Endeavor Founder Stories | Episode 6: Katlego Maphai, CEO and Co-Founder of Yoco

The Origin: A Global Childhood and the Gift of Observation

Katlego Maphai’s childhood was an eclectic mix, moving between South Africa, Cambridge, Princeton, and Palo Alto. This constant exposure to different systems—from progressive US university towns to a conservative South African high school—developed his most valuable entrepreneurial skill: the ability to observe, adapt, and read culture quickly.

He credits his love for History with providing a grounding philosophy. He recognized that patterns constantly repeat themselves, which offers a “grounded, rational manner” of seeing current events and providing comfort during uncertainty.

The Core: Authenticity and Challenging Institutionalization

Maphai initially felt pressure to pursue accounting but quickly pivoted to Information Systems at UCT, finding a better fit with technology centered around business. His early exposure to consulting at PwC gave him an “amazing advantage” in navigating the corporate world.

The foundation of Yoco is sincerity and authenticity. Maphai views that traditional institutionalization forces people to “act right,” leading to diversity without real perspective. Yoco was built to ensure people could bring their “whole selves” to work, which fosters genuine diversity and allows magic to happen.

The Test: The Jumbo Jet Analogy

Yoco’s journey was not without existential lows, including running out of money, difficult regulatory hurdles, and the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down their core customer base.

During one tough moment, his father shared the “jumbo jet” analogy for entrepreneurship: the jet moves slowly at the gate, accelerates on the runway, and hits turbulence in the air. The most critical lesson throughout all phases:

“The most important thing is through each one of those phases, you stay the exact same person. Don’t get caught up in the highs, because when you drop, it’s a longer drop.”

This advice became the anchor that allowed him to lead with conviction and clarity. He emphasizes that Yoco is not just about card machines; it is a vehicle to serve a much bigger purpose—the golden thread of mission that the company has never lost.

Leadership: Trust, Empathy, and Leveling the Field

Maphai’s leadership is defined by a commitment to the person, not just the title:

• Trust at Face Value: He believes in taking people seriously and trusting them to live up to their potential from day one.

• Empathy from Experience: His deep sense of empathy was shaped by growing up with a disabled sister, which became a key “vector” in building a company focused on underserved markets.

• Leveling the Field: Driven by his relative privilege, Maphai believes Yoco’s ultimate purpose is to level the playing field for small businesses—not by giving handouts, but by providing the platforms and tools to help them trade and build wealth.