If there's someone who understands the importance of balancing mindful moments with the fast pace of modern life, it's entrepreneur and side-hustler, Mashudu Modau.
He’s the founder of Lutcha – a podcast network, or as he sees it – a digital platform for opportunity seekers, problem solvers, future shapers, world builders and entrepreneurs that challenges the African millennial narrative. He’s also the Community and Partnerships manager at Yoco, a company he admires because they create meaningful support structures for entrepreneurs while prioritising purpose over profit.
His social conscience has always been intrinsically linked to his entrepreneurial journey. In school he founded Big Sister, Big Brother – a project aimed at getting matrics to mentor Grade 8s. He then went on to start Paper Share in university – an online platform where South African students could download exam papers for free. With every venture that he sets his mind to, he’s constantly questioning how he can make the world a better place, a characteristic he attributes to his mother and three aunts who instilled these values in him growing up.
Modau’s compassion, authenticity and his dedication to living life with intention filter into every part of his existence. It’s never been about huge personal profits or popularity for him, but rather a sincere drive to serve and educate. Couple this with a panache for problem solving, and you get a natural-born entrepreneur who’s constantly testing, learning, failing and starting over. Through Lutcha, he’s frank about the hardships of starting a business and wants to change the rose-tinted conversations around going it alone in order to give people the tools that will enable them to accelerate their growth.
With so much of his energy being directed outwards or reserved for others, you’d be forgiven for asking how much time he sets aside to check in with himself. Self-care comes in so many forms, and Modau has spent time cutting out the noise when he’s not working by practicing purposeful patience, and investing time into tasks or activities that add value and promote personal growth. He’s also started using Goodleaf CBD as part of a holistic approach to wellbeing, which has encouraged him to find the ritual in routine.
“Investing more effort and time into my wellness is a big priority for the second half of this year,” he tells us. “Starting with some Goodleaf. CBD products have become a daily routine to help me be better in life and work. It’s a self-care ritual you can’t skip and improves your overall wellbeing.”
Based on the companies Modau has started as well as the brands he consciously affiliates himself with, his endorsement of Goodleaf is a heart-warming reminder that we’re moving in the right direction. “Mission-driven companies make the best things. And with a mission like ‘committed to cultivating an improved quality of life’, Goodleaf is getting it right.”
Photography by Austin Malema/Pixel Kollective