Angie Lekalakala’s vision for a more connected business community.
As an entrepreneur myself, it is always a pleasure to meet and engage with people who share the same drive. What interests me most is that entrepreneurs can have a lot on their plates, yet still make time for conversations where they can learn, exchange ideas and share their journeys. I met up with Angie Lekalakala in Rosebank, Johannesburg, to chat about her journey, life as an entrepreneur and her vision for building a business awards platform that gives emerging entrepreneurs the recognition and connections they need to grow.
At 28, Angie is building her name across marketing, media, events and lifestyle through Inabold Enterprises, the business group she founded after venturing into entrepreneurship in 2023 at the age of 25. Born in Gauteng and raised in Mankgaile, Limpopo, her journey reflects an ambition to turn ideas into practical ventures while creating opportunities for others along the way.
“I am an entrepreneur, a marketer, a creative and a woman who is passionate about building businesses and turning ideas into reality,” she says.
Her portfolio includes Next Generation Business Connect (NGBC), Aurora Collective and Prime Matrix South Africa. She is also involved in the operations of The Yard Lifestyle Hub, which brings together services such as a car wash, chesanyama and barber services. Alongside her entrepreneurial interests, she serves as Head of Marketing at Dubai-based recruitment and executive search company The BlackBox Talent.
The diversity of these ventures has given Angie a view of business that extends beyond branding and strategy. She understands that behind every business idea are operational demands, customer expectations, financial decisions and the discipline required to keep things moving.
“My journey has taught me that passion alone is not enough. You need to understand the business you are building, manage resources carefully, develop the right systems and be willing to adapt when something is not working,” she explains.
Angie Lekalakala’s vision for a more connected business community.
It is a lesson that sits at the centre of her work with NGBC, which launched in 2025 with a focus on recognising, educating and connecting emerging entrepreneurs.
The idea was born from a gap Angie believes deserves greater attention. Across South Africa, entrepreneurs are building businesses with limited resources, small networks and little access to platforms that can amplify their work. Many contribute meaningfully to their communities and industries without the marketing budgets or established profiles that attract wider attention.
“I wanted to create a platform that recognises emerging business talent, particularly among young people and women, while creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect and learn from one another,” she says.
For Angie, recognition should mean more than a trophy or a photograph shared on social media. It should acknowledge the work behind the business, the resilience required to keep going and the value entrepreneurs bring to their industries and communities.
“I do not want business awards to become a competition based purely on popularity. Social media visibility can be useful, but it does not tell the entire story of an entrepreneur’s work, resilience, contribution or impact.”
That thinking is particularly relevant to corporate organisations looking to engage with emerging businesses. A well-positioned awards platform can create opportunities to identify new talent, establish relationships with entrepreneurs and better understand the businesses shaping local economies. For NGBC, the challenge is to translate that potential into meaningful participation, partnerships and sustained value.
Angie is candid about the work still required to achieve this. The journey into the 2026 edition has brought lessons about building awareness, strengthening relationships and converting interest into an engaged community. The inaugural event did not proceed as originally planned, presenting challenges that required reflection and renewed planning.
Rather than overlooking that experience, she sees it as part of the process of building a sustainable platform.
“Having a vision and putting it into practice are two different things, particularly when you are building with limited resources,” she says.
The next chapter is taking shape through the NGBC Year End Event and Awards, scheduled for 19 November 2026 at LaSalud Kitchen & Lounge in Sandton. The event is intended to bring together entrepreneurs, nominees and business leaders for an evening of recognition and networking, with an emphasis on creating connections that can continue beyond the venue.
Another development is the planned unveiling of Aurora Collective, a digital publication that will provide an additional platform for storytelling and visibility. The initiative reflects Angie's interest in connecting media, recognition and networking, giving entrepreneurs opportunities to introduce their work to new audiences.
“An entrepreneur’s journey should not end when they receive an award or when an event concludes,” she says. “There should be opportunities to tell their story, introduce their work to new audiences and build relationships that can contribute to their next stage of growth.”
For corporate partners, this presents an opportunity to engage with an emerging entrepreneurial community through platforms that combine recognition, storytelling and professional connection. The long-term opportunity lies in developing partnerships that go beyond event-day visibility and contribute to practical business development.
Looking ahead, Angie wants NGBC to grow beyond an annual awards ceremony into a sustainable platform offering educational initiatives, media opportunities and stronger relationships between entrepreneurs and organisations that can support their growth. Her broader ambition is to build Inabold Enterprises into a group of sustainable businesses with distinct identities and purposes.
She is also clear about the responsibility that comes with entrepreneurship. Building a business requires continuous learning, financial awareness and the ability to recognise when a strategy needs to change.
For young people sitting with an idea but waiting for the right resources or opportunity, her advice is grounded in action.
“You do not have to start at the scale you imagine for yourself. You can begin by learning a skill, testing an idea, speaking to potential customers, building a network or finding one practical way to move forward.”
As our conversation comes to an end, what stands out is Angie's willingness to acknowledge that she is still building. There is no suggestion that the journey is complete or that every answer has been found. Instead, there is an understanding that creating something meaningful takes time, structure and a willingness to keep learning.
In a business environment where visibility can easily be mistaken for progress, her ambition for NGBC is to build a platform whose value is measured by the people it recognises, the relationships it creates and the opportunities it helps unlock.
For Angie Lekalakala, the awards are the starting point. The bigger vision is a connected entrepreneurial community where emerging business owners are not only celebrated for what they have achieved, but also given opportunities to build what comes next.
For more, visit: Next Generation Business Connect
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