the breakthrough sessions

In this episode, I sit down with Rorisang Mabogoane, a dynamic young professional who made the bold leap from strategy consulting into a managerial role in banking — all before turning 25. But her journey wasn’t without obstacles. From navigating ageism in corporate spaces to battling health challenges like COVID-19 and scoliosis, Rorisang’s story is one of unwavering resilience, faith, and purpos...

In South Africa, 60% of youth are currently unemployed (as of April 2025, the recording of this episode). In this deeply personal episode, I sit down with Isabella Makhura, a bright young lawyer and social media voice of encouragement, who opens up about the silent battles so many face behind closed doors. Isabella shares her journey of navigating unemployment after completing her law degree and a...

original air date: 25 September 2020 In this pulled-from-the-vault episode, I reflect on a word that’s been my anchor for over 13 years: Excelsior—Latin for "ever upward." It’s more than a motto; it’s a mindset. Inspired by The Silver Linings Playbook and its powerful reminder that “if you stay positive, you have a shot at a silver lining,” this episode explores how I’ve used Excelsior to reframe...

original air date: 10 April 2020 Originally aired in 2020, this episode is close to my heart—and today, I’m bringing it back as a moment to pause, reflect, and appreciate the journey. Inspired by Arianna Huffington’s idea of “microsteps”—small, actionable habits that are too small to fail—this episode explores how seemingly tiny shifts can lead to meaningful breakthroughs. Back when it first aired...

This week on the breakthrough sessions podcast, I sit down with the powerful and insightful Mbali Mzinyane—a woman whose story and voice shed light on some of the darkest corners of the modern workplace. In this episode, we open up about workplace bullying, navigating toxic work environments, and the often-unspoken toll these experiences take on our mental health. Mbali shares her personal journey...

Who are you—really? Welcome to "the side conversations"—a space for raw, unfiltered reflections on the things that weigh heavy on my heart. These are the conversations that I can’t keep to myself— a deep dive into the lessons, struggles, and revelations from my own journey. In this solo episode, I’m unpacking the weight of identity and the danger of tying it to just one thing. We often define ours...

Meet Mpumi K. Mbonane —a dynamic force who knows what it means to chase purpose, pivot when necessary, and fight relentlessly for her dreams. In this powerful conversation, we dive deep into the journey of career alignment, the courage it takes to start over, and the challenges that come with stepping into your calling. We unpack the battles of pursuing your passion, the importance of having a str...

After a long hiatus, the breakthrough sessions podcast is back—bigger, bolder, and ready for a rebirth. In this episode, I have my bestie Nsuku Mabundza join me as we dive into why I’ve been away, the lessons I learned during my time away, and what’s next. Plus, I introduce an exciting new co-host who’s bringing fresh energy to the conversation! This season is all about second chances, new beginni...

the breakthrough sessions podcast returns with Season 3 - the rebirth series. Hosted by Refilwe Segoe, this season is dedicated to second chances, fresh starts, and the power of beginning again. This is more than just a comeback; it’s a testament to resilience, growth, and the breakthroughs that make it all worthwhile. It’s been a long time coming, but trust me—it was worth the wait.

In the mid-season finale episode of the podcast, I had Emmanuel KS Bope on. Emmanuel is currently a third-year Wits Medical Student and the business owner of Q Fitness. He was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa within a Congolese household, which is why his home language is French. However, he is proud of both his origins and is looking forward to making an impact in most African countr...

In this episode, I had Aphane Kgalalelo Holiness, aka Holiness Sma on. Holiness was born on the 31st of May 2001 in the Limpopo province. She is a first born in a family of five children. She's a young South African poet, a Spoken - Word Artist, a YouTuber, and is currently pursuing her 3rd-year Bachelors of Sciences degree in Agricultural Economics at the University of Limpopo In our conversation...

In this episode, I had Goitumetswe Pitswane on. Goitumetswe, aka Tumi, is a BCom Honours Finance and Investments Graduate from Wits who is currently working as a Real Estate Banker. She has a passion for youth development as she shines her light on employment strategies by creating content on her youtube channel. She sees herself as a go-getter and aims to inspire as many people as she can just by...

