Techmark Pod

Alvin Matewa
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Techmark Pod, hosted by Alvin Matewa, is an unscripted weekly podcast exploring the dynamic intersection of technology and marketing in Africa. Each episode delivers raw, insightful discussions on the latest digital trends, innovative strategies, and industry insights designed to inspire and inform African businesses aiming to drive growth and innovation. Join us to discover how technology and marketing combine to shape Africa’s evolving business landscape.

  1. 9 hr ago ·  Bonus

    How Dentsu Africa Is Building for the Next Market Shift - Dawn Rowlands_IMC Conference

    At the IMC Conference event, Alvin Matewa sat down with Dawn Rowlands, CEO of Dentsu Africa, for a conversation about why AI is not the real disruption. The real threat is moving too slowly while the market rewires itself around you. Dawn explains why the next era of marketing, creativity, and growth belongs to businesses that think like challengers, build like product companies, and hire for curiosity rather than industry familiarity. If you lead a marketing team, work in tech, or are trying to stay relevant in a volatile market, this conversation is for you. She shares how Dentsu Africa operates across 14 co-founded countries and affiliate partners in 30 more, and how its roots, born in Japan and raised in Africa, shape its distinctive approach to creativity and impact. She explores why the current shift is bigger than the digital revolution, why “the tide rising” will not look the same this time, and why companies that wait for certainty risk being left behind. The conversation explores how entrepreneurial ownership can create agility in uncertain times, how democratised creativity and technology are reshaping competition, and why Dentsu is building SaaS products rather than focusing only on services. Dawn also discusses the challenge of earning trust before scaling innovation, and how thoughtful hiring and mentorship can help businesses avoid simply building “more of the same.” Dawn makes a powerful case for starting with people, not products: understand real problems first, then use technology to address them. Drawing on Dentsu’s launch in Nigeria, she explains how hiring graduate trainees, investing in mentorship, and asking candidates what they are curious about can help identify people who will shape the future of a business. This episode is a wake-up call for anyone building in marketing, media, or tech. The companies that win will not just adapt to change; they will be built for it. Essential listening for anyone interested in what leadership, creativity, and competitive advantage look like in the age of AI

  2. 12 Oct

    S3E20: How global brands stay relevant across cultures - Suhayl Limbada_IMC Conference

    At the IMC Conference event, Alvin sat with Suhayl, CMO at KFC India, to discuss how local culture shapes global brands. From adapting to consumer tastes across South Africa, Thailand, and India to leading with curiosity in unfamiliar markets, the conversation explores the importance of understanding people, technology’s role in the restaurant experience, and why the future of marketing remains deeply human.

  3. 6 Oct

    S3E19 : Resilience through change - Conn Bertish_IMC Conference

    The world is in "shift happens" mode, and if you're leading a team, building a brand, or trying to stay human in the age of AI, this conversation gives you a sharper way through it. Con argues that resilience is not just surviving pressure it's using pressure to create something better. He breaks down why fear, anxiety, and uncertainty are draining companies, why culture can quietly kill a business, and why you can't just tell people to be resilient without giving them a system. Instead, he makes the case for resiliency as a mix of agency, curiosity, experimentation, and purpose - a mindset that helps people and organizations move forward when everything feels unstable. You'll hear why Gen Z is forcing change faster than older generations want to admit, how playful thinking can break the grip of panic, and why fear "hates fun." Con also shares how South Africans - and Africans more broadly are wired for resourcefulness, problem-solving, and adapting under pressure, which may be the exact skill set the world needs next. We break down the difference between resilience and resiliency, how the amygdala hijacks decision-making in moments of stress, and why the best leaders don't freeze when a problem appears - they start building with whatever they have. The conversation also touches on why that uniquely African mindset is underappreciated, even though it's already shaping work and leadership around the world. If you're navigating change, managing people, or trying to build a culture that can survive disruption, this episode is a wake-up call. Essential listening for founders, marketers, leaders, and anyone who suspects the future will belong to the people who can adapt, create, and keep moving.

