Shows
Shaping AfricaEP 22 Career Perspectives and The Future of Media and Journalism on the African Continent w/ Georgie NdiranguOn this episode, I am joined by Georgie Ndirangu. Georgie is a journalist and media personality turned public relations strategist. Georgie is an African Thought Leader in every respect and has been open about the struggles and triumphs in his career journey. On this episode, we talk to Georgie about:
- His background in actuarial sciences and the many happy coincidences that led him to a career in journalism
- His advice for young people early in their career
- His journey through a difficult season in his career and finding his next...2022-05-1935 minShaping AfricaEP 21 - Participating in Civic and Political Life as a Returnee w/ Dr. Nathan WangusiOn this episode, I am joined by Dr. Nathan Wangusi. Dr. Nathan Wangusi earlier this year was running for political office (Member of Parliament) in Langata Constituency in Nairobi, Kenya. Following our conversation and completion of the Langata nomination process, Nathan has since started an exciting new role was as Water Sustainability Program Manager at Amazon Web Services where he leads global water sustainability initiatives focused on reducing and accounting for water use in data centers, corporate offices, fulfillment centers, and in the communities/watersheds where the firm operates. He previously held various consulting roles focused on delivery of...2022-05-1254 minShaping AfricaEP20 - From Growing up in Chicago to Building a Business in Nigeria w/ Adeola AdediranOn this episode, I am joined by Adeola Adediran who is equal parts smart, witty and driven. He grew up in Chicago and would find his way to Nigeria through a job with a multinational after graduate school. In addition to his transition we talk about:
His exposure to the downstream oil & gas industry and how that opened his eyes to the entrepreneurial opportunity in Nigeria
The importance of mentors in the transition
His forray into consulting (Petrol Afrique)
How he ended up in the LPG industry
His decision to come back to the continent and how that gives a r...2022-05-0554 minShaping AfricaEP 19 From Struggle to Impact - The Story of Cyber Security Specialist Dr. Bright GameliOn this episode, I am joined by Dr. Bright Gameli Mawudor a Cyber Security Specialist and Leader with a remarkable life story. Below are the highlights of our conversation:
His journey to South Korea to pursue his masters and doctorate degrees
The struggles of being an international student in South Korea (integrating into social life, encountering racism and the stress of trying to make a living as an international student)
The challenges he faced in getting professional placement and building a career
The rigor of graduate school in S. Korea and how African universities could do better in i...2022-04-2852 minShaping AfricaEP 18 The Importance of Family and Being Present w/ Mr PhinyOn this episode, I am joined by Mr Phiny (entrepreneur and real estate investor). In addition to his journey to the US and back, we talk about the importance of family and being present as a factor that played into his decision to move back. Being close to family ended up being the core thing that drove Phiny's decision to move back including the many challenges he has overcome in business since his return.2022-04-2129 minShaping AfricaEP17 From Farmer's Kid to Growing African Tech Startups w/ Peter NgunyiPeter Ngunyi is the CEO EarlyBird Venture Lab where he leads the EarlyBird group of companies that support a growing portfolio of fast-growing tech startups: EarlyBird Venture Lab provides growth, acquisition and funding strategy for early-stage tech startups. EarlyBird Capital is the first institutional check to fast-growing Pan-African tech startups that meet our team and traction indicators.
Peter is a speaker at international events, published writer on growing companies in emerging markets, supporting several accelerators in Africa to help entrepreneurs design the best companies in today's environment. Formerly President of BRCK (2018 TIME magazine top 50 most genius companies). 2022-04-1446 minShaping AfricaEP 16 - New Parenting Styles for a New African Generation w/ Tebby MaritimOn this episode, I am joined by Tebby Maritim. We talk about: How Tebby grew up, her journey to the UK and back to Kenya, her gentle parenting style and how gentle parenting could revolutionize the next African generation.
Tebby, is a content creator and lover of life! She was born and raised in Kenya; went to Braeburn for primary then Braeside and Aga Khan Academy later for high school and IB. Tebby then carried on her education at the University of Sheffield.
