Shades & Layers

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the guest is Thabisa Mjo, the vivacious and talented founder of the Johannesburg-based design company, Mash T Design Studio . Famous for the Tutu Light and Mjojo Cabinet, the studio has been rising from strength to strength since it was founded five years ago.  These two designs are part of the Louvre's collection at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs   In this co...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 3! I am super excited to share with you, the story of Alicia Goodwin, founder of the jewelry brand, Lingua Nigra .    It was a great sit-down during which we talked about her career trajectory, the name of her brand, her inspiration, the revived interest in handmade goods, sustainability and plenty of other personal insights. We also got into the Geo...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Shades and Layers is all about being Ghetto Fabulous with one of my favorite South African illustrators, Rendani Nemakavhani , better known as PRSDNT Honey!  To say that I love her work would be an understatement. It’s not only the images that she creates that I find striking, but the way in which they are presented. And, also, her why not spirit is infectious. She appr...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, we head to the magical kingdom of Lesotho, where we meet Moliehi Mafantiri, the co-founder of the fast-growing sustainable homeware brand, Barali .  Moliehi co-founded the company with her high school friend, Mookho Ntho, with the aim of sharing Basotho culture through storytelling, preserving local traditions and contributing to the Lesotho textile industry in...

Send us Fan Mail LOVE AFRICA In this first episode of Season 3, Sweden-based South African designer, Nkuli Mlangeni-Berg discusses her take on Sustainability, Collaborative Partnerships on and Artisanship. Nkuli is an award-winning designer and Creative Social Entrepreneur, who uses her collaborative platform  The Ninevites , to tell stories about her beloved South Africa, amplify African voices a...

Send us Fan Mail Hey, welcome back! Shades and Layers is ready with a third season! But before we get started, I just wanted to thank all of you for your support during the past crazy year and your contribution to the ongoing conversation about black women entrepreneurs working in spaces where they are still largely excluded.  If you are new to the podcast, welcome! Please feel free to explore pas...

Send us Fan Mail RISE TO THE OCCASION Today we are talking passion, profit and impact with the founder of Helen Rose Skincare , Day Bibb (@yoga.and.nectarines)   Day is based in the Pacific Northwest city of Portland in Oregon, where she not only has a store, but also runs a non-profit for survivors of domestic violence called OM Thrive Foundation .  There are multiple reasons why Day started her...

Send us Fan Mail   My guest today is Taryn Gill, South African entrepreneur and founder of haircare brands such as The Perfect Hair , Curls in Bloom, and the trademarks SuperCurl and Soft Sista.  Taryn’s story is a true masterclass on how to manage your career, spot opportunities and using your experiences for business success. She has worked for some of the greatest names in SA publishing and med...

Send us Fan Mail UNSUN YOUR MELANIN This bonus episodes of Shades and Layers focuses on something that a lot of darker-skinned people barely think about: sunscreen. To many, this is something that is only of concern to the light-skinned and of course this is reinforced by the white residue that is left behind by a lot of sunscreen, leaving you with a ghostly/zombified look. Enter Katonya Breaux an...

Send us Fan Mail SEASON FINALE - Season 2, Episode 10 Happy Birthday Shades and Layers! Yes, it all began one year ago in June of 2020, while the world was deep in the throes of wrestling with how to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. It is fitting that this final episode of Season 2 (On Wellness/Well-being) brings the podcast full circle to where it all began: the beauty industry. Mathebe Modise, Foun...

Send us Fan Mail We continue profiling the entrepreneurs and game changers who are changing and adding to the diversity of the wellness space and today it’s the story of life and relationship coach, Rosemary Mupambwa. Her company Rose's Life Coaching offers retreats and 1;1 coach for her clients.   When the Zimbabwean-born Rosemary lost her husband in the year 2000, and soon after that her pa...

Send us Fan Mail EPISODE 8 OF SEASON 2 If like me, lo-fi beats have given you the peace of mind you need while working during this pandemic, then you already know something about mindful hip-hop. And that is the topic of my conversation with Brooklyn-based hip-hop artist, Toni Blackman ., who is an advocate of mindful hip-hop. Our conversation is a journey that takes us to the start of her career...

