Wellness for Entrepreneurs

It's the end of the year and it's time for some reflection. This episode closes Season 2 of the Wellness for Entrepreneurs Podcast and also helps you to practice mindfulness techniques that are useful for you as an entrepreneur. Please take some time out for yourself to nourish your mind as it is your most important asset. Thank you again for your continued support. May you have a blessed holiday season! 

We are living in a world that is constantly changing which makes planning for business strategy very difficult. In this episode, we speak about how you can sharpen your sensemaking ability that will help you find direction in a chaotic environment. Sensemaking is useful for entrepreneurs as a strategy  because it provides a framework that can be used for decision-making. 

Marketing is often the last thing entrepreneurs think about when making their product/service and starting their business. But, marketing is a powerful strategy for entrepreneurs and must be part of the product development process right at the beginning. Fiona Kigen - a marketing expert, Ph.D., and Vice President -  shares how entrepreneurs can do this in this episode. This episode is part of our strategy for entrepreneurs series.

Strategy for entrepreneurs is more critical than the product/service that they offer. Strategy is about creating a plan to win right at the beginning of starting your business. In this episode, I talk about how Entrepreneurial Orientation is useful for entrepreneurs as a strategy. Stay tuned as this is a series. I also suggest tools that entrepreneurs can use to help develop their strategies in their businesses. 

Entrepreneurs face a high risk of burnout due to their passion, uncertain environments, and conflicting demands. But the "hustle-culture" has promoted an inability to recognize burnout in entrepreneurs. This episode helps entrepreneurs to recognize burnout and recommends strategies for coping. 

Failure is such a natural part of business and entrepreneurship. Yet, there are so many people who do not start businesses because they have fear. In this episode, I am joined by personal and leadership coach, Didier Mbayo. Didier is a certified coach from the John Maxwell Academy. Our conversation focuses on the mindset required to overcome the different types of failure entrepreneurs face including the fear of shame and embarrassment. 

The travel and tourism industry has been one of the hardest hit and disrupted by recent changes that happened over the last year and a half. For entrepreneurs in the travel and tourism industry, it is time to take stock of these changes and find opportunities to grow your business! Robyn Christie shares how you can do this, and the mindset required to make the necessary shifts! Robyn is a thought leader in the industry and the Founder and CEO of RobynChristie.com. She is a former CEO of many industry-leading organizations. This episode is brought to you in collaboration with Eagle Wings Consultancy, a Pan-African partnerships agency. 

Nicky Verd is the author of "Disrupt yourself or be Disrupted" - a book about how disruption is not only happening to businesses, but also to individuals.  In this episode, we chat about the mindset required for you to assess your skills, your business, and to be proactive in responding to the disruption brought about by technology, and our new world. Nicky is a digital strategist and thought leader. This episode is certainly a treat! 

In this episode, Edzai Zvobwo and I speak about how to navigate family as an entrepreneur and how to design synergies and boundaries that help you thrive in your entrepreneurship journey. We talk about the importance of maintaining balance such that you stay centered while navigating the challenges of growing and starting a business. Edzai is the founder and Chief Genius of MathsGee.com. 

Entrepreneurs push boundaries and colour outside the lines. They are often misunderstood. In this episode, I speak about how you can maintain your distinct identity as an entrepreneur while designing a life for yourself that provides you with both comfort and strength to continue colouring outside the lines. You will hear about how human beings define their identities and the psychological needs that accompany those identities and how entrepreneurs can optimise these contrasting needs to maintain their uniqueness. 

Nuts and Bolts is an inspirational book that ignites entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and mentors to build an environment that supports innovation and enables entrepreneurs to thrive. In this episode, I spoke to the author of Nuts and Bolts, Dr. McLean Sibanda about the book and how he repositioned Africa's first internationally accredited technology and science park in Pretoria, South Africa.We start our conversation with his personal story, his professional journey, and ultimately the impact The Innovation Hub had on entrepreneurs. We are also joined by two avid listeners of the podcast: Terrie Molepo and Benny Maneli. We rate the book 4-stars out of 5! Please tell us if you agree with us.

Self-belief in entrepreneurship is not just about being a confident person. It is about believing in your abilities to start and run a business successfully even when faced with failure. In this episode, I speak to Aaron Munetsi, a pioneer in aviation on the African continent. Starting from the Wrights Brothers who pioneered the aviation industry to people like Aaron, I believe there is a lot we can learn about how to be confident in your entrepreneurial abilities and to stay resilient and open-minded when the going gets tough. We talk about how society and parents are so critical to helping entrepreneurs develop self-belief and we use some principles from Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers book. 

Social innovation has become part of our normal world. According to the World Economic Forum, social issues such as Climate Change and Pandemics are problems that need urgent solutions. A volatile and complex world provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to tackle some of the social issues. In this episode, I speak to Daisy Kopolo, who is an executive coach and has worked with many executive teams in solving complex problems. We talk about all the different elements that need to be in place for entrepreneurs to start and run successful social enterprises that have an innovative and long-lasting impact on society. 

