Shows
Digital Transformation SeriesMehrnaz Campbell in conversation with Nyambe Sumbwanyambe from The Black SherpaIn January, I chatted with Nyambe “Yam” Sumbwanyambe. 🎙️ Yam is a dynamic, innovative leader with nearly two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Yam has established a reputation for driving commercial excellence, fostering inclusion and championing professional development. In 2023, he founded The Black Sherpa Podcast, a platform dedicated to empowering social mobility through candid conversations on personal development, career progression and overcoming systemic barriers. Born in Zambia and raised in the UK, Yam’s journey reflects resilience, adaptability and ingenuity.2025-02-091h 03
A Class of Their OwnThe Power of Human Connection in a Divided WorldThis week’s episode explores the complexities of identity, fairness, and growth in a way that feels deeply personal and universally relatable.
Highlights include:
Embracing life’s unfairness: Why accepting that “life isn’t always fair” can be liberating, and how shifting our mindset allows us to thrive
Mixed-race challenges: A candid discussion on raising mixed-race children, understanding the unique struggles they may face, and the lessons from navigating identity within family dynamics
Supportive partnerships: How the strength and encouragem...2025-01-1448 min
The Black Sherpa PodcastS02 E15: Strength in Every Word: Jenny Okolo's Neurodiversity PerspectiveIntroducing Jenny Okolo, clinical therapist, TEDx speaker, and founder of SASA - a company dedicated to supporting neurodiversity and wellbeing in the workplace. In this episode of The Black Sherpa Podcast, Jenny dives into crucial topics surrounding neurodiversity, mental health advocacy, and personal growth. Here are 5 key talking points to entice you to listen:Navigating Neurodiversity and Socioeconomic Backgrounds: Jenny shares insights into how one's socioeconomic background can impact their neurodivergent journey, shedding light on the intersectionality of identity and mental health.Social M...2024-05-071h 23
The Black Sherpa PodcastS02 E14: Unlocking Financial Empowerment: Insights from Emmanuel AsuquoJoin us in this captivating episode as Emmanuel Asuquo, a seasoned Financial Adviser and advocate for financial literacy, shares invaluable insights to empower you in making confident financial decisions for yourself and your family.Here are 5 key talking points that will leave you inspired:From Bills to Stocks - Emmanuel's Journey to Financial Literacy: Discover Emmanuel's transformative journey from growing up in a household where bills were dreaded to becoming an advocate for investing and financial empowermentThe Power of Belief and Overcoming Setbacks: Gain insights into how Emmanuel turned setbacks into opportunities, proving that you are...2024-04-291h 17
The Black Sherpa PodcastS02 E13: Navigating Career Growth and Inclusivity With Charlynn KorantengJoin us for an insightful conversation with Charlynn Koranteng, a results-driven Diversity & Inclusion leader with extensive experience in the Financial Sector. As a passionate advocate for social mobility, Charlynn empowers her community through entrepreneurship workshops and supports early-career professionals through online platforms. Outside of work, you'll likely find Charlynn at a music gig in North or East London.Key Talking Points:From Inclusion to Awakening: Charlynn reflects on her upbringing in an inclusive East London community and the challenges she faced when...2024-04-241h 24
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E12: From Bullying to Brilliance with Graham RobertsStep into a world of empowerment and transformation as Graham Roberts shares his expertise on enabling individuals to reach their full potential. Here are 5 key talking points that will leave you inspired:Overcoming Adversity: Discover Graham's journey of defying academic odds, from gaining entry into a top university with unconventional grades to navigating the long-term impact of childhood bullying.Positive Intent and Intercultural Understanding: Learn about the power of assuming positive intent and navigating intercultural differences in both personal and professional life.Balancing Career and Family: Gain insights into the i...2024-04-1759 min
The Black Sherpa PodcastQUICK FIRE with Aaron BurnsGet ready to ignite your inspiration with a rapid-fire round featuring Aaron Burns on The Black Sherpa Podcast! In this electrifying segment, Aaron, a dynamic force in finance and education, shares lightning-fast insights drawn from his remarkable journey—from professional footballer to Life Insurance Specialist and Public Speaker.As a fervent advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities, Aaron's passion for empowering young minds shines through in every answer. Join us as we delve into his captivating insights, spanning from his days on the football field to his impactful roles in finance and education.But wait, th...2024-04-1712 min
The Black Sherpa PodcastQUICK FIRE with David McQueenGet ready for a lightning round of insights with David McQueen on The Black Sherpa Podcast! In this quick-fire segment, David, a seasoned leader and family man, shares rapid-fire wisdom drawn from his extensive experience in entrepreneurship and leadership.But hold onto your seats—David's not just your average leader. With a knack for infusing comedy and raw honesty into his advice, he'll have you laughing and learning in equal measure.However, this is just a taste of what's to come. Dive into the full episode to uncover the full breadth of David McQueen's inspiring journey an...2024-04-1711 min
