In this conversation, I sit down with Thomas Njeru, co-founder and CEO of Pula Advisors, to unpack his inspiring journey from growing up on a farm in rural Kenya to becoming an actuary, rising to director at Deloitte, and ultimately walking away from the corporate world to build for impact. We discuss his journey of co-founding Pula, a company with a mission of providing agricultural insurance for smallholder farmers to protect them against increasing climate shocks. Pula has successfully to 18 ...
Jun 23, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In this episode, I sit down with entrepreneur and visionary leader Fred Swaniker. He takes us through his remarkable journey from growing up in Botswana to founding eight institutions that operate at both continental and global scale. We explore the experiences that shaped his path, what he has learned from building mission-driven organizations, how to build meaningful relationships, and why your reputation is one of your greatest assets. Fred also shares honest, practical advice to African entr...
Jun 09, 2025•2 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 32
In this episode, I sit down with Tesh Mbaabu, a serial technology entrepreneur dedicated to blending commerce and technology. We discuss the experiences that shaped his entrepreneurial journey, the highs and lows of building businesses, navigating failure, and finding the resilience to start again. Tesh is the Co-founder and CEO of Chpter, an AI-powered conversational commerce platform that helps businesses sell more on social platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram by automating conversations, ma...
Feb 17, 2025•1 hr 25 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In the next episode, I sit down with Clare Akamanzi, the CEO of NBA Africa and former CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Clare’s leadership is an inspiration to many and her impact is felt across across Rwanda and the continent. During her six and a half years at RDB, she spearheaded Rwanda's economic transformation by driving private sector growth and implementing significant business reforms. Under her leadership, Rwanda secured strategic partnerships with global brands like Arsenal FC...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In this conversation, I sit down with Lydia K.M., a wellness and lifestyle content creator, award-winning podcaster, entrepreneur, and dedicated mental health advocate. With a background in law and extensive experience as a content creator, she combines practical insights with genuine empathy to guide audiences on their journey to well-being. Her content spans mindful living tips, mental health discussions, and lifestyle hacks, offering a curated space for fostering a balanced and joyful life. D...
Jan 20, 2025•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 29
In this episode, I sit down with creator extraordinaire Julia Gaitho, a podcaster, producer, digital content creator, and marketing professional. During her career in corporate Kenya, Julia discovered a passion for storytelling, which led to the creation of an award-winning YouTube channel that opened numerous doors for her. Julia is the producer behind two well-known podcasts in the region, So This Is Love and It's Related, I Promise. She is also the founder of Over25 , a popular Kenyan YouTube...
Jan 13, 2025•1 hr 48 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Hello everyone, We are back! I am excited to introduce my next guest, Huguette Umutoni, a skilled partnership facilitator with experience at prestigious institutions such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum. As Champion Lead for the Global Partnership for Education, Huguette advises Heads of State and celebrities on advocating for education policy and securing financing, with a particular focus on ensuring equitable access to education for girls. She also co-founded a consulting firm ...
Nov 25, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Season 1Ep. 27
In this episode, I sit down with one of my all time favorite artists, Bien Aimé Baraza also known as Bien, an internationally acclaimed Afro-pop artist hailing from Kenya and a former lead singer of a band that we all know and love, Sauti Sol. Bien is now successful solo artist who is making waves with his voice and art across the globe. Bien and the Sauti Sol quartet released several albums that became international hits such as Sol Filosofia , Live and Die in Afrika , and a personal favorite M...
Aug 14, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In the next episode, I have one of the best conversations I have had so far on the podcast with Kenyan entrepreneur extraordinaire, Tonee Ndungu. We discussing his recent experience of pitching his EdTech company, Kytabu, to Bill Gates and the journey that has led him to share his story on global stages. Tonee is the founder of Kytabu, an innovative education technology company dedicated to transforming the way students, educators, and schools access and engage with educational content. Tonee is...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr 54 min•Season 1Ep. 25
In my next conversation I sit down with the graceful and brilliant business woman, Vimbai Masiyiwa. She is the executive director of Batoka Hospitality, the first black, female-owned safari lodge group in Africa, a company she co-founded with her mother Tsitsi Masiyiwa. Their project, Zambezi Sands River Lodge, a safari lodge nestled on the western end of the Zambezi National Park and about an hour from Victoria Falls is a luxurious testament to community-led initiatives centered about women emp...
