience or capital you have, get started, request for assistance. There are various mentorship programmes, look them up and make use of them. Surround yourself with like-minded women who can provide a nurturing support system, because tough times will come and you will need to be able to draw strength from sisters,” she emphasizes.