In this unfiltered, thought-stirring episode of Listen to Your Footsteps, host Kojo Baffoe sits down with Siphiwe Mpye, media executive, former editor of Business Day Wanted Magazine editor, current Strategic Revenue and Growth Manager at Wanted and founder of Noted Man, for a conversation that challenges, inspires, and reshapes how we see masculinity, media, and personal evolution.
From his early days as a journalist to navigating career shifts and fatherhood, Mpye’s journey is a testament to adaptation, self-awareness, and quiet strength. He dissects the "good guy" facade ("We applauded success without digging deeper"), the rise of performative masculinity, and why expanded identity - "You can be firm and flexible" - matters now more than ever.
Key Discussions:
✔ Media’s Role in Identity – How stories shape (and distort) who we think we should be.
✔ Fatherhood as a Mirror – "My kids need to see me learning, not just lecturing."
✔ Access + Effort – "Talent isn’t enough. Who opens doors for you?"
✔ Stoicism in Chaos – "Control your reactions, not the storm."
Why Listen?
This podcast episode is a guide for anyone tired of surface-level conversations about manhood, success, and growth. Whether you’re a leader, parent, or creative, Mpye’s insights will shift your perspective.
Key Quotes:
- "We need to be a different kind of man."
- "Real strength is nuance, not noise."
- "Your kids need to see you unfinished, it gives them permission to grow."
Listen now, and prepare to rethink masculinity, media, and the stories we tell ourselves.
Subscribe, watch/listen now on Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts. Leave a comment or review and join the conversation.
You can find the latest from Siphiwe Mpye on LinkedIn or Instagram
For more on my book Listen To Your Footsteps, check out https://kojobaffoe.com/book/
Subscribe to the Zebra Culture Newsletter now.
Recorded at Spotify Africa Joburg Studio
Show Music by Kweku 'Taygo' Baffoe
Produced by Ayob Vania