99FM – Your Inspiration Station

MYD Smart

Building a Business in the Sky

A love affair developed on Valentines Day in 1991, when Derick Gey van Pittius took his first jump out of an aeroplane, “I was still very young at the time….

Chef Penda’s Passion

Early this year, the doors to Goûts d’Afrique, an Ethiopian-inspired African fusion restaurant with a French touch, opened at the FNCC in Windhoek. With a unique blend of Ethiopian traditional cuisine…

The Business of Equality

While great progress has been made in strides towards gender equality here in Namibia, the benefits that this human rights issue delivers prove that this is not simply a concern…

Netting the Resources to Learn

Learning is something accessible to all with an internet connection these days, as many self taught experts will attest. Here co-owner of iWits, Yolinda van der Linde explains how she…

Reintegrating for Change

CHANGE is changing the lives of people desperate to start over and lead a good life, but weighed down by the stigma of having been imprisoned or unqualified. For the…

A Cut Above in Hair and Beauty

What started as a dream with very modest means has grown into a thriving business and home for two Windhoek born women. From humble beginnings washing hair in the bathroom…

Afrospection with Drum Cafe Namibia’s Irmi Röder

Founded at Ongoma and now trading as Drum Café Namibia, drummed their ways into our hearts this year and saw many a Namibian joining in the rhythm and the beat…

Afrospection with Unleashed Design’s Leon Engelbrecht

Leon Engelbrecht is the man behind Unleashed Design, a unique Namibian design house that burst onto the scene and made an impressive mark on the creative industry this year. Leon shares…

Afrospection with Dennis de Wet

Dennis De Wet is the passionate name behind Slowtown Coffee Roasters, the man who took his passion and grew a flourishing business around it. Dennis shares here his learnings and…

Afrospection with Afra Schimming-Chase

Afra Shimming Chase, is a powerhouse Namibian woman, a motivational speaker, Financial Planner and Partner at FranklinCovey Namibia. Afra shares here her learnings and lessons from the past year, her…

Afrospection with Tatum Strauss

Social Entrepreneur, Tatum Strauss, is completing her Masters in Leadership and Change Management and has impressive aspirations of creatively bridging Namibia’s socio-economic divide through volunteerism and civic engagement. Here Tatum…

Afrospection with StArt Art Gallery’s Gina Figuera and Helen Harris

The Capital’s first contemporary private art gallery, the StArt Art Gallery, opened its doors this year to rave reviews. StArt Art Gallery aims to be a bridge that connects Namibian…

Afrospection with Zodidi Gaseb

Zodidi Gaseb is the Founder of African Naturals, a Namibian business that is built on social entrepreneurship. She has since the launch of her business inspired us with her activism centred…

Afrospection with Fortune Kangueehi

Namibia’s first Master Chef South Africa contestant and the Managing Partner at 99FM, Fortune Kangueehi shares here her learnings and lessons from the past year, her self examination from Africa… her Afrospection….

Opportunities for your business in tough times

“There are two types of businesses – those that have experienced tough times and those that are going to experience tough times”. But can we look at the way our…

Challenging the Approach in Tough Times

Challenges, like change, are a constant in life and part of the process in being a business owner. With the current economic challenge connecting most Namibian businesses, we are asked…

Bags That Give Back

Love is the clear driving force behind one Namibian business that demonstrates the power and reach of social entrepreneurship. With handmade leather bags that easily rival top international designer bags,…

Hair, Beauty and Natural Authenticity

A Namibian business that is built on social entrepreneurship, is demonstrating that this is both a global, and a local trend towards more inclusivity in business. Social entrepreneurship uses business…

Baronice on the Benefits of Staying Power

When discussing the merits of staying in a company while you build of your career, most often employees are advised to move around and gain a wide variety of experience…

Wellness at Work

While building a business, is there merit in creating a balanced environment for your staff? Experts believe so, and say it’ll be felt by your organisations bottom line, when you…

Decoding Cyber Security for Small Businesses

For most Startups or Small to Medium Enterprises (SME’s), just getting your business going is enough to preoccupy your time and resources, leaving little for tracking computer news or security…

The Holistic Business of Hambelela

Since the age of fourteen, Victoria Hambelela Toivo has had a mind for business, so when an idea presented itself for her to start her own business, this young Namibian…

