The Innovators with Tom Kennedy: Recent Episodes
Tom Kennedy
Tom Kennedy sits with world class innovators from all walks of life (business, technology, endurance sports, politics etc.), unpacking their stories in search of the tools, tips, and tricks that make them who they are.
John Sanei - (@JohnSanei) is a leading innovation specialist, best selling author, global keynote speaker, facilitator, coach and entrepreneur. In addition to that long list of acknowledgments he now has the honor of being the first South African to be accepted into the Singularity University faculty, a huge achievement in and of itself.
In this episode we chat about a wide array of subjects including John's origin story that saw him start working at a young age to buy the things he wanted. We then cover his early successes and how it lead to his eventual financial and emotional bankruptcy. John maintains an extraordinarily positive outlook on life and his rapid rise is testament to that outlook and his belief in himself. I hope you enjoy my chat with him as much as I did. Enjoy!
There are so many amazing takeaways and lessons to be learned in this episode as John shares his outlook on everything from business, the future to minimizing barrier to entry while trying to achieve your goals. It's a really great listen, enjoy!
How to support this podcast
This podcast is a one man operation and is also not ad or sponsor supported. The goal for me is simple, share amazing stories of innovation and success with the hope of motivating you to create or tackle something new. If any of the episodes resonate with you, the best way you can support this podcast is by sharing it on your favourite platform and if you have the time, by dropping an honest review on iTunes. Each and every one is greatly appreciated! Above all, thanks for listening! Tom
If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with me on most social networks via @tkennedysa. I look forward to hearing from you!
Keep listening :)
Magda Wierzycka, CEO of Sygnia - (@Magda_Wierzycka) is the founder of Sygnia group. She is among South Africa’s richest women having built her wealth from scratch after moving to South Africa - an amazing story in and of itself.
She has most recently been in the spotlight for shining a light on corrupt corporates who have aided and abetted the Gupta and Zuma families in their state capture strategy.
This is an amazingly insightful story that covers many aspects of running a large corporate in South Africa. We cover everything from futurism to raising a family in today's corporate world. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa
Jonathan Shapiro aka Zapiro (@Zapiro) is a world renowned South African cartoonist whose works have resulted in awards, exhibits, lawsuits and debate internationally.
In this episode, we discuss the Jonathan’s time as a young South African growing up during the oppressive time of apartheid, how he fought against the oppression, while maintaining a love of cartooning. Jonathan discusses his creative process in a hugely insightful way for creatives and non-creatives needing to operate at a high level with a huge outputs. It’s a fascinating and in-depth episode.
If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa
The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (@ZeitzMOCAA), opens at the V&A Waterfront this weekend and will be the biggest showcase of African art in the world. In this special episode, I got to visit the museum and have an in-depth discussion with the executive director and chief curator Mark Coetzee and assistant curator for photography Gcotyelwa Mashiqa. It's a discussion that covers the importance of Art in Africa as well as taking back the narrative African art has to tell. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.theinnovators.co/mocaa | If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa
Professor Timothy David Noakes (@ProfTimNoakes) is a South African scientist and an emeritus professor in the Division of Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town. He has run more than 70 marathons and ultramarathons and is the author of several books on exercise and diet. He is known for his support of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet, as set out in his best-selling book The Real Meal Revolution. In this episode, we discuss the professor's journey, his approach to nutrition and his battles against the traditional thinking around diet today. It's a hugely fascinating and in-depth episode.
As always show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.theinnovators.co/TimNoakes | If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa
Styli Charalambous (@DailyMaverick) is the CEO and publisher of DailyMaverick.com. In early June Scorpio, the Daily Maverick’s newly launched investigative unit, and amaBhungane, the independent investigative non-profit, began publishing stories from a much, much wider trove: a few hundred gigabytes of information containing between 100,000 and 200,000 unique e-mails and a host of other documents. That became known as the #GuptaLeaks. In this episode, I sit back down with Styli and find out what went on behind the scenes of the #GuptaLeaks and what the leak meant for the role of the media and big corporates in South Africa today.
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.theinnovators.co - If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa
Styli Charalambous (@dailymaverick) is the CEO and publisher of DailyMaverick.com. Having co-founded the digital news publishing house in 2009, he has overseen the commercial growth of Daily Maverick ever since. Styli is responsible for all things non-editorial and, in his own words, he believes he must have been a terrible person in a previous life to be given this challenge.
In this episode, we cover the early days of Daily Maverick and its perilous journey to becoming a leading independent media entity in Africa. Styli shares some great advice about the importance of quality content as well as what it means to look at the impact of social impact a business has and its importance, even when it comes to affecting profitability.
This episode has some phenomenal insights, especially when it comes to building a digital media business under harsh conditions and there is also plenty that can be applied to businesses in almost any sector.
GuptaLeaks Update - Episode 3
This episode was recorded before the major #GuptaLeaks reveal so I never got a chance to touch base with Styli on this - luckily I was able to record an additional update on what actually went on behind the scenes. I'll be releasing it as a stand alone episode next week. It's a goodie so be sure to give it a listen.
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.theinnovators.co - If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa
Nic Haralambous (@NicHarry) is the founder and CEO of style company NicHarry.com. Nic has had a colorful history and his career includes learnings garnered from at least ten failed startups over the past 12 years. He also has plenty of successes under his belt: he was the CEO and co-founder of Motribe, the mobile community platform, before the company was successfully acquired by Mxit in 2012 and has previously worked or consulted to many well-known businesses such as the Vodacom, Mail & Guardian, Financial Mail and 702 and he is also an active columnist for Entrepreneur Magazine.
Nic believes there is a massive retail reset taking place right now and breaks down how e-commerce is affecting this. He shares some amazing strategies to thrive in the age of the retail apocalypse. So if you're interested in product development, retail both online and physical as well as strategies for growing your business this episode is perfect for you.
Show notes and links for this episode can be found at www.theinnovators.co/episodes/nic | If you have any feedback suggestions or ideas you can connect with Tom on most social networks via @tkennedysa