  4. 28 Sept

    S3E18: From Self-Taught Developer to Ruka Founder: Dean Kabasa's Journey Building Ruka

    WhatsApp is becoming a storefront, sales desk, and support channel for businesses. In this episode, Dean shares how Ruka is using AI to help businesses manage those conversations and turn them into practical actions. Dean traces his path from experimenting with software on a second-hand computer to building products for businesses across different industries. He reflects on what he learned from developing tools for video clubs, payroll systems, telecoms, and other real-world needs, and how those experiences shaped his approach to entrepreneurship. He also explains how Ruka grew from a custom solution into a platform that helps businesses use AI for sales, customer support, bookings, and operations through WhatsApp. The conversation explores the company’s shift toward affordable, self-serve tools for small and medium businesses, as well as how partnerships, product positioning, and distribution have supported its growth. Dean shares his perspective on AI as a way to make starting and running a business more accessible. Rather than focusing only on automation, he considers how AI can free up time, help small teams do more, and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs. This episode is for founders, business owners, and anyone curious about how AI can solve everyday business challenges, especially when it meets customers on platforms they already use.

  5. 21 Sept

    S3E17: Why Most Campaign Briefs Fail Before Work Even Starts - Matt Sexwale

    Marketing is broken when briefs are messy, slow, and full of gaps. Matt Mathabatha, Product Marketing Director at Brave Group, shows how Forge is using AI to turn chaotic campaign requests into execution-ready briefs in minutes and why that could cut timelines from months to days. Alvin Matewa sits down with Matt for a conversation that goes far beyond a product demo. They unpack the real job of a product marketing director, why marketing is missing from so many startup conversations, and how Forge was built from Brave Group’s own frustration with incomplete briefs, endless clarification meetings, and wasted creative time. You'll discover: How Forge standardizes the brief stage across a six-step campaign workflowWhy a quality score helps teams know when a brief is ready to sendHow AI fills in missing context without forcing you to start from scratchWhy the product is built for SMEs, marketing managers, and agency teams handling briefs every dayHow Matt’s career moved from SEO and forum link building to corporate email marketing, growth experiments, and product marketingMatt also shares the origin story behind his marketing career, from watching Generations and dreaming about advertising to learning growth in startup environments and eventually finding his place at Brave Group. He explains why the best systems should create more time for creativity and less time for admin, back-and-forth, and unnecessary meetings. If you work in marketing, agency operations, brand management, or any team where a brief can make or break a campaign, this episode offers a practical look at how AI can remove friction and make execution faster, cleaner, and smarter. Matt also introduces Forge’s free AI playbook, designed to help marketers use these tools with more confidence. Perfect for anyone trying to move from idea to live campaign without getting stuck in the usual workflow chaos.

  6. 7 Sept

    S3E16 : What It Really Takes to Build a Successful Startup - Sihlesenkosi Majola

    What does it really take to go from dropping out of law to building, selling, and rebuilding startups that actually get acquired? Alvin Matewa sits down with Sihle Majola, co-founder and COO of Beqy.ai, for a brutally honest conversation about the founder journey most people never see. From an on-demand hairdresser marketplace to an art platform, Sihle breaks down the real work behind startup survival: finding product-market fit, building distribution, selling into industries you are not naturally part of, and learning when to pivot, persist, or prepare for acquisition. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why understanding the problem matters more than simply having a startup ideaHow customer relationships and distribution can determine whether a startup growsThe systems every founder needs, from sales templates to financial visibilityHow to make a startup attractive to potential buyersWhy luck often looks like opportunity meeting preparationThe importance of building the right team and finding persistent peopleHow founders can manage funding, financial records, and business growthHow AI can help small businesses manage transactions, budgeting, forecasting, and reportingWhy startups need to control AI costs with the right systems and safeguardsThe conversation also explores the shift from traditional startup building to using AI to solve real financial challenges faced by entrepreneurs. Sihle explains how AI can help businesses organize financial data, categorize transactions, generate reports, create forecasts, and interact with their business finances. If you are a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or builder trying to turn an idea into a scalable business, this episode is packed with hard-earned lessons on customer discovery, persistence, systems, funding, acquisition, and practical AI adoption. Perfect for entrepreneurs, startup operators, and anyone wondering what it really takes to build something that lasts.