Tebby started intentionally creating content in 2020 as she was expecting her daughter, Sage. It is work that...2022-04-0743 min
Shaping AfricaEP15 - The Power of Authenticity and The Constant Pursuit of Learning w/ Brian WaweruOn this episode, I am joined by Brian Waweru (linkedin.com/in/brian-waweru-aa75b629). Brian is a finance professional currently working in Johannesburg, South Africa. In this episode, we talk about:
- How Brian ended up in the US
- How he landed a top finance job with the world's most prestigious private equity firm
- How he went about his job search when he was ready to transition back to the Continent
- How being back has enabled him to give back, including a full circle opportunity to serve on...2021-12-0250 minShaping AfricaEP14 - The Return Blueprint, Part 3In today’s episode, I will be sharing part 3 of the Return Blueprint which is all about planning your return on a more tactical level. In this episode, we talk about:
Some tips for moving personal effects
The importance of having bank accounts in your destination country before moving
I hope you find value in the tips that I share and if you enjoy this episode, please do subscribe and rate the podcast so that people looking for advice in planning a transition can find the return blueprint. See you next week! 2021-11-2503 minShaping AfricaEP 13 - The Return Blueprint, Part 2Welcome to episode 13 of the Shaping Africa podcast. In today’s episode, we talk about:
The power of Networking in making a successful transition
Assessing your skills and capabilities and how they fit in to the African context
I hope you enjoyed the tips! Please do subscribe and rate the podcast so that people looking for advice in planning a transition can find the return blueprint. Also, please do follow me on instagram @rosethiga. See you next week!2021-11-0405 minShaping AfricaEP 12 - The Return Blueprint, Part 1Welcome to episode 12 of the Shaping Africa podcast. For those of you that have been listening to the podcast this season, you know we are focusing on telling the stories of Africans who have made the “Great Return” from the diaspora. As we’ve been creating content, I’ve been thinking hard about providing a return blueprint of sorts and so I thought I’d do a few of these advice type episodes to help anyone who might be considering a transition back to the continent.
I’ve dubbed these episodes “The Return Blueprint” and today I’ll be sharing thre...2021-10-2809 minShaping AfricaEP 11 - Your Setback Is Your Comeback w/ Coach Roseanne KamauOn this episode, I am joined by Coach Roseanne Kamau, the founder of Treasure Fitness, and a Certified Nutrition Coach with a background in Psychology. Coach Roseanne helps busy women (and some men) lose fat so that they can become healthy for themselves and their families.
In our conversatoin, we talk about:
- Her return journey to Kenya from the US
- The challenges along the way of setting up Treasure Fitness in Kenya
- The impetus behind building Treasure Fitness as a digital first health coaching business
...2021-10-2134 minShaping AfricaEP 10 - Know Thyself & Do What Feeds Your Soul w/ MUGAMBI NTHIGAMugambi is an actor, writer, director and storyteller. His acting career began in Nairobi's theatre scene in the early 2000's, appearing in local and foreign plays and musicals.
His career would later grow during a brief stint in America in the late 2000's, where he worked in Philadelphia's theatre and indie film scene.
On returning to Kenya, he landed principal roles in celebrated Kenyan films 'Nairobi Half Life' (2012) and 'Stories Of Our Lives (2014).
He then went on to co-write the award-winning feature films 'Kati Kati' (2016) as well as 'Supa Modo' (2018). His feature directorial deb...2021-10-1446 minShaping AfricaEP 9 Perspectives on Architecture, Urban Planning and Green Building for Africa w/ Mugure NjenduOn this episode, I am joined by Mugure Njendu, a Registered Architect ,Urban Planner and Founder. We talk about how her time in the US shaped her as a person, her return journey and the impact she has had since being back on the continent. Mugure is a great example of how to use your skills to make the change you want to see in the world. If you enjoy my conversation with Mugure, you can keep in touch with her by following her here on Instagram (@mugurenjenduofficial), Twitter (@MugureNjendu) and on LinkedIn. Links to the resources mentioned on...2021-10-0736 minShaping AfricaEP8 Embracing Ambiguity & Allowing for Emergence w/ Ham NamakajjoThis week, I am joined by Ham Namakajjo who is the Director of the Uganda Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Initiative (UEEI). In this episode, Ham and I talk about how he made the transition back to Uganda from the US, his entrepreneurial pursuits after his stint in management consulting and the importance of embracing ambiguity in entrepreneurship and in "The Great Return" journey. If you would like to keep in touch with Ham, please follow him on LinkedIn and on Instagram @axumoid.
Below are the other resources mentioned in the show:
https://live.fezah.c...2021-09-3041 minShaping AfricaEP7 Njeri Wagacha on The Power of Resilience and PersistenceNjeri Wagacha is a dual qualified, bilingual Corporate Partner at CDH Kenya. She runs the podcast @Njeritalks Law and is a foodie, choosing to share her recipes on her Instagram handle @foodieinnairobi.
