Trailblazer woman conquers the automotive industry

Susan Maduna, affectionately known as Lele, is redefining and shaking the traditionally male-dominated automotive sector and has infused it with a fresh feminine perspective.

The 35-year-old entrepreneur and co-owner of MTV Auto Group was born and bred in the Vaal and had an opportunity to witness her mother start and run her business in the township, which sort of planted a business seed in her.

The Roodepoort Northsider had a sit-down interview with Susan, and she mentioned in high school she chose mathematics, accounting, and science as her subjects, and after matric, she went straight to the corporate world where she worked mostly in roles that involved accounting.

“Coming from a disadvantaged background, I didn’t know there were funding options such as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme that I could utilise; hence, I didn’t go to college after matriculation. Throughout my corporate life, I studied through a company’s bursary, and I did my accounting studies through CEMA, but at the back of my mind, I still wanted to be a businesswoman,” Susan shared.

“I got married to my now husband, who was working for a big car company, and he always shared his work stories with me, and that’s when I had a sudden interest in the automotive industry.”

Susan shared that in 2017 she left her job and focused on her business fully, and she says it was the best decision she has ever made.

“I was operating in a backyard then, and I was only doing house calls. I would attend business conferences, and I would notice that I’m the only female, and that gave me strength and resilience to change the narrative and tell myself that I could do it.

“I would say that I’m successfully thriving in this business because I started in a backyard and now I have my own building. I have partnered with big brands and companies both locally and internationally,” she said.

Susan is also a motivational speaker, and she aims to reach out to young girls to encourage them to navigate any space without fear, favour or intimidation. Having faced rejection in her childhood,
Susan also shared her journey on how she survived her childhood traumas and how she built her corporate career and successful business.