Coffee with Venandah: Recent Episodes
Venandah Madanhi
Don't you just love grabbing a coffee and getting to know someone new? Me too. Join me, Venandah Madanhi, as I introduce you to new ideas, people, their stories and the lessons learned along the way. #CoffeeWithVenandah
There's this certain glamour that society places on people who seem to always be on the move and busy doing things. However, are we actually busy working on tangible things or are we just busy being busy? How do we balance our priorities with work and our health? Join me for #CoffeeWithVenandah as I explore these questions with Thorrun Govind!
Thorrun is a lawyer working primarily in healthcare law. Alongside this, she is a practicing pharmacist and mentors both law and pharmacy students. She has over 10 years’ experience in healthcare and much of this has been raising the profile of the pharmacy profession and healthcare in general. She shares her thoughts on working from home, how to prioritise and mental health.
Lots of us are either entering a new chapter in our lives or know someone who is, and frankly, there's never a perfect time for a fresh start. Join me for your burst of encouragement as we navigate our new life chapters and how to treat ourselves with the grace and kindness we give to others. #CoffeeWithVenandah
Have you been feeling purposeless? Wondering what it is that you were born to do? Are you thinking "there must be more to life"? If so, then let's talk about the relationship between finding your purpose, change and giving. #CoffeeWithVenandah
This week I was joined for #CoffeeWithVenandah by Liam Cavanagh. We talked about how instagram makes people feel about their health and what it means to get fitter and healthier for yourself. Liam is an online fitness coach, content creator, and founder of Bel; the world's first online coach matching service.
Health and fitness has shaped his life and enabled him to follow his dream of starting a business and impacting people from around the world, but he believes the fitness industry is ready to be disrupted. The way people look and how much they weigh has been the focus of the industry for too long. Being healthy should be looked at as a way to become Better in Everyday Life; to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin, and to build better mental health. Through Bel, he's taking on the ironically unhealthy culture within the fitness industry and making fitness more accessible for all!
This week I was joined for coffee by Melissa Vundla. We talked about the importance of your passion projects and work being aligned with your values and what led to her starting her businesses and empowering women across the country. Melissa is the founder of the Ladies Empowerment Movement, known as LEM Queens to most and the Co-Founder of True Elegance Events, Tours and Restaurant based in Southern Africa. She is also a Social Work Masters student with an extensive work history in hospitality and events management.
At some point, we all have to have difficult conversations and if you are a manager, you'll have to have these conversations often. It's not always easy so I'm glad that this week I was joined for coffee by Toni McLelland. We discuss our management journeys, strategies for maintaining an open culture and leadership as a whole. Toni works closely with individuals to determine how they work based on her model of assessing behaviour, education, learning, mindset and environment. She brings thirty years of experience in working with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Central Government, care and educational strategic services, policy, strategy and crisis management to name but a few. Through her expertise she is able to develop and empower leaders with the right skills & knowledge for business; this, in turn, leads to a profitable and compliant business whether she is working with an established business, organisation, or a start-up. You can find Toni on LinkedIn and also at www.1stlifegroup.com.
This week I sat down and had coffee with Kate Griffiths. We spoke about our relationship with money, how businesses are having to do things differently and the benefits of doing what you love! Some call Kate the coaches' coach. This is because she works with visionary leaders and coaches who are really good at what they do, are busy so cannot drop anything but they haven't found their sweet spot yet. She helps her clients create more meaning by unlocking their whole selves which is the key to having more impact. Since 2008 Kate has pioneered an approach that integrates spirituality and business using Colour. She has found that it can transform every aspect of your life and give you the tools to bounce back from any adversity.
Sometimes the best conversations you can have about overcoming your comfort zone are the ones you have with strangers. This week I had coffee with the Communications Doctor aka Tanya Obeng and we talked about navigating new spaces and figuring our who we are and the bridges we need to cross. Tanya is passionate about helping leaders, business owners and senior leaders reposition, unlock their creativity and get back on their pathway to success. She aims to promote mindfulness and use psychodrama as a tool to help others open up and tell their stories in an authentic way. Tanya has also taught Drama for over 15 years in schools, Youth theatres, Mental health and Care homes. Grab your coffee or tea and let's get stuck in!
Have you ever joined someone for coffee and at the end you're just left feeling so inspired? Well, that was my experience when I had coffee with Josiah Senu. We explored the changing workforce, priorities for Generation Z and Millennials and why we tend to juggle a lot of plates. Josiah sits as Deputy Chair on the Alumni Leadership Board of the Sutton Trust – the UK’s leading charity on social mobility. He currently reads the BCL at Oxford University as a 4 New Square and Balliol College Scholar, after graduating from Harvard Law School as the youngest Kennedy scholar to study the LLM in over 10 years. While he now teaches contract, tort and jurisprudence to law students at the LSE, he was formerly a Lord Benson scholar graduating from LSE Law with numerous academic prizes and scholarships. Aside from law, Josiah co-founded a food-tech start-up in 2019 and works in the M&A and Strategy team of a unicorn fin-tech. He is state school educated and grew up in the suburbs of North-East London. #CoffeeWithVenandah
I tend to introduce you to interesting people. Well this time, you get to meet my cousin and my best-friend. Grab your tea or your coffee as we talk about how we're approaching 2021, our goals and how we're pushing through low confidence to make progress one day at a time! Let me know how your goals for 2021 using #CoffeeWithVenandah
It's been a few months since the tragic passing of George Floyd and a global rude awakening. In this episode I'm joined for coffee by Hannah Awonuga. We explore what it's like being black at work, the BAME blanket and the importance of practical action when it comes to tackling diversity and inclusion effectively. Hannah is a driven and experienced Diversity and Inclusion leader who has a keen interest Corporate culture, Inclusive Leadership and developing Ethnic minority professionals in the workplace. She currently has 14 years experience in banking and career transitioned in to Diversity and Inclusion in 2019. Grab your coffee and tune in! #CoffeeWithVenandah
In this episode I grabbed virtual coffee with Chris von Huene. We talked about how competition can often be a scary concept and how you can actually make the most of it. Chris has a diverse background from working in finance across multiple sectors such as medical devices, aerospace, and restaurants to jumping into SasS and hardware sales. He is a life long student with a focus on sales and personal development. Of course, Chris always mixes in a little humor because who doesn’t like a good chuckle? There are a lot of dimes in this one so grab your coffee and let's get to it.
How easy is it to compare ourselves to others? Super easy. Yet, it's something that can hold us back and also leave us feeling like we aren't working hard enough. In this episode, I am joined by Sapreena Kumari. We discuss what it's like missing out on the grades you want and also the importance of knowing that you determine your success. Sapreena Kumari is the Director of Admissions and Outreach at Aston University and is a committed advocate for equal opportunities.
It's 2020 and we're currently living through a pandemic. This means a lot is changing and with that comes the need to develop the right techniques to manage that change. Join Venandah Madanhi as she discusses how to manage change with Kareen Griffiths. Kareen is a Communications Consultant, Coach and Mentor who is passionate about helping business leaders and individuals inspire change. #CoffeeWithVenandah
Just two years ago, Jordan Patel was in a dark place. Having been a hugely successful nightclub promoter in Birmingham, Jordan fell in with the wrong crowd and lost someone close to him. This death marked a significant turning point for him. Now in these unprecedented times, Jordan is creating a new hope for the city of Birmingham through 'Art.Quarter'. Grab your coffee and tune in as Venandah Madanhi talks to him about his journey and what's next for his business.