A Business Based on Technology and Relationships

An example of what happens when you prioritise the needs of your customer, Bintecs is a small start-up Namibian company that has gone from operations on a balcony, to creating…

Tips for Sacking the Stress Slump

In business, any given day can be the best or the worst, and is often both. This effect is compounded in the grips of stress, and being the middle of…

Mindful Governance : How Value Drives Impact

A former judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa, the Chairman of the Integrated Reporting Council and of the Global Reporting Initiative, Professor Mervyn King is most well known…

Tuli on Social Entrepreneurship

Social Entrepreneurship is a growing movement in business that shows a shift towards a more inclusivity in business. Additionally, using businesses to solve social problems, create shared financial and social…

Is How You See Stress Making an Impact on You?

What if how you framed your stress could have an effect on how stressed you are? According to Namibian Industrial Psychologist, Coen Welsh, “Research suggests that our attitude toward stress…

Your Businesses Responsibility and the New Cyber Crime Bill

The new Electronic Transaction and Cyber-crime Act (Bill) is open for public consultation, however the deadline to comment, as members of the public, is the 16 June 2017. This Act…

A Passion for Taxation

Poor financial management is typically one of the main causes of a business failing. Poor tax knowledge has been shown to be the most influential factor in determining tax compliance…

Cyber Crime Protection Tips From The Experts

A recent global cyber attack, the WannaCry ransomware attack that started on the 12th of May 2017, has sent shock waves across the globe, even Namibia was not exempt from…

Chronic Diseases and Workplace Wellness

With the international trend towards wellness in the workplace, companies are starting to take employee wellness more seriously and seeing the benefits in reduction of absenteeism and improved morale. Here…

What Empathy Has to Do with Your Bottom Line

Business is about meeting needs, but to meet your customers and your employee’s needs, you need to first understand those needs. This is where empathy is a powerful tool in…

Crafting a Business With Wire

Creating an income from what started at a hobby, Namibian born, Moris David has become known in the city centre for his consistently happy face and generously warm-hearted nature. That…

A Business Built Around Namibian Books

Nestled in the heart of Windhoek is a little bookstore with Namibian patriotism displayed on the shelves as literature. “We try to have all Namibian books available and anything about…

Serving Society Through a Wellbeing Economy

In an economy, focusing on development alone has been proven to be short sighted, for development alone neglects adaptability, integration and empowerment. To find out more about the movement of…

Changing Attitudes Towards Informality

The economy that revolves around peoples social activities is called the ‘leisure economy’. While the leisure economy is a term used for a city’s high street that is lined with…

How to Express Yourself for Better Understanding

Communication is the backbone on which companies function. Good communication affects everything from team morale, to productivity and profitability. All too often, what we try to communicate gets lost in…

Che – On becoming an On-Air Radio DJ

Che Ulenga is no stranger to the world of media and entertainment, having been an on air radio DJ and producer for the last 11 years. Having just been nominated…

Finding Success in Meaning

In life and in business, obstacles faced often weaken our resolve to continue. How does one re-energise in the face of setbacks, is what 99FM’s MYD Smart asked Namibian Industrial…

Economic Benefits in Social Cohesion

Bulelwa Makalima-Ngewana is an urban revivalist who has been instrumental in creating economically thriving and creative public and private spaces in which to live, work and play in Cape Town’s…

Slowing Down to Smell the Coffee

One Namibian business that was born out of passion seems to be unstoppable in their success. From humble beginnings in Swakopmund, Slowtown Coffee Roasters have become a proudly Namibian household…

Emotional and Inter-Cultural Intelligence

Dr. Gustav Gous is a Namibian born International Speaker and trainer. He is the Managing Director of a company which specialises in creating Inter-Cultural Intelligence in organisations. Recently back in…

The Namibian Creativity Advantage

“All ideas arise when someone combines the knowledge and information they already have to come up with something new” according to Fredrik Härén, author and speaker on Business Creativity. Fredrik…

Tools For Making Informed Career Choices

“I think an individual at any point in their careers should come in for testing as it may point to strengths which can boost confidence both in and out the…

Franklin’s Four Tips For Entrepreneurs In The New Year

A new year brings opportunities to reflect on our growth and identify areas that need to be improved on. This is especially important for small business owners and entrepreneurs, considering…

Coach Herbert On Setting Goals To Score Big

“I see of people is that they have no goals, they lack ambition and they are people not really living up to their full potential. I urge you to be…

