Stand Up! Business

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113

Latest episode

May 2025

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About the show

Investment banker Mark Barnes and Business Maverick editor Tim Cohen unwrap the news. A new edition of StandUp!Business midweek, every week.

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60 recent

May 27, 202520 min

Donald Trump and the problem of having a BEE in your bonnet

The world and its distant relatives have had their say about the theatrical meeting between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump. Is there anything more to say? The answer is, well, yes. Particularly, it turns out about golf, and the process of telling fibs not only about contentious local and international events, but more importantly, about your handicap. Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor at Large Tim Cohen discuss these and other important matters, including the utility and problems of “equity equivalents” when it comes to Black Economic Empowerment. Take a listen. Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro.Music & Design by Bernard Kotze.Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

May 19, 202519 min

The inconvenience of knowing the whole truth

For philosophers, the truth is indivisible. But sometimes, there are those among us who think that the truth should not be divided, as such, but … why use it all? Particularly when it's really only necessary to use part of it - for reasons of convenience and utility, you understand. You just use the part that makes them look good. In this podcast, Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor-at-Large Tim Cohen discuss politicians and businesses using the convenient segmental approach to the truth over the past week. And speaking of US President Donald Trump, what is going to happen when he meets President Cyril Ramaphosa later this week? The best guess is that the partial truth will be plain to see.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

May 12, 202519 min

SA winning international team events, losing local common purpose.

What a day. The first Afrikaner “refugees” leave for the USA. On the same day, SA topped the tables in the World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, winning two and coming third in another, breaking a national record. The 4x100 victory came against the mighty US team, which has won 15 Olympic gold medals in the event over the years, and the Canadian team, which won the most recent Olympic medal. As this was all going down, 50-odd Afrikaners arrived in Washington on route to Texas, where they will take up their refugee status. What is the difference between these two events? Why is SA so successful in sporting integration and so bad at political integration? Listen in.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

May 7, 202521 min

Feasting at the Buffett

When hunger strikes, the fiscally responsible glutton knows what to do: scout around until you find a hotel with a buffet and pile your plate like it’s a game of edible Jenga. Essentially, that is what investors have achieved over the years by backing Warren Buffett, who retired at 94 over the weekend; investment Jenga. The Economist calculates that from 1965, when Buffett made his first investment, to the end of last year, Berkshire’s value rose by more than 5.5 million percent, on average 20% annually. The S&P 500 gained 39,000% over that time. Buffett is now worth $162 billion, and he is now going to devote himself to giving most of it away. Entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor at Large Tim Cohen unnecessarily add to the superlatives, and conclude that SA could do with some of that investment nous. Enjoy.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

April 29, 202520 min

Is freedom just another word for nothing left to lose?

Most arguments in favour of freedom are positive: the correlation between freedom and human development goals is, generally speaking, pretty strong. But actually, the most powerful arguments in favour of freedom are negative: if you live in a place where freedom is limited and autocrats, your chances of ending up dead are pretty high. South Africa celebrated Freedom Day this week, and in this podcast, entrepreneur Mark Barnes and journalist Tim Cohen discuss the famous - and famously cryptic - line in Kris Kristofferson’s song Me and Bobby McGee, “freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose”. And we conclude, actually, it isn’t.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

April 22, 202519 min

The popes legacy and the future of the budget

Pope Francis, not for nothing the namesake of St Francis of Assisi, died on Easter weekend, a wonderful coda to a remarkable career. Francis was a compassionate reformer who tried to modernise the church, and it was a mark of his humility that he appeared in public to deliver Easter blessings less than 24 hours before his death. In this podcast, entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor-at-Large Tim Cohen discuss his legacy, lessons for those outside the church, and, would you believe, the significance of his passing at the age of 88. Barnes also has an idea that could obviate the VAT increase: a new office in government - the office of fair market value. Enjoy! Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

April 15, 202519 min

Tariffs have two "f"s

The stock markets around the world are in a funk following the decision by US President Donald Trump to impose "reciprocal tariffs" on more or less all the US's trading partners - except they weren't reciprocal, they were punitive. Then, there was a rumour that the tariffs would be put on pause. The markets went up. But that was denied. The markets went down. Then, they were put on pause. The markets went up. This is why, according to entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick Editor at Large Tim Cohen, the word "tariffs" ends in the letters FFS.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

April 7, 202520 min

My f** Marelize!

A while ago now, a Twitter post called “My f** Marelize!” went viral. The pathos, the humor, and the undercurrent of frustration were all captured in an 18-second video of a mother trying to teach her hapless daughter (we assume) how to ride a bicycle and avoid the only obstacle in miles: the goal posts. That short video is oddly a great representation of our current moment as a country, faced as we are with both internal and external calamities. In this podcast, entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Business Maverick editor at large Tim Cohen discuss the Trump Tariff Tantrum and the possible end of the Government of National Unity. The conclusion? We need to learn how to ride the bike, but properly this time.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

April 1, 202520 min

The nappy law of politicians and the futility of tariff wars

Government is always looking for money to take rather than money to make, says entrepreneur Mark Barnes in this discussion over the news of the week with Daily Maverick editor at large Tim Cohen. Which leads us to the delicate issue of the Nappy Law of Politics - and business, as it happens. With the GNU on the brink (again!) over the budget, we discuss its successes and failures, and the futility of tariffs. But why, then, are they so popular? See nappies above.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.

March 24, 202520 min

What is the (diplomatic) state of brand SA?

In this episode entrepreneur Mark Barnes and Daily Maverick editor at large Tim Cohen discuss branding - and that's not the kind you do to the cow. How important are brands (very), how do you work out what a brand is worth (complicated), and most importantly, how is Brand South Africa doing? (Even more complicated). Conclusion: SA’s brand has taken a knock, but it's holding up, and potentially could be a lot better. How? Listen up.Production and Editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro. Music & Design by Bernard Kotze. Created by Mark Barnes, Tim Cohen, Bernard Kotze & Branko Brkic.