Mogau Sewela

I am a chef. I also run my own business, The Lazy Makoti, which provides cooking lessons, primarily on South African cuisine. We also sell our own brand of kitchen accessories, such as aprons, chopping boards, et cetera. I am currently in school completing my diploma in Culinary Arts.

After having worked in the corporate world for years, I left to start the business, and as a result decided to empower myself further with the diploma. I left a career in finance to “go do this cooking thing.” Many people questioned whether it was the right decision, calling it “a quarter life crisis.” I, too, had my moments when things got tough. Luckily, I stuck it out.

I read a lot about people who accomplished things against the odds, and surrounded myself with like-minded people. I often went to The Hookup Dinner, which is an organization for entrepreneurs. The energy there helped a lot during times of self-doubt. But once momentum picked up, people quickly saw that [what I was doing] was something worth believing in.

Working in a corporate setting definitely taught me key principles that I still apply in my business today. Drive, discipline, and diligence—I learned all in the corporate space. Also little things, like being on time for meetings, etiquette, and over-delivering on promises. No lesson was in vain.