The Business of Influence

In this landmark first episode of the Business of Influence IMC Series, hosted by Leroy Marc, we welcome one of the most important voices in African branding to open a conversation that the continent has needed to have at the highest level for a very long time. Thebe Ikalafeng, brand strategist, author and founder of Brand Leadership, does not arrive with comfortable answers. He arrives with the q...

THE BRANDS THAT WIN IN CULTURE ARE NOT THE ONES BORROWING FROM IT. THEY ARE THE ONES LIVING IN IT.In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Richmond Sajini and Zintle Tolom from Melenial Media sit down for a conversation about what independent agencies are getting right that the legacy players are still struggling to figure out, and why the future of influencer ma...

VIRALITY IS NOT LUCK, IT IS ENGINEERING AND MIKE SHARMAN HAS THE CASE STUDIES TO PROVE IT.In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Mike Sharman, founder of Retroviral, sits down for one of the most entertaining and strategically dense conversations this show has hosted. From Hollywood acting classes and catering for wealthy London households to building one of South Africa&#3...

THE MARKETING INDUSTRY IS NOT BEHIND BECAUSE IT STOPPED LEARNING. IT IS BEHIND BECAUSE IT STOPPED UNLEARNING.In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Yuvisti Ramgulam, a seasoned voice across client, consulting and production roles, sits down for a conversation about what the marketing and advertising industry needs to confront honestly before it can build anythi...

LEADING MEDIA ACROSS 54 AFRICAN MARKETS DOES NOT MAKE YOU AN EXPERT IN ALL OF THEM. IT TEACHES YOU HOW TO LISTEN.In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Amanda Hoosen-Ramguthee, integrated media leader across 54 African markets, sits down for a conversation about consumer intelligence, influence and what leading a digital strategy at continental scale actually teaches you ab...

ANYONE CAN PLAN AN EVENT. VERY FEW PEOPLE CAN MAKE YOU FEEL SOMETHING.In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Greg Walsh, founder of G&G, the Goosebumps Company, sits down for a conversation about what it actually takes to build one of South Africa's most respected experiential marketing firms from a university side hustle into a premium live experience business with...

THE CREATOR ECONOMY IS BRILLIANT AT BUILDING AUDIENCES. IT IS TERRIBLE AT TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE BUILDING THEM. In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Hakeem Lesolang, Gugulethu Nyatshumba and Makungu Valoyi sit down for a conversation the creator space has been avoiding for far too long. Mental health. Burnout. The cost of performing for an audience that ne...

CLICKS VS CLASSROOMS: DOES FORMAL CREATIVE EDUCATION STILL MATTER IN THE AGE OF INFLUENCERS?In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Kamva-Eliqaqambileyo Namba, academic and head of programmes, sits down for one of the most relevant conversations in the creative industry right now. Can a traditional degree compete with a TikTok following? Does formal education st...

THE MOST UNDERRATED BUSINESS SKILL IS NOT MARKETING. IT IS NOT FINANCE. IT IS KNOWING YOURSELF. In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Amanda Sibiya, founder and lead strategist at Branding Africa, sits down for a conversation that most entrepreneurship content completely avoids. Emotional intelligence is not a soft skill. It is the infrastructure that holds a founder, a te...

ANYONE CAN POST A WORKOUT. NOT EVERYONE SHOULD BE TELLING YOU HOW TO TRAIN. In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, we are joined by three fitness professionals who are done watching their industry get flattened by a feed. Mthandazo Nathan Mthembu, Thato Banda and Mpho Mapheto bring a combined depth of real world experience to a conversation that the health and...

BEING VISIBLE IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING RELEVANT. AND MOST BRANDS HAVE NOT FIGURED THAT OUT YET. In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Magriet de Bruyn, founder of Plot Social, delivers a conversation that every brand manager, content strategist and social media professional needs to hear. Plot Social is a social first creative agency built specifically for upper market hos...

THE CAR YOU DRIVE SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT YOU. HYUNDAI FIGURED THAT OUT 25 YEARS AGO. In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Nontokozo Biyam joins the conversation to unpack one of the most fascinating brand localisation stories in South African marketing history. How does a foreign automotive brand become a home brand? How does a vehicle manufacturer earn a place...

