The Spirit of Alchemy

In this episode, we sit with Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, founder of Tolokazi Beer & Cider and Brewsters Academy, for a conversation about ancestry, collapse, and what it takes to rebuild when everything falls apart. Apiwe was the first woman to qualify as a professional brewer in South Africa. She built a multimillion-rand brewery, lost it all during COVID, and then built it back on her own terms. This is a story about more than beer. It is about what happens when your business becomes the vessel for something much older than yourself. ✨ In This Episode Losing a fully funded brewery during COVID and nearly losing her home The ancestral connection between the Tolokazi clan and African brewing traditions Why her real passion has never been having her name on a bottle Using indigenous ingredients like sorghum and marula to tell an African story How a LinkedIn post led to a three-year international distribution deal Rebuilding self-funded through consulting work in Rwanda and Malawi The African Renaissance as a business philosophy, not just a concept What she would do differently if she started over 🌟 Why This Story Matters Apiwe's story is one of the most honest entrepreneurial journeys we have had on this show. She does not dress up the collapse or rush past the low points. She sat in the wreckage, worked out the worst that could happen, and then moved. What she is building now is not just a brewery. It is a living argument that African tradition belongs on the global stage, and that the people who carry those traditions forward do not always get to take the easy road.   Get in Touch with Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/apiwe-nxusani-mawela-741bbb2b/   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tolokazi_thebrewster?igsh=YmowMTVhN3Fzc3k2  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apiwe.nxusani    Tolokazi Beer & Cider  Website: https://tolokazibeer.co.za/about-us/  Email: [email protected]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tolokazibeer  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tolokazibeer_cider?igsh=MWF1cXllYnl1MHF4OA==    Brewsters Academy  Website: https://www.brewstersacademy.co.za/  Email: [email protected] The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

In this episode, we unpack: How Thato’s journey into content creation started in university The early days of YouTube in South Africa and building without validation The difference between a content creator and an influencer Why storytelling is the most powerful tool in a world driven by AI The reality of content creation: consistency, patience, and no immediate rewards Turning content into income—and why it’s harder than it looks The shift from personal brand to building a scalable business Lessons from failed models, experimentation, and reinvention The importance of intentionality in building both content and life Curating your inner circle and designing your environment for growth The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

Thank you for tuning into The Spirit of Alchemy, a podcast sharing entrepreneurs’ life stories of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary. In this episode, we sit with Eddie Nyarkoh, founder of Eleve Verde (meaning Elevate Green), for a fascinating conversation on healing, intention and building a wellness brand rooted in both science and spirit. What began as a personal search for relief from chronic pain became a journey into plant medicine, conscious entrepreneurship, and global vision. From studying Math and Computer Science and working in IT to founding a cannabis-infused wellness company with dreams of exhibiting at Spannabis in Spain, Eddie’s story is one of calculated courage and intentional growth. This is a conversation about balance, in the body, in business and in life. ✨ In This Episode • Turning personal pain into entrepreneurial purpose • The science behind cannabinoids and homeostasis • What “start low, go slow” really means • Building a wellness brand with integrity and intention • Why culture in business is everything • Moving beyond the idea of a “side hustle” • Balancing corporate life with visionary entrepreneurship • From Johannesburg to the international stage 🌟 Why This Story Matters This Episode is a reminder that transformation often begins with discomfort. It shows us that healing can be both deeply personal and powerfully entrepreneurial and that building something meaningful requires patience, vision and daily intention. Eddie’s journey reflects a new generation of entrepreneurs who are blending science, spirituality and strategy to create businesses that don’t just generate income but restore balance. Because sometimes, elevating green isn’t just about plants, it’s about raising consciousness, culture and possibility. Get in Touch with Eleve Verde: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eleveverde/   The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

Food is one of our oldest languages — a way we express love, preserve memory, and care for one another.In this episode of The Spirit of Alchemy, hosts Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa sit with Anele, founder of Sweet Thymes, to explore how nourishment became both her calling and her practice. Trained in accounting but shaped by her family kitchen and a deep curiosity for food, Anele shares how she chose to leave corporate life in order to build something rooted in joy, care and community.Together, they explore growing up between worlds, honouring ancestral food knowledge, building a business alongside motherhood and creating work environments where women can thrive. This conversation reflects on village, legacy and the long view, planting seeds you may never personally harvest but trusting that they will feed generations to come.An intimate and grounding episode about choosing softness in a hard world, and discovering where food becomes love. The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

