Solid Gold Podcasts

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Channel • 102 Shows

Arts

Arts

Updated 18 May
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Society & Culture

Updated 10/02/2025
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Updated Monthly
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Updated 1 day ago
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Updated 2 Feb
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Updated 9 May
Books

Books

Updated 16/04/2025

2 June

#048 The Accidental Entrepreneur | Carmel Peinke

How curiosity became a technology business. In the sixth episode of On Change: Powerful Women, Petro du Pisani speaks with Carmel Peinke, founder and CEO of eRoute2Market, a technology business that helps brands understand where their products are sold and how consumers buy. Carmel Peinke built a business intelligence platform from scratch, without writing a single line of code, and kept it running for 17 years. This episode is for women climbing the corporate ladder or thinking about starting their own business who want honest proof that it is possible to lead, to grow, and to stay true to yourself while doing it. Carmel shares how she landed in the FMCG industry by pure chance, launched Lipton Iced Tea in South Africa at Smollan, and spotted a data gap that became the founding idea behind E-Route to Market, a SaaS platform that helps consumer goods brands understand where their products are sold in real time, including in township retail stores. She talks candidly about the self-doubt that slowed her down, the male competitor who sold a similar business for millions because he simply backed himself harder, and how she uses structured self-talk and a blank piece of paper to push through paralysis. The conversation covers authentic leadership, collaborative leadership style, how to build a business network through curiosity rather than selling, and what it feels like to work in a male-dominated tech environment as a woman. Carmel reflects on the moment she caught herself becoming someone she did not recognise, chose integrity over conformity, and how running her own company finally gave her the freedom to lead on her own terms. Carmel also shares her 2026 ambition: getting into universities to show female first-year students that consumer behaviour insight is a superpower in data science and analytics, and that they already are the sample size. If you have ever told yourself you are not technical enough, not confident enough, or not ready yet, this conversation is the one to listen to. Connect with Carmel Peinke on LinkedIn · E-Route to Market - Business Intelligence Platform · Smollan Group - FMCG Sales and Marketing · Pioneer Foods South Africa · Connect with Petro · Solid Gold Podcasts

2 June

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37 min
6 Apr

S07 E03 Jassy Mackenzie

Jassy Mackenzie is a multi-award-nominated author who combines talent with hard work and an excellent head for business. Jassy joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how she got her start writing gritty, Joburg-based crime, before being approached to write with James Patterson. She talks about the obligations of being a contracted ghostwriter and how she is already planning to ensure the longevity of her writing career. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

6 Apr

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1hr 11min
10/11/2025

S06 E10 Lauri Kubuitsile

Botswana-based Lauri Kubuitsile is the multi-award-winning author of The Scattering and But Deliver Us From Evil, as well as many, many books for children, teens, and adults. Lauri joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about writing what she likes and not being afraid to stand up for herself both creatively and in negotiating contracts. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

10/11/2025

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1hr 5min
06/09/2024

Saving a Species: Vultures - EWT's Mission to Keep Africa's Vultures Soaring

A species in a downward spiral. Not cute or cuddly, but vultures play a crucial role as nature's clean-up crew. In this episode, Dr. Gareth Tate, the Birds of Prey Program Manager for the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), chats with Ben Nichol (Conservation Impact Lead for Singita Lowveld Trust) (SLT) about vulture conservation. They discuss their role in ecosystems, the threats they face, and what's driving the alarming decline. Fast facts: • There are 23 species of vultures worldwide; 11 migrate through Africa. • Vultures can clean up an impala carcass (40kg) in just 10 minutes. • India's vulture population plummeted by 98%. • In SA, white-backed vultures have declined by 95% in 20 years. • A single poisoning event can wipe out 50-100 vultures, along with hyenas, jackals, and lions. • Several species are heading towards extinction and are classified as Endangered or Critically Endangered globally. We spell out the African vulture crisis – the major impact of poisoning (and secondary poisoning); habitat loss; collisions with power lines; and illegal poaching for belief-based medicine. It's not all doom-and-gloom, as Gareth sees real hope for the future. Hear about EWT's amazing conservation efforts - "vulture safe zones"; rapid response to poisoning; tracking technology (over 400 birds across huge ranges); and a new 'Vulture Ambulance' in the Greater Kruger Park, with an almost 100% success rate with rescued birds. Every donation funds field staff, poisoning response, rehabilitation, the Raptor Emergency Fund, and tracking satellites. The SLT supports the EWT Large Raptor and Wildlife Poisoning Rapid Response programs. Singita Guides assist with rapid response to poisoning. SLT aims to offer secure habitats, contributing to the Vulture Safe Zone Alliance. www.ewt.org.za EWT Saving a Species: Vultures · Singita Lowveld Trust · Donate to the Singita Lowveld Trust · Saving a Species of Concern · Wildlife reports from Singita Sabi Sand · Vulture Day - Home · Singita website

