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This season on the Island Woman podcast, I’m talking to Caribbean women founders, industry experts and thought leaders about how we can make maximum economic impact and protect our health and wellbeing.

Joining me in the season premiere is Tanja Gittens, chartered accountant, global nomad, budget guru and author of the book “Living Loud on a Budget: Authentic Financial Living”. Tanja has officially retired from the corporate world to build the Living Loud on a Budget™ brand. She talks candidly about:

➡️ Why guts and gumption, not qualifications or experience, form the number #1 power package for Caribbean Women entrepreneurs
➡️ How she took the unconventional nomad path while being a practising chartered accountant
➡️ Financial wellness, health and healing trauma to live out loud
➡️ Merging personal experiences, beliefs and professional skills to build a brand
➡️ The scale of her level of ambition and personal well-being
➡️ Prioritising health and wellbeing on the career path
➡️ Living out loud
➡️ Her advice for other Caribbean founders (having an emergency fund and more)

00:00 Empowering Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs
02:33 The Importance of Guts and Gumption
04:59 Breaking the Mould of Traditional Accounting
09:30 Choosing the Unconventional Path
14:52 Building a Brand: Living Loud on a Budget™
19:30 Understanding Emotional Spending and Cultural Influences
24:45 Balancing Ambition and Well-Being
27:35 Advice for Aspiring Caribbean Women Entrepreneurs
32:03 Defining Living Out Loud
35:30 Final notes
36:10 Podcast outro

#IslandWomanPodcast #Caribbeanwomenentrepreneurs #CaribbeanWomenFounders #financialwellness #livingoutloud #financialwellness #gutsandgumption #CaribbeanEntrepreneur

In this episode of Behind the Mic, I sit down with Dr. Kevin Greenidge, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados and GUBA Vanguard Award nominee, to explore his extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to national leadership. We talk about his belief that purpose and vision can transform lives, the economic turnaround of Barbados through the BERT program, and the role of innovation in shaping the island’s financial future. Dr. Greenidge also shares insight on the orange economy, the upcoming BIM Pay system, and how creativity and culture can drive true economic growth.

B-Sides Track of the Week: Hero by Mariah Carey — a song that reminds us that everything we need to rise above life’s challenges already exists within us.

💽 Listen to our B-Sides Track of the Week playlist on Spotify or YouTube:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2EysXGOWrzoQ3Zmp34VWLx
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOCTSuUwMT0fHHhB6oPtaEYyTh2OWq7zY

Quote: “We are very rich culturally. We are rich in talent. But we have yet to become rich from culture and to become rich from our talent.”

Chapters

01:24 Meet Dr. Kevin Greenidge
02:14 B-Sides Track of the Week
05:38 Being Nominated for the GUBA Vanguard Award
22:13 The Power of the Orange Economy
24:49 The Financial Transformation with BIM Pay

Follow Behind the Mic wherever you listen to podcasts, and don’t forget to
subscribe on YouTube for more stories of vision, culture, and transformation.

Credits: Hosted by Wize Grazette. Edited and produced by Storytime Studios.

Africa consumes over $1 billion in leather but imports most of it. 👀
In this episode, Seromume Ikogho explains how Detail Africa and Craftlink are training local artisans, building supply chains, and reshaping the global view of “Made in Africa.”

This is what industrial revolution looks like — African edition. 🌍

#Afronomics #DetailAfrica #MadeInAfrica #AfricanEntrepreneurs #SustainableFashion #LeatherIndustry #Craftlink

––Music Credits–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

RIDDIM | Afrobeat Library | Music For Content Creators
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm9_E41jmVA
Creative Commons — Attribution – CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Affiliated YouTube channel | https://www.youtube.com/c/KaseemBada

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In this bonus episode of Behind the Mic, I’m celebrating a huge milestone in my journey, receiving the 2025 Black Podcasting Awards Legend Award. After more than a decade in podcasting, it still feels surreal to be called a legend. You’ll hear the full acceptance speech from the ceremony, my reflections on what this moment means, and how I’m focusing on helping creators thrive in the growing orange economy.

I also talk about my new podcast, Coop Back Podcast, where I kick it with my cousins Alex and Kevin about life, anime, and the everyday twists of adulthood in Barbados and abroad.

Featured Quote:
“Legend… it’s a powerful word. And when I started podcasting 13 years ago, it was not something that I had in the cards.”

Chapters:
1:48 – Learn about my new podcast Coop Back
3:23 – Acceptance speech
4:35 – Next episode teaser

Thanks for tuning in to Behind the Mic, hosted by Wize Grazette. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @TheRealWize, and stay tuned for the next episode featuring Dr. Kevin Greenidge, Governor of the Barbados Central Bank.

Credits:
Special thanks to Storytime Studios for editing and producing this podcast.

Sober Soldiers! One of the culture’s key players pulled up for a proper sit-down. We spoke about his journey through the game; from radio to rap, the highs, the lessons, and everything in between.
Speedsta got candid about legacy, growth, and staying true to himself in an ever-shifting industry. It’s a real conversation with someone who’s seen it all and still moves with love for the culture.
Tap in.

Africon 2025 was more than an event, it was proof that the diaspora is shaping the creative future.

