Ntsako Mahlaule

From a small village in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, to the national entrepreneurship spotlight, Ntsako Mahlaule, 33, is proof that vision, resilience and hard work can transform lives. She is the founder and chief executive of Charged Up, a dynamic branding and printing company that has grown from a street vending operation to a fully fledged production hub employing seven people. Under her leadership, Charged Up has become a household name in its community and partnered with universities for practical student training, hosted annual entrepreneurship exhibitions and won prestigious awards, including recognition from MTN and the Hollywood  Foundation. Her accolades include: Innovative Entrepreneur Award; Top 10 MTN Entrepreneur in SA (2024); Best Brand of the Year and Top 2 at the Hollywood Foundation Pitch Competition. A self-taught entrepreneur who’s completed numerous short courses through the Small Enterprise Development Agency, National Youth Development Agency, and FNB, she is now pursuing formal studies in business and financial management. Ntsako is also a published author, motivational speaker, model and former radio host.

Completed various short courses in entrepreneurship through institutions such as the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and First National Bank (FNB)

• Won the Innovative Entrepreneur Award, with the company named Best Brand of the Year
• Grew from a solo operation to employing seven people, supporting families and contributing to local economic development
• Authored and launched two books: The Journey of Becoming and Beyond Boundaries
• Recognised by MTN as one of the top 10 innovative entrepreneurs nationally, which led to the acquisition of essential printing equipment
• Annually hosts the Charged Up Entrepreneurship Africa Network, in partnership with various stakeholders 
• Received a prestigious award from the Hollywood Foundation, ranking among the top two innovative entrepreneurs following a 90-second pitch
• Partnered with a local university to provide practical training and skills development to students, using in-house equipment and facilities
  

I look up to Theo Baloyi, founder of Bathu, and Shaldon, founder of Legend Barber, because of their journeys. They always remind me of where I come from — humble beginnings — and, looking at where they are now, they inspire me to believe that I will get to where I want to be. My mentor is Dr Pitse, founder of the EBL Institute. I met him when I won the MTN Award in 2024, when he was appointed by MTN to assess and advise on how we spent the funds. From seeing my passion and dedication to my work, he continued to be my mentor, as he always says my dedication inspires him and he wants to help and advise me, using his experience, to achieve what I am working towards. I am blessed to have him and appreciate him greatly. My mother influenced my journey because she sacrificed everything for me to become who I am. She would pray for me or even borrow money from people so that I could submit documents for funding or attend events. It is heartbreaking that she passed away last year, just before I could launch my second book and open my offices, but I believe she is proud where she is.