Why, as adults, do we become so serious, stop playing, and forget to make time for joy? Imagine how different the world would look if we spent more time laughing, and less time being so hard on ourselves.

Today’s guest, Em Stroud, is on a mission to bring back joy, laughter and play into adult lives. In this episode Em opens up about the challenging times in her childhood that left little room for joy and forced her to grow up too quickly. Luckily for us, this experience led her on a journey to become the incredible comedian she is today, fighting to bring more happiness into adulthood. 

From comedy shows, podcast, and books, to executive coaching, retreats, and speaking, Em really is one of the most multifaceted people I have ever met, while being driven by her inspiring purpose. This conversation left me inspired, uplifted and reminding myself that this life ‘is not a rehearsal’.

In this episode, we discuss:

Get tickets to see Em’s show ‘Tales from a Little Laughing Lesbian’ - https://emstroud.com/tour/

Find out about everything that Em does - https://emstroud.com/

The Comic Coach Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/6YalzRBYpB8mZ6M5FAAuTj?si=e31ecb7b7d314500

Instagram - @emrstroud

What does building wealth look like when you are on the wrong side of Capitalism? Is there hope to decrease inequality and thrive in the current economic system? 

In this conversation, Rachel Laryea shares her journey. From watching her mum work around the clock and instilling the same work ethic into her children, to becoming a successful author and entrepreneur.

In this insightful conversation, we discuss the complexities of navigating identity, being surrounded by privilege without the safety net, the reality of being black on Wall Street, and the mission for financial security. Rachel emphasises the dual nature of capitalism, highlighting both its exploitative aspects and the potential for empowerment within it. She advocates for a Black Capitalist framework that prioritises community and purpose in business, while also reflecting on the importance of self-care in her personal and professional life. 

Having succeeded in Wall Street, Academia, Entrepreneurship, and now Authorship with her incredible book Black Capitalist, there could not be a better role model to bring to Seat at My Table. 

In this conversation we talk about:

Most importantly, please go and read Rachel’s Incredible (!!) book Black Capitalists:

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/746827/black-capitalists-by-rachel-laryea-phd/

Find Rachel here: https://rachellaryea.com

Visit Kelewele’s website: https://www.kelewelenyc.com

Instagram:

Working 2 jobs while pursuing her passion as an R&B singer-songwriter, Samantha Toms, a.k.a Mantha, opens up about the reality of working towards her dream.

This episode is an open and honest conversation about Mantha’s journey that brought her to the London R&B scene, the set backs along the way, and exciting unknown yet to come. Lucky enough to say that she is an old friend I have watched grow and shine, I was so to excited to have her on the podcast to share her incredible mindset, manifestation tips, and a peak behind the scenes of the music industry.

In this episode we talk about:

Listen to new song ‘The Man' - https://ditto.fm/the-man-mantha

Follow Mantha:

Instagram - https://instagram.com/mantha/

TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@itsmantha 

Youtube - www.youtube.com/@manthasworld

What if true leadership looked less like boys clubs and bravado — and more like mindfulness, motherhood, and meaningful relationships?

Today’s guest, Tingting Peng, redefines what it means to be in the C-Suite and provides a role model of leadership that we are all seeking but struggle to find. 

Tingting is the Chief Transformation Officer at Moove, a global mobility fintech reimagining access to vehicle ownership that closed a $100 million Series B round in March 2024. She’s also an angel investor, advisor to startups, international yoga teacher, and mother. Recognised as one of the Top 100 Women in Fintech and a Top 25 Women Leader in Financial Technology, Tingting’s journey spans Wall Street boardrooms to yoga studios — and everything in between.

In this conversation, we go deep into the beginning of Tingting’s career, the reality of being an Investment Banking Analyst, and where her determination to prove people wrong began. We delve into how a period of personal crisis became the catalyst to change and a yoga qualification that saved her life and continues to be the key to her corporate success.

We explore the power of curiosity, leadership through authenticity, and why the courage to be a student again might just be the key to your next breakthrough.

In this conversation we cover:

Book discussed in this conversation: The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, By Eckhart Tolle

Find Tingting: 

The Compound Effect, the idea that small, consistent actions over time lead to big results.

It is the difference between the top 1% and everyone else, it is what helps people become stupidly rich, or the reason that the existence of one person can echo throughout history. 

For the 10th episode of the Seat at My Table Podcast, I wanted to do something a bit different, and share my first solo episode. I provide some exciting updates on the podcast and my life, but most importantly, I dive into a concept that I have recently become fascinated by. The Compound Effect. The more I looked into it, the more convinced I became that we could all leverage it to completely up-level our lives. We just need to understand the simply formula: consistency + time = unbelievable results.

So of course, I had to share this with you all, just like I have to share the wisdom from my usual guests. I use a range of examples from the Ice Age and The Magic Penny Scenario, to Greta Thunberg and her Global Movement at the age of 15.

Sources and media mentioned in this episode is below:

Imagine a world where there are no barriers to innovation, everyone has the ability to bring their ideas to life, and the world in which we live looks completely different as a result. 