Have you ever admired how classical great entrepreneurs like Elon Musk, or Bill Gates are able to think about various issues in a way that is above average? Metacognition – or thinking about thinking – is a higher way of thinking that allows you to be conscious, self-aware and see issues from different angles. In this episode, I speak about how you too can become a great thinker and give practical tools to help you get started. I also challenge you to an activity that will help the quality of your thinking and awareness over time.

Entrepreneurs must plan and execute their strategies all at the same time. How do they become excellent at leading themselves and their teams without losing sight of their vision? In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Alex Granger – a global speaker and leadership coach. Dr. Alex has been coaching leadership teams of companies for over 19 years and has worked with companies like Tsogo Sun, Standard Bank, governments, and other institutions. Our conversation is centered around how entrepreneurs can become conscious, dynamic, and visionary leaders while executing their plans. We also talk about practical tools that can help them do this. 

Entrepreneurs discover or create opportunities that ultimately lead to some of our favourite products and solutions to real pressing problems. But how exactly do they spot these opportunities in the first place? What is the mental alertness and type of thinking that allows entrepreneurs to continuously move the world forward? In this episode, I spoke to Kwame Bekoe who is an aviation professional, engineer, and the founder of a popular restaurant in Accra, Ghana – N8tive Food & Beverage Bar. Having been a former sales director at Airbus and traveled all over the world, Kwame decided to pursue multiple businesses in agriculture on the African continent. Kwame has been recently recognized by the United Nations as one of Africa's Most Influential People of African Descent in entrepreneurship and business. He was also named Ghana's Top 40 under 40 most influential leaders in 2018. 

Have you ever wondered why one business can stay the same for 10 years while one gets listed on the stock exchange in 10 years?  High-growth entrepreneurs grow their businesses rapidly and they have a different mindset. I spoke to Jito, partner at Kukula Capital – a Private Equity firm based in Zambia -  on the mindset of creating high growth enterprises. Jito sits on the boards of both listed and privately owned firms in Zambia, Kenya, and South Africa. He has led multiple investments in high growth enterprises across the continent. Jito is a leader is a thought leader in his field and is one of our guests from our collaboration with Eagle Wings Consultancy 

There is an old saying that goes champions eat "no" for breakfast. It is definitely true for entrepreneurs. I recently spoke at an incubator celebrating the entrepreneurs who had graduated from that incubator. I was encouraged by these entrepreneurs that despite having so much on their plate, they had put in 3 months to work on their businesses.  And yet, after all their hard work, they will still encounter much rejection in business. So, this episode is about 3 things to do when you hear "no". I hope you feel motivated. 

Entrepreneurial leadership is about infusing innovation into your business while managing risk. It is a type of leadership that motivates people to spot new opportunities in achieving the business's purpose. I spoke to Charles Washoma, a seasoned board director and CEO on how entrepreneurs can lead their businesses and how large organizations should be thinking about culture and entrepreneurial leadership. 

Many entrepreneurs are change agents whether it is they are creating new markets or working on a social issue. But, how do they manage to keep themselves motivated when their path is not always a straightforward one? In this episode, I spoke to Zukiswa Mqolomba who is a socio-economic change activist and pioneer. Zukiswa has worked for the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and held many directorships in government departments. She is also an entrepreneur. Listen to this episode to hear more about how to stay motivated and keep yourself grounded when working in a space filled with so much complexity. 

Season 2 is all about exploring different facets of how entrepreneurs think. It is to bring consciousness to your days as you go about building your business. We have loads of exciting guests to help you do this! Listen to find out more! 

It's the start of a new year and it's time to ignite your entrepreneurial drive and get ready to accomplish all that you have set for yourself. If you are like me, you had to convince your brain to switch on. I looked for inspiration from an entrepreneur who founded what is now a $30 billion US Dollar Market Cap business. This entrepreneur found himself in similar circumstances to ours this year. I was surprised to see that very few people talk about this Japanese entrepreneur. Listen to his story and be inspired!

Developing an innovative and disruptive mindset is important for entrepreneurs. There are certain tools that entrepreneurs and their teams can use to help them practice and ultimately develop consistent innovative thinking. In this episode, we speak to Dr. Nik Eberl who is an innovation scholar and practitioner. He is the founder of many global companies including The Unicorn Disruptovator, The LinkedIn DealMaker, and Clients for Life. In our conversation, we learn from entrepreneurs like Elon Musk and Steve Jobs as well as start-ups like Uber and eBay. 

