Stories over coffee with Phiwe 

One of my new year’s resolutions in 2025 is to expand my circle. I want to be intentional about networking and meeting people. People are an asset. People sit close to the keys that unlock opportunities. Some people are in the position to send down the elevator. People are a gift to us and the world. I never take for granted the role that people have played in my life. With that said, I want to revive community over authentic stories and coffee.

We need community and I speak for many when I say this. Let me appoint myself as a spokesperson for the individual that hardly interacts outside of work. 

I love my solitude and quiet time. I value this time because I reflect, self-introspect and this improves my self-awareness. Solitude has improved my self-awareness and helped me identify my shortcomings. I don’t believe I would have experienced such a breakthrough had it not been for the lockdown restrictions. The isolation and the reduced human interaction grounded me.  To a certain extent, the hustle and bustle was suffocating me. The lockdown eased my pace and the isolation helped confront my fears. 

It turns out that it wasn’t such a terrible encounter, in fact I felt alive and revived to date. I am more conscientious of my environment. In isolation, I made discoveries about myself and found inner peace. 

However, I am also aware that there are side effects that emerge from coming out of lockdown. One being that we have an unrevealed fear to establish new human connection or friendships. I say this because as much as I am an outgoing individual I am also a loner. Sometimes not more than often, I overthink human connections like establishing connections or friendships. It can be a daunting experience. 

That being said, I thought why not have stories over coffee with Phiwe. So, monthly I will reach out to a connection invite you to have coffee with me. I am of the view that  beautiful and authentic connections are established just with a cup of coffee.    

There is a twist: we talk stories about books, entrepreneurship in Africa, Travelling in Africa, Leadership or opportunities on the African continent. Stories over coffee with Phiwe is going to be used as an educational platform to educate, connect and build lifelong connections. Since this is going to be my first time engaging the community physically, I will start small. 

Season one will launch just before the end of February 2025. We will have five episodes this season. Which means I need to reach out or be found by five connections. I am based in Johannesburg. We will meet for coffee around Johannesburg. It is my desire to use the same coffee shop preferably around Johannesburg west. In addition, a coffee shop owned by a Small Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMMEs) . Please recommend one if you know any?

Another disclaimer, I don’t have any equipment so I will only film snippets of the stories using my personal devices. Again, the idea is to have meaningful conversations to actually engage and learn from each other. However, the stories will be published on my blog website. 

Please let me know if you are keen to have coffee with me? Or you can please recommend someone that you believe wouldn’t mind?

Remember we talk about books, entrepreneurship in Africa, Travelling in Africa, Leadership or opportunities on the African continent. 

Please direct message me or comment if you would like to share your story with me over coffee?

Phiwe Mncwabe is storyteller, blogger and voice in Africa.

More stories–https://botlhaleafrika.co.za/ 

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I am not affiliated to any political party. I am affiliated to the Africans. 

The views that  I share are mine and not affiliated to any employer. These views are not meant to bring harm.

Let’s talk about Africa. Which African country must I visit next? 

Read Africa. Write about Africa. Put Africa first!

The hashtag to follow is #africabelongstoUS , #amplifyingvoices, #authenticstories