From aspiring Olympic athlete to life coach and sports psychologist, Vanessa Akiwumi joins the podcast for an episode that’s all about purpose, well-being, and redefining success. 🧠🏃🏽♀️
In this powerful conversation, we explore:
🌿 Mental health in Kenya—navigating stigma and starting important conversations
🏃🏽♀️ Sports psychology meets life coaching—supporting athletes beyond the field
💬 Balancing ambition with social and emotional health
📈 Building a coaching business from scratch—and serving a diverse clientele
🌟 Advice for aspiring coaches—why personal growth never stops
Vanessa’s journey is a reminder that intentional living, mentorship, and self-awareness are key to thriving—on and off the track.
🎧 Now streaming on all platforms! Catch the full episode now!!
💬 What does intentional living mean to you? Let’s talk in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
This week, we’re joined by an absolute powerhouse—Vanessa Akiwumi, a life coach, sports psychologist, and mental health advocate who went from chasing Olympic dreams to coaching others toward intentional living.
In this episode, Denis, Eric and Gathoni chat with Vanessa about:
💬 Balancing athletic life with mental & social well-being
🌍 Mental health in the Kenyan context—and breaking cultural stigmas
🧩 Personalized life coaching—why one size doesn’t fit all
🚀 Starting a coaching business from her bedroom—and building something powerful
🧠 The five pillars of well-being and how they impact us all
Vanessa’s story is real, inspiring, and packed with takeaways for anyone looking to grow, heal, or simply understand themselves better.
🔜 Episode drops soon! Stay tuned for this uplifting and eye-opening conversation.
💬 What’s your definition of well-being? Let’s talk in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
This one’s special—aKEx’s first guest of the season is here! 🎉 Akshil joins Cynthia and Denis to share his journey from high school to becoming a quantitative analyst in finance and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
In this episode, we dive into:
💡 Choosing the right career path—navigating university & making informed decisions
🤝 The power of mentorship & networking—why guidance from the right people matters
📈 Switching from engineering to finance—the challenges, skills, and mindset needed
🔥 Avoiding burnout & staying committed—how to balance ambition and well-being
Akshil’s story is packed with insights, whether you're a student, an aspiring finance professional, or just figuring out your next move.
🎧 Now streaming... Listen to the full episode now!!
💬 What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received? Let’s chat in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
For the first time this season, we’re bringing in a guest—Akshil—and trust us, you don’t want to miss this one!
In this episode, Cynthia and Denis reconnect with their long-time friend, who shares his journey from high school to becoming a quantitative analyst in finance.
🔥 Choosing the right career path—navigating university & career decisions
🔥 The power of mentorship & networking—learning from those who’ve walked the path
🔥 Transitioning from engineering to finance—how he made the switch & the skills that matter
🔥 Avoiding burnout & staying committed—balancing ambition with well-being
Akshil drops real, relatable, and practical advice for anyone figuring out their next steps—whether you're a student, career changer, or just curious about finance.
🔜 Episode drops soon! Stay tuned for an inspiring and insightful convo.
👉 What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received? Let us know in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
From Culture Shock to Co-op Success 🇨🇦
From stepping off the plane as a student to building a career and now embracing entrepreneurship—Eric’s @eric_cauri decade-long journey in Canada has been one of growth, challenges, and big decisions.
In this episode, he shares:
🌍 Culture shock & adapting to a new country
🎓 How co-op programs helped him break into his career
🦠 Graduating during COVID-19 & navigating uncertainty
🚀 The leap from employment to entrepreneurship—why he’s prioritizing time freedom & fulfillment
This isn’t just an immigration story—it’s a deep dive into resilience, reinvention, and what it really means to chase success on your own terms.
🎧 Now streaming! Tap the link in our bio to listen.
💬 Have you ever considered studying or working abroad? Let’s talk in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
In this conversation, Eric reflects on his ten-year journey in Canada, sharing insights from his experiences as an immigrant, student, and professional.
He discusses the challenges of culture shock, the importance of co-op programs in building his career, and the impact of COVID-19 on his graduation.
Eric also explores his transition from employment to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the pursuit of time freedom and personal fulfillment.
This is more than just an immigration story—it’s about reinvention, resilience, and redefining success.
🔜 Episode drops soon! Stay tuned for an honest, eye-opening conversation.
👉 Thinking about studying or working abroad? What’s your biggest question? Drop it in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
🎙️ Imposter Syndrome—Let’s Talk About It!
That little voice in your head saying, “I don’t belong here” or “I’m not good enough”—yeah, we’re tackling that head-on.
In this episode, Cynthia, Denis, and Eric break down imposter syndrome—how it impacts academic and professional growth, the fear and anxiety it causes, and their own personal struggles with it.
🔥 Is imposter syndrome holding you back?
🔥 Or has it become just another catchphrase?
🔥 How do we push past self-doubt and own our success?
It’s a raw, real, and much-needed conversation. Listen now and let’s start normalizing confidence instead of self-doubt!