Jul 31, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 24
In the next episode, I have a heartfelt and inspiring conversation with Israel Bimpe about his unconventional and eclectic career path. Israel is the CEO of Irembo, a Rwandan technology company specializing in Govtech and Fintech products. IremboGov, Irembo’s flagship product, serves as Rwanda's main government services portal, digitizing over 100 government services. Before becoming CEO, Israel served on Irembo's Board of Directors. Prior to his role at Irembo, Israel was the Director of Africa...
Jul 23, 2024•2 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In this next episode, I sit down with Georgie Ndirangu, a global moderator and a curator of the brand Georgie Ndirangu. With a stellar career spanning the BBC, CNBC Africa, and Forbes Africa, Georgie has earned accolades such as the Rwandan Journalist of the Year award. His remarkable journey includes captivating interviews with global business leaders and heads of states. In the agency sector, he has been part of the team driving transformative projects for renowned clients like the Bill & ...
May 06, 2024•1 hr 37 min•Season 1Ep. 22
In this conversation I sit down with Just Ivy Africa, an award-winning marketer, content creator, digital entrepreneur, and investor. We discuss the experience that have shaped her life and career to date, and the decision she made to fully bet on herself- a decision that is already paying dividends. Just Ivy is the founder of Movers' Society- a community that enables people to access financial literacy without spending too much money and a platform for people to hold each other accountable to a...
Feb 22, 2024•1 hr 26 min•Season 2Ep. 21
In this conversation I sit with the one and only, Charlot Magayi who is the Founder of Mukuru Clean Stoves- a clean cooking company that repurposes locally sourced waste metal to manufacture improved, efficient, and reliable cookstoves. In this episode, we discuss her childhood experiences growing up in one of the largest slum in Kenya, losing both her parents by the age of 10, and her experience of becoming a teen mom at 16. Despite facing incredible setbacks early on in life, Charlot has gone ...
Feb 07, 2024•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Happy New Year, FATHOM friends! In this conversation, I sit with a sister and friend of mine, Pelumi Nubi, who is a purpose-driven travel content creator and connector who thrives on exploring less commonly visited countries, currently living in Dubai. Calling both the UK and Nigeria home, while having ventured to 80 countries across 6 continents, her engaging content inspires her community to embrace life with fearlessness and embody true freedom. She is committed to showing that travel can be ...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 19
In this episode, I sit with Chef extraordinaire, Dieuveil Malonga, to discuss his mission of elevating Afro fusion cuisine on the global scene. Chef Malonga is one of the senior exponents of Afro-fusion cuisine, a subtle mélange of tradition and modernity, a culinary bridge between African flavors and Western cooking. His gastronomy career started at three different prestigious Michelin starred restaurants in Germany—Schote, Life, and Aqua, and now his ambition is to write a new story of gastron...
Nov 30, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 18
In this episode, I sit with coach extraordinaire, Iris Irumva, to discuss her leadership journey that she started at a young age and the packed lessons she carries with her. We discuss the journey of writing her first book titled: Lead Your Way Up, her inspiration, her process, and her hopes for the book. We speak about circumstances that shaped her growing up in her family of origin, being educated in other countries, and how all of that have formed her character and work ethic today. We delve ...
Oct 25, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this episode, I sit with Wode Maya, the mega YouTube influencer who showcases African people and places through travel. We discuss his journey from growing up in rural Ghana, to being an honor roll aeronautical engineering student in China, and to later becoming the influential YouTuber that he is today. Wode has had massive impact in reshaping the narrative of the African continent and he has encouraged numerous people to explore the continent and see its people and cultures in a more positi...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode, I sit with none other than Theo Baloyi, the founder and owner of Bathu, a sneaker brand that is proudly African. We talk about his experience growing up in one of South Africa's most impoverished townships, Alexandra, and how that experience has shaped his outlook on life and his commitment to give back. We talk about him achieving his dream of working for PWC, and working for the firm in the middle East, only to quit it when the bigger mission of building Bathu called. We delve...
Sep 30, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 15
In this episode, I sit with Obinna Ukwuani, a bank executive and multi-sector entrepreneur to discuss his journey to where he is to date. We discuss being a multipotentialite- a trait that has led him to creating many different ventures in different fields ranging from agriculture to education, and to developing interests ranging from engineering to economics. We discuss business topics ranging from raising money, to being a person worthy of being trusted by investors, to managing severed relati...
