4 minute read
10 minutes with local taste makers
The Spot
When Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University in 1995, they could not stand one another. Larry thought Sergey was too opinionated and Sergey loathed Larry for his obnoxious attitude. Three years later they both dropped out and founded the company that would become so successful that it is now a verb.
Hugo Wasserfall and John-Morgan Bezuidenhout’s story starts similarly to the now multi-millionaires – with a mutual dislike for each other in high school. Fast-forward to early 2022, when the two teamed up to produce a digitally based platform aptly titled The Spot. On Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube, Hugo and John-Morgan share insight into investment, technology and business-related topics. Most recently, they have trailblazedthe online conversation around Namibia’s green hydrogen and oil find, proving that The Spot could be our new go-to for relevant and relatable news. The kind that is as entertaining as it is informative.
An investment analyst by profession, John-Morgan has always believed that if your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough. He originally came up with a concept for The Spot and produced a few videos before this leftbrain found his right brain. John-Morgan is crazy about numbers, which makes him the investment expert in their content, passionately sharing his take on the financial side of things. Hoping to one day manage portfolios from a tropical beach, John-Morgan is currently scaling the investment ladder in Windhoek. He says that choosing Namibia as his career playground might have been the less glamorous decision compared to his peers in Johannesburg and Cape Town, but the sacrifice is already beginning to pay dividends. Because John-Morgan is a big fish in a small pond (and an investment wiz) he has already outranked many of his peers who have to kick-box to simply to get noticed.
Hugo is the creative one with a knack for business. Having grown up in the age of the internet, his passion for technology manifested early on and eventually led him to study business in Stellenbosch. With arguably one of the most universally useful degrees, Hugo proceeded to establish a fully fledged online store alongside a few of his equally aspirational friends. Yearning to learn more about the startup space, particularly in the Namibian market, Hugo joined the PayToday and IdentityToday team where he has gained incredible knowledge from inspirational founders. He brings his expertise in tech and business to The Spot episodes, clarifying the sometimes hard-to-grasp economic and industry terms with an incredibly engaging attitude. Hugo is a true son of Namibian soil, believing wholeheartedly that with determination and above-average ambition, we can collectively shape an incandescent future not only for ourselves, but the whole country.
While the two frequently quarrel about economics, investment and business-related content ideas, they say it is this nature of their relationship that has fostered mutual respect and understanding. They do not beat around the bush when an idea is subpar, pushing The Spot beyond their comfort zones and inevitably creating critically thought-out content. Another common ground for the two tech-heads is their shared love for combat sports. Hugo has long practiced boxing and John-Morgan is a mixed martial arts fanatic.
The Spot is still a small passion project for the guys who side-hustle to create content. They have recently ventured into public spaces, interviewing everyday Namibians about their take on topics pressing our population. Both say this has added a whole new dimension to their content – bringing raw responses from all walks of life and not just their own, nuanced opinions.
The goal is not to be the next Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Hugo and John-Morgan are forging their very own space in conversations about the opportunities and pitfalls of our nation, its investment scope, business prospects, technological advancements and its undeniably bright future.
Check out The Spot x FlyNamibia special episode by clicking this link. https://bit.ly/3FpJ2qj
Charene Labuschagne
