Kamande and Kigondu go beyond the catchup in another episode just by themselves. Their chat appreciates the worlding of the world, paper cuts, clutter and equanimity through waves and emotion. They explore the ideas and stories around meaning and purpose in life, giving both close to heart and mundane examples that move from bikes on pavements to childhood heartbreaks, Kamande’s bags of emotion parenting to Kigondu’s dating chronicles. They eventually find themselves under the shade of friendship - exploring the hows and the wheres of it; growing friendship, the joys of friendship, childlike nature of genuine friendship and so on.  A short and warm episode that glorifies rooms where love lives, mindfully walking each other home, awareness and assuming the position of the observer.

SHOW NOTES

In this episode the hosts sit with film enthusiast Fred Makori and spotlight content creation for humans by humans with an emphasis on shaping values. As they follow his journey through the media landscape from behind the camera to in front of it and then back, the gents pick gems across the transitions, evolutions and adaptations. Highlighting Makori’s journey from breaking pulpit continuums to production chronicles, visions in Vihiga to vision bearing in leadership positions, from Kisumu to Kisii to Kiss TV the conversation underlines lessons from different seasons, lessons from different bosses and even lessons from rocks! From dreams of flying to being live on air, from employment to freelance to employment back to freelance, shifts and personal growth; the three gents highlight lessons in and from leadership, lessons through character development, professional encounters, Nation Media to Royal Media, lessons filtering partnerships, value alignment, production bruises, successes and so on. From establishing Picha Safi to their latest productions and showcase of Five for One, #ForBetterforWorse and #LetterstoDad, we follow a journey powered by determination, reinvention and resilience.

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Fred Makori (Facebook, LinkedIn) is a filmmaker with close to two decades of professional practice in the media industry with stints at notable media giants and players such as the Nation Media Group, Radio Africa Group, Docubox, Medeva among others. The multi-faceted practitioner has lead and contributed to different departments over the years from graphic design, writing, editorial research and so on and is now most recognized as a prolific film director and producer with his latest work titled; Five for One - an anthology of short films that premiered at the Nairobi Cinema, December 2024. Makori was the Head of Production at Kenya’s first 24-hour Business Channel - Metropol TV and also served as the Vice Chairman of the Kenya National Film Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design with professional training in film and TV.

Picha Safi: Website, Facebook, IG

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Episode brought to you by FunKe Science

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BOOKS

LINKS AND SHOW NOTES

Prolific Kenyan poet and performing artist Ngartia sits with Kamande and Kigondu for a most engaging and candid conversation. Starting on a high that was a low for him; the conversation moves from Kendrick in Kigali and the could have beens, campus chronicles and the should have beens, to strides in agency and professional engagements that actually became. From his first encounter with propaganda and the spine-chilling experiences in high school, this grandchild of the MauMau reflects on the Nairobi Half Life esq experiences in the big city and on his career path so far - with a profound perspective that gives even his most dumbfounding experiences a spot in helping align him to purpose. Highlighting national traumas, pivotal personal transition points, Damascus moments that never became and so on - the episode joins a few dots to building Ngartia’s fascination with history, language and art. From Timau to Uganda, dropping bars to being behind others, the original #OccupyNairobi to the July 2024 season, epigenetics to literature; the trio note reflections, inflections and observations that could help build better Kenyan stories, working systems and hopefully history not repeating itself in the case of repressive systems and governance. The episode is really about authentic storytelling, finding the self in the clutter of life, evolution, revolution, planting seasons, community and ultimately - a better Kenya.

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Episode brought to you by Prevail Presents.

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LINKS AND SHOW NOTES

In this episode the gents sit with award winning actress and director Joyce Musoke and follow her journey from a curious quiet child who wanted to be a queen to her becoming all that and more! From finding her creative tribe and how a casual choice catapults her into the limelight! From Better Days to being a household name, finding footing, understanding, love and leverage while juggling a whole lot. From private to public, concept to product, screen to theatre - Joyce shares stories, gems, dos and don’ts she’s picked on her journey so far. From billboards and frames to drowning in mashed food and diapers, from acclaimed productions to unfair contracts and dragons - the sit down with Kamande and Kigondu explores the duality of success and the balance. Highlighting childhood memories, hidden wins, rap star ambitions, campus joys, early career days, the making of her TV show and films, the trio also dig into Joyce’s segue into voice acting, awards, current projects and more. This episode is really about overcoming worry, turning trauma into triumph, need for better sleep, resilience, complexities of running a company, being an actors’ producer, friendship in marriage, approaching God from a point of curiosity and most definitely finding, recognizing and crowning value in skill and talent.

