The African CEO

"I Worked For Mandela For 19 Years" | Zelda Le Grange

#inspirational #podcast #nelsonmandela #southafrica #history
 
Meet Zelda Le Grange, the former private secretary of the late great Nelson Mandela.
 
In this episode, Zelda shares lesson from her two books: “Good Morning, Mr Mandela” and “What Mandela Taught Me.”
 
✅ Subscribe to watch more podcasts on entrepreneurs who are making an impact on the African continent: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAfricanCEO/?sub_confirmation=1
 
Timestamps:
 
00:00-02:29: Who is Zelda?
02:30-03:59: Zelda’s childhood lessons
04:00-05:29: South Africa in 1990
05:30-07:29: Fear in people in 1994
07:30-09:29: Zelda’s first encounter with Mandela
09:30-12:59: Did Zelda ever doubt working for the president?
13:00-18:59: Dealing with criticism
19:00-22:29: Mandela’s influence on Zelda
22:30-26:59: Benefits of expanding your world
27:00-31:59: What Mandela expected of others
32:00-34:29: Is the concept of identity beneficial to us?
34:30-39:29: How to not compare yourself to others
39:30-44:29: Have creative outlets
44:30-49:05: How Mandela was able to forgive people
 
Link to The African CEO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theafricanceo/
 
Link to The African CEO Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/theafrican_ceo/
 
Link to Naison’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Naison’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Zelda’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zeldalagrangesa/
 
Link to Zelda’s Website - https://zeldalagrange.co.za/

Have An Attitude Of "Why Not Try" | Russell Julius: Africa Reach Group Founder

#podcast #businesspodcast #entrepreneurship #storytelling #africa
 
Meet Russell Julius – a serial entrepreneur and dedicated mentor who has spent the past decade helping countless entrepreneurs start, grow and succeed in their businesses.
 
✅ Subscribe to watch more podcasts on entrepreneurs who are making an impact on the African continent: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAfricanCEO/?sub_confirmation=1
 
🎧 Share this video with a friend: https://youtu.be/jfqDffXosQQ
 
Link to The African CEO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theafricanceo/
 
Link to The African CEO Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/theafrican_ceo/
 
Link to Naison’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Naison’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Russell’s LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellmarkjulius/?originalSubdomain=za

How To Heal Yourself | Mahlodi Letsie: Bare Mind Founder

#podcast #africa #southafrica #mentalhealth #wellness
 
“The most underrated skill of the world’s most successful people is their ability to effectively manage themselves…”
 
Meet Mahlodi Letsie, the visionary founder of Bare Mind, a health-tech marketplace on a mission to destigmatize mental health in African communities.
 
In this podcast episode, Mahlodi takes us on a journey through her childhood, shares what fuels her passion and reveals how she navigates life’s toughest challenges.
 
Want to master the art of managing yourself like the top 1%? Tune in!
 
✅ Subscribe to watch more podcasts on entrepreneurs who are making an impact on the African continent: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAfricanCEO/?sub_confirmation=1
 
🎧 Share this video with a friend: https://youtu.be/3_vRZZKJIq8
 
🎵 Spotify:
 
Timestamps:
 
00:00-02:29: The problem that Bare Mind is solving
02:30-03:29: Mahlodi’s background
03:30-09:59: Mahlodi’s drive
10:00-17:07: Dealing with the external pressure
17:08-20:29: Mahlodi’s personal wellness practice
20:30-26:38: How to not be overwhelmed
26:39-31:29: The effect of not dealing with your issues
31:30-34:48: How important is our nerves system
34:49-38:23: The daily tools you need
38:24-41:29: How to be comfortable being by yourself
41:30-43:29: The importance of black role models
43:30-48:22: How Bare Mind helps people
48:23-53:28: Fast fire
 
Link to The African CEO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theafricanceo/
 
Link to The African CEO Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/theafrican_ceo/
 
Link to Naison’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Naison’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Mahlodi’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mahlodiletsie/
 
Link to Bare Mind’s Website - https://www.bare-mind.com/
 

“Pay it forward…” | Michael Joubert: Investor, Mentor & Serial Entrepreneur

#podcast #africa #southafrica #storytelling #investing #entrepreneurship
 
“Pay it forward…”
 
Meet Mike Joubert - an investor, mentor and change-maker with over 35 years of transformative leadership experience.
 
During our conversation, Mike shared an incredible wealth of insights. We dived into his childhood, the experiences that shaped him and his unique approach to leadership.
 
He shared fascinating stories, including his role as Managing Director in Levi's remarkable success, the exit from his first company and the strategic merger of Quicket with Ticketmaster.
 
The biggest takeaway from my time with Mike? The profound importance of the principle: "Pay it forward."

"I was hijacked in Johannesburg" | Thato Moeng: Supersport Presenter

#podcast #africa #southafrica #storytelling #business #supersport
 
Meet Thato Moeng, the extraordinary SuperSport sports broadcaster.
 
In this episode, she takes us through her inspiring journey, sharing the resilience and determination it took to break barriers and excel in the competitive world of sports media.
 
Thato also opens up about a life-changing experience she faced in 2018 - the reason for starting her foundation.
 
