Leigh Stefanski, Managing Director of Now Boarding Digital, joins me on Tea with Nicky to unpack why most digital products don't fail because of technology, they fail because of complexity that creeps in over time.
In this episode, Leigh shares her journey building a UX/UI design agency across 16 years, including sending her entire studio home overnight at the start of COVID, opening (and later closing) a European office in Switzerland, and the biggest UX mistakes founders make again and again. She also gets into the real difference between AI hype and AI reality in creative work, why human design thinking is still non-negotiable, and the story behind the Lekker Network, the global community connecting South Africans around the world.
In this episode:
- The COVID story: sending the whole studio home overnight with no remote-work plan
- Why digital products really fail (hint: it's not the tech)- UX vs UI, explained in plain English- AI hype vs. AI reality: how it's actually being used in studio- Why human design thinking is still critical, even with AI in the mix
- The biggest UX mistakes founders make when building their product
- Why every product needs a solid design system as it scales
- The Lekker Network: connecting South Africans globally
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Responsibility is not the enemy of speed and growth. It's actually the way to get there. So why does the tech industry keep getting this wrong?

In Part 2 of her conversation with Nicky, Technology & Gender Equality Expert Annika Ojala goes deeper into the systems — what it actually means to build responsible tech, what decolonising technology looks like in practice, and why, despite everything, there is still so much reason for hope.

Annika shares:

- Why responsibility is not the enemy of speed and growth — and what the tech industry keeps getting wrong

- The smart home tech CEO at an AI conference who had never considered how his product could be misused

- What "accessibility as a feature" really costs — and who pays the price- What decolonising tech actually means beyond the Instagram buzzword

- Why South Africa is producing some of the most exciting social impact tech in the world

- Why the conversation about inclusive tech must include energy usage and environmental justice

- What to do when the pace of change feels overwhelming — a grounding tool for staying anchored in hope

About Annika Ojala:

Annika Ojala is a Technology & Gender Equality Expert, Coach and Wellbeing Advisor for Global Impact Professionals. For over a decade, she worked at the highest levels of global policy — from the European Parliament to Davos and the United Nations — advancing human rights and equality while speaking to audiences of 35,000+ people across four continents. Today she coaches professionals in politics, advocacy and mission-driven tech to sustain ambition while staying connected to purpose and wellbeing.

Subscribe for more honest conversations about technology, equality and why there is still reason for hope.

Subscribe @theteawithnicky123Powered by @saltdigital | welovesalt.com

Connect with Nicky Fastovsky:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-fastovsky/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theteawithnicky/Connect with Annika Ojala:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annika-ojala/

Website: https://annikaojala.com/

🎧 Missed Part 1? Watch Annika Ojala | Power, Politics & What It Really Takes to Create Change | Tea with Nicky here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7fXbPhedbo9OEjfTdbIoxs?si=gg7mCCZATJSpe0VeV9JwDA

Most people assume women who don't enter politics simply aren't interested.The reality? They're afraid before they even begin.In Part 1 of this episode of TEA with Nicky, Technology & Gender Equality Expert, Coach and Wellbeing Advisor Annika Ojala joins Nicky for an honest conversation about what it really takes to create change inside broken systems. And why walking away from power can sometimes be the most powerful thing you do.Anika shares:

• How online violence became the hidden barrier shutting women out of politics
• What she witnessed in the European Parliament that she'll never forget
• Why holding on to power is not a feminist act
• Why online algorithms are exploiting boys' loneliness and what it has to do with all of us
• The self-compassion reframe we'd offer anyone but ourselves

About Annika Ojala:Annika Ojala is a Technology & Gender Equality Expert, Coach and Wellbeing Advisor for Global Impact Professionals. For over a decade, she worked at the highest levels of global policy - from the European Parliament to Davos and the United Nations advancing human rights and equality while speaking to audiences of 35,000+ people across four continents.

Today she coaches professionals in politics, advocacy and mission-driven tech to sustain ambition while staying connected to purpose and wellbeing.Subscribe for more honest conversations about leadership, technology and building something that matters.Subscribe ‪@theteawithnicky123‬ (YouTube)Powered by ‪@saltdigital‬ | https://www.welovesalt.com/Connect with Nicky Fastovsky: LinkedIn:   / nicky-fastovsky  Instagram:   / theteawithnicky  Connect with Annika Ojala:LinkedIn:   / annika-ojala  Website: https://www.annikaojala.com/🎧 Enjoyed this conversation? Don't miss Part 2 coming soon!

Most people know  @SnapScanPayments . Far fewer know what it actually takes to lead product inside it — especially when the strategy keeps shifting, and your parent company is the largest bank in Africa.In this episode of Tea with Nicky, SnapScan's Head of Product Fran Thring pulls back the curtain on what fintech leadership really looks like from the inside.Fran shares:- What it's like operating as a startup wholly owned by one of Africa's biggest banks- How SnapScan has navigated three major strategic pivots — and why that's costly- Why they sunset the card machine product and what comes next- The QR and PayShap opportunity in South Africa's informal sector- How she doubled merchant onboarding conversion rates from 12% to 33%- Why her initials — EFT — may have been written in the stars all along- What really happens when a scrappy fintech gets acquired by a bankAbout Fran Thring:Fran is the Head of Product at SnapScan, South Africa's pioneering QR payment platform and wholly owned subsidiary of Standard Bank. With a background in UX and design, she leads product strategy at the intersection of fintech, community commerce, and payments modernisation.LinkedIn: Fran ThringSubscribe for more honest conversations about failure, technology and building something that matters. Subscribe  @theteawithnicky123  Powered by  @saltdigital  | https://welovesalt.com/Connect with Nicky Fastovsky: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-fastovsky/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theteawithnicky/Connect with Fran Thring & SnapScan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-thring-9668aa33/https://www.linkedin.com/company/snapscan/

