In this episode, I speak to Founder and CEO of Zoya Speaks, Zoya Mabuto Mokoditoa, we discuss how she stepped into feminine fearless power throughout her life and career, how she grounds herself when she doubts herself.  We reveal what gives us goosebumps in our careers. Zoya shares her Toastmasters journey which led to a trip to Las Vegas, and lastly, how she ended up delivering a talk on stage at EY while pregnant and how her so called "biggest mistake" turned out to be the biggest triumph of her career.   

In this show we cover:

• 01:32  - Growing up in Eastern Cape, South Africa where she was raised by her grandparents in a house full of love and warmth but also witnessed the verbally and physically abusive nature of her grandfather,  
• 05:00  - Attending an all girl school and the advantages of being groomed and allowed to flourish and discover yourself among girls who are finding their voice,
• 07:07  - accidentally finding out that her mother was HIV positive before going on to study at Rhodes University, then eventually dropping out to take care of herself and family,
• 10:30 - the influence of being raised by independent women and how she managed to manage the crisis of her own power, 
• 13:40 - discussing anchors and motivational messages she accesses in moments of doubt and reminding yourself to always keep checking in with yourself,
• 18:20  - being frustrated in corporate while working at the Department of Home Affairs and falling in love with peoples stories,  
• 21:10  - attending a Toastmasters event and doing an impromptu speech which led to being advised to enter an international speaking competition where she was one of the top performers,
• 24:03 - Sharing a story of when she was speaking to delegates at EY and feeling like failure but ended up being a blessing in disguise and the usual failures and difficulties of being a business owner, working mom and married woman,
• 32:05 - Life hacks as a working new mom and the challenge of being a wife while building a new business, 
• 35:46  - Favourite books; To Kill A  Mocking Bird & books by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 
• 43:40 - Zoya's life philosophy - "Hold nothing back"

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Additional information mentioned in this episode:

Toastmasters International
2015 D74 International Prepared Speech Champion - Zoya Mabuto
Zoya Mabuto: Using tradition to renegotiate Africa's identity
Hadithi Ya Africa (S02): Zoya Mabuto - I am learning to be vulnerable
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

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