On today's episode, my guest is Ayo Norman-Williams, a games designer and Computer Scientist.  Ayo shares his love for computer games, including the very first title that placed him on his current career path.  We geek out and argue over a few titles, his dream of wanting to work at a famous animation studio at age seven, the games he has created so far and how he was nominated for the BAFTA Young designer of the Year Award.  Ayo also talks through the process of being a designer, his area of speciality and who has influenced him in his career.  We chat about the importance of communicating ideas and telling the right story, and which of his created games he would like to see adapted for the big screen.  We discuss how Black people, contrary to popular belief,  are heavily into various global pop cultures and anime.   And of course, Ayo shares with us in the episode the quote that continually inspires him.


You can check more of Ayo's work here:

https://www.artstation.com/ayomakesart/albums/all

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, it's all about the joys of good food & cooking as I chat with Aida Khan, the co-founder and Creative Director of Shola- Karachi Kitchen.  I describe her as a 'culinary ambassador for Pakistani cuisine', which is evident from her  deep love and passion for cooking.  She shares with me how she started her career and  her first dish she made as a child.  We talk about Pakistani recipes, in particular Haleem; what ingredients she cannot live without and the ups and downs of being an entrepreneur and chef.  We talk about family influences and hospitality, cultural flavours and her work ethic.  And of course, Aida shares her favourite quotes and how they continually inspire her.

Shola - Karachi Kitchen is Aida Khan’s food venture, winning hearts (and bellies!) in  London and Islamabad alike. A passionate chef and food lover, Aida’s expertise with  Pakistani cuisine goes back a long way. Coming from a family of foodies, the former  banker scripted  and presented a travel food show on Pakistani television called “For The Love of  Food.” When Aida moved to London in 2012, she noticed a lack of options for the  kind of wholesome home-cooked Pakistani food she grew up on. She therefore  developed and adapted recipes taken from her family, so she could share the food of  her childhood with her own children. She then completed training at Leith’s School  of Food and Wine, learning to apply modern techniques to traditional recipes. With  her new repertoire, she hosted a series of ‘Gourmet Karachi Supper Clubs’ across  London.  Shola in White City Place has been a labour of love for Aida, where she has  introduced diners to the distinctive flavours of Pakistani cuisine, as well as providing  a nostalgic taste of authentic home-cooking to South Asians in London. The emphasis  throughout is on fresh ingredients, fragrant spices that are freshly roasted and  ground in their own kitchen, and above all on the deep and powerful flavours of  Pakistan  Aida has also been featured on The Lorraine Show on ITV sharing her Pakistani  recipes.  From February 2022 Shola has hosted a pop up every Thursday night at White City  Studios. This July Shola also took over the Shack at White City Poolside serving  Pakistani street food.  Shola Blurb  Shola (‘spark’ in Urdu) is our new Pakistani restaurant in London. We bring to the  table Chef Aida Khan’s passion for authentic flavours and traditional recipes from  Karachi, Pakistan’s most cosmopolitan city.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

My guest on the latest episode is  Eva Chukwunelo, a poet, writer and digital marketer.  Eva chats about her interests in the arts, in particular creative writing and dancing.  We actually created a short story during our conversation!  Eva discusses why she left the teaching world for a career within the digital sphere and the opportunities that have since presented themselves.   We also touch upon why she goes by the moniker 'Beaucyborg';    She shares her personal story and challenges with Osteomyelitis, prosthetics, disability awareness and inclusion within Nigeria.   She shares with us the quote that continually inspires her.

For more about Eva's journey, please check her blog page here.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

My guest on today's episode is filmmaker Clarence Peters.  We talk about his new TV series called 'Inside Life', which is his own small take about life in Lagos, Nigeria, that no one really talks about.  We discuss various mediums of storytelling and the need for making content for a core Nigerian audience, which in turn triggers  much needed conversations within Nigeria.  We look at Clarence's other series 'Hex' and spirituality.   We look at certain issues surrounding 'Nollywood' and film making in Nigeria.  We also do a deep dive into how Clarence started his career within the industry and the challenges he encounters.  And of course, as we are both Nigerians, it goes without sayings that we come back to proverbs and sayings that continually inspire him. 

Clarence is a music video director and filmmaker.  He is the founder and CEO of production company Capital Dream Pictures.  He has worked on numerous musical projects  including collaborations with Tiwa Savage, Davido, Burna Boy and Wizkid.  Clarence has also worked on a series of documentaries and TV features.