🎧 Catch the full episode now!!
💬 Have you ever battled imposter syndrome? Let’s talk in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
Imposter Syndrome—Is It Holding You Back? 🤔
Ever felt like you don’t belong, like you’re not good enough, or that any success you’ve had is just luck? You’re not alone.
In our next episode, hosts Cynthia, Denis, and Eric dive into the realities of imposter syndrome—how it affects academic and professional growth, the fear and anxiety it brings, and the personal experiences that shaped their journeys.
But there’s more—has ‘imposter syndrome’ become just another buzzword? We unpack how the term is used in today’s world and whether it’s helping or hurting us.
🔜 Episode drops soon! Stay tuned for honest stories, hard truths, and tips on tackling self-doubt.
👉 Have you ever struggled with imposter syndrome? Let’s talk in the comments!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
🎙️ Hey aKEx fam, the latest episode is HERE! 🚀 This time, we’re sitting down with our co-hosts Eric Cauri and Denis Odera for an overdue catch-up.
🔥 Denis is making moves as a lead game producer, navigating the fast-paced world of gaming. He shares insights on his journey, the challenges, trusting the process and what’s next in his career.
🎂 Eric just hit the big 3-0! From reflecting on this new milestone to continuing his adventure of living and working in Canada, he’s got some great stories to share.
🎧 Tune in to the full episode for career lessons, life updates, and plenty of fun!
👉 What’s a big career or life milestone you’ve reached recently? Let’s celebrate together in the comments! 🎉
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
Hey aKEx fam, we’re keeping the catch-ups rolling! This time, we’re checking in with our co-hosts Denis and Eric to see what’s been happening in their worlds.
🎮 Denis’ Game-Changing Journey: Still leading the charge as a game producer, Denis shares what it’s like navigating the ever-evolving industry and what’s next in his career.
🎂 Eric Hits the Big 3-0! Our guy crossed a major milestone—turning 30! He reflects on this new chapter and his continued journey of living and working in Canada.
From career wins to life lessons, this episode is packed with real talk, laughs, and plenty of insights.
🎧 Listen to the full episode dropping out on Wednesday. What’s a major milestone or career shift you’ve hit recently? Join the convo!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
Hey aKEx fam! We’re back after a much-needed break, and it feels so good to be recording again! In this episode, our co-hosts Gathoni and Cynthia share what they've been up to while we were on hiatus.
🌍 Gathoni’s New Chapter: She’s moved to a new city and is diving into new experiences—tune in to hear all about her adventures and the changes she’s embracing!
👩⚕️ Cynthia’s Journey Continues: Our resident doc is back at it, continuing her incredible work in the medical field. She talks about the challenges and triumphs of her ongoing journey—don’t miss it!
We took some time off to focus on our personal lives, but we’re back recharged and ready to bring you more inspiring, real, and raw stories from Kenyans making bold moves in their lives and careers.
🎧 Listen to the full episode now and catch up with us!
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
🚀 We're BACK! After a much-needed hiatus, 'A Kenyan’s Experience' returns with fresh energy and new stories.
In this comeback episode, we catch up with co-hosts Gathoni and Cynthia! 🌍 Gathoni shares about her exciting move to a new location, while Cynthia takes us through her ongoing journey as a doctor.
Whether you're curious about what we've been up to or just need some inspiration, this episode has a little something for everyone.
Tune in, laugh with us, and catch up on all the life updates you missed. Don't forget to catch the full episode dropping out on Wednesday! 🎙️
Remember to follow us on IG @akenyansexperience & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
This week, Denis & Cynthia are joined by Shiro Wachira, an activist at heart, who candidly shares with us how her journey through her graduate program at the University of Stanford led her to unlearning the glorification of burnout.
Through her story, we learn how through mentorship, both giving and receiving, are important in creating sustainable personal wellbeing, and how this has led to Growing Acres, her apprentice-ship based program aimed at helping agricultural workers build profitable and environmentally sustainable businesses.
As always, as your hosts we took a lot from this conversation and we know you will too.
We’re excited to have Shiro back on the podcast in the future to hear more about her journey.
Links:
Shiro Wachira on LinkedIn here
Remember to follow us on IG at @akenyansexperience & tag us on your instagram letting us know where you're listening in from.
You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
Talk about an amazing comeback story!
On this weeks episode, we are joined by business owner, podcaster, father and fitness enthusiast, Shiv Simani. Shiv takes us through many of his origin stories as we discuss the importance of striving to make your dreams come true.
He shares with us the lifestyle challenges faced at an early age and how he navigated towards being one of the biggest fitness influencers in the country. We delve into the importance of setting strong boundaries and how making healthy lifestyle choices make a huge difference for oneself and for the people around us.
This is the first dad we've had on aKEx, so Shiv talks us through fatherhood in the midst of different career paths and choices.
