A happy customer is a loyal customer says The Lazy Makoti

By Lesley Mofokeng

Mogau Seshoene, better known as The Lazy Makoti, has cemented her name in the annals of South African gastronomy. Her culinary wonders contained in her cookbook Hosting with The Lazy Makoti have turned her into a bestselling author and earned her prestigious international awards for best hosting cookbook in the world. She is one of South Africa’s most decorated chefs. She tells Lesley Mofokeng that local food is the flavour of the moment.

How has your entrepreneurship journey been so far?

Incredible, I feel very blessed to have been supported the way that I have. The Lazy Makoti is a passion I founded in 2015 after leaving corporate. It started with a simple idea. After a friend asks that I teach her to cook so as to impress her in-laws as a new bride, and to not be branded a “lazy makoti”. And that’s also how the name came about. It was soon after that I discovered the UN’s list of intangible aspects of humanity in need of urgent safe guarding. On this list was music, literature, art, food etc that were considered important to the history of all humanity and that needed special effort from all of us to preserve and conserve for future generations. And to my dismay, at the time the only food on this list was French, Italian and Japanese and this made me wonder who was doing the work to preserve our food, as Africans. I then left corporate, registered TLM as a business and went to culinary school. From giving cooking classes, it evolved to publishing cookbooks, recipe development, campaigns for brand to manufacturing my own kitchen apron range and eventually launching a crockery line with Woolies. While the climb remains challenging even now, the view is worth it.

What has been the toughest business lesson you learnt?

No matter how talented and capable you are, you cannot do it all alone. A great team is a necessity if you would like to grow.

Mogau Seshoene, better known as The Lazy Makoti.

What business principles do you live by?

Customer First – Listen to your customer and prioritise customer satisfaction. A happy customer is a loyal customer. In the age of social media noise, listening to the customer can be challenging and it is easy to get defensive. But there are such valuable insights in consumer complaints. Learn how to sift through them and not take it personally and apply where relevant and win.
Consistency is Key – Whether it’s branding, service, or product quality, consistency builds trust and a reputation that will speak for you.
Adapt and innovate – Things are everchanging. Stay informed. This can be through reading or being present at industry events and networking with peers. Then be ready to adapt and keep evolving
Financial Discipline and knowing your numbers is important – Manage cash flow wisely. Profitability matters more than just revenue. Data-driven decisions prevent costly mistakes. Track performance regularly.
Build Strong Relationships – Whether with customers, suppliers, or employees, relationships drive business success.
Resilience and Patience – Success takes time. Stay persistent through ups and downs.

How has the business of food evolved since you started and how has that impacted what you do?

There has definitely been an evolution in the food business particularly in South Africa. I think South Africans are beginning to centre and celebrate South African food more than ever before. I recently saw that on the Marble menu, a high-end restaurant for fine dining, they have magwinya, something unheard of only a few years ago. I think as new chefs and people working in food enter the space, they seek to create more products and services that reflect the once neglected majority in the country. Now even high end retailers sell mogodu and dombolo. It’s exciting and validating.

What are the 3 things every entrepreneur needs to survive business?

-A great support system and community.

-A formal training or education in whatever field they choose to go into.

– A great deal of confidence and grit, the challenges are never-ending and you need to be prepared to withstand them.

How has your faith influenced your decision making?

I believe that entrepreneurship is based on both a science and belief. While numbers and data, calculated moves and relationships are essential, my personal faith has been instrumental in helping me make ethical calls and decisions in view of not compromising my faith, myself, my family and country. It has also many times been what kept me afloat in very challenging times and kept me from giving up.

What have been the challenges and opportunities of running The Lazy Makoti?

Challenges – building something new will always be challenging. It was difficult to get a publisher when I first wanted to do a cookbook. The assumption was that a book on African food in SA wouldn’t work, but thankfully that has been proven wrong by that book, becoming an immediate best seller and number 1 cookbook in the country.

Opportunities – to build something new. I have had incredible opportunities to meet amazing people and change my own life and provide others with opportunity.

What has been your lowest point in business and your highest?

Lowest – honestly haven’t had a lot. The most difficult was the beginning. The life change of leaving corporate to establish a business – financially and socially. Then the difficulty of proving oneself and making a name. Knocking on the doors of publishers etc and being met with many nos. Once you persist past these initial hurdles, the challenge is to solidify the foundation and build from it. Highest – every year I’m still able to do what I love and make a living and employ people. It all sounds terribly cliché, but if you consider the unemployment rate, the rate of business failure and the rate of general unhappiness with work that a lot of people experience, things fall into perspective

What’s the most precious accolade you have received and why?

Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. These are international awards akin to the Oscars of cookbooks. There is nothing quite like representing your country anywhere in the world and I won two of these awards, in 2019 in Macau, China and another in 2023 in Sweden. It remains my greatest honour to represent my country.