EXECUTION IS THE CURRENCY. EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST POTENTIAL.In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Nicole Maweni, founder and Managing Director of Open Gallery, pulls back the curtain on what talent management actually looks like behind the scenes. Open Gallery exists to give creative talent, from artists and musicians to brand builders and influencers, the infrastructure...

HARD WORK WITHOUT A SYSTEM IS JUST NOISE. HERE IS WHAT ACTUALLY BUILDS A BUSINESS. In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Bulelani Balabala delivers one of the most honest conversations about entrepreneurship, visibility and brand building that this show has ever hosted. Hard work is not enough, and if you have been grinding without seeing results that match th...

570 BILLION RAND. AND STILL, MOST SMALL BUSINESSES CANNOT GET FUNDED. HERE IS WHY. In this episode of Founder's Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Billy Bokako breaks down one of the most important and most misunderstood conversations in South African entrepreneurship right now. Where does the money actually go, why is it so difficult to access, and what do small business owners need to understand...

This Youth Month, the Business of Influence Podcast is doing something we have never done before. We are releasing an uncut episode, exactly as it happened, no edits, no filters, no polish. Just the raw, honest, behind-the-scenes conversation that most people never get access to. This is the Lebo Mashile and Mathabo Tlali episode that went live during Africa Month, and we are sharing it in full be...

In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Andrew Berry from The Bread sits down to have an honest conversation about what is actually happening inside the advertising industry right now. Not the polished version. The real one. The agency model is shifting and Andrew does not shy away from that reality. What is replacing the traditional full-service approach is som...

In this episode of Founder’s Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Mike Hewan, CEO of LIFT FIT, unpacks his journey from marketing entrepreneur to leading one of South Africa’s growing activewear brands. From building his agency, Ninja Puppy, to stepping into the CEO role at LIFT FIT, Mike shares the realities of transitioning into leadership, scaling a brand and building a business rooted in accountabili...

In this episode of the Business of Influence Podcast, hosted by Leroy Marc, Zimasa Vabaza unpacks one of the most important conversations in the creator economy right now. From the quiet discipline of building organic trust to the uncomfortable reality of platform ownership, this is a conversation that challenges every content creator, brand and digital strategist to think harder about where they...

n this Africa Month special of Business of Influence, host Leroy Marc sits down with poet, author and cultural activist Lebo Mashile alongside media executive and strategist Mathabo Tlali to unpack the realities of building, sustaining and protecting creative careers in Africa. From the systemic challenges facing artists and creators to the economic structures that continue to undervalue creative...

In this episode of Founder’s Desk, hosted by Tami Ruschin, Ryan Sauer from Redwood Analytics unpacks why modern marketing still struggles to prove real business impact despite having more data than ever before. From the flaws of reach, impressions and last click attribution to the rise of objective based marketing and reporting, this conversation explores why brands need to rethink how they approa...

In this episode of Business of Influence, host Leroy Marc sits down with producer of SMWX, Oratile Kekana, to unpack the rise of podcasting in South Africa, the growing tension between new media and legacy media, and the debate surrounding the regulation of the creator economy. From the evolution of podcasting into a thriving storytelling medium to the power of personality-driven content, this con...

In this episode of Business of Influence, host Leroy Marc sits down with content creator and entrepreneur Melusi Thobela to unpack the realities of building a sustainable career in the creator economy through authenticity, consistency and strategic content creation. From filming homemade recipes in White River, Mpumalanga, to becoming a rising voice in South African digital media, Melusi shares ho...

In this episode of Business of Influence, host Leroy Marc sits down with content creator and TV producer Mbuyiselo Vilakazi to unpack the intersection of online content, traditional media and the role of credibility in building lasting influence. From his transition out of law into media to his rise as a trusted voice in television commentary, this conversation explores how intentional, research d...

In this crossover episode of Business of Influence and Founder’s Desk, host Leroy Marc sits down with Nwabisa Mda to unpack the growing professionalism of the creator economy and what it really takes to build a sustainable career in content. From the shift away from passive content creation to intentional brand building, this conversation explores why creators must move beyond chasing deals and st...