It was such an honor to speak to my friend Njeri Wagacha - our conversation ranged from lessons learned in her childhood all the way to how persistence and resilience have led to success her legal career so far. If you enjoyed my conversation with Njeri, please listen to her podcast Njeri Talks Law where she discusses various matters on Law, Entrepreneurship and more.
2021-09-2332 minShaping AfricaEP6 Perspectives On Career Planning, Investing & Entrepreneurship w/ Investing Expert Teddy OnserioOn this episode, I speak to Teddy Onserio on his perspective around career planning, investing and entreprenuership. Teddy is currently an Africa Investment Advisor to the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Teddy is also the founder of Haba Capital an investment company that is harnessing the collective power of small investments to propel businesses in Africa.
Below are links to the resources mentioned:
https://www.kensap.org/
https://www.dfc.gov/
https://www.habacapital.com/2021-09-1649 minShaping AfricaEP5 Working Towards Your Goals with Conviction w/ Diana MongareOn this episode, I am joined by Diana Mongare. Diana is a Senior Investment Associate at LGT Venture Philanthropy, the philanthropic fund of the princely family of Lichtenstein: https://www.lgtvp.com.
Diana's primary focus at LGT is in conservation, where she invests in organizations in Africa providing nature-based solutions to combat climate change. Diana also co-leads Haba Capital, an angel-investor group of young African professionals, and dedicates her time to supporting local entrepreneurs through startup funding and business consulting services.
Haba Capital: https://www.habacapital.com/
2021-09-0930 minShaping AfricaEP4 Taking Entrepreneurial Risk, Cross-border Business Expansion & Shifting Mindsets w/ JP Kayobotsi, CEO & Co-Founder of BriocheJP Kayobotsi is the Co-founder and CEO of Brioche, a chain of bakery and coffee shops started as a small self-funded endeavor in 2013. Prior to founding Brioche, JP worked as an adviser to the Rwandan President. He also worked as an investment officer at the African Development Bank and as a management consultant at Deloitte. To keep in touch with JP and Brioche, you can follow @briochekenya and @briocherwanda on Instagram.
2021-09-0240 minShaping AfricaEP3 Using your skills to Showcase Africa w/ Renewable Energy and Sustainability Expert Wangari MuchiriWangari Muchiri is a Renewable Energy Engineer and Sustainability expert. She currently works as the Innovation Lead at Hivos Foundation and Coordinator of the Africa Wind Power Association. Over the last 8 years, Wangari has gained international experience consulting in renewable energy, green buildings, climate change and sustainability throughout East Africa and Oceania.
Wangari also sits on the board of the Kenya Green Building Society.
Wangari holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Renewable Energy) from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia and a Masters of Engineering (Energy Planning and Policy) from the University of...2021-08-2625 minShaping AfricaEP2 Pursuing Your Passion And Shaping The Africa Creative Industry w/ David MuriithiToday’s guest is David Muriithi. He’s a creative entrepreneur, legendary event and talent manager, music promoter, property developer and DJ. He’s also CEO of the Creative Enterprise Centre whose main focus is implementing strategies that enhance professionalism within the creative industry in Africa.
David, a retired Ernst & Young auditor, has manifested his creative expression through his alter ego, the very popular DJ D-Lite over the past 3 decades and has opened for various Grammy-Award winning acts such as Run DMC, Kool& The Gang, Simply Red, Brand New Heavies, James Taylor Quartet, Blackstreet, SWV, James Ingram, Freddie...2021-08-2341 minShaping AfricaEP1 Practical Steps To Establish A Business In Africa w/ Patricia OkeloToday's guest is Patricia Okelo. Patricia is an entrepreneur with over 19 years experience in running two successful small businesses, Willart Productions and Conferencing In A Box.
She is also the co- founder of Kayana Create, the premier space for female entrepreneurs, where women (and some men) come together to nurture small female run business – 0-3 years through various educational and networking events, such as the very successful ‘Candid Conversations: Circles for Women in Business’ and ‘The Kenya Cottage Industry Expo 2019'.
She is passionate about Women in Business and co- authored ‘A Candid Handbook for Women Doin...2021-08-1241 minShaping AfricaShaping Africa Podcast Trailer - A Collection of Stories on The Great Return to the African Continent from the DiasporaConsidering a move back to Africa from the diaspora? Here are the stories of people who have successfully managed the transition that you can learn from.2021-08-1100 min