Stafford Masie's journey into global success as MD of WeWork South Africa

Cape Town - Stafford Masie, a South African self-made millionaire, is from Eldorado Park in Johannesburg. Growing up in a neighbourhood filled with gangsterism and violence, and then journeying across the globe and working at Google Inc, Masie was catapulted to global success through his unwavering ambition. 

Masie’s upbringing did not deter him from becoming the Managing Director of WeWork South Africa, one of the leading global corporate companies for entrepreneurs. WeWork hires out office spaces to young or established entrepreneurs, small companies and major corporates around the world. 

Masie, who frequently travels the globe expanding the WeWork empire, stated, "I joined WeWork because I believe in the product. We are reinventing the way people work through technology, community, flexibility and design, helping members to grow and thrive. When I joined, my first priority was to understand the business model and how we can adapt our offering to South Africa.” 

Having started at the bottom and having earnestly worked his way to the top, Masie believes deeply in the ethos and value of entrepreneurship. “We recognised the demand from local innovators and entrepreneurs who sought the opportunity to scale their business both on a local and global level. Providing these businesses with the platform and necessary tools and services has allowed them to grow and thrive within our spaces, and tap into a global network of over 662,000 memberships around the world,” he said.

African development and empowerment remain a priority for Masie, who has not abandoned his South African roots but rather has held steadfast onto the African spirit of Ubuntu. “In a world where loneliness is rife, people are seeking an environment where they can connect to others. WeWork is present in 140 cities in 37 countries around the world and expanding to Africa was a big milestone for the company,” he said. 

WeWork is located at 80 Strand Street in Cape Town.

WeWork, which has recently established itself in South Africa, has quickly become the go-to place for young entrepreneurs to set up office space and make their mark on the world. Masie stated, “We’ve had a successful few months launching in South Africa and I’m excited to have marked the opening of our first building in Cape Town, located at 80 Strand Street. Our first location in South Africa – The Link in Johannesburg – is 99 percent occupied, and we’re seeing increasing demand across our other locations from businesses of all sizes.”

"I’m certain these benefits and new ways of working would have been highly beneficial for me when I was building my own companies, and with over 2,000 members across our locations in South Africa, it’s evident there’s still a demand for this collaborative work environment,” he said.

Members of the growing and vibrant community at WeWork office spaces enjoy the benefits of front-desk concierge, an office phone number, complimentary coffee and drinks, as well as the support of team leaders who assist with varying needs. WeWork, also boasts a yoga/meditation room, conference rooms, single-person privacy pods for phone calls and soundproofing throughout the office, bringing ease of mind for high-level meetings or breakthrough ideas under embargo. 

The membership varies, from basic membership to full-access, and all members are able to enjoy international access to any of the WeWork offices across the globe. Perfect for entrepreneurs always on the go.