Madiba Studios: hair today, gone tomorrow

“I wanted to create a service that was professional, student-friendly, and flexible. Instead of customers always travelling to the barber, we bring the service closer to them.” 

This is one of the motivations behind why University of Cape Town (UCT) third-year student Motheo Mbulawa started his hair cutting business, Madiba Studios. The other motivation is of a personal nature: “Madiba Studios started to help my mother and sisters, as my mother is unable to work. I learnt to cut my own hair in high school, so I decided to harness that skill and profit from it. I identified a very practical problem among students and young professionals: convenience, accessibility, and affordability in grooming services. Many students have busy schedules, transportation challenges, or long waiting times at traditional barber shops,” he explained. 

Mbulawa’s business finished second at last year’s The Pitch UCT. “Coming from a background where financial stability was not always guaranteed taught me resilience and pushed me to think creatively about building solutions for myself and others. Today, I balance academics, entrepreneurship, leadership opportunities, and networking while continuing to grow Madiba Studios into something bigger than just a student business,” he said. 

“UCT has created meaningful spaces for student entrepreneurs to grow.” 

Over time, the business evolved from simply offering haircuts into creating an experience centred around professionalism, customer care, and innovation. Madiba Studios also offers basic hair and scalp treatments. In future, Mbulawa sees Madiba Studios offering advanced scalp and skin treatments, hair restoration, beauty therapy and more. “So far with Madiba Studios, what inspired me is the human connection involved in the grooming industry. Haircuts are not just about appearance – they build confidence, conversations, relationships, and community.” 

The journey has been both exciting and challenging, he added. In the beginning, it was simply an idea driven by passion and survival. “Since then, we have grown significantly. We recently launched our website, expanded the team by bringing in two employees and trainees, improved our professionalism, and started thinking more strategically about customer experience, scaling, and long-term sustainability. The journey also taught me a lot about leadership, consistency, time management, and adaptability. Entrepreneurship is unpredictable, but every challenge has helped us improve and evolve.” 

Exposure 

Mbulawa’s experience with The Pitch UCT exposed him to mentorship, workshops, pitching opportunities, strategic thinking, and networking with like-minded students and professionals. “UCT has created meaningful spaces for student entrepreneurs to grow. One thing I appreciate most is exposure. There is always room for growth in any ecosystem, but overall, I believe UCT genuinely encourages innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship among students.”  

He added: “Some of my biggest achievements include building a growing business, while balancing university studies, becoming a finalist in The Pitch UCT, expanding our team through student hiring, launching our website and being an executive partner in a UCT society, Unified Campus Team. 

“One of our biggest challenges [at Madiba Studios] has been transportation and mobility logistics, especially operating a mobile service business efficiently and professionally. Another challenge is UCT enforcing a rule in UCT residences to prohibit the operation of student businesses within residences, which has resulted in a decline of sales for our team. I believe there can be other options to maintain safe and efficient student businesses within residences, rather than ultimately abolishing them. We have had to constantly innovate and find ways to improve convenience, while managing costs. Balancing academics and entrepreneurship has also been challenging at times because both require significant commitment and discipline. 

“Like many startups, access to funding, resources, and infrastructure remains an ongoing challenge, but those obstacles have also forced us to become more creative and resourceful.” 

Entrepreneurial future 

One of the most common comments they receive, Mbulawa noted, is about their affordable prices, convenience, and professionalism. “We charge R40–R70 for a haircut, including disinfecting, treating, and styling/enhancements, among other benefits, compared to the many surrounding barbers charging R100 and above for less quality of service, inconsistency, and poor final product delivery,” said Mbulawa. 

“Customers appreciate that we save them time and make the process comfortable and accessible. 

We also receive positive feedback about customer service, reliability, attention to detail, and creating a welcoming environment. Many clients mention that the experience feels personal rather than transactional, which is something we value deeply as a business.  

“I would love to make a concrete foundation in UCT by having a physical store on campus grounds and later forming a sort of partnership like Food & Connect has done. The goal is to have a store in all the major tertiary institutions in South Africa.” 

Looking towards the second half of 2026, Mbulawa reflected: “We aim to expand our customer base, improve operational efficiency, and continue building our brand professionally. This is my future and 2026 will pave the way for a prosperous entrepreneurial future that will guarantee financial literacy and financial freedom.”