The Black Sherpa PodcastQUICK FIRE with Toni KentGet ready for a rapid-fire round with Toni Kent on The Black Sherpa Podcast! In this special segment, Toni, a dynamic speaker, writer, and stand-up comedian, shares lightning-fast insights drawn from her rebellious school days to her rise as a recognized authority in social mobility and corporate culture.With over two decades of IT industry experience, Toni brings a wealth of wisdom and humor to every answer. Discover her quick-witted responses and valuable nuggets of advice on mentorship, change, and fostering inclusive corporate environments.But wait, there's more! Dive into the full episode to uncover the...2024-04-1616 min
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E11: Love Yourz - Tech, Confidence, and Career Growth with Gari GonoStep into the world of business problem-solving with technology as Gari Gono, known as Insurance Technology's Jofra Archer, shares his insights on leveraging technology for success.Here are 5 key talking points that will captivate you:Tech Obsessions and Solutions: Explore Gari's journey and obsession with technology, uncovering how it became a powerful tool for solving business challenges.Breaking Stereotypes: Discover the advantages and challenges of not fitting the stereotype of your role, and how Gari's unique perspective has shaped his career.2024-04-091h 25
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E9: Navigating Career Serendipity and Damn Hard Work with Richard EdgeJoin us for an insightful conversation with Richard Edge, Founder and CEO of Careerships, as we unravel the power of serendipity in shaping your career journey and achieving your professional aspirations.Here are 5 key talking points that will leave you inspired:Serendipity in Career: Richard delves into the transformative power of serendipity and its role in shaping career trajectories. Learn how unexpected encounters and opportunities can lead to meaningful career breakthroughs.Crafting Your 2030 Vision: Discover the importance of envisioning your future career path with clarity and intention. Richard explores the concept of crafting a 2030 Vision to...2024-03-261h 33
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E10: Dwelling with Purpose: So Many Men's Mental Health Insights with Alex HolmesHere it is, a "chat", slightly transformed, just a bit of a break from the "norm"… If you know you know! Lets dive into a powerful conversation about men's mental health and masculinity with Alex Holmes, award-winning mental health podcaster and author of "Time To Talk: How Men Think About Love, Belonging, and Connection." Here are 5 key talking points that will captivate you:Breaking Stereotypes: Explore how men can move beyond stereotypes and embrace authentic conversations about life, purpose, and success.Imagining Future Success: Discover four key questions to help envision your future success and...2024-03-211h 09
The Black Sherpa PodcastQUICK FIRE with My Guy Jeff, Certified Waste Man!Get ready for a rapid-fire round with Jeffrey Boakye! Join us as we revisit our engaging chat with this former teacher turned dynamic writer, speaker, and educator in our Season 2 opener. Discover Boakye's invaluable insights on success in life and business—tune in to Season 2, Episode 1 for the full scoopCONNECT WITH JEFF https://www.jeffreyboakye.com/https://twitter.com/jeffreykboakyehttps://www.instagram.com/jeffreykboakyeCONNECT WITH THE BLACK SHERPA LinkedIn: Nyambe SumbwanyambeInstagram: @TheBlackSherpaPodcastWe...2024-03-2006 min
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E8: Navigating Life's Melodies: Lessons Learned and Transferred with Steven FullerJoin us for a riveting conversation with Steven Fuller, Founder of Race in STEM, as we explore the intersection of diversity, inclusion, and performance in the world of STEM. Get ready for a melodic journey as Steven Fuller reflects on the transferable skills gleaned from his diverse career, where every note played becomes a lesson in resilience and adaptationHere are 5 key talking points that will captivate you:Race in STEM: Steven delves into the powerful community he's cultivated through Race in STEM, advocating for diversity and inclusion in the STEM fields.2024-03-121h 12
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E7: From Petrol Pumps to Boardrooms: A Journey of Resilience with Joanne ConwayReady to explore the world of inclusion, equity, and social mobility? Join us on The Black Sherpa Podcast as we dive into an inspiring conversation with Joanne Conway, Head of Inclusion & Culture, International at DLA Piper, in our latest episode! 🎙️ Here are 5 key talking points that will leave you wanting more:Creating a Culture of Inclusion: Joanne shares insights on asking tough questions to foster a culture of inclusion for everyone, emphasizing the importance of empathy and allowing for differences in opinion.Bridging the Gap: Discover the disparity between what employees want in ter...2024-03-011h 12
