In this episode, I sit down with creator extraordinaire Julia Gaitho, a podcaster, producer, digital content creator, and marketing professional. During her career in corporate Kenya, Julia discovered a passion for storytelling, which led to the creation of an award-winning YouTube channel that opened numerous doors for her.

Julia is the producer behind two well-known podcasts in the region, So This Is Love and It's Related, I Promise. She is also the founder of Over25, a popular Kenyan YouTube channel and brand that featured four women engaging in candid conversations on topics such as relationships, careers, and personal growth. The channel garnered a significant following for its relatable content and authenticity.

In addition to her creative ventures, Julia dedicates her talents to addressing social issues affecting girls and women. She describes her work as an evolutionary process of storytelling that deepens curiosity about and understanding of the human condition.

Hello everyone,

We are back!

I am excited to introduce my next guest, Huguette Umutoni, a skilled partnership facilitator with experience at prestigious institutions such as the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

As Champion Lead for the Global Partnership for Education, Huguette advises Heads of State and celebrities on advocating for education policy and securing financing, with a particular focus on ensuring equitable access to education for girls. She also co-founded a consulting firm specializing in high-level government relations, social impact initiatives, and connecting Africa’s creative industries to the global stage.

In addition to her work in education, Huguette is a passionate advocate for women’s health, supporting projects aimed at ending Period Poverty and empowering young women in STEAMED fields. She is also deeply involved in promoting African fashion, collaborating with designers and serving on boards that support the industry.

With a master's in International Negotiations and a bachelor’s in International Relations, Huguette is committed to driving meaningful change on both local and global levels.

In this conversation, we cover:

You can follow Huguette’s work here:

Instagram: @huguitoni
LinkedIn: Huguette Umutoni Bitega

In this episode, I sit down with one of my all time favorite artists, Bien Aimé Baraza also known as Bien, an internationally acclaimed Afro-pop artist hailing from Kenya and a former lead singer of a band that we all know and love, Sauti Sol. Bien is now successful solo artist who is making waves with his voice and art across the globe. 

Bien and the Sauti Sol quartet released several albums that became international hits such as Sol Filosofia,  Live and Die in Afrika, and a personal favorite Midnight Train. Sauti Sol received local and international accolades and nominations, including at the Kisima Music Awards, the Channel O Music Video Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards, and the BET Awards.

Bien, who is now doing his solo career, has already released several hits including Mbwe Mbwe, Inauma, Wahala (his latest single) and he recently released a full album with 16 songs called ‘Alusa Why Are You Topless’. I am convinced he is on his way to winning a Grammy and it is an honor to experience his ascension to even greater things! 

You can find Bien's Music and Work Below:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BienOfficial
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4dLJL31
Instagram: @bienaimesol
X: @bienaimesol
TikToK: @bienaimesol

In the next episode, I have one of the best conversations I have had so far on the podcast with Kenyan entrepreneur extraordinaire, Tonee Ndungu. We discussing his recent experience of pitching his EdTech company, Kytabu, to Bill Gates and the journey that has led him to share his story on global stages. 

Tonee is the founder of Kytabu, an innovative education technology company dedicated to transforming the way students, educators, and schools access and engage with educational content. Tonee is also an avid tech-preneur with a good number of companies under his belt including Nailab KE.

As a dyslexic student who worked twice as hard to be half as good as his classmates, creating an education application that levels the learning field while changing the dynamic of learning, was a given. Fascinated by the opportunity technology brings to the continent and as a dyslexic learner himself, he is an advocate for special education needs and disability education friendly curricula. 

Tonee is also the mind behind Tribbe™, a company that  helps you manage money between you and your family, friends and social circles without the awkwardness that comes with it. He is determined to make this an African fintech unicorn. 

On a personal note, I really like the way Tonee’s mind works and how he sees life. He is a walking Kenyan philosopher and his content is thought-provoking.

You can find more details on Tonee below:

Website: toneendungu.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/toneendungu/

X: x.com/toneendungu?lang=en

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@toneendungu

In my next conversation I sit down with the graceful and brilliant business woman, Vimbai Masiyiwa. She is the executive director of Batoka Hospitality, the first black, female-owned safari lodge group in Africa, a company she co-founded with her mother Tsitsi Masiyiwa.

Their project, Zambezi Sands River Lodge, a safari lodge nestled on the western end of the Zambezi National Park and about an hour from Victoria Falls is a luxurious testament to community-led initiatives centered about women empowerment. Batoka Hospitality is a luxury eco-tourism and community development group.

Beyond her business endeavors, Vimbai openly shares about her journey fighting cancer in her early twenties and we discuss her now commitment to destigmatize mental health challenges.

Vimbai holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from US Bryant University, as well as a Masters in Entrepreneurship & Entrepreneurship Studies from University College London.

In the next episode, I have a heartfelt and inspiring conversation with Israel Bimpe about his unconventional and eclectic career path. Israel is the CEO of Irembo, a Rwandan technology company specializing in Govtech and Fintech products. IremboGov, Irembo’s flagship product, serves as Rwanda's main government services portal, digitizing over 100 government services. Before becoming CEO, Israel served on Irembo's Board of Directors.

Prior to his role at Irembo, Israel was the Director of Africa Go-To-Market at Zipline, where he spearheaded the expansion of Zipline's services across the continent. He also made history as the first African President of the International Pharmaceutical Students Federation since its founding in 1949, representing 350,000 pharmacy students and recent graduates in over 100 countries.