Very little is known about the first form of trade and entrepreneurship in Africa.  Today the African continent is one of the poorest continents in the world. But history shows that trade and entrepreneurship happened in Africa in the early 500s. In this episode, we explore the mindset of entrepreneurship that existed in Africa in the early 500s and we trace it to the entrepreneurial mindset that exists in the 21st Century.  I spoke to Dr. Charles Sinkala who is an international political analyst and lawyer by background. He is a former member of Parliament in Zambia and the 2021 Presidential Candidate in Zambia. He is the President of Africa 55 States – an advocacy group that drives free-thinking in Africa.  We end our discussion on how Africa can emancipate the thinking of her people such that her entrepreneurs can thrive. 

Many employees are starting to thinking about how to transition from full-time employment to entrepreneurship or freelancing. In this episode, we talk to Adi Kaimowitz who is the co-founder and CEO of Virtual Actuary on the mindset required for people to transition from employment to entrepreneurship. Virtual Actuary is a platform that connects professional actuaries across the world to clients in banking, insurance, ICT, and other sectors.Our conversation covers the practical things that transitioning employees need to do and the thinking and behavior they have to adopt to help be successful entrepreneurs. We talk about how consortiums can be used to help ease the financial burden of being a start-up entrepreneur. 

Technology is changing the world in an unprecedented way. In this episode, we talk to Lindelwa Skenjana about how entrepreneurs, who may not be technology entrepreneurs, should be thinking about digital technologies both to enable their businesses and to transform them. Lindelwa Skenjana is a digital adoption strategist and holds an MSc. in ICT for Development from the University of Manchester. She was named in the Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young People to watch in 2019 for her work on this topic. Our conversation covers the use of various digital technologies; how entrepreneurs can overcome the fear associated with using technology; and how entrepreneurs from developing countries can think deeply about digital technologies to help them gain competitive advantage. 

 In this episode, we talk about global trends that have created uncertainty and perhaps some anxiety for entrepreneurs and business people around the world. We talk to Bongivangeli Buthelezi, a political and economic commentator, on global trade, multilateral institutions, recent events around, and their implications on entrepreneurship and innovation. We also talk about changes brought about by Covid-19, technology shifts, and climate change and what they mean for entrepreneurs.

Creativity is one of the gems that enables entrepreneurs to spot new opportunities. Additionally, creativity is essential to brand development and telling your story in such a way that it has resonance with your audience. In this episode, I spoke to brand and content strategist, Joanne Augustin, on how creativity fuels entrepreneurship and how entrepreneurs can tell their stories a lot better.Joanne Augustin is the founder of Unites States-based "All Things Content" - a brand and content strategy consulting firm. She has 10 years' experience working with major brands such as Del Taco. You may find out more about All Things Content here: https://itsallthingscontent.com/ 

Some of our listeners have been interested in how they can overcome some of their cognitive biases as they grow their businesses. In this episode, we talk to Edzai Zvobwo who is the founder and CEO of MathsGee.com on how data science and mathematics can be used to overcome cognitive biases that are common to entrepreneurs. He is a mathematician by training and is an executive data science coach.

Entrepreneurs often do not have the resources to commit themselves to long-term psychotherapy. This could be resources either in time, money, or both. In this episode, I interviewed a dear friend and a clinical psychologist on the importance of psychotherapy, mindfulness, and self-reflection for entrepreneurs.Batetshi Matenge has a Masters in Clinical Psychology (Cum Laude) from the University of Cape Town. She specializes in dealing with long-term thought patterns that lead to breakthroughs and change in behavior. 

In this episode, we have a meaningful conversation with the founder and CEO of Local Village Foods on maintaining wellness as an entrepreneur. Local Village Foods is a pan-African conscious food brand that specializes in organic products that are locally produced across the African continent. Local Village Foods supplies over 13 large retail stores and restaurants such as Jacksons' real food market, The Spar Group, and Faithful to Nature. 

Every first Thursday of the month we dedicate some time to talking about emotions, fear, and entrepreneurship. In this episode, we talk about the various ways in which emotions impact entrepreneurial or business outcomes. I suggest ways in which entrepreneurs can increase their mindfulness with regards to their emotional wellness.

We celebrate Heritage Day in South Africa on the 24th of September each year. But do we really have a heritage that allows entrepreneurs to thrive in their thinking? If you are listening from any country that is not South Africa, I would like you to reflect on the culture in your own country and determine if it enables or impedes entrepreneurial thinking.

The firms that survive any crisis are those that spot new opportunities and adjust their strategies to exploit these opportunities. In this episode, we talk about how entrepreneurs need to harness their thinking in this time of change while paying attention to their emotional wellness. 

There is power in harnessing multiple perspectives when starting your business. This increases your chance of success. In this episode, we unpack what entrepreneurial team thinking is and the various aspects entail that relate to the success of a new venture.

90% of start-ups fail within the first 3 years. This just shows that starting a new business is incredibly risky and uncertain.  In this episode, we talk about how building a team is a good strategy for new venture creation.

Wellness for entrepreneurs is a space for founders and their teams to share how they make sense of the world in identifying new ideas and opportunities. It is also about how they manage their overall wellness while creating new ventures.