The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E6: Hannah Awonuga - Look Beyond What You Can See And Listen To What You Can Hear!In this episode of The Black Sherpa Podcast, I sit down with the remarkable Hannah Awonuga, Group Head of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Knight Frank. With nearly 2 decades of experience in banking and a passion for championing diversity, Hannah shares her insights and personal journey that have shaped her into the influential DEI thought leader she is today.Key Discussion Points:Guiding Light and Cultural Battles: Hannah reflects on her upbringing, navigating the clash of cultures at home, and the profound lessons learned from those experiences. She shares how these challenges...2024-02-2754 minThe Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E5: Prof. Katy Shaw - The Great Thing About Northern Women Is They Are Raised By Amazing Northern Women!Welcome or welcome back! In this episode where we dive into the powerful intersection of education, creativity, and community development with Professor Katy Shaw, a leading figure in 21st-century writing and publishing at Northumbria University, UK.Professor Shaw shares insights from her personal journey, highlighting the profound impact of education and the ethos of hard work instilled by her parents. Her father transitioned from industry to teaching, shaping her lifelong commitment to personal development and inspiring learning in others.Key Highlights: STEAM Education and Problem Solving: We explore the evolution of STEM to S...2024-02-201h 14The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E4: David McQueen - Crazy. Sexy. Cool.Get ready for one hell of an episode of the Black Sherpa Podcast featuring David McQueen. David is family man first, the husband of one, father of two and friend of many. He has founded and co-founded a number of businesses including Q Squared, Black Founders Hub and Evermoor and sits as a Non Exec on the advisory board of many companies offering support on leadership and financial competence. David is more than just a leader—he has the uncanny knack for using comedy and absolute candor to inspire others to reach their full potential and...2024-02-1443 minThe Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E3 Aaron Burns - Got To The Fork In The Road And Went StraightJoin us for an electrifying episode of the Black Sherpa Podcast featuring Aaron Burns—a dynamic force breaking barriers in finance and education. From professional footballer to Life Insurance Specialist and Public Speaker, Aaron's journey is nothing short of inspiring.Aaron, a former professional Manchester United Footballer turned advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities, shares his remarkable journey. With a passion for empowering young minds, Aaron's impact extends far beyond the field.Key Highlights:From the Pitch to Finance: Discover Aaron's seamless transition from professional fo...2024-02-071h 09The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E2: Smashing Glass Ceilings With Toni Kent: Cuckoo, Cuckoo!In this episode of The Black Sherpa Podcast, join me for an inspiring conversation with Toni Kent – a dynamic speaker, writer, and stand-up comedian, specialising in social mobility and corporate culture. From her rebellious school days to becoming a recognised authority, Toni shares her transformative journey and insights on the value of mentorship.Toni Kent brings a unique blend of wit, wisdom, and 20+ years of IT industry experience to the table. As a sought-after speaker and workshop facilitator, she empowers audiences to embrace change and foster inclusive corporate cultures.Highlights:...2024-01-311h 14The Black Sherpa PodcastS2 E1: My Guy Jeff, Certified Waste Man!In this episode of The Black Sherpa Podcast, I am thrilled to host the incredible Jeffrey Boakye – ex-teacher turned prolific writer, speaker, broadcaster, and educator. Join us as Jeffrey shares epic stories, from his journey from being a certified "waste man" to leading educational reform and breaking open the conversation about race and racism.Our guest, Jeffrey Boakye, brings a wealth of experience as a former English teacher for 15 years and now a Senior Teaching Fellow at the University of Manchester’s Institute for Education. He dives into issues surrounding race, masculinity, education, and popular culture.2024-01-241h 24The Black Sherpa PodcastWelcome Back!Big and serious... Apologies in advance for the impromptu singing that kicks off this episode – a moment of unfiltered vulnerability! If you can bear with me through that musical madness, your reward is an insightful dive into the four core values I've distilled from Season 1 of the Black Sherpa Podcast: Self-Empowerment, Continuous Learning, The Power of One, and Community. You'll have to tune in for the full context.I open up about my reflections and lessons learned during my initial foray into podcasting.Together, we’ll take a little trip down memory lane. Revis...2024-01-2420 minThe Black Sherpa PodcastE8 Gabriel Sackey x The Black Sherpa (Stand for something)In this episode, we speak to Gabriel Sackey. At the time of recording he was a client engagement consultant within the tech industry who started his professional journey later than most. Gabriel shares his candid observations of growing up in the not-so-nice parts of North West London, and how these experiences have shaped his view of the world today. Gabriel has recently secured an exciting new position within the field of recruitment.We discuss the importance of flexing to improve communication, and how a simple act like leaning back mid-argument can defuse confrontation. Gabriel also shares how...2023-03-141h 34The Black Sherpa PodcastE7 Anand Madhvani x The Black Sherpa (The Gift of Challenge)Anand Madhvani is Head of Sales, Boehringer Ingelheim Ltd, a large pharmaceutical company. Anand is a lateral thinker who is