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Episode brought to you by Prevail Presents.

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About the Guest

Joyce Musoke is a screen, stage and voice actor. The Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role winner at the Kenya Theatre Awards 2024 and Best Director at the WIFA Awards 2024 is a seasoned artist whose skills and interests spill into producing and directing as well. Most prolific at acting, she has graced numerous plays, films, ads and TV shows over the years. Her most recent roles being ‘Lizzy’ on Second Family by Showmax and notable features on Mpakani (Netflix) and Crime and Justice (Canal+). She is also the voice of ‘Dizi’ the mad scientist on ‘Twende’, Showmax’s premier animation series.

LINKS AND SHOW NOTES

• Post Finance Bill 2024 protests losses - Here and Here

BOOKS

• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

In this special episode the BBB duo sit with Filmmaker and third time podcast guest Alice Kombani and with Scientist, Entrepreneur and great supporter of the podcast Tracey Shiundu for a great conversation in ode to motherhood. The episode picks the convo from their early interactions with ideas of motherhood and marriage, to dating, doubts, rites, weddings and how men with funny shoes and Gully creeper tendencies turned into impressive husbands and fathers. The guests share gems they’ve picked on their journeys so far; from friendship to marriage, through love and lessons, to timing, teething, tantrums and raising teenagers and little fires all while pursuing their professional paths. This episode explores their student to career woman journeys, girlfriend to wife stories, dreamer to achiever paths then back to daughter and mother relationships with even deeper reflections on family, fear, faith, conditioning, genetic continuations, education, women in leadership and their current relationships with their mothers. The episode is really about intentionality, community, continuity and overcoming the gatekeepers to your dreams, all layered in celebrating the women before them while beaming light to ones behind them.

Alice Kombani (IG) is an award Kenyan filmmaker, writer, poet, farmer and prolific creative entrepreneur currently working to ground African Cinema working on her latest feature film ‘Babe’.

Tracey Shiundu (Website, X, LinkedIn, IG) - a Top40under40Ke 2023 honoree, is a Scientist with a masters in Environmental Chemistry who also holds another in project Management, She is a co-founder of FunKe Science whose goal is to inspire the next generation of African scientists by making science fun for children

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This episode is brought to you by Tuwatch Sinema and FunKe Science.

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SHOW NOTES AND EP. LINKS

• Alice Kombani episodes – 2 and 31.

• Episode #2

• Dr. Shikoh Gitau

In this post floods episode under a clear sky, the BBB duo have a No guests but nuggets off shoot episode to do a casual catch up on their mind spaces and seasons in life. From Kigondu’s perspective shifts on ‘settling down’, companionship, fasting, music and more, to Kamande’s transitions at work, new found meditation partners, parenting updates and so on. The episode which explores themes around intentionality, friendship and planting seeds of compassion and wisdom also glazes over the folly of comfort of the middle class, capitalism, systemic rot in governance and the need for overhauls in systems and perspectives around politics and leadership. A slight highlight on sieving our thoughts and the stories our minds tell us as a method to overcoming anxiety is given, even as more seeds on mindful awareness and being present are sown. A short and wholesome listen.

EPISODE LINKS

• Floods in Mathare, Nairobi and across the Kenya

MUSIC REFERENCES AND LINKS

• Fena and ZZero – Hizi floods

In this episode the host duo chat with the fittest man in the country! Kamande and Kigondu sit with the towering Emmanuel Mavala and pick gems from his expeditions around the world and life through sports. The legendary rugby player and strength and conditioning coach walks them through winning tides, plateau periods and lessons through transitions, tiers, training, the early grind and professional athlete experience. From his football days to his first rugby game, from tours with the Simbas to his unexpected boxing season, from different Kenyan rugby clubs to his international experience and so on - this episode follows his quests both on the field and the mind. A case study on the making of an exceptional athlete exploring the place of mental fortitude, passion, discipline, diet, rest and intentionality in the making of a champ. The episode explores dedication, entrepreneurship, cross-fit being ‘the father’ of all sports, the founding of 48Shred, the making of functional training regimes and great coaches, captains, cultures and working structures beyond the pitch.

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Emmanuel Mavala (IG: mavala_jr) is a capped rugby player, a high performance coach and the top ranked cross-fit athlete in the country. He is a cofounder of 48Shred fitness(IG: 48_shred), where he has focus on S&C training for Rugby, high level performance training, among other wellness ventures.

Brought to you by Prevail Presents Ltd.