Send us Fan Mail THE ULTIMATE DINING EXPERIENCE This is Episode 7 of Season 2 of Shades and Layers. This story is inspiring because it's about believing in yourself and the importance of surrounding yourself with people who support your dreams. Rebecca Morgan, better known as Chef Bella B , She quit her restaurant job eight years ago, fashioned herself as a private chef and never looked back....

Send us Fan Mail From wanting to save money on groceries to creating a whole business that changes not only her own life, but has an impact far beyond her immediate circle, Nonkululeko Britton-Masekela is an inspiration. Speaking to her, it is evident that Kula is a soulful pursuit. Nonkululeko speaks of it as a gift to others. This is her contribution to her community and beyond.  Our conversatio...

Send us Fan Mail The Halfway Point This is episode 5 of Season 2 of Shades and Layers, and I like where we are with the conversations today. We've talked mental and physical well-being. It is not possible to speak Wellness, Well-being and Black women and not talk about African spirituality. Today, my guest and sangoma Nokulinda Mkhize Horwood discusses her profession, her own practice, her ob...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Episode 4 of Season 3.  It’s not possible to talk about wellness and not discuss massage therapy and spa treatments, it is definitely one of the first association that people make when talking about wellness.  If you go for treatment at many South African spas, you will most likely have black women attending to your needs, but look in the fancy office upstairs or closer...

Send us Fan Mail This is episode 3 of Season 2, where I focus on black women who make it their business to change the face of wellness and well-being. This week, my guest is Fitness Influencer and Asics frontrunner ambassador for Copenhagen, Ntokazi Mposula, affectionately known as Zozo. She is also the founder of the creative project and community called My Beautiful People . She recently launche...

Send us Fan Mail Yema Ferreira is an Angolan-born psychotherapist living in Denmark where she uses her healing gifts for 'Facilitating Black Girl Magic'. She knew from early on in life that she wanted to work with people therapeutically to resolve trauma. And so she studied psychology at Temple University and later trained in Existential Psychotherapy at the Psykoterapeutisk Institut in...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season 2 of the Shades and Layers podcast! Trigger Warning In this episode, Thokozani Ndaba, Founder and Executive Director of the South African non-profit Ntethelelo Foundation , shares her story. We talk about the impact she's been able to make through her life's work in one of her home country's poorest neighborhoods, Alexandra township. Thokozani and...

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode we meet Johannesburg- based entrepreneur Linda Gieskes – Mwamba , the founder and CEO of Suki Suki Naturals Born in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo to entrepreneurial parents, Linda's venture into entrepreneurship started when  she wanted to ditch the chemicals and grow out her natural afro-textured hair.  She quickly discovered that she l...

Send us Fan Mail This week's episode of Shades and Layers breaks the mould a little, with a look at a "cosmeceutical" brand, Uso Skin Care . So far, we have explored the indie beauty industry, but once you hear the story of founder and CEO of African Dermal Science, Dr. Theo  Muthoa-Frendo, you will understand why this story is important.  There are three important things to learn f...

Send us Fan Mail ANiM Naturals was officially launched in 2017 by founder Akosua Koranteng. I caught up with the Ghanaian born South African entrepreneur soon after the opening of the very first storefront for ANiM Naturals , which is at The Beauty Box in Cape Town’s Waterfront 'Made in Africa' market, The Watershed . The Beauty Box features other African made beauty brands. This was als...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of Shades and Layers takes us to my home country, South Africa, to find out what's happening in the beauty and personal care aisles at supermarkets and . Having had the privilege to visit home frequently also made me aware that there's are many young women making things happen in the personal care industry. Olwethu Ngcobo, founder of Lolaandcoorganics, is on...

Send us Fan Mail Gettheblacbox If you're a black woman who's ever done personal care shopping in Copenhagen, then you know the frustration of this futile mission. And then you start debating if it's worth the trek from your home to Copenhagen city centre or if ordering via Amazon is better, but then what if you don't like the products and what if .... grrrr... That's been...

Send us Fan Mail Today's conversation is a holistic look at the life of an entrepreneur in the indie beauty industry. Sundra Essien lives and breathes the brand, Isangs , which she co-founded with her husband nearly eight years ago. Everything in their store in shop is dreamt up in their Copenhagen workshop and home, and then made by hand on site. Visiting Isangs is a definite must do when in...