Lessons from 2016 by Sam Shivute

Sam Shivute is the Director of the Banking Services Department at Bank of Namibia, the Chairman of the National Housing Enterprise Board, a professional speaker and motivational speaker as well…

Benefits of Taking Regular Breaks

While we may feel as though we cannot afford to take a break from work, experts agree that we cannot afford not too. Behavioural Scientist, Tony Muganza wrote last year…

Afra’s Taking Stock of 2016

Afra Schimming-Chase is a certified Financial Planner with an academic legal background. She is also a Partner at FranklinCovey Namibia, a motivational speaker and a passionate Namibian who has shared…

Smart Finance Tips for the Festive Season

To have a memorable holiday season, shouldn’t mean you need to go into debt, and by keeping your finances under control you can keep the other challenging aspects of the…

It’s Never Too Early or Too Late for Passion

“Our interests and tastes are as varied and unique as we are and the only way to discover them is by actually doing and trying.” Passion is a driver. It…

Dreams Coming True for Namibian Chefs

“I feel excited and I am looking forward to the competition, especially the people we are going to be competing against when we win the cup.” Says Brendall Masambo who…

Why Wellness is a Work Must

More companies these days are looking at wellness in the workplace and smartly so. Today people tend to spend most of their waking hours at work and this experience can…

Otto Kapuka on Passion

Passion drives ambition. Passion was what drove Steve’s Job’s vision of a phone with one button in the front, Jeff Bezos of Amazon’s dream of a store that sold everything….

For the Love of the Loaf

A passion for bread is earning a quaint, French inspired bakery in Windhoek a name for itself along with a growing fan base. Attention to detail and bread true to…

How to Get Comfortable with Change

“The thought of making a life change can be so intimidating that even though you want to be the master of your own destiny you’ll end up doing nothing or settling…

Problems That Deliver Possibilites

“Fall in love with the problems because finding a solution to a problem is innovation, and once you innovate, you create.” Driving innovation and using recycled items while they do,…

Discovering Significance in Flowers

Sandra met her husband Kalf van Zyl in Franshoek in South Africa. She had moved to the Western Cape of South Africa at the age of 16 years old to…

Why Failure is a Stepping Stone to Success

“A company or a person will have significantly stunted growth and development if they don’t learn to embrace their mistakes.” Say the word failure and most people want to run,…

How To Dress For A Job Interview

You’ve gone to recruitment agencies, circled job vacancies in newspapers, you’ve called all you contacts, and your CV has been sent out personally, electronically and if you could you would’ve…

How To Negotiate Your Salary

We all have expectations when it comes to our salary, some realistic and others not. While most people will argue that salaries are something people are never satisfied with, without…

Rachel Kalipi’s Mahangu Cookie Revolution

Business savvy Rachel Kalipi is an entrepreneur in the truest sense of the word. Her approach to the business of Mahangu Cookies shows the commercial potential that exists with this…

Namibian Tradition Goes Digital

Namibian innovation is growing in leaps and bounds with inventors and scientists banding together to grow innovation in the country. One such example is that of Aron Hamukwaya, the Managing…

What NOT to wear to work

“Light travels faster than sound, so your appearance speaks volumes about you before you even say a word. So if you’re looking to succeed in a professional setting, it’s important to…

Daring, Different and Digital

Social media has become the market place of today’s generation. Not always to make purchases, as new research shows, but always to research intended purchases before making a buying decision….

A Business Built on Good Advice

“Mentors offer many benefits which doesn’t just benefit your business but also your personal life.” Personal Growth and Life Fulfilment is the motto of this new Namibian business that is…

Why You Should do a Walking Meeting

Who likes meetings? They are often the bane of any office existence. It’s no wonder that posts such as “how to seem really smart during meetings” exist, because most meetings leave you…

6 Ways to Make People Like You

Namibian Life Coach and Business Owner, Nabukenya Muwonge notes that “The biggest lesson I learnt as an employer is that the most efficient way of getting people to support you…

How to write your CV for your first job

The job market can be intimidating at the best of times- but what do you put in your CV if you have absolutely no work experience?   Don’t be discouraged….