Sep 11, 2023•1 hr 31 min•Season 1Ep. 14
In this week's episode, I sit down with entrepreneur extraordinaire, Kevine Kagirimpundu, to discuss her 10 year journey of building UZURI K&Y with her co-founder Ysolde Shimwe. We discuss the clarity she had to be in fashion early on even though she had scholarships to pursue other more socially acceptable paths. It has always been her mission to employ more women and create opportunities for those who might not naturally have many, and she now gets to live her mission through UZURI K&Y...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In this week's episode, Sonia Mugabo, a Rwandan fashion entrepreneur sits with me to discuss her 10 year journey of building the Sonia Mugabo fashion house and brand. She shares the not-so-glamorous journey from interning at Teen Vogue, to making her own clothes, to dressing prominent people such as Melinda Gates. One key insight in this part of the conversation is how she named the brand after her self for greater accountability. I thought that was quite cool! Sonia, a mental health advocate, d...
Jul 31, 2023•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 12
In this episode, I sit with Dr. Cindi Cassady, a clinical psychologist, to discuss childhood trauma, attachment styles, and diverse therapy options that exist for various needs. She has worked for over 35 years as a practitioner and scholar in the field of gender- based violence, child abuse, addiction and trauma. She holds a Ph.D. and Masters degree in Clinical Psychology and a Masters in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. She has been living in Rwanda for almost 10 years and is currently a...
Jul 17, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 11
In this week's episode I sit with a fave, Dickson Butera. This conversation is an extension of the many conversations I have had with Dickson about life and more precisely about mental health over the years. In this conversation, we attempt to confront that daunting universe of trauma, addiction, unhappiness, and we eventually land into some useful practices that one can incorporate daily for improved mental health. Dickson is a friend and a therapist at Lighthouse counseling. He is a Neuroscien...
Jun 15, 2023•1 hr 40 min•Season 1Ep. 10
On my latest episode, I sit with Samke Mhlongo, an acclaimed international speaker, award-winning wealth coach, best-selling author, and women's empowerment advocate with extensive experience in personal finance. She is the newly appointed co-founder and CEO of TWAA, an AI-driven women's marketplace and networking platform. Before joining TWAA, Samke founded and led TNC Wealth Partners, a top financial wellness consultancy that served major companies such as Standard Bank and MTN. In this conver...
May 27, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 9
On our latest episode, I had a pleasure of sitting down with one of my childhood friends and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Christelle Kwizera. She is the founder and Managing Director of Water Access Rwanda, a social enterprise that exists to improve access to clean water for all. She has been recognized for her work as the Fondation CHANEL 2019 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, a Rainer Arnhold Fellow, a Princess Diana awardee, a Queen point of Light awardee- all on account of her leadership in ad...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 1Ep. 8
This week in Rwanda, April 7th to April 13th, marks the beginning of 100 days of the commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In this episode, I sit with Céline Uwineza, a survivor, who is also the author of Untamed, a memoir where she recounts her story of survival and her journey towards freedom and healing. On April 10th, 1994, Celine lost her mother, two older sisters, and her siblings, and several other extended family members during the days that followed. She was completely a...
Apr 10, 2023•1 hr 41 min•Season 1Ep. 7
My next guest is Dr. Sangu Delle. He is the CEO of CarePoint, a tech forward healthcare system operating across the African continent. He is also the Founder and Chairman of Golden Palm Investments Corporation, an investment holding company that has backed startups such as Andela, mPharma and Flutterwave. Its portfolio companies have raised over $1.2 billion in venture financing. Dr. Sangu Delle is a TED fellow, Desmond Tutu Fellow, Eisenhower Fellow, and World Economic Forum Young Global Leader...
Mar 27, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 6
My next guest is Wawira Njiru, the Founder and Director of Food for Education, a Kenya based social enterprise that provides subsidized nutritious meals every day to over 100,000 primary school children to improve nutrition education outcomes. She shares with us how Food for Education went from feeding 25 to 100,000 school going children in Nairobi and its outskirts in the past 10 years, and how she is building systems for the work to continue to scale. We also delve into her experience as a lea...
Mar 17, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this episode, Jean Michel Habineza, the founder of iDebate Rwanda and Peace and Love Proclaimers shares with us the key moments that have shaped his pursuit for a more meaningful life. We delve into his experience of working with several teenagers over a decade and what he has learned from being in the business of building people. We delve into the process of developing one's character and one's beliefs. Jean Michel also shares with us how he is dealing with the loss of his father and the ard...
Mar 08, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 4Ep. 1