What happens when you leave a senior corporate role — and suddenly don't know who you are without the title?In this episode of Tea with Nicky, Kerry Clark joins us to get honest about the leap from 15 years in corporate retail and e-commerce to founding not one, but two businesses: Fusion 22 Digital and AI Pathways.Kerry shares:Why losing her corporate title hit harder than losing the salaryHow AI has become her co-founder (and why she doesn't want a human one)What AI is genuinely good at — and where it still completely misses the markWhy chasing every shiny new AI tool is the fastest way to fall behindThe rebrand from "AI Mom Pathways" and why she opened the doors widerWhy the top companies in five years won't be the ones using the most AIAn Afrikaans office blunder involving a teaspoon she'll never live down If you're navigating the messy middle of entrepreneurship, curious about AI without the jargon, or wondering whether the leap is worth it — this one's for you.About Kerry Clark Kerry is the founder of Fusion 22 Digital, an end-to-end e-commerce strategy business, and AI Pathways, where she teaches AI to non-technical people in plain language. She has 15 years of experience in retail and e-commerce.LinkedIn: Kerry Clark (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-clark-6837b842/)Fusion 22 Digital: fusion22.coAI Pathways: aipathways.ioSubscribe for more honest conversations about failure, technology and building something from scratch. Tea with Nicky — powered by Salt Solutions Group.

After the AI hype of the last two years, one question remains:

Are businesses actually ready?

In this episode of Tea with Nicky, now powered by Salt, Monika Obrocka joins us to unpack the reality behind AI implementation — and why most companies are skipping the most important step.

Before you invest in AI tools, agents, or automation, you need to fix something first: your data foundations.

Monika shares:

* Why most companies asking for AI aren’t ready for it

* The difference between AI, machine learning, deep learning and generative AI

* Why software engineers are feeling the impact first

* The myth of AGI (and why Terminators aren’t arriving anytime soon)

* Why WhatsApp can’t be your business operating system

* The real reason AI won’t make you rich

If you’re a business leader feeling overwhelmed by AI trends, this conversation will bring clarity.

This is about process. Data. Then AI.

Not the other way around.

About Monika Obrocka

Monika is an engineer with a background in radio astronomy and a founder of AI Decoded. She helps businesses organise their data and build strong foundations before implementing AI solutions.

Subscribe for more honest conversations about failure, technology and leadership.

The Tea with Nicky is back — powered by Salt.

After two years, Tea with Nicky is back — now powered by Salt Solutions Group — and we’re kicking off the return with a bold conversation.

In this episode, Leah Molatseli joins us to unpack what it really means to reinvent your career, bet on emerging industries, and “calibrate your audacity.”

From leaving traditional law to becoming a legal tech and AI consultant, Leah shares the realities behind building a career in a space that didn’t even have a clear pathway when she started.

We explore:• How AI is actually being used in legal practice (beyond the hype)• Why training matters more than tools when it comes to generative AI• The rise of legal tech in South Africa and across Africa• What lawyers get wrong about innovation• Why chasing failure can build more resilience than chasing success• How to know when it’s time to jump

This is a conversation about courage, alignment, and creating opportunities where none existed.

If you’re feeling stuck, curious about AI, or questioning your current career path — this one’s for you.

About Leah Molaletsi:
Leah is a lawyer turned legal tech and innovation consultant. She works at the intersection of law, AI, and emerging technology, helping legal professionals rethink how they deliver services in a rapidly changing world. She is also the host of Legal Tech by Leah. 

Subscribe for more bold, honest conversations.
Tea with Nicky is back — and we’re just getting started.

Powered by Salt: ‪@saltdigital‬  | www.welovesalt.com 

We dive deep into the current Government of National Unity (GNU) and ponder: is it a DA-ANC coalition, or is it truly a GNU? We raise some serious questions about the "DANC" government.

The much-anticipated Post-Elections episode of Life in Black & White is here! 🗳️✨ We dive into the final election results and what they mean for the future of South Africa's government.

🗳️ New Episode Alert! 🎙️ Life in Black & White is back with some piping hot tea for your brunch discussion! 🍵🥞

This week, we delved into the election manifestos of the MK Party and the IFP. Spoiler alert: the IFP made it crystal clear that they want nothing to do with the MK Party, ANC, or EFF. But here’s the twist – despite the drama, both parties share a lot in common! 🤔

Both uphold African values and ideologies and aim to give more power to traditional African leaders. 🌍👑 But, in true Jacob fashion, the MK Party throws a curveball by wanting to scrap our beautiful constitution! 🧨

Tune in to hear all the juicy details, our thoughts, and a few detours along the way! We promise it’s informative, entertaining, and full of hope for the upcoming elections on May 29th. 🌟