Magic Moments: the Path to Peace

The value of peace in your working life cannot be overstated. Evidence of peace’s value can be seen the moment peace leaves and suddenly we become unable to function effectively. Peace…

Chickens: An Opportunity for SME’s

According to the Namibia Trade Forum, “Chicken farming is a “Low-Hanging Fruit” economic activity which could create employment in the short and medium term for many Namibians.” Maria Lisa Immanuel,…

The Cost of Going Green

“With returns like these it’s easy to see why the conversion to a ‘green’ building might mean an initial capital outlay however one that delivers returns that far exceed the…

How to be Cyber Safe: 19 Tips from the Experts

Thousands of online users believe that Anti-Virus software will protect their computers, their sensitive information and their privacy from the known and un-known viruses, malware and scams that are available…

Ally Angula’s Advice for Staying Motivated through Winter

As we’ve reach the middle point of yet another busy year, motivation can become an endless battle especially in the winter months. One Namibian business woman is the inspiration for…

A Helping Hand and a Comfortable Shoe

“Hard work pays off, so never give up on your dreams” One Namibian entrepreneur is forging forward with handmade footwear after receiving support and assistance for his business idea from…

How One Namibian Business is Being Part of the Water Solution

  Offering a service that can give car owners a cleaner car along with a clearer conscience is what Eco Car Wash Namibia is doing. A service that was born…

The Sweet Business

  Walvis Bay resident, Adelaine Bruwer is proving that vision and passion are what you need to make a business great. Adelaine’s business in Walvis Bay, the Belgian Chocolatique, is…

How our Linked Currency Gives us Freedom

“We activated an active citizenry here in Namibia, something that was missing for a long time, but we should not stop here. We should question why we are doing things….

The Importance of Knowing Yourself in Business

While many may have said it would’t be a success, the two women behind the Windhoek City Market have proven that having a bimonthly market in the capital can not just…

Silver Spoon’s Sacred Element of Service

We always hear about people who were born in the lap of luxury and go on to create success, not despite the odds but because of them. These people leave…

A Business Born Out Of Challenging Stereotypes

“Freedom is seen as an illusion not many can obtain, but freedom comes in little pieces of self-acceptance, higher self-esteem, being truly yourself and living out your true potential and…

How two Friends made Business work for them

What happens when two friends decide to go into the wedding industry together? In the case of Nerine Uys and Jamie-Lee van Schalkwyk of Le Fleur Vintage, it was the…

The Fabric of Namibian Beauty

Driven to be the preferred home textile, homeware and interior design brand in Namibia, Unleashed Design are about to unleash their brand new, Namibian inspired, textile range. Elegant, understated yet…

Advice from the Coach on Decision Making

Decisions are part of both our private and professional life. However how do you know you are making the best decisions and if your decisions are delivering to you the…

A Passion Written in the Stars

“First and foremost you must have the desire and the drive” Rob Johnstone has been featured on CNN talking about the magic of Namibia’s night skies, he has his name…

Why Meditation is a Business Must

Imagine that the place where you worked was a space where your personal balance and well-being was the most important element of the company’s ethos. Sounds radical doesn’t it? To…

Sitting down to Swirl, Smell and Sip

“A lot of people drink wine but don’t necessarily know what they are drinking. My idea was to create a place for people to enjoy drinking wine and to learn…

Turning Needs into Possibilities

“I’m always searching for relationships that empower the network that I am developing” Sylvanie Beukes started SB Consulting in 2011, which is a business consultancy that nurtures small businesses and…

Business Confidence

“I think the difficulty in the start-up capital came because there is a belief that our generation is the lazy generation, the selfie type. It was difficult for people to…

Stress and Your Brain Circuitry

“You become better at handling stress because you can use specialised stress reducing maintenance tools based on your unique brain wiring and responses.” Contributing to our individuality and uniqueness is…

Change Your Mind…. No really.

“Our brains are very adaptable. We have the ability to physically change our brains by becoming more mindful of how we react or chose to react to our circumstances.” You…

Why Trend Forecasts Deliver Opportunities

“Africa doesn’t have the infrastructure or the funding which means you have to think differently, you have to make a plan, and just find a different way of doing things….

