1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
Khetho Healthcare bridges the resource gap in healthcare, with a strong focus on hearing care and dysphagia (swallowing disorders). We do this by:
- Training and upskilling healthcare professionals.
- Connecting healthcare providers with job opportunities through the Khetho Health Connect (KHC) app that allows them to take up job “calls” anywhere in the country.
- Training and setting up health entrepreneurs to run and manage hearing care clinics in marginalised communities.
2. When, how, and why did you start your business?
I initially worked as an independent clinician registered with the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF). However, in 2012, I registered Khetho Healthcare Pty Ltd with the vision of building something bigger than a clinic bearing just my name. By 2015, I began shaping a structured business with what many considered “impossible” ideas that have since evolved into impactful solutions in healthcare. My journey as an entrepreneur began with a series of personal and professional challenges that led me to establish Khetho Healthcare:
- As a mother, I needed a more flexible work environment to accommodate my children’s needs, especially since they didn’t take to bottle feeding. I have three and the age gap between them is 16 months.
- I was also deeply concerned about the difficulties my grandmother faced when travelling from Limpopo to Johannesburg for healthcare, compounded by escalating costs and the lack of local services. This inspired me to find solutions for underserved communities.
- After opening my first clinic, I realised I had to build my own patient base and be creative in my service offerings as many established companies already had “legacy contracts” that sidelined newcomers and others preferring “known” names in the industry.
- As my clinic’s patient load grew, thanks to the Paediatricians of Midrand and surrounds, I recognised the need for specialised training in dysphagia, which led me to pursue advanced skills in that area to meet increasing demand.
- As the workload increased, I trained and employed other healthcare professionals to expand the skills and resources I had, bridging the gap in the hospitals I was serving in Gauteng. When I started receiving calls and requests from outside the province, it became clear that the need was far greater. To address this, I developed the KHC app, which allowed me to amplify the limited resources available, ensuring broader access to care, optimising healthcare delivery, and providing healthcare professionals with the flexibility to work from anywhere.
3. What is your role in the business?
I play a strategic role in operations, overseeing the day-to-day management and long-term planning for the business.
4. Where did you study, and what did you study?
I studied at the Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA), which has since been renamed Sefako Makgatho University. Afterward, I pursued a Postgraduate Diploma and a Master’s in Dysphagia at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Additionally, I am taking ongoing courses on entrepreneurship to continue refining my business skills.
5. How did you finance your business?
I did not receive formal funding to start my business. My ex-husband played a crucial role in helping set me up by gifting me the tools I needed for my clinic birthday, and Valentine’s presents were often practical items for my business. Additionally, I received financial support from a few trusted friends and relatives in the form of business loans.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
My day begins with dropping my children off at school. I then have virtual meetings and daily check-ins with each clinic, followed by ward rounds and virtual consultations. I would attend meetings for new business opportunities and collaborations. The rest of my day involves report writing and administrative tasks.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
Achieving a perfect balance is never easy. As a single mom, I’m fortunate to have a “village” that helps me raise my children. I plan my workday around my children’s schedule, and when work prevents me from being present, there’s always a mom or neighbour willing to step in. The beauty of living in a small town is that kindness still holds value, and community support is ever-present.
8. What drives you and inspires you?
My children are my greatest inspiration. To them, nothing is impossible, and their boundless belief in the world encourages me to face challenges with the same optimism and drive.
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
The best ideas often come to me when faced with the greatest challenges. I get inspired by conversations with my children. They often come up with creative solutions in their childlike way, and I’m able to adapt those ideas into more mature, actionable solutions.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
We primarily rely on word-of-mouth and referrals within the industry. In addition, we engage in direct communication with potential new clients. We’ve also used social media as a marketing tool, but we have not yet cemented our dominance on those platforms.
11. What is next for your business?
We are focused on expanding beyond our current region and reaching more underserved areas by utilising scalable digital platforms and empowering local healthcare providers to deliver services in their communities. Additionally, we plan to pursue more collaborations with industry partners to enhance our offerings and expand our impact.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
Your fears and challenges are not weaknesses; they are your unique selling points. Once you overcome them, they become powerful assets for growth, innovation, and connection.
Biography
A healthcare innovator and 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award finalist, Botheo Lentsoane is transforming how hearing and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) are addressed across marginalised communities in Southern Africa. Her company, Khetho Healthcare, connects health professionals with work and training opportunities via its Health Connect App and partners with insurers, banks, and universities to create a more inclusive ecosystem.
Botheo’s vision is a continent-wide healthcare ecosystem focused on equity and innovation; she also helped establish Botswana’s first speech therapy curriculum and is pioneering newborn hearing screening initiatives. Her work is reshaping healthcare access for vulnerable groups, particularly in rural and under-resourced regions.
What does it mean to you to be a bold woman”?
“It means being fearless and unapologetic. It means embracing the power of femininity and leading with purpose”.