Today’s guest, Cecil Adjalo, is working towards this vision as the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Foundervine which was recently recognised as one of Europe’s leading start up hubs. 

Cecil is on a mission. His wisdom as a founder as well as a leader who is shaping the start-up ecosystem is boundless. His passion, determination and discipline, has always inspired me and so I had to bring him on and share it with you. Giving you a peak behind the curtain of what it is like to be the COO of a growing startup from someone who was listed by the Financial Times as one of the top 100 most influential BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) Leaders in the UK Tech sector. 

In this conversation we cover:

Find Cecil here - linkedin.com/in/adjalo

Learn more about Foundervine - https://www.foundervine.com/#

The book recommendation - Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It by Chris Voss

How hard can it be? 

A question that serial founder, Ex-Investment Banker, and all round superstar, Dawid Konotey-Ahulu, consistently asks himself to push limits and find immense success. 

Dawid Started his career training as a lawyer, followed by working as an investment banking, before becoming a serial entrepreneur. 

He co-founded Redington an award winning independent investment consultantancy on a mission to make 100 million people financially secure. Followed by Mallowstreet, a collaboration platform for the asset management industry. And, as if this wasn’t enough, he co-founded 10,000 interns, a foundation that provides internships across 20 industries for undergraduates of black heritage, or with a disability, that Is changing lives in the process. Now Dawid is on a mission to empower people with the ability to tell their story through his company Spellbound. 

He was named Black British Business Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018, and awarded a CBE in the 2023 New Year Honours List. 

Despite this impressive list of accolades, for me, the most astounding things about are his ability to connect with people and his infinite compassion and will to help others. 

In this conversation, we discuss

Find out more:

Learn about Spellbound - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seQNdPMOFAE

Discover 10,000 Interns - https://10000internsfoundation.com/

Dawid's LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/dawid1

I hope you enjoy and feel inspired. 

If you do like this episode please don’t forget to follow and rate for more amazing guests.

Money, the root of all evil or a powerful force for good? Join me in this insightful conversation with Dama Sathianathan who is setting an incredible example of the positive change that can be achieved by writing cheques in the world of venture capital.

Dama is a Senior Partner at Bethnal Green Ventures, Europe’s leading early-stage tech for good Venture Capital Firm that backs ambitious founders using tech to tackle pressing social and environmental challenges. She is also a committee member for Venture ESG, a community-based non-profit organisation focused on the meaningful integration of ESG and responsible investing in venture capital.

I was extremely excited to introduce you to Dama for several reasons. The first is to spotlight an extremely successful female role model in the male dominated investment landscape. If you are close to me, then you know I am obsessed with getting more women into investing and getting more money invested into women. The other reason is the fact that Dama’s journey is not the usual route we see into venture capital. She started in the not-for-profit industry before going into venture capital and she has continued to commit to high-impact investing, focusing on tackling important issues.

Topics covered include:

Dama’s book recommendation: Blockchain Chicken Farm by Xiaowei Wang.

First Black male Student Union President at LSE, the youngest ever board member of the Barbican, Europe’s largest Multi-arts Centre, Managing Director of TC & Friends at the age of 26, AND he made the 2024 Forbes 30 under 30 list. It’s hard to believe that the guest in this episode, Zulum Elumogo, achieved all this by the time he was 28 years old. So, of course, we had to have Zulum on Seat at My Table to wrack his brain and understand the secret to his success.

In this conversation we talk about the importance of visual communication, how we are shaped by the images we are surrounded by and Zulum’s role within TC & Friends, an international design agency helping brands convey their message. We also discuss why he has managed to break the mould and consistently be the first in several positions, where his fearlessness comes from and leading with purpose, how being a second-generation migrant has shaped his journey and what he believes has enabled him to achieve so much so young.

Topics covered include:

Zulum’s inspiration recommendation, the Book of Proverbs, https://dailyaudiobible.com/

Find Zulum on Instagram @zulum_elumogo and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/zulum-elumogo?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app 

Imagine going through your emails at work when suddenly you get a call from a distressed mother whose son has been held by Syrian Authorities and likely tortured for receiving money from a foreign bank account. His mum’s bank account. Who is currently a refugee in the UK.

This is what a normal day can look like for Colette, Founder and CEO of Conversation Over Borders. An organisation that works to connect forcibly displaced people with the wider community to cut through isolation and ensure everyone has equal voice, rights and opportunities. Colette started Conversation Over Borders (COB) at the age of 23 in 2020 by helping connect refugees with English teaches.

In this episode, Colette goes back to the beginning, sharing the origin of COB and how it has grown and expanded - having recently reached 20,000 hours of English lessons! We dive into what it was like being a CEO at such a young and how she navigated the space without an existing network. As well as the importance of staying close to the community you are serving so you are always responding to their needs.

Topics covered include:

The film discussed at the end of the episode is ‘The Swimmers’.

Hear members of the COB community share their story and watch ‘Prisoner of Hope’ here - https://www.conversationoverborders.org/our-voices  

Find more information about COB here where there are a number of ways to get involved - https://www.conversationoverborders.org