Every Monday, my news feed is always trending with hashtags such as #WorkMode, #Baws, #WinnersLoveMondays, and my favorite one, #BossFace. This hashtag inspired me to take pictures of people who are young and successful, and I asked them to show me their “Boss Face” and share what makes them bosses.

Zakhele Mbhele (30) and Zayne Imam (26)

Founders of Five-Oh-Two

Five-Oh-Two is a pop-up restaurant founded by Zakhele Mbhele and Zayne Imam. Zakhele is a member of parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA) and he’s held a number of high-profile positions in the party over the last few years, including being Helen Zille’s spokesperson. Zayne Imam is a serial entrepreneur and education tech aficionado. He is the chief operations officer at Rethink Education, a Cape Town-based company which uses technology to enhance the teaching and learning experience for high school students.

What makes you a boss?

Zakhele: I’m driven by a compelling impulse to create value and  innovate.

Zayne: I’m a boss of my industry because I plan to disrupt it, and ensure it doesn’t look the same way again.

Zethu Jeremiah (22)

Founder of Food Chain

Food Chain is a catering company founded by Zethu Jeremiah after she spotted a gap in the market. The industrious 22-year-old kept seeing people leave events to go and buy food and come back so she decided to start a catering company. Since then she’s catered for events organised by iKapa Live, Head Honcho and Groove Afrika, just to name a few.

What makes you a boss?
Zethu: Being a boss is being a leader, communicating, and building relationships with the team.

Douglas Hoernle (24)

Founding director of Rethink Education

Rethink Education currently provides over 250 000 South African high school learners with mathematics and science content via their mobile phones. Founder Douglas Hoernle is also one the brains behind Bambisa, a communication app which links teachers, learners and parents. Named by Forbes Magazine as one of “Tomorrow’s Billionaires”, Doug has spoken at numerous education and technology conferences around South Africa. He has also lectured on education technology, marketing and entrepreneurship at top universities and colleges. He is currently setting up a craft gin distillery in Cape Town’s city centre.

What makes you a boss?
Doug: My passion for our work, and ability to get people excited about solving problems on a big scale.

Nhlanganiso Bulelani Nkunzi (29)

Founder of MOS Wear

MOS Wear is a street style fashion label that was established in 2012 by Nhlanganiso Bulelani Nkunzi and since then the brand has grown exponentially. MOS Wear gives their clients the option to stand out and be different by allowing them to personalise their clothes.  The brand has dressed the likes of Cash Time Fam, Dineo Ranaka, Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba and his wife, just to to name a few.

What  makes you a boss?
Nhlanganiso: I’m humble enough to know that we are not better than everyone else, but wise enough to know that we are different.

Nompumelelo Rakabe (27)

Founder and curator of Black Fossil Soul Creations

Nompumelelo Rakabe is the founder and curator of Black Fossil Soul Creations which has four art departments which focus on performance video installation, exhibition, visual art and landscape farming. When she was only 21, Nompumelelo, a multi-talented artist, taught painting, design and drawing at the University of Limpopo. She is currently busy with a huge project and she’s invested in 21 hectares of land to build an art residency academy.

What makes you a boss?
Nompumelelo: I collaborate, create and inspire my craft.

Ziphozakhe Hlobo (24)

Founder of Radikal Xpressions

Radikal Xpressions is an arts administration company founded by Ziphozakhe Hlobo. The 24-year-old worked as an editor in an England/South African cultural exchange production, Mamela, which won the Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in 2013, and she was also awarded an arts residency in the UK in 2014.  Her company, Radikal Xpressions, has hosted a number of events like My Life In Art.

What makes you a boss?

Ziphozakhe: I have managed to successfully run an arts movement at my own capacity, where I was told that being a creative is not enough.

Elisha Mpofu (29)

Founder and Creative Director of Boaston Society

Boaston Society is a trendy youth lifestyle boutique on Long Street in Cape Town. The company has interests in streetwear with its concept retail store and online store which stocks many up-and-coming local streetwear brands. Elisha has worked as a producer for Okuhle Media, Hectic Nine9 and Fuel Media, and as content researcher/scriptwriter for Cut 2 Black media and Rethink Media. This young mover and shaker has seven years experience in youth television – gaining knowledge in marketing, retail, urban culture, art, entertainment and design – and is set to make a dent in the industry. Read our Q&A with Elisha and watch our video coverage of Boaston Society.

What makes you a boss?
Elisha: The desire to learn and meet new people.

Lufefe Nomjana (27)

Founder and Chief innovations officer of Espinaca Innovations

At the age of 24, Lufefe Nomjana came up with a plan to add spinach to foods consumed daily like bread. He created his delicious spinach bread to provide a convenient and economic way for families to consume healthier food on a daily basis. The spinach bread is in the Top 10 of overall bread sales in Vangate Mall, and Top 5 in Khayelitsha SuperSpar, it’s also available at the Spar in the trendy Cape Quarter in Green Point. Lufefe has also started supplying the spinach bread to hotels like Table bay and Lord Charles. Peep our interview with Lufefe here.

What makes you a boss? 

Lufefe: From selling four loaves a day to 250, I understand what the market needs more than what it wants.

Bheki Kunene (27)

Founder and Managing Director of Mindtrix Media

Mind Trix Media is a creative design agency based in Gugulethu which specialises in brand and web development. Bheki Kunene started Mind Trix Media in his bedroom with only R600 in his pocket, one computer and one client. But since those humble beginnings, Bheki has made great strides. Mindtrix Media made it to the top 10 of the SAB Kickstart Business competition, and he also made it to the Forbes list of the “30 Under 30 Top Performing Entrepreneurs in Africa”. The magazine also named him as one of  “Tomorrow’s Billionaires”.

What makes you a boss?
Bheki: I learn fast, I fail fast, I adjust and try again.

Siphiwo Ndebele (29)

Founder of Brown Stone Creations

Durban University of Technology clothing management graduate Siphiwosethu Sinokuthaba Ndebele, created a brand known as Brown Stone Creations. She worked at Ackermans as a trainee buyer until in 2011 where she came back to building her dream. Her brand engages clients in coming up with ideas of what they want and mostly for the occasions they will be attending. Even though her brand is growing in Cape Town, her clientele is expanding in other provinces and in other countries as well.

What makes you a Boss?

Siphiwo: My clothes are custom made.

All images by Bulumko Gana