✅ Subscribe to watch more podcasts on entrepreneurs who are making an impact on the African continent: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAfricanCEO/?sub_confirmation=1
 
🎧 Share this video with a friend: https://youtu.be/VSwKIxa9Dwk
 
Timestamps:
 
00:00: Thato’s childhood
02:26: Boarding school
03:47: Thato’s mom
06:06: The support we need when we’re young
07:33: Thato’s love for journalism
09:42: Y-Academy
12:36: Thato’s work ethic
14:23: Doing the internal work
17:32: Thato’s favourite hat to wear & radio
20:29: Never take your baggage into work
22:37: The pressure of live broadcasting
25:03: Live sports directing
27:00: How Thato got the Supersport job
30:18: Robert Marawa
32:55: Fail fast and don’t take it personally
36:26: What makes Supersport great
41:15: Thato’s hijack
47:58: Thato’s foundation
52:25: Fast fire
 
Link to The African CEO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theafricanceo/
 
Link to The African CEO Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/theafrican_ceo/
 
Link to Naison’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Naison’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Thato’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thatomoeng/?hl=en

The Truth About Alcohol | Sarah Kennan: Leonista Founder

#podcast #alcohol #africa #tequila #product #business
 
I sat down with the founder of Leonista - Sarah Kennan.
 
Leonista is South Africa's first 100% Karoo agave spirit crafted in the traditional Mexican way.
 
✅ Subscribe to watch more podcasts on entrepreneurs who are making an impact on the African continent: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAfricanCEO/?sub_confirmation=1
 
🎧 Share this video with a friend: https://youtu.be/zYG8yAyxisg 
 
Timestamps:
 
00:00-04:25: Sarah’s background
04:26-06:38: Why Sarah started her Tequila business
06:39-07:48: Mexican Tequila vs other Tequila
07:49-10:21: Agave plant
10:22-13:52: How Sarah leads her company
13:53-14:49: The story of Leonista’s name
14:50-17:42: The 1% Club
17:43-22:50: What Sarah wished she knew when she started Leonista
22:51-25:34: Production side of the business
25:35-28:21: Branding Leonista
28:22-32:14: Leonista’s customers and distribution
32:15-41:22: Pros and cons of alcohol
41:23-46:47: Fast Fire
 
Link to The African CEO Website - https://theafricanceo.co.za/ Link to The African CEO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theafricanceo/
 
Link to The African CEO Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/theafrican_ceo/
 
Link to Naison’s LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Naison’s Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/naisonpillay/
 
Link to Sarah’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barbarella_twinkletoes/
 
Link to Leonista’s Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leonistaspirit/
 
Link to Leonista’s Website - https://leonista.co.za/

Authenticity Comes From Honesty | Schalk Bezuidenhout: Comedian & Actor

What does it take to turn life’s challenges into laughter?
 
In this week’s podcast episode, “Authenticity Comes From Honesty,” Naison had the privilege of sitting down with comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout to unpack his journey.
 
From his early childhood and humble beginnings in stand-up (like opening for Barry Hilton without pay) to building an authentic brand, Schalk’s story is as inspiring as it is hilarious.
 
He shared insights on channeling pain into humour, the creative process behind his material and the resilience it takes to become a successful comedian.
 
Schalk also spoke vulnerably about navigating personal challenges, including his recent separation, and the lessons he’s learned about himself along the way.

How To Grow A Newsletter | Renier Kriel: The Open Letter Founder

#businesspodcast #africa #entrepreneurship #techstartup #newsletterbusiness
 
“It’s my mission to help as many founders as I can - if they win, we all win.”
 
I sat down with the founder of The Open Letter - Renier Kriel.
 
In his 20s, he founded a software agency that played a pioneering role in Africa's tech landscape. They developed some of the continent's first smartphone apps for leading companies such as Takealot, Checkers and MTN.
 
After 12 years, Renier successfully exited the business, transitioning into a new chapter where he now focuses on empowering the South African tech ecosystem.
 
In this episode, he shares the vision behind The Open Letter and discusses how the team successfully grew its subscriber base
 
Renier also shared the secrets on how they were able to monetise The Open Letter.

The Key To My Comedy Success | Marc Lottering: Global Comedian

The one and only Marc Lottering… 
 
Naison sat down with the South African comedy legend, and thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.
 
Marc took us on a journey through his childhood, sharing what it was like growing up in the Cape Flats.
 
He opened up about how he discovered his passion for comedy and the hurdles he overcame to pursue his dreams.
 
He also revealed his secret to staying relevant in the ever-evolving entertainment industry and offered valuable insights on building a career that resonates not just locally, but on a global stage.
 
#podcast #comedian #standupcomedy #entertainment #africanstories

Tools To Cure Depression | Dr Angelic Nespola: Counselling Psychologist

#mentalhealth #depression #anxiety #stress #podcast
 
“These are tools to cure depression…”
 
🎙️ On the latest podcast episode, I had the privilege of interviewing Dr Angelic Nespola, a counselling pychologist.
 
🌍 Dr. Ange is a specialist in helping her clients navigate stress, anxiety and overcome depression.
 
✨ In this episode, we dive deep into these critical topics, sharing valuable insights and practical strategies to help you manage life’s toughest challenges.