Clarence's latest endeavour is the TV series, 'Inside Life'.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode my guest is music producer and Technopreneur Charles Bosco.   He shares with us how his musical journey started from going to Tamil School, to producing music and collaborating with musicians from all over the world.  We chat about his musical influences, the intricacies of Copyright and music rights and ownership.  Charles also talks about why he started to create his 'refixes' to classic tunes, and also whom he would like to work with as part of his dream team on tour.  We also talk about all things NFTs, and of course, we look at the quotes and sayings that have inspired him.

Charles Bosco is an award-winning Music Producer and you can find some of his works here:

https://www.instagram.com/charlesbosco/?hl=en
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2aZMJZvvSb072ZPDKRmep1

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode my guest is Tara Akindele, founder of Flo Haven, a non-profit organisation that aims at eradicating period poverty and also providing menstrual health to underprivileged women in Nigeria.  Tara shares with me what led her to start Flo Haven during the 2020 global pandemic, how it initially started off as an initiative, and how it has developed in its outreach.   We chat about the challenges she and her team face including the stigma surrounding menstruation, the lack of government involvement, access to quality health products and changing mindsets.  We also discuss period poverty in Western countries including The UK, how policies should be addressed and mental wellbeing.  Tara also shares with us her background in  Biomedical Sciences and her interest in dermatology.  And of course, we look at the quotes and sayings that have inspired her.

For more information about Flo Haven, you can go to the following  site:
https://flohaven.org/

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, my guest is Christopher M. Anthony of kayfabefilms.  We chat about film and his love for all things animatronics, building rigs and special effects.  We chart how he started his career, including  interning at The Jim Henson Company,  to working at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM).  Chris delves behind the scenes of the technical side of  film making including his part in the award winning 'The Jungle Book', and we geek out over classic movies such as 'Jurassic Park', 'Metropolis', 'Nosferatu' and 'The Red Shoes'.  Our conversation also involves discussing the challenges of film distribution and other areas within the industry.  We  talk about his passion for the martial arts of BJJ and his work as a stuntman and also his uncredited directorial work in certain mainstream films .  We also delve into his heritage and why he is a proud Nigerian-Lebanese. 

Christopher has worked in film for over two decades. From the Harry Potter movies to Marvel productions, he was a part of the development of the visual effects industry, working between VFX, SFX, stunts and camera. He is now entering the next chapter of his career, with his debut feature, ‘Heavyweight,’ set to film early 2023.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, I chat with florist, Jen.  We talk about how she transitioned from a career in the corporate world to that of flora.  We discuss how genius is in each of us, going against the grain, work ethic, and how her new work life has brought out the real her.  Jen also shares the challenges and rewards to being a florist; how her shop is her creative sanctuary; sustainability, and of course, a line that continually inspires her life.

From Business Analyst to plant Mum and Florist, Jen loves floral design and making wonderful Bespoke Floral arrangements for her lovely customers.

For more information about Jen and more of her work, you can visit her website:

https://jensplantsandflorist.com/

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode, I chat with writer, producer, director and medical physician Roshan Sethi. 

We talk about his creative and medical sides and how he started out.  Roshan discusses why writing is important to him, who inspired him to write, how he managed his time at Harvard while studying, how he got fired from one of his early writing gigs, and how the TV series, 'The Resident' came about.  We also talk about his directorial debut with '7 Days' that was shot during the covid pandemic.  We also discuss the movie 'Call Jane', and the over-ruling of Roe v. Wade. 

Roshan also honestly shares his struggles when he Came out, and of course, tells us the quote that continually inspires him.

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!

On today's episode I chat with the editor-in-chief of Total Film, Jane Crowther.  

We geek out over the films that inspired her to get into the industry; we discuss what the medium of film means to her, and what her favourite genre is.  Jane also walks us through what a 'normal' working day in the office is like; the challenges of being an editor in publishing; the misogyny within the industry; producing content during covid;  the importance of film critiquing and the rise of social media and influencers.  Jane also discusses her thoughts on the  films she has on repeat, particular film directors, film villains, and her love for a particular 'King'.  And of course, Jane shares a line that continually inspires her


Jane Crowther is the editor-in-chief of Total Film, head of Film at Future publishing, Vice Chair of the Critics' Circle film section and a member of BAFTA. She writes, edits and broadcasts across print and digital and is the host of the Inside Total Film Podcast and Total Film's Last Picture Show Podcast. 

Thanks for listening to the episode. I'd like to thank my guest for their time, insight and being a great sport! 

I would also like to thank my producer, Ashanti Omkar,  for all her hard work.

If you'd like to be a guest, drop me a line at [email protected].

Keep Rising & Thriving.  Aṣẹ!