Startup Grind

Join us for a Fireside chat with Marnus Broodryk, who is arguably one of the most well-known entrepreneurs in South Africa and has become a thought leader and advocate for small business owners.

Marnus has built one of the most valued and successful accounting firms in South Africa, was the youngest investor ever to be on the international television show Shark Tank and in Marnus’ own words, “This is actually just the beginning of my career.”Today, this 32 year old entrepreneur is the founder and CEO of The Beancounter. The Beancounter is an accounting firm that is not just about accounting: SMEs often do not have the capacity or knowledge to perform their own financial functions, an essential aspect of business, so the team at The Beancounter provides the necessary skills and assistance at an affordable cost. They use the best cloud technology to enable owners to better understand their businesses and, by giving contextual value to their numbers, The Beancounter helps them to make smarter, more sustainable decisions.

In 8 years, The Beancounter became one of the most sought after accounting firms in the country and a majority share was acquired by the JSE-listed company, Transaction Capital.Marnus’ new mission is to combine the skills and technology of both companies to create platforms and technology to fund small businesses around the world.With his granular understanding of the success factors for small business, Marnus is also an investor. He has launched and sold 3 tech companies, a glass company, a construction company, and even a vegan restaurant.He was also involved in helping other entrepreneurs reach their dreams (many of whom went on to create multi-million Rand businesses) by providing seed capital and mentoring. One such example is Karabelo Civil Services, which started with a R20,000 loan and now employs 200 people and has the biggest road maintenance contract on the N3.

Marnus is arguably one of the most well-known entrepreneurs in South Africa and has become a thought leader and advocate for small business owners. Through his own platforms he regularly shares information and hosts various events to connect established entrepreneurs. The culmination of his experience resulted in a book, 90 Rules for Entrepreneurs: The Codex of Hustle, which Marnus hopes will help others “replicate his success by avoiding his mistakes.” He also speaks frequently at both entrepreneurial and C-Suite events, helping audiences understand the intricacies of success.

Marnus Broodryk has come a long way from the lawn-mowing, car-washing teenager to the confident and extremely successful man that he is today. At 32, still, somewhat, a tender age, the road ahead looks immensely promising