In this episode, I continue my Africon recap with part two of my conversation with Anna and Odessa on the power of unity across the global Black community. Then I share highlights from my mentorship circle, where young creators explored how podcasting can amplify their stories.

I also sit down with Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism & the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa, to talk about the country’s growing “Orange Economy,” and close the night with Anna and Sofi the Oddity on the Icon Gala red carpet.

Featured Quote:

“We’re all African. That’s the message I’m here to share until everyone understands it.” — Odessa

Chapters:

01:34 Part 2 of my conversation with Anna & Odessa
06:49 Mentorship Circle recap and clips
10:26 Interview with Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa
17:19 Anna and Sofi the Oddity red carpet interview

Subscribe wherever you listen and leave a five-star review!
Follow ⁠@TheRealWize⁠ on Instagram and X.
Behind the Mic: Hosted by Wize Grazette
Special thanks to ⁠Storytime Studios⁠ for editing and production.

On this episode, I take you inside AFRICON 2025, recorded live at REVOLT Studios Atlanta with Anna from First Gems and Odessa from Reasonings with Odessa. We talk about the energy, panels, and connections that made this year’s AFRICON a powerful experience linking the African and Caribbean diaspora.

From the opening night at The Gathering Spot to inspiring moments featuring David Banner, Tuma Basa, and Shaka Zulu, this conversation highlights how AFRICON Atlanta 2025 brought creators, leaders, and innovators together from across the world. You’ll also hear Odessa’s exclusive interview with Nigerian DJ and cultural icon DJ Obi, who shares the story behind Obi’s House, one of Africa’s most talked-about parties celebrating music, culture, and unity.

“We are not just from Barbados. We’re not Jamaican. We are Africans first.” – Odessa

Chapters

01:48 – Africon Experience: Day One Highlights
04:06 – My Conversation with Anna & Odessa at REVOLT Studios
05:05 – Africon Panels and Key Takeaways
15:23 – Investing in the Caribbean and Africa
20:37 – DJ Obi Interview

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter (formerly X 😂) @TheRealWize, and subscribe so you don’t miss Part 2 of the AFRICON 2025 series.

Credits:

Powered by Offscript Podcast Network

Special thanks to Storytime Studios (@storytime.bb) for editing and production.

#podcast #africandiaspora #atlanta

Yeah, we know it’s been a minute. But look at the bright side, we here now Sober Soldiers, back with what can be called the parlay of all parlays. We kicked it off with shoes and got a bit carried away there. But that had nothing on the way we delved into events just before going into all the music that has dropped. Sober Soldiers, lock in. It’s a parlay.

In this episode of Behind the Mic, host Wize Grazette sits down with Talib Jasir, founder of the Afros & Audio Podcast Festival, to explore how one man’s vision reshaped the landscape for Black podcasters across the nation.
Talib shares how his passion for storytelling and audio fiction led to the creation of a thriving national community for independent creators, the challenges of sustaining Afros & Audio without major funding, and why this year’s event in Baltimore will be its final celebration. Together, they dive into his personal journey, creative growth, and what’s next for the movement he built.

🎧 B-Sides Track of the Week: “Lucky” by Tish Hyman — a soulful reminder to stay grounded in gratitude and perseverance through creative highs and lows.

💽 Listen to our B-Sides Track of the Week playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2EysXGOWrzoQ3Zmp34VWLx

💽 Listen to our B-Sides Track of the Week playlist on Youtube:

“We are the most powerful people in this industry. The podcast industry doesn’t exist without podcasters.” — Talib Jasir

Chapters
01:27 — Talib’s Journey and Afros & Audio
03:19 — B-Side Track of the Week
04:50 — Talib Jasir before Afros & Audio
12:10 — Trials & Tribulations
14:58 — Final Afros & Audio Podcast Festival

Subscribe to Behind the Mic wherever you listen and leave a five-star rating — on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts if you’re a real one.

Follow Talib Jasir on Instagram and Twitter @TalibJasir and visit AfrosAndAudio.com
.
Follow Wize Grazette on Instagram and X @TheRealWize.

🎙️ Behind the Mic: Hosted by Wize Grazette is Powered by Offscript Podcast Network.
🎧 Edited and produced by The Indie Creative Network and Storytime Studios.

#podcast #podcasts #podcasting

In this episode of Afronomics, we sit down with Phillip Karaya — entrepreneur, real estate investor, and Founder of Karaya Consulting & Finance with Phil. Phillip also serves as the Chapter President of the U.S.–Africa Chamber of Commerce, where he helps connect U.S., African, and Caribbean businesses.

From growing up with strong Kenyan family values to leading investment projects in Atlanta, Phillip shares how community, culture, and purpose shaped his entrepreneurial path.

💬 Topics include:

The meaning behind common “Black-isms” and cultural language

How family and faith build the foundation for leadership

Why community and service matter more than money

Creating bridges between Africa and the diaspora through business

🎧 Tune in for insight, humor, and a celebration of Black excellence and global unity.

#Afronomics #PhillipKaraya #DiasporaBusiness #AfricanEntrepreneurs #RealEstateInvesting #communitywealth

––Music Credits–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

RIDDIM | Afrobeat Library | Music For Content Creators
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm9_E41jmVA
Creative Commons — Attribution – CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Affiliated YouTube channel | https://www.youtube.com/c/KaseemBada

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