The Silhouette of Self: KandyBoi and the Art of Becoming is a conversation about fashion not as trend, but as language — a way of expressing identity, confidence, and inner alignment.In this episode of The Spirit of Alchemy, hosts Bobby and Rehema sit down with Kagiso “KandyBoi” Mokoena, South African fashion designer, stylist, and creative director, to unpack the philosophy behind his work and the personal journey that shaped it. Known for bold couture, sculptural silhouettes, and an unapologetic celebration of the feminine form, KandyBoi reveals that his brand is not built on garments alone, but on how people feel when they wear them.From sketching designs at fourteen to officially launching his brand in 2017, Kagiso’s journey is one of self-teaching, patience, and intentional growth. He speaks openly about being “delusional” in pursuit of his vision — not as fantasy, but as disciplined self-belief and trust in his own clarity. For KandyBoi, becoming is not rushed. It is cultivated.Together, the conversation explores:• Fashion as an extension of identity rather than an external performance• The female silhouette as a canvas for confidence, presence, and power• Why how a client feels matters more than how they look• Building a bespoke brand rooted in trust, listening, and energy alignment• Protecting mental health as a non-negotiable part of entrepreneurship• Learning every part of the craft before scaling or delegating• Choosing alignment over money — even when it means walking away• Growing alongside peers rather than chasing status or celebrity• Patience, long-term vision, and redefining success on your own terms• Legacy, mentorship, and creating pathways for the next generationKandyBoi’s story challenges fast-growth culture and redefines success as self-honouring, intentional, and deeply human. It is a reminder that when identity, energy, and action align, the work speaks for itself.This episode is an invitation to consider how you are shaping your own silhouette, and what it means to become with integrity. The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

Step into a story where purpose meets permanence: a journey shaped by artistic instinct, discipline, and the quiet alchemy of becoming.In this episode, hosts Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa sit with Gareth Miller, founder of Circle of Ikigai Tattoo Studio, to explore how tattooing became more than a craft, it became a philosophy of life. With no formal training and limited resources, Gareth taught himself through curiosity, repetition, and embodied learning, using his own body as a canvas and commitment to mastery as his guide.Together, they explore:• Losing direction and rediscovering purpose• Ikigai as a lived philosophy, not a concept• Tattooing as permanent storytelling and responsibility• Learning through embodiment, discipline, and trial• Cultural stigma, ancestral roots, and reclamation• Choosing purpose without permissionThrough honesty, humour, reflection, and lived wisdom, this conversation reveals what it truly means to align what you love, what you do, and who you are, and to allow purpose to leave a permanent mark. The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

Step into a story where ancestral wisdom meets modern innovation: a journey shaped in the soil of Thembisa and refined through the quiet alchemy of becoming.In this episode, hosts Bobby and Rehema sit with Zama Shabalala, biotechnologist, entrepreneur, founder of Earthling Emily, and a son of herbalists who transformed lineage into legacy. Together, they explore:• The influence of growing up with traditional herbal medicine and herbal healing• How biotechnology opened the doorway to plant medicine and cannabis research• The courage to challenge norms, including stopping a national brewery beer line• Building Earthling Emily and pioneering accessible cannabis wellness• The deeper mission: community upliftment, spiritual wellness, and surrendering to purposeThrough raw honesty, laughter, reflection, and the wisdom of lived experience, this conversation reveals what it truly means to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, and why surrendering to the unfolding often leads us exactly where we’re meant to be. Connect with Zama:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zama_shabbaranksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/zama.shabalala.5/Earthling Emily:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthling_emily_/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@earthling_emilyWebsite: https://earthlingemily.com/ The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.  

Step into the fragrant world of Conza’s Biscuits, a story rooted in Soweto kitchens long before sunrise, where a mother’s love, a timeless recipe, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood shaped a legacy that continues to rise.In this inaugural episode of The Spirit of Alchemy, hosts Bobby and Rehema sit with sisters Rhulani and Randzu, whose journey uncovers the poetic truth of entrepreneurship: that the most powerful stories begin in ordinary moments, carried forward by extraordinary women.Together, they explore:• The matriarchal foundation that gave life to Conza’s Biscuits• Growing up in the rhythm of early-morning baking and informal trade• How sisterhood became their greatest business strength• Fires that forged resilience: financial loss, displacement, sabotage, and rebuilding• The creation of a reseller network empowering more than 50 families• Their mother’s enduring influence and the legacy she passed on• Dreams of taking Soweto’s vanilla biscuit to the worldThrough laughter, truth, and deeply personal reflection, the sisters share how a single product can hold memory, meaning, and possibility. Their story is a testament to turning adversity into abundance, and transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary.Connect with Conza’s Biscuits:Website: https://conzasbiscuits.co.za/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/biscuits_insowetoTikTok: http://www.tiktok.com/@conzas_inFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/1863746717218744 The Spirit of Alchemy A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers, where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa. Stay Connected to the Journey ✨The Spirit of Alchemy Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_ TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com Bobby Forssman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/Rehema Isa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa X: https://x.com/RehemaIsa For all enquiries: [email protected] Remember: you don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.