06/09/2024

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32 min
30 Mar

S07 E02 Mike Nicol

Mike Nicol is one of South Africa's leading crime writers. His Mace Bishop and Fish Pescado series have enthralled readers for years. Mike joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how he once wallpapered a room in his house with rejection letters. He describes how he found his latest protagonist Zara Dewane lurking in an earlier novel and decided to give her a story of her own. Falls the Shadow is out now from Pan Macmillan. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

30 Mar

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1hr 13min
23 Mar

S07 E01 Sally Andrew

Sally Andrew is a South African literary superstar. Her Tannie Maria books are loved by many thousands of readers and have been turned into a successful international TV series. Sally joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how she plots her books under a huge and ancient tree, and how the voice of Tannie Maria arrived in her head fully formed. The fifth book in the Tannie Maria series, Wild Things Never Die, will be available in May. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

23 Mar

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58 min
07/08/2023

S01 E11 Jonny Steinberg

We close out Season 1 on a high note with this fascinating interview with multi-award-winning author Jonny Steinberg, who was gracious enough to fit us in during his whistle-stop book tour of South Africa. Jonny joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about his greatly acclaimed portrayal of the marriage of Winnie and Nelson Mandela. Jonny and Fiona reminisce about their time together at Hyde Park High School, while Gail gets to the bottom of Jonny's origin story as a writer. Jonny talks about how his daily word count has decreased in recent years and how he doesn't start writing until he is at a point in his research that warrants it. Fiona asks Jonny about his substantial backlist and whether he would approach any of those topics differently today. Gail drills down into how the Coetsee Collection of letters and transcripts facilitated the writing of this book. Even people who know the Mandela story will have been surprised by the insights contained in Winnie & Nelson: Portrait of a Marriage. Jonny explains that the Mandelas were the first South Africans to realise that celebrity is a political tool. Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please feel feel to join the conversation here: Email hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram and Threads @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter @hiddenwriterpod Facebook discussion group The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

07/08/2023

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1hr 7min
4 May

S07 E07 Damon Galgut

Damon Galgut is one of South Africa's most distinguished writers. He won the Booker Prize in 2021 for The Promise, which was his third novel to be shortlisted for the award. Damon joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how writing seems to become more difficult as the years go by, and how strenuously he wrestles with a first draft. He tells us that plot has become increasingly less important to him and that he chooses not to repeat the same themes and techniques in his writing. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

4 May

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1hr 14min
25 May

S07 E10 Busisekile Khumalo

Busisekile Khumalo is the bestselling author of the Harvard Wife series of novels, as well as the standalone book, Nomaswazi, and a new series published by Jonathan Ball Publishers, including Rubies & Rain and Sunshine & Shadows. Busisekile joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how she walked away from a career in law to pursue her passion for storytelling. She shares her insights into self-publishing vs traditional publishing and tells us how she juggles the demands of her fan base. Listeners can explore Busisekile's website for information about her mentoring programme. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

25 May

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1hr 12min
18 May

S07 E09 Zakes Mda

Zakes Mda is one of South Africa's best known and most awarded writers. He is a novelist, playwright, short story writer, and painter. A Professor Emeritus of English at Ohio University, Zakes now lives and works in Johannesburg. He joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how his earliest inspirations were Casper the Friendly Ghost and Xhosa mythology. He explains why he often uses the first person plural as a narrative voice and why he is currently digging into the archives of Durban's iconic rickshaws. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up here for our weekly newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icon/the-hidden-lives-of-writers-newsletter-signup Ask your writing-related questions here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8i1_vFmUwsd7E_nvPgQOtqEscvZIircT0imdHm_qYJK5eXA/viewform Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you. Please join the conversation here: Email: hiddenlivesofwriters@gmail.com Instagram: @thehiddenlivesofwriterspod Twitter: @hiddenwriterpod YouTube: The Hidden Lives of Writers Threads: @thehiddenlivesofwriters Facebook discussion group: The Hidden Lives of Writers Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here

18 May

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1hr 17min

To be understood, one must first Be Heard Our friendly team of spoken word professionals will help you turn your concept into a podcast or audiobook that delivers your message effectively. Whether in one of our eleven professional studios in Randburg (South Africa), as a Pop-Up Podcast™ on location, or remotely in another country, we have the people and know-how to help you #BeHeard.