Future Readiness with Za

In this inspiring episode of Future Readiness with Za , I am in conversation with Monde Twala, a global media influencer and Senior Vice President at Paramount Africa & BET International Lead. Monde reflects on his upbringing in Soweto, crediting his grandparents and the community for instilling values of respect, learning, and storytelling. His early fascination with cinema, along with his so...

Our guest on #FutureReadinesswithZa is South African-born and Australian-based Pearl Proud . She is a distinguished executive with a robust Psychology, Strategic Leadership, and Organizational Development background. As a proud member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD), she exemplifies dedication to corporate excellence and ethical practices. Throughout her extensive career,...

#FutureReadinessWithZa Presents Sizakele in conversation with Glenda Venn – an award-winning creative with experience in designing and brand strategy. A new connection that already feels deep. She is smart, explosively creative, kind, benevolent, wise, and human-centred. She has walked multiple paths from working in a challenger ad agency (at which I have also worked but our times did not overlap)...

“.. Burnout is when you have nothing left to give, there is no bandwidth left. When we have no bandwidth, we get really impatient with the people we love, we start making mistakes… and we lose the ability to celebrate what is wonderful in life…” We are nearing that time of the year when time seems loopy and we feel tired and unmotivated, which is understandable. In our practice, we have Wellness D...

“If you aren’t able to commit to a full body yes, it is a lot more respectful to say thank you, you’re so kind, I’ll consider the invitation, please give me time, so that you when you do finally say yes, it is a full body yes”. When you agree to join someone in a thing they have invited you to or take on an extra assignment at work when already stretched, consider the domino effect for yourself an...

“Joy for me feels a lot more dense than happiness.” How do you nurture your joy? Listen. Comment. Share. Let me know which topics you would like me to speak on.

“If you are going to wait for the perfect conditions, then your boat is never going to leave.” A good friend of mine once said “Boats are not built to stay in the harbor”, and this remains true. The truth is that conditions will never be perfect and you cannot control or create an excellent external condition, what you can do is build a brand/life that you are proud of.

Phakamisa Ndzamela is an award-winning former business journalist for Thomson Reuters, E-News Africa, Moneyweb, Business Day, Financial Mail and Financial Times of London. He holds an honours degree in journalism from the University of Witwatersrand. He lives in Cape Town.  The story of black business in South Africa remains under-explored and poorly understood. Dispossession of fertile or mineral...

“When you place the human at the centre of everything that you do, then you can truly design for inclusive futures.” Designing for inclusivity is not about meeting a quota, it is about considering the complete human and how their daily experiences may be intertwined with your business. These futures ensure that no community is marginalised and that the collective thrives. Listen. Comment. Share. L...

Future-ready brands are understanding more and more that you pay attention to what is happening in culture... and apply your creative lens in a way that solves for society” High-influence brands are intentional about placing humans at the centre of everything as this benefits them commercially and aids in their reputation. Connect with us so that we can elevate your brand to a high-influence one....

Today marks Women's Day in South Africa and we thought it would be wonderful to offer you a gift of reflective thoughts to feed on today and the days ahead.

“Returning to wholeness is about slowing down and paying attention to how things feel.” During the pandemic, we were forced to slow down. Most of us vowed in that period to be more present and engage in experiences that bring joy. Have you kept your vow to fully immerse in moments or have you returned to the “busy-ness” of life? The How To Series is my guide on how to go through life in the most h...

In this episode, I am joined by Dr Aba Mortley – an Engineer and Fentrepreneur who is continuing the family business Cher – Mere, a multi-generational personal-care business whose vision is to “make natural, eco-conscious, personal care products for people of all ages and skin tones –inspired by the mosaic of Caribbean people”. I had the absolute delight of meeting her in Kingston, Jamaica, where...

“We have become so wounded as human beings that we can’t even recognise kindness.” Any  act of kindness should never be considered uncool. In the moments where yours may be rejected, may you never be discouraged to be kind to others  Remember that kindness has the best aftertaste. The How To Series is my guide on how to go through life in the most humanistic way based on my own experiences Listen....

#FutureReadinessWithZa Presents Dr Sizakele in Conversation with  Dr Neeraj Mistry – a Medical Doctor turned economist and now a social scientist. In this discussion, rich with laughter and peppered with deep anecdotes, we talk about his practice and work at Future Africa (https://www.futureafrica.science/). As one deeply invested in contributing to the healing of social ills and the advancement o...

IT’S BACK Future Readiness with Za presents: The How To Series: Season 2 This series is my guide on going through life in the most humanistic way based on my own experiences. We start with the highly requested How to speak to a pre-adult. “Lead with questions and not with judgement and remember that you too were once young.” The goal of having a conversation with a pre-adult is to be open and curi...

#FutureReadinessWithZa Presents Dr Sizakele in Conversation with Gillian Rightford – a seasoned practitioner, lecturer and the founder of School Of Thought and Adtherapy, a company that aims to help marketers optimise their advertising through skills, structure, strategy, and relationships. In this episode, Gillian expands on the journey of her work in the advertising sector and how an evening wat...

#FutureReadinessWithZa Presents Dr Sizakele in Conversation with Nkuli Mlangeni – a stylist turned textile designer and now creative collaborator at large.  In this trans-Atlantic discussion, rich with fond memories and boundless ambition, Nkuli shares her deep emotional investment in the cross-pollination of talents from across countries and cities (from Stockholm to Sebokeng),  and the profound...

On a blistering afternoon, there was a gathering whose origin was a simple (but deep) question, ‘what else can we do to help humans in this time?” so we got our heads together and Brad and I got deep into conversation. When we care deeply, we move carefully with clear intentionality. The desire was to create a space where each of us (evolved in different ways by the pandemic, world of work and oth...

Future Readiness with Za presents: The How-To Series This series is informed by my lived experience – and is offered as guide on going through life in the most humanistic way. How to Use Your Voice As The Youngest Sibling. “My heart goes out to the last born siblings that carry this pain with them.” You may be the person in the family who received the hand me downs, who was not given the space to...

Future Readiness with Za presents: The HowTo Series This series is informed by my lived experience – and is offered as guide on going through life in the most humanistic way. How To End A Friendship. Ending a friendship is about terminating a contract to your heart and that is not an easy decision to make. We don’t stay in relationships for the history, we have to stay for the present and how they...

Colleen is a co-founder of Reos Partners and leads the Southern Africa team. Throughout her working life, she has remained passionate about bringing together committed and diverse leaders to reduce the many divides of inequality. Colleen’s experience includes convening, organizing, and facilitating short- and long-term relationships across sectors that address their most pressing challenges—from v...

With over 20 years in the media industry, this month’s guest on #FutureReadinesswithZa is the editor of Business Day Wanted Magazine, Siphiwe Mpye. With wit and a sharp mind, he shares the story of his brave beginning and wonderful meanders across publications, sectors and roles. He also acknowledges mentors and advocates who helped along the way. He has a clear voice about his purpose, conscious...

How to Use Your Inside Voice. Your inside voice is your calm voice. It is the voice you use when making a statement or expressing how you feel. Using your inside voice does not diminish your power in any way but adds to it. Are there any topics that you would like me to offer other tips on? Enjoy, like and share

Future Readiness with Za presents: The How To Series   This series is informed by my lived experience – and is offered as guide on going through life in the most humanistic way.   Not all conversations are easy, some conversation are about letting friends down, setting boundaries and letting go. For me, difficult conversations are easier because they are coming from a place of truth, cla...