In this episode, I had Precious Molepo on. Born and bred in Paulshof Johannesburg, Precious had no idea that she wanted to go the accounting route, as she was torn between following her creative side and following her academic goals. However, being raised by a single hardworking mother, she made it one of her primary goals to work on achieving a degree and postgraduate qualification, in order to e...

In this episode, I had Ntwanano Shitholani on. Born and bred in Shigalo village in Limpopo, Ntwanano went on to study her Mechanical Engineering degree at the University of Cape Town. She failed 3 modules and because of that, it took her six years to finish the four-year degree. But the most important thing is that she finished! And now she is currently working as a Mechanical Engineer. Our conver...

In this episode, I had Jubilee Mukosi on. Jubilee is a former University of Cape Town Accounting student and current Digital Marketing student. Jubilee is a fun-loving, 20-something-year-old who completed Accounting in 2019, and although she tried to convince herself for years that it would end in CA(SA), she switched it up and is now studying Digital Marketing and running a Social Media Marketing...

In this episode, I had Nothando Moloi on. Nothando Moloi is an independent consultant who studied at the University of Witwatersrand pursuing her Bsc in Construction Studies and thereafter, her Honours in Quantity Surveying. Nothando has to date worked on several big projects both Nationally and Internationally and has had the privilege of being a Site Based Quantity Surveyor and a Consultant Quan...

In the season 2 premiere of the podcast, I had Ntwanano Ngomane on. Ntwanano is a former university of Pretoria CTA student and soon-to-be-qualified Chartered Accountant. She is an aspiring career coach and Content Creator. She is passionate about career development, especially for aspiring chartered accountants. Outside of her professional career and interests, she is a down-to-earth girl who enj...

This is it. The final episode of season 1. And in the spirit of November being thanksgiving, I decided to unpack what being thankful and showing gratitude is to me, and how being grateful helped me to develop a perspective shift during the year 2020. Seeing as though the end of the academic year is near, I also discuss the next chapter, and how important it is to be open to what the universe has i...

In this episode I had the pleasure of having Mpho Segoe on, where we discussed 2 sides of varsity – being a student, and then being a lecturer. We also go into detail about other adventures that await after varsity. Mpho is a Chartered Accountant and Tax Practitioner, and she holds a Masters degree in Accounting Sciences. She is a fitness bunny, and enjoys anything that involves fitness. She also...

In this episode I had the pleasure of having Bongani Dlamini, and Mbali Mkhithi on, where we discussed the journey of overcoming, and not letting your fears or imposter syndrome stop you from doing what you are passionate about. Bongani is from Soweto, and is a BA Politics and International Relations student from the University of Johannesburg, a UNICEF Africa's Generation Unlimited Youth Reporter...

In this solo episode I talk about why finding silver linings in tough times is so important. I discuss how finding a silver lining fuels me to deal with, and eventually get out of those hard times; and how you could do the same. I also talk about the origins of my motto, ' excelsior', which means ever upward. ' Excelsior' entails taking all the negativity, and using it as a fuel to find your silve...

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Miss Thulaganyo Kola. Thuli, as most people call her, is a University of Pretoria student who is currently pursuing her Honours in Sociology, after completing her undergrad in Political Sciences at UP. Her interests lie in  public speaking and debating, and her passion for politics led her to run and subsequently serve on the Student Repres...

In this episode I had Vuyisile Songo on, a 2 - time UP graduate, who shares her unique journey towards attaining her degrees. Vuyi studied Bcom Financial Sciences, and then went on to do her Honours degree in Internal Audit. She has an immense passion for cooking and baking, as she says she "can make cinnamon buns in her sleep", and she is an avid park - run, and colour - run fanatic. Her greatest...

In this episode I had the pleasure of speaking with Rea Seletisha, where we discuss her health struggles and how they impacted the progression of her studies. Rea is a final year Bcom Financial Sciences student, and an aspiring internal auditor. She is a member of the Golden - Key honor society, a common purpose alumnus, and has affiliations with LeaderEx, JSE SHE invests and STARS mentionship, ju...

In this special episode, past me takes the guest chair as I come face to face with my own struggle with rejection. And what I did in my journey towards finding my breakthrough . What makes this episode special is that you will hear from 2 versions of myself - first you will hear from pre - corona Fifi, an episode that I recorded back in February before everything changed, a mere 1 day after facing...