passionate about enhancing organisational capabilities and its power in shifting mindset and performance.During his career he has developed strengths in coaching, matrix management and strategic thinking within Sales Management and Business Excellence leadership roles.As a foundational principle, he strongly believes that it is our unity in driving diversity which will unlock how we collectively shape the world to be a better place.TOPICSSe...2023-02-281h 31The Black Sherpa PodcastE6: Octavia Goredema x The Black Sherpa (A Million Dollars!)Octavia Goredema MBE is a career coach and the founder of Twenty Ten Agency. Her mission is to help underrepresented professionals advance their careers. Octavia is the author of PREP, PUSH, PIVOT: Essential Career Strategies for Underrepresented Women, published by Wiley. She has coached leaders at renowned companies including Google, American Airlines, Tinder, General Motors, Nike and Dow Jones.Originally from England, Octavia was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Queen in recognition of her work. Octavia is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, where she le...2022-11-2954 minThe Black Sherpa PodcastE5: Ryan Scott x The Black Sherpa (Taking pride in where you're from and redefining the 5:31 Club)Ryan Scott leads Twentysix, a digital marketing agency based in the UK. Over the last fifteen years he has worked his way up from an entry role in the business, taking over the reigns of CEO in 2019.Ryan is passionate about creating a fertile environment for the personal growth for some 150 staff, whilst delivering transformational performance for the agency's clients which includes the likes of Dior, GHD, Fortnum & Mason and Wilkos.My guy also happens to be a life long friend and a true social mobility success story. He’s a man from humble beginnings in...2022-11-191h 32The Black Sherpa PodcastE4: Samuel Pygall x The Black Sherpa (Team of Rivals)Sam Pygall has worked in the healthcare sector for over 20 years and is currently serving as the Commercial Strategy and Operations Lead for MSD UK. Over the course of his career with MSD, Sam has gained a broad set of experiences and consistent track record of delivery excellence with a focus on improvement of healthcare outcomes.Sam is passionate about improving healthcare for all, innovation is a consistent theme and he has been involved in many groundbreaking commercial partnerships, such as pharmacy-based adherence programmes in support of the NHS Englands Test-Beds progarmme.Sam...2022-11-011h 01The Black Sherpa PodcastE3: Michelle Koleosho x The Black Sherpa (Uncomfortable Conversations With The Queen of Sauce)Michelle is a Senior Lawyer at MSD, a global pharmaceutical company supporting their UK and Irish subsidiaries. She has a broad experience in the pharmaceutical sector, providing legal advice to the commercial teams on the management of their key product brands, in addition to advising on other complex commercial matters. She supports the business on complex contracting including advising on procurement agreements, licensing agreements and agreements relating to strategic projects with external partners, as well as advising on aspects of corporate law, data privacy compliance, regulatory and clinical trials.In addition to her core responsibilities, Michelle is...2022-10-241h 15The Black Sherpa PodcastE2: Charlotte Murrain x The Black Sherpa (Feeling the power of sponsorship)Charlotte has 15 years’ experience in healthcare. Following many years in communications, she currently serves within Amgen’s Global Customer Capabilities organisation. Her role is part Chief-of Staff, part communications advisor and part integrator, to help ensure global capability building efforts realise their purpose in enabling execution excellence within the markets. She is deeply committed to authentic leadership and the power of psychological safety in enabling us all to realise our potential and genuinely thrive at work.TOPICS The childhood trauma and impact of parents splitting up - Charlotte shares the work she has had to do...2022-10-181h 31The Black Sherpa PodcastE1: Tim Philip x The Black Sherpa (The Social Chameleon)Tim Philip is a pharmaceutical leader with just under 20 years’ experience across sales, marketing, digital and business transformation, and consulting. As the son of a first generation immigrant from the Caribbean, he had no social or family links into the pharmaceutical industry but has worked his way up from sales representative to the global brand leader at a top ten global pharmaceutical company. Tim is passionate about highlighting, supporting and developing people of ethnic minority or disadvantaged backgrounds into positions of authority and leadership across the pharmaceutical industry, from sponsoring and supporting initiatives at company leve...2022-10-111h 28The Black Sherpa PodcastThe Black Sherpa Podcast - Season 1 TrailerWelcome to The Black Sherpa Podcast! If you are from a disadvantaged background or marginalised community, personal growth and career progression is often subject to narratives and behaviours that make it even harder to succeed. The Black Sherpa Podcast was created to help right these wrongs.The show is hosted my Yam, a commercial leader with 15 years’ experience at one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical organisations. A father of two I hoping to play a part in creating the equitable, diverse and inclusive society he would like for his children, and others like t...2022-09-1102 min