Zaka Presents: My Journey

From Security Systems to Scaling Startups: Meet the Engineer-Turned-CEO Powering Fashion’s Digital Backbone

This week, we interview Harish Chandramowli, the brilliant mind behind Flaire a lightweight, intuitive ERP system that’s quietly transforming how fashion brands manage inventory, purchasing, and operations. Before stepping into the world of fashion tech, Harish built his reputation in elite engineering circles leadi...

What does it take to go from not knowing how to hail a cab in Manhattan… to becoming a Vice President of Technology Strategy at a global company? In this deeply moving and energizing episode, we sit down with Gustavo “Guga” Netto, who shares his remarkable journey from São Paulo to New York City with no English, no connections, and no safety net.

Gustavo opens up about the early years in survival mode working as a dishwasher, waiter...

In this soul-stirring episode of The Zaka Podcast, we sit down with Rwandan-born author Cedric Muhikira, the brilliant mind behind Grow Your Roots Where You Land and Libaax. A self-taught writer and former youth leader, Cedric shares his deeply personal journey of immigration, identity, and the resilience it takes to carve out belonging in a new country. From his early days in Rwanda to rebuilding his life in America at age 25, Ced...

Robenson Lauvince is a pioneer Haitian filmmaker, who’s redefining the narrative around Haiti and proving that purpose, passion, and persistence can shatter any ceiling. From secretly filming after hours while working a day job to becoming the first to bring a Haitian Creole-language film to the U.S. and Canadian box offices, Robenson opens up about the immigrant hustle, the courage to create without permission, and why he never st...

Patrice Washington is a first-generation American, award-winning podcaster, author, transformational speaker, and one of SUCCESS Magazine’s Top 25 Influential Leaders in Personal Development. She joins to unpack her remarkable journey from real estate mogul to global financial wholeness leader.

Patrice built a seven-figure real estate business by the age of 25, but a devastating fall during pregnancy, the 2007 recession, and the hea...

This week, we reconnect with our brother and classmate, Frandy Peña, founder of Mission Barbers and Mission Haircraft. Known for his ever-present smile and generous heart, Frandy is one of those rare souls who makes everyone feel seen. In this vulnerable and uplifting conversation, he opens up about growing up in a Dominican immigrant household where family meant everything and giving even when there was little to give was a way of...

Joubert Joseph is a Haitian immigrant, civic entrepreneur, cultural curator, and founder of FOCO Digital and SocialPay. Joubert takes us back to his earliest lessons in business and community, watching his mother bring life and joy to a flea market stall, prioritizing people over profit. Those childhood experiences became the blueprint for his purpose-driven leadership today.

Through stories of grit, generosity, and growth, Joubert ...

We had the pleasure to interview Sandro Gohoho, President of Film Licensing and Operations at Echelon Studios, whose life and career span continents, cultures, and transformative moments. Born in North Macedonia to West African parents, Sandro moved across Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, The Gambia, Senegal, France, Canada, and beyond, each chapter forging a deeper sense of identity, resilience, and leadership.

Sandro shares how witnessing hi...

Born in Montana to immigrant parents and shaped by a global perspective, Hassan Akmal is more than an author and executive, he's a visionary in the world of career and life design. From competing as a Division I tennis player at UCLA to reimagining career services at Columbia, UCLA, and now UC San Diego, Hassan’s path is rooted in purpose, resilience, and reinvention.

Hassan shares how he’s leveraging the power of AI and human ...

In today's episode of Zaka Presents My Journey, we sit down with Jessica Wedge, a People & Culture leader whose career spans DEI strategy, HR transformation, and global impact. Raised in the heart of Queens by Honduran immigrant parents, Jessica reflects on how her upbringing, grit, and cultural pride shaped her path in corporate America.

From navigating college as a young mom to driving enterprise-wide change at major orga...

We sit down with Adja Dior Cisse, founder of Dad Financial Pathway and a proud Senegalese-American, as she shares her powerful journey from Dakar to the U.S. With honesty and heart, Adja opens up about the financial challenges she faced as a young immigrant, navigating legal status, working 17 different jobs, supporting her family, and eventually finding her calling in financial empowerment. Whether you're new to the country o...

Princess Jolie Charles, a fearless Haitian-American advocate, community strategist, and Co-Founder of FEWGI talks about what it really means to lead, to belong, and to fight for your voice. Raised in Brooklyn by her grandmother who spoke only Haitian Creole, Princess shares how navigating identity, faith, and adversity shaped her into “The Speaker of Humanity.” With raw honesty, she reflects on unsafe rooms, unspoken trauma, and un...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Valeria Feliciano, a proud Puerto Rican filmmaker, model, and storyteller, whose mission is to dismantle stereotypes and elevate the voices of Latinas in media. Valeria opens up about the struggles she faced embracing her natural curls in an industry that often celebrates narrow beauty standards. She recounts the emotional moment when a young woman of color told her, “You are the reason I ...

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Vivian Otabor, a seasoned career coach, business consultant, and founder of Resilient Immigrant to explore the often-overlooked challenges skilled immigrants face when starting over in the United States. Vivian opens up about the emotional and professional hurdles she encountered after leaving a successful career in Nigeria, only to find her qualifications questioned and doors closed.

Now...

In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Guadalupe Gonzalez, an Argentine-born accountant turned emotional intelligence and leadership coach, whose immigrant journey is a blueprint in adaptability, purpose, and inner strength. Guadalupe reflects on her transition to the U.S., the weight of working in a demanding analytical field, and how emotional intelligence became not just a leadership tool but a life-saving compass.

In this episode, we sit down with Sherece Brown, the visionary founder of Dr. Pabs Pineapple is a Berry. Born to Jamaican immigrant parents and a proud Howard University graduate, Sherece shares her powerful journey from a 16-year career in corporate America to launching a purpose-driven wellness brand. Motivated by her passion for health, wellness, and community impact, Sherece created Dr. Pabs to deliver high-quality, plant-based...

We sit down with Mina Brower, a distinguished Mexican-American attorney, author, and advocate whose journey captures the strength and complexity of the immigrant experience. Mina shares how coming to the United States at a young age, without speaking the language, forced her to grow up quickly. As the first in her family to learn English, she became the default advocate, translating documents, navigating public systems, and even ta...

In this episode, Kathryn takes us through her journey from growing up in Jamaica to breaking barriers, driving multimillion-dollar growth, and creating opportunities for others in the corporate and startup worlds. She shares the mindset, strategies, and lessons that have shaped her success from launching Accenture’s Black Founders Development Program to leading billion-dollar innovation initiatives. As an immigrant, she navigated c...

In this uplifting episode, we sit down with Lauren Brockett, an immigrant, HR leader, and determined advocate for economic empowerment. Lauren has dedicated her life to helping immigrants, refugees, and underserved communities build brighter futures creating pathways to employment, financial stability, and long-term success. From establishing Atlanta’s first career center for war survivors to launching community lending circles dur...