Respect as a Competitive Advantage

“Your customers feel the vibe of the company and they can feel the way in which the staff is treated within a company. So if your customer service is poor,…

An Attitude that Determines Altitude

“Passion is not about what work you do. It’s about your attitude towards it.” Passion is something that can be found anywhere your heart feels ignited. For some that lighting…

Working With Passion

“A wise man once told me that if you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life, and so if you’re working in your passion it’s not…

Booming Fresh Food Markets of Katutura

Booming markets where trade expands in the midst of hustle and bustle are some of the signs of a growing economy. Interestingly, sometimes the markets responsible for this economic growth…

Trusting Yourself as a Tool of Business Success

“In business, to trust yourself is one of the most empowering decisions that you can make because when you trust yourself, other people will trust you.” To make a difference…

Sam’s Advice for 2016

“For 2016, being healthy both physical and mental must be a key goal. Before we think of other goals that we would like to set for ourselves, we must deliberately…

A Year of Learning for Entrepreneurs

“The one thing I learned this year, something that imprinted very strongly within me, and that is that I have no limits to my dreams.” This year was a big…

Why I Should Take a Break

“As human beings, the importance of restoration is rooted in our physiology. We are not designed to spend energy continuously. Rather we are meant to pause between the expending of…

Being Money Smart this Festive Season

“Money is a very emotional topic, and in December, we want to switch off, recharge, be really silly and have a fabulous time.” Money is the last thing you want…

The Business of Health and Fitness

“The spirit comes alive when the body feels alive and strong” Being in the business of improved quality of life, Outfit Namibia is making its mark on the health, wellness…

Expanding Horizons for Namibian Businesses

Can a bustling economy like that of Indonesia and a growing economy like that of Namibia become trade partners? The answer is that they already are. 99FM’s MYD Smart sat…

Business Sense and Life Lessons In Indonesia

  For the lucky ones, our jobs are something that engages us, defines and communicated to the rest of the world who we are and sustains us to live. For…

What You Do is Not Who You Are

“For most a career is tied into self-actualization, a dream that is realized. Thus, when you are asked who you are more often than not you would introduce yourself as…

The Power of Forgiveness in Building a Successful Business

“John Sam, who is now fully rehabilitated, has always topped the list of the most dedicated employees at Jay-Jay’s Body Repairs, and I am so proud of him.”   A…

The Business Sense of Empowering People

“People are your frontline and your front line is your bottom line” A go to name in sound, lighting, staging and audio visual services, dB Audio Namibia has become a…

The responsibility of the company when talking Mental Health

“With the endless list of benefits to the organisation to ensure a mentally fit working environment, even an increase in profit margins, it most certainly pays to consider what your organisation…

7 Habits in Building Personal Power and Effectiveness

  Afra Schimming-Chase says that the “7 Habits of Highly Effective people are more timely and relevant in the 21st century than ever before” 99FM’s MYD Smart sat down with…

New Laws Leaving Small Business Owners Angry, Unless Properly Guided

New tax legislation has SME’s and small business owners up in arms over what these new laws will mean to their business. As such, 99FM’s MYD Smart sat down with…

Coming Alive in a Space

“Where there’s passion all your activities are effortless.” In Windhoek, the “It” venue in town is Chopsi’s Bar. Situated in the Old Breweries Complex in the city centre, you’ll find this…

Business, Passion and Sushi

“My husband always had a dream of opening his own sushi restaurant, this was always the vision he had for himself.” Sushi is still a fairly new type of food…

Technology a Catalyst for Changing Lives

“Cloud computing has the potential to generate a series of disruptions that will ripple out from the tech industry and ultimately transform many industries around the world.” Cloud technology in…

8 Steps for Building Trust in Business

“I have discovered that ultimately you either trust that everything will be ok, or you believe things are bound to go wrong. This comes down to a simple choice, and…

Using Values to Be a Change Agent at the Office

“Everyone from the top to the bottom of the company needs to live and act out the values. It starts from the top though.” Every company has a set of…

A Heroic Rise : From the Village to a Director at the Bank of Namibia

  “I am passionate about service with passion, and inspiring people.” Born and bred at Olunkono village in Oshana Region, Sam Shivute is a Namibian who has climbed himself out…

The Skill Every Business Person Needs

  Bloomberg says that it’s “a skill every businessperson needs”.  Priscilla Hernandez, the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Windhoek says that it’s one of the major skills…

Two Young Namibians on Entrepreneurship and Courage

  Two young Namibian are demonstrating what it takes to be fearless, determined and courageous, in other words, to become an entrepreneur. 99FM’s MYD Smart sat down with the founders…

Insurance Pitfalls Every Small Business Owner Should Know

  Any small business owner knows that it is important that you ensure you are protected against possible disaster and especially against being unable to trade. To understand what the possible…