Care Without Boundaries: Dr. Chanell Marthinussen on Motherhood, Entrepreneurship, and Building Kingdom Business
- elizefisher015
- Oct 31, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Cover Story (Oct/Dec'25)
4 MINUTE READ
In this feature, Care Without Boundaries, Dr. Chanell Marthinussen shares her journey balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship while building a kingdom business.
Care Without Boundaries: Motherhood at the Core
Motherhood is the role that grounds Dr. Chanell Marthinussen most deeply. With a three-year-old daughter at home, she has learned that the balance between professional ambition and being present as a parent is rarely easy. Time at her desk or in meetings often means her little one sees her, but does not always get her full attention. That reality brings its fair share of mom guilt. To counter it, Chanell has set a clear boundary: evenings are filled with rituals, laughter, and play.
“Core memories matter,” she explains. “But it is just as important for your child to see that you are a hard worker. They learn not just from what you say but from what you do.”
Her story resonates with many working mothers because she does not shy away from the tension between building something groundbreaking and being fully present at home. She has chosen not perfection, but presence. When she is with her family, she is there wholeheartedly. When she is leading her team, she is fully engaged in reshaping healthcare. For Chanell, this rhythm is delicate but possible, and above all, it is rooted in purpose.
Innov8 Holdings: A Vision Anchored in Faith
Alongside her husband, Dr. Chad Marthinussen, Chanell co-founded Innov8 Holdings, a healthcare investment group that today anchors three key businesses:
InnoHealth Technologies: operates medical centres, the MyPocketHealth virtual care platform, and the U-Image handheld ultrasound.
GoGP Technologies: building digital tools and data systems for doctors.
GoGP Infrastructure: enabling scalable micro-clinics and healthcare hubs.
“Our lives are centred on God,” Chanell says. “My husband leads our family spiritually, and that shapes the way we build. Innov8 is not just a holding company — it is a kingdom business, built to serve.”
For the Marthinussens, the line between family, faith, and business is seamless. Building healthcare solutions is not only about access or growth but about stewardship: using the gifts God has placed in their hands to multiply opportunity for others.
From Maternity Leave to MyPocketHealth
Chanell’s own entrepreneurial path accelerated during her maternity leave. While others expected her to step back, she stepped into a new frontier. She led a small team of Cape Flats developers to build MyPocketHealth, a fully web-based virtual care platform designed for the realities of South African communities.
The early days were difficult. A first version, developed overseas, was unreliable and inaccessible. Patients and doctors alike struggled with the technology. Instead of abandoning the idea, Chanell rebuilt it from scratch with a local team, weaving her clinical knowledge into the product’s design.
Her leadership transformed MyPocketHealth beyond a simple consultation tool. She guided the creation of WorkCare, a package sold to companies and small businesses so employees could access affordable healthcare without leaving work. This positioned Innov8 as a workplace wellness partner — embedding care into the fabric of daily life.
Hlola: Building Capacity Through GoGP
One of the most ambitious ventures tied to Innov8 is Hlola, an initiative to equip 300 young doctors with the tools, systems, and support to run their own healthcare businesses under the GoGP franchise model.
The model is simple but powerful: doctors are provided with Innov8’s intellectual property — from MyPocketHealth’s digital platform to U-Image’s handheld ultrasound devices — along with financial systems and business support. With no upfront costs, they step directly into practice ownership, empowered to earn income while delivering care to underserved communities.
“For me, Hlola is about dignity and opportunity,” Chanell explains. “These doctors aren’t just given jobs. They’re given the chance to build enterprises with real tools behind them. They become business owners, not just clinicians.”
Hlola reflects the heartbeat of Innov8: building capacity, creating independence, and ensuring sustainability — not only for patients but for the professionals who serve them.
The Human Side of Leadership
Yet Chanell is open about the challenges. Stepping into entrepreneurship meant wrestling with imposter syndrome. For years, she identified herself as “just a doctor,” not a businesswoman. Taking on the responsibility of systems, teams, and strategy was daunting. Burnout followed at times, especially when she said yes to every opportunity.
Her turning point came with discernment — learning that protecting her energy was essential for both her family and her work. Today, she chooses carefully, focusing on what moves the needle for Innov8’s mission.
“God equipped me after He called me,” she reflects. “That’s what gives me courage when the road feels overwhelming. We are building kingdom businesses, not just companies. That’s why the work matters.”
Redefining Success
The impact is already visible. Innov8’s hybrid model has shown financial sustainability, MyPocketHealth continues to grow as a trusted platform, and Hlola is laying the foundation for a generation of doctor-entrepreneurs. But for Chanell, success is measured differently.
It’s the thank-you messages from patients. The notes from doctors who, through Hlola, are earning sustainable incomes. The laughter of her daughter at the end of a long day. “Those reminders,” she says, “are what keep me steady.”
Her message to other working mothers is clear: do not underestimate your value. Setbacks can become momentum. Motherhood and entrepreneurship do not have to compete.
“Being a mother sharpens my purpose as an entrepreneur,” she says. “And my faith keeps me anchored in both.”
Looking Ahead
The road forward is ambitious. Innov8 aims to expand medical centres, grow MyPocketHealth’s user base into the hundreds of thousands, deepen WorkCare partnerships, and roll out more handheld devices. Hlola’s cohorts of young doctors will grow into the backbone of a new healthcare economy — independent, tech-enabled, and community-rooted.
But for Chanell, the ultimate measure is not scale, but stewardship.
“This is about building systems and businesses that reflect God’s kingdom,” she says. “It’s about raising a daughter who sees that love, faith, and purpose can walk hand in hand.”
Her journey proves that motherhood and entrepreneurship are not roles in competition, but strands of the same story — interlaced into a life of service, ambition, and grace.
Name: Dr. Chanell Marthinussen Professional: Entrepreneur | Medical Doctor | Co-Founder of Innohealth Technologies Bio: Dr. Chanell Marthinussen is a medical doctor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Innohealth Technologies. She leads innovations such as MyPocketHealth and WorkCare, trains doctors through the Flola initiative, and is a regular guest on the Expresso Morning Show. Balancing her work as a healthcare innovator with motherhood, she is passionate about reshaping access to care and empowering women in leadership.
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