Links:
Listen to Unit, the Podcast here
You can connect with Shiv here
Remember to follow us on IG at @akenyansexperience & tag us on your instagram letting us know where you're listening in from.
You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
This is Part Two of our conversation with Wambui Wambugu and Jean-Marie Kamweru, whom you met on part one a few weeks ago.
In this episode, we dive into their individual journeys from high school into university and now, as working adults in Nairobi, Kenya. They also share with us what impact having older siblings abroad had on the decisions they made and also honestly share if Gathoni & Cynthia met their expectations as older siblings abroad.
We'd love to know what you took away from this episode and also what impact your siblings, younger or older, have had on your journey.
Links: Jean's LinkedIn here and Wambui's LinkedIn here. Remember to follow us on IG at @akenyansexperience & tag us on your instagram letting us know where you're listening in from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com. Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
“So what are your weaknesses?”
Probably the question we all either under or overprepare for as we think about the looming interview.
On this week’s episode, full-stack tech-recruiter and HR practitioner Fiona Maingi, shares with us how her journey from law grad to HR specialist has shaped who she is today. Fiona shares with us how her mindset of reframing failure has been essential in her personal growth. She also shares with us tips on branding yourself as you prepare for your next step in your career whether that be now or in the future.
We’re so excited to finally have Fiona on the podcast and we’re really looking forward to having her back on in the future.
Let us know what you took away from this episode by leaving a voicenote, we’d love to know.
Links:
Fiona's LinkedIn, Upwork and Andela.
Red Cross runs a toll-free helpline that provides 24 hour free tele-counselling on: 1199
Befrienders in Kenya: +254722178177
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
In this episode of aKEx, Denis and Gathoni talk to Walter Kuria, a Civil Engineering student and a Motocross racer and trainer. Walter shares stories about his university journey and the things he wished he knew before he started... and trust us, not only are they funny, but also very relateable.
He also talks us through his love and passion for motocross... from when he got into it as a young boy, to now, where he takes what he knows and has learnt over the years to train the future generation of motocross racers.
If you want to know more about Motocross - how to get started, where to watch races, and what the sport involves, you can reach out to Walter in the following ways:
Walter Kuria IG
WIP IG and TikTok.
As always, thank you for listening and remember to share this episode with someone you think would enjoy this.
Follow us on IG & tag us on your instagram letting us know where you're listening in from.
You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com
Meet Our Siblings, Jean-Marie Kamweru and Wambui Wambui and get to know us better on Part One of Two of this series with funny and quirky QnAs.
This episode leads us into part two where you get to know Jean's and Wambui's individual journeys and how having older siblings abroad impacted their lives, both positive and negative. We learnt a lot about each other and ourselves as individuals and friends who've known each other for over a decade. We hope you enjoy this episode and we'd love to know if you love these types of episodes - it's good to shake it up once in a while.
Links:
Jean's LinkedIn here and Wambui's LinkedIn here.
Remember to follow us on IG at @akenyansexperience & tag us on your instagram letting us know where you're listening in from.
You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com.
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution
In this episode of aKEx, Denis and Gathoni catch up with Ian Mararo. For those of you who have been on this journey with us, you will remember Ian from Season 1. For those of you new to our podcast, you should definitely listen to the episode... it will leave you with the motivation and encouragement you need to pursue new opportunities. You can find Ian's Season 1 episode titled "Don't be afraid to fail" here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2uVRInrLsxA4oFC34EgDjF?si=WKNRhGKgRgOc6ciVYd3JVQ As we reconnect with Ian, he provides us with an update on his personal and professional life, and shares some of the things he is looking forward to. Tune in to find out more! As always, thank you for listening and share with someone you think needs to hear this. Links: You can connect with Ian on LinkedIn here: www.linkedin.com/in/ian-mararo-m-sc-pmp-14b660a5/ Remember to follow us on IG here: https://www.instagram.com/akenyansexperience/ & tag us on your Instagram letting us know where you're listening in from. You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com. **Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution**
I think we can all agree that THEE biggest flex is having your younger siblings on your podcast.
We're so humbled and thrilled to have Angela Cauri, a rising star in Nairobi's creative space and a Freelane Virtual Reality Designer. You might have heard her on Capital FM talking about her most recent project, State of the Art 3.0 or perhaps seen her magnificent murals in Bwibo, Lavington. Angela shares with us the importance of self-exploration and how that has led her to take the path less trodden several times in her life which has led up to her incredible achievements today.
We know you'll feel courageous and empowered at the end of this episode, and we'd love to know what you took away from this episode so do comment below or send us a DM. We also have the voicenote feature in the link below so leave us some feedback or share your story with us. Who knows, you might be on our next episode.
Links:
You can find Angela on LinkedIn, on Instagram and find her portfolio here.
Remember to follow us on IG at @akenyansexperience & tag us on your instagram letting us know where you're listening in from.
You can also reach out to us on email at: akenyansexperience@gmail.com
Music credits: Justin Vinylz and The Afrolution