Israel is actively involved in several esteemed organizations, including the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), and the International Pharmacists Federation. Despite his impressive background, what I admire most about Israel is his grounded nature and his dedication to service, discipline, and contribution.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

In this next episode, I sit down with Georgie Ndirangu, a global moderator and a curator of the brand Georgie Ndirangu. With a stellar career spanning the BBC, CNBC Africa, and Forbes Africa, Georgie has earned accolades such as the Rwandan Journalist of the Year award.

His remarkable journey includes captivating interviews with global business leaders and heads of states. In the agency sector, he has been part of the team driving transformative projects for renowned clients like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Evercare, and TPG, across diverse regions—Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the UK. More recently, he served as the Head (Pan-African Communications), Mastercard Foundation.

In this conversation, we cover Georgie's upbringing and how it shaped who he is today. We discuss his relocation to Rwanda after college, a pivotal chapter in his life. We also cover his insights on building a captivating brand that has opened doors for him.

In Georgie's style, the conversation is marked with banter and profound lessons.

Georgie Ndirangu recently launched a masterclass that covers everything he has learned in his 10 year career in media and communication. You will learn public speaking, event moderation, stage presence- all from someone who has done it the African context and beyond. You can learn more here: www.georgiendirangu.com

In this conversation I sit down with Just Ivy Africa, an award-winning marketer, content creator, digital entrepreneur, and investor. We discuss the experience that have shaped her life and career to date, and the decision she made to fully bet on herself- a decision that is already paying dividends.

Just Ivy is the founder of Movers' Society- a community that enables people to access financial literacy without spending too much money and a platform for people to hold each other accountable to achieve their financial goals. Ivy has recently established investment club and in less than a year, the club has amassed over 400,000 USD in Assets Under Management.

Ivy has over 15 years of experience in digital and experiential brand building; she is an emerging pan-African voice in money matters, an adept conversation moderator, and a skillful experience curator. Her social media platforms are turning into dynamic online learning centers for women and youth across Africa.

In 2022, she was awarded Kenya's most innovative influencer and was previously the Samsung Consumer Electronics Brand Ambassador for East Africa in 2020 - 2023. Join her vibrant community, 'The Movers Society,' and prepare to embark on a journey of financial enlightenment, personal growth and a ton of fun!

Find Ivy's page:

https://www.instagram.com/just_ivy_africa_/?hl=en

The movers' society:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_movers_society_/

In this conversation I sit with the one and only, Charlot Magayi who is the Founder of Mukuru Clean Stoves- a clean cooking company that repurposes locally sourced waste metal to manufacture improved, efficient, and reliable cookstoves. In this episode, we discuss her childhood experiences growing up in one of the largest slum in Kenya, losing both her parents by the age of 10, and her experience of becoming a teen mom at 16.

Despite facing incredible setbacks early on in life, Charlot has gone on to accomplish the unthinkable including winning the Earthshot prize in 2022 an award started by Prince William and David Attenborough and a cash prize of 1 Million Pounds. In this conversation, we discuss the power of asking persistently and being comfortable with rejection. We discuss how to never let success make you complacent as there will always be more work to do and greater heights to reach.

Charlot has been recognized and awarded by Global Citizen, World Bank, and United Nations. She was among the 100 most influential Young Africans in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Her company, Mukuru Clean Stoves, has manufactured and distributed over 400,000 cookstoves, impacting the lives of 2,000,000 Kenyans living in poverty. Charlot is currently building a 300,000 square foot sustainable energy campus in Kenya and developing a malaria fighting fuel.

Charlot is an Echoing Green Fellow, an Africa Business Hero, a Global Good Fund Fellow, a Stanford Global Energy Hero, a Forbes under 30 lister and a Bloomberg New Economy Catalyst and she sits on the board of three international funds. 

This is a gem packed episode and I hope you enjoy and learn from it.

Follow the work of Mukuru Clean Stoves below:

Website: https://mukurustoves.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mukurucleanstoves/

Follow Charlot:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charlotmagayi/

Happy New Year, FATHOM friends!

In this conversation, I sit with a sister and friend of mine, Pelumi Nubi, who is a purpose-driven travel content creator and connector who thrives on exploring less commonly visited countries, currently living in Dubai. Calling both the UK and Nigeria home, while having ventured to 80 countries across 6 continents, her engaging content inspires her community to embrace life with fearlessness and embody true freedom. She is committed to showing that travel can be safe, easy, and achievable, particularly for Black women who want to travel solo.

In this conversation, we speak about her goal of traveling to every country in the world and the experiences she has had from those she has been to so far. We discuss how she prioritizes her time and finances to be able to travel to the extent that she does.

She shares her journey of quitting her PhD in cancer research to become a full-time entrepreneur and travel blogger. We discuss her diagnosis with dyslexia and her determination to not be limited by it. We discuss identity, life choices, and living life under your own terms.

Pelumi will be embarking on another big expedition to drive from London to Lagos, Nigeria starting this January, a journey that will take her through 17 countries and take two months. She continues to explore uncharted territories- an inspiring feat for women and men everywhere.

I hope you enjoy this one as I did recording it!

You can find her on:

Instagram: @pelumi.nubi

Twitter (X): @Phd_flygirl

TikTok: @pelumi.nubi