The financial market remains one of the most lucrative industries globally. However, to stay ahead and to succeed in this industry, comes with plenty of demands! Not only must you have a thick skin, but you will also need to be a dynamic entrepreneur, one that can combine qualifications and practical experience with maverick business sense, and, you must have the ability to successfully deal with every challenge head-on. These attributes are just a portion of some of the factors that have helped CEO and Founder of Lehumo Investments, Maudi Letsoane to remain ahead of his competitors, sustain his business, remain relevant and climb up the ladder. Coupled with this, is a wealth of experience that can only be acquired through years of learning, experiencing failure, making mistakes and plenty of setbacks. Lentsoane can attest to this.
Like most success stories, his bares a lot of hard knocks, sleepless nights, and trying times that have helped shape him into becoming the man he is today. Growing up, Lentsoane's father worked as a gardener to provide for the family.
“ My story is pretty much that one of many black, man and women, who come from remote rural areas, who come to Johannesburg, because we were transitioning in that phase and opportunities were openining up," says Lentsoane.
Despite the challenges he experienced in his upbringing, he never allowed his circumstances to taint his dreams. After completing his matric; he enrolled for a Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Finances and Economics at Wits University, with financial assistance through TEFSA (Tertiary Education Fund for South Africa) and now NSFAS (National Student Financial Aid Scheme).
Years that followed, Lentsaone found employment working for some of South Africa’s leading financial institutions, including Stanlib. During this tenure, Lentsoane took advantage of his father employer who was a highly respected actuarial consultant with one of the biggest insurance companies, and his son in law who was a stockbroker, to learn the ropes of the industry.
He later moved from the banking environment after realising that he had the passion for stockbroking, markets and finance industry. A move that has rewarded him handsomely in years that followed.
Today the 37-year old entrepreneur from Limpopo in Ga - Marishane runs a thriving Santon based financial service provider company called Lehumo Investments, a diversified group of companies with investments and operations in a wide variety of financial products and services, including insurance, asset management, financial education, private equity and securities and investment products. The company was founded in 2011, its founding members collectively have over 100 years of investment experience in the financial sector .
“I’m probably one of those rare individuals who are unemployable” I was just never happy at my job. I don’t think the co-porate environment worked for me.
Vital Stats
Featured entrepreneurs - Maudi Lentsone
Age - 37
Company name - Lehumo Investments
Year founded - 2011
Turnover - R50 Million
Start-up funding - R100,000.00