EPISODE LINKS & Show notes

• Ranked 1st in KE ’in the CrossFit Games (Fittest man in Kenya!!!), and 108th in Africa in 2023.

In this episode the BBB duo sit with Dr. Franz Owano - a prolific author, publisher and doctor for a most intriguing conversation. Jumping into the deep end as soon as the episode starts, Franz explores the merits of greed - yes, greed - before the episode flows more towards studying the choices, strengths, weaknesses and shadows of great men. With historical figures, characters from his books and prominent thought leaders making appearances in his anecdotes and examples; the episode follows Franz’s ideas, curiosities, experiences and journey into both medicine and literature. From ‘stealing’ books to the scribblings that begun the writer's journey, from being a non-desire inducing creature to being lead doctor in the wild bandit prone Laikipia, from points of inflections to deflections and so on the episode follows Franz’s transition from the ward to the seat. Highlighting existential frustrations, anxiety, ambition and worthy tradeoffs, societal impositions, work in the mental health space and more, the conversation generously finds time to also analyze the shift of position demonizing fathers to humanizing them to then becoming them. At the heart of it - this episode is really about gratitude, perseverance, drive, kindness, fatherhood, finding balance and ensuing happiness as opposed to chasing it.

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This episode is brought to you by FunKeScience.

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About the Guest

Franz Owano is a Doctor, Author and Publisher. He began writing seriously while still a medical student at the University of Nairobi over a decade ago. Venturing into literature as a productive outlet from the rigors of his chosen vocation. He has penned plays, collections of short stories, an anthology of poems, a novella and a couple of novels so far ranging from the genres of contemporary fiction, African folklore, religious fantasy to historical and science fiction. Three of his books and a 4th published under the banner of his company (The Wanderers Path Publishers - IG) have been purchased by the United States Library of Congress.

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SHOW NOTES

• The True top of Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs

BOOKS, POEMS, MOVIES AND MUSIC MENTIONS

• Analyzing Gordon Gecko from Wolf of Wall Street

In this episode the BBB duo sit with respected Kenyan stand-up comedian and manager, Doug Mutai (X, IG). The three gents follow Doug’s journey finding comedy or is it comedy finding him? From Bomet to Lethbridge, Kericho to Calgary, Nakuru to Nairobi and so on, in between laughs and hot takes - the trio trace Doug’s discovery of purpose through comedy and management; from daring abroad to successfully engineering a dam for comics back home. The episode sees the protagonist move in old cars in winter, tackle tedious terrain chasing the comedy high through comedy rooms, caves, clubs and competitions across Canada. Having built muscle and experience over the years - from bits to sets, sets to acts and routines to becoming an established comic, Doug’s chat with the BBB duo highlights lessons from the years and seasons, the highs and the lows, the pivots and plateaus, friendships, partnerships and surprisingly - farming. Even as it documents the becoming of The Stand Up Collective, this episode following Doug’s journey is truly about the benefits of consistency, self-awareness, living in the moment and the freedom attached to discovering success as the journey as opposed to the goal.

Brought to you by Prevail Presents Ltd.

EPISODE LINKS & Show notes

• Russel Peters

BOOKS

• How to Write Funniest

SOCIALS

• DougMutai on X

An episode that flows like a productive session at the therapist! The BBB duo sit with psychologist and performing artist Tugi Waiyaki for a chat on mental health, music and more. Finding clarity, direction, and truth being the soul of the guest’s belief system, Tugi walks the gents through her path so far; overcoming growing pains, anxiety, extreme ideations, depression and despair to finding light, love, abundance, melody and the strength to swim against the current. With candid examples from their individual lives, the three explore ways of functioning in a dysfunctional world while pursuing purpose, healing, grounding and wisdom. The episode celebrates faith, friendship, freedom, mental fortitude and F.L.O.A.T.ing, even as it warns of the folly of scheduling grief, suppressing emotions and using fear to fuel drive. Glorifying the trenches, self-awareness, giving oneself grace and turning towards the direction of love makes this one a most powerful listen.

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The episode is brought to you by Spearhead.

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About the Guest

Tugi Waiyaki (X, Instagram, LinkedIn) is a dedicated, multifaceted psychologist who is committed to helping people reach their greatest potential and experience the best possible Mental Health by using her artistry to give easy access to information on psychology and the process of therapy. She is a musician, poet, writer, podcaster, actress and production manager.

Episode Links

• Twombili studios YouTube

Books and Music

• Tugi’s 2nd EP - https://tugiwaiyakiofficial.bandcamp.com/album/insomnia-2