  7. 31 Aug

    S3E15: From Hustle to Award-Winning Agency - Darren Morris

    The old agency playbook is dead - and Darren Morris built Lucky Hustle by betting on speed, culture, and AI before the rest of the market caught up. If you care about marketing, agency growth, or how to win when budgets are tight, this conversation is packed with the kind of ideas that actually move business. Alvin Matewa sits down with Darren Morris, CEO and founder of Lucky Hustle, to unpack how a five-year-old agency grew into a 35-person team, won Small Agency of the Year at the New Gen Awards, and kept winning by doing the opposite of “traditional.” Darren shares how a rebellious brand philosophy turned into a real business advantage - from tattooing his hands and neck as a commitment to going all in, to building an office culture designed around fun, trust, and hiring good humans over polished résumés. You’ll discover: Why Lucky Hustle was built to move at the speed of culture, not bureaucracyHow Darren turned a Gen Z campaign for Xiaomi into an award-winning stunt on the summit of a mountainWhy the team told a client not to do a launch event - and how that decision helped the campaign outperform bigger competitorsHow AI is changing agency work, not replacing the need for experienced judgmentWhy honesty, speed, and knowing what not to do are becoming the real competitive edgeDarren also breaks down the thinking behind Lucky Hustle’s approach to performance marketing, how the agency uses technology to save clients time and money, and why smaller teams can often outmaneuver much larger ones when they stay sharp, flexible, and brutally honest. This episode is especially valuable if you’re a marketer, founder, creative, or agency leader trying to stay relevant in a market that changes by the day. Darren’s take on AI is refreshing and practical: don’t fear it, learn it, or risk getting left behind. And if you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit the corporate mold, this one hits even harder. Darren and Alvin also get real about being “mavericks” - people who build careers on their own terms, without waiting for permission. Perfect for anyone who wants an inside look at how modern marketing really wins: not by doing more of the same, but by thinking faster, creating smarter, and backing bold ideas with data.

  8. 24 Aug

    S3E14 : Mobility, marketplaces, funding, AI, and building in Africa - Tinashe Ruzane

    Ride-hailing is just the tip of the iceberg. Tinashe Ruzane reveals why the real opportunity in mobility is not the app, but the infrastructure underneath it - and why startups that ignore that mistake usually fail.From Uber’s hyper-growth engine to building Mobilis as the plumbing for prepaid, pay-as-you-go vehicle access, this conversation breaks down how mobility is becoming a utility, how marketplaces really work, and why the future belongs to businesses that can make access to cars feel as simple as topping up airtime.Tinashe Ruzane is the founder behind Mobilis and Flex Club, and a former Uber leader who helped structure vehicle access across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. He brings hard-won lessons from one of the most complex mobility businesses in the world, plus a founder’s perspective on what it takes to build in South Africa, Mexico, and emerging African markets.You’ll discover:Why Uber’s real advantage was never just the front-end appHow vehicle access works through banks, leasing companies, rental fleets, and informal marketsWhy Flex Club moved from individual car owners to large fleet partners like Avis and Blue Car RentalHow Mobilis powers white-labeled mobility products for brands that want to sell cars as a subscriptionWhat makes B2B implementation so hard inside legacy systems, and how change management can make or break a dealWe also get into the founder questions most people avoid: bootstrap or raise venture capital, how to market an invisible B2B product, and where AI is already changing engineering, customer support, and operations in real businesses today. Tinashe also shares sharp perspective on Zimbabwe’s growth, why overlooked markets can still be investable, and what companies like inDrive get right when others hesitate.This episode is essential listening if you’re building in mobility, marketplaces, SaaS, fintech, or any business that has to sell into large organizations with old systems and long sales cycles. If you want to understand where the next wave of African tech opportunity is hiding, start here.

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About

Techmark Pod, hosted by Alvin Matewa, is an unscripted weekly podcast exploring the dynamic intersection of technology and marketing in Africa. Each episode delivers raw, insightful discussions on the latest digital trends, innovative strategies, and industry insights designed to inspire and inform African businesses aiming to drive growth and innovation. Join us to discover how technology and marketing combine to shape Africa’s evolving business landscape.

Information

  • Creator
    Alvin Matewa
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    52
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Alvin Matewa
  • Show Website
    Techmark Pod