The Resonate Podcast with Michelle Expert

Michelle Expert

Your Gateway to Sales and Entrepreneurial Mastery. Join us as we delve into the minds of industry executives, thought leaders, and sales gurus to uncover the most powerful insights, strategies, and tactics for driving revenue growth and scaling businesses. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or a budding sales professional, tune in to gain invaluable wisdom and actionable advice to propel your success to new heights."

  1. 5h ago

    -Why Quitting Your Job Too Soon Could Kill Your Dream

    🎙️ What if the 20-year corporate career you are desperate to escape is actually the exact training ground you need to build a massive business empire? On this episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert sits down with Kay Williams, the founder of Creme Beauty Lounge, to talk about the gritty reality of scaling a beauty brand from a side hustle to a 12-store operation employing 90 people. Kay breaks down the brutal truth about location scouting, why affordable luxury doesn't mean cheap products, and exactly how to transition from employee to CEO without tanking your finances. K doesn't hold back. She tackles the glamorous myth of entrepreneurship, arguing instead that the discipline, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and analytical skills learned in a corporate job are the real secrets to surviving in business. She even shares the heavy reality of releasing a salary bill for 90 families and why pulling the plug on a failing store wasn't a failure it was a necessary strategic move to protect her growing empire. 💡 Some of what she gets into: ✅ Why "affordable luxury" and a walk-in, first-come-first-serve model are the ultimate strategies for capturing busy corporate clients. ✅ The strict financial disciplines you must adopt when you are responsible for paying 90 salaries every single month. ✅ Why you should never burn bridges when leaving corporate (and how she managed her side hustle alongside her day job until her boss advised her to choose one). ✅ How to analyze LSMs, anchor tenants, and foot traffic to avoid making extremely expensive real estate mistakes. ✅ The reality of funding a business: starting with family savings, leveraging Yoko Capital, and building a credit record. ✨ She also talks about: • Why creating airtight SOPs and compliance manuals is the only way to successfully prepare a business for national franchising. • How to manage high staff turnover by setting people free to grow elsewhere instead of holding onto grudges. • Her vision to build Creme Academies directly in townships to empower women and combat unemployment. • The deep spiritual conviction behind building a "Kingdom Business" and why tithing is a non-negotiable financial habit for her. • Her ultimate lesson for every entrepreneur: why you must "never stop giving". If you are a business owner trying to balance a side hustle with a demanding day job, struggling with cash flow, or dreaming of scaling your service business without losing your mind, this episode has a lot to sit with. 🎧 A genuinely practical, myth-busting guide to transitioning from corporate life to empire-building and leading with excellence. 📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway (and which of K's business insights you are going to apply this week!) 🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversations 📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop 📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/ (https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/)

  2. Jul 27

    Why You're Losing Sales (And Don't Even Know It)

    🎙️ What if the AI everyone is terrified of is actually the first employee your small business can finally afford? On this episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert gets real about the topic every entrepreneur is either dreading or ignoring: Artificial Intelligence. She breaks down the brutal truth about burnout, why doing everything yourself is costing you deals, and exactly how to use AI in 2026 without turning into a generic robot. Michelle doesn't hold back. She tackles the fear that AI will destroy the "human touch" that South African businesses are built on, arguing instead that the human touch isn't threatened by AI it is freed by it. She even does a live, on-screen demonstration of how she turns a gruelling two-hour proposal process into a 15-minute review job, proving that AI is not a luxury for the resourced, but leverage for the under-resourced. 💡 Some of what she gets into: ✅ Why speed, not price, is the real reason small businesses are losing deals ✅ The 5 specific tasks you MUST hand over to AI this week to buy back your time ✅ Why you should treat AI like a brilliant intern (and why it never sends anything without the boss reading it first) ✅ How to build a personalised bank of customer FAQs so you never send a tired WhatsApp reply again ✅ The exact prompt Michelle uses to draft a structured, winning sales training proposal in seconds ✨ She also talks about: • How to use simple voice notes to let AI write your content while keeping your unique voice • Why most sales die because we go quiet, and how AI follow-up sequences can change that • Doing comprehensive market research in an afternoon instead of paying for an expensive consultant's invoice • The spiritual conviction that using the best tools available is a form of stewardship and honouring the business God gave you • The ultimate warning: why letting AI make you generic will automate away the exact reason people chose you If you are a small business owner wearing ten different hats, struggling with burnout, or just want to buy back your evenings without losing your personal touch, this episode has a lot to sit with. 🎧 A genuinely practical, myth-busting guide to scaling your business with AI and leading with excellence. For this part, we've included the actual clip so you can see us putting it into practice. Check it out here: https://youtu.be/429KrTR7K5E 📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway (and which of the 5 AI tasks you are going to try this week!) 🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversations 📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop 📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/ (https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/)

  3. Jul 20

    The 48-Hour Rule That Could Save Your Business (and Your Sanity) Stop Calling Your Team "Family" Here's Why It Backfires

    🎙️ What if treating your team like "family" is the exact thing destroying your business? On this episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert sits down with Ansa, founder of Wise HR Consulting, a South African HR consultancy helping businesses build stronger teams, healthier workplace cultures, and compliant people systems. They get into the brutal truth about leadership, the dangers of over-familiarity with staff, and how to balance genuine compassion with strict accountability. Ana doesn't hold back. She talks about how working her fingers to the bone for a toxic boss left her hospitalised with stomach ulcers, pushing her to finally start her own business at almost 50 years old. She opens up about the frustrating reality of the modern hiring process, the influx of AI-generated resumes, and why holding on to a top-performer who is a "rotten apple" is the fastest way to ruin a brilliant work culture. 💡 Some of what they get into: ✅ Why calling your staff "family" makes it impossible to handle discipline or report theft effectively ✅ The "48-Hour Rule" for processing intense emotions before making any major business decisions or disciplining staff ✅ Why you should hire for passion over head knowledge every single time ✅ The "rotten apple concept" and why leaders are terrified to fire toxic but high-earning sales staff ✅ How to balance genuine compassion for employee trauma with the daily performance demands of the business ✅ The entitlement trap: why fancy job titles often stop people from putting in the hard work ✅ The danger of people-pleasing as a leader and why you shouldn't care if your employees "like" you ✨ They also talk about: •    The secret "Michelle wants the best" subject-line trick to instantly weed out candidates who lack attention to detail •    Why ChatGPT is ruining the hiring process and why Ana prefers in-office practical aptitude tests over perfectly scripted CVs •    The mindset shift needed to scale your leadership and train your staff to run the business if you were gone tomorrow •    Why trusting your "gut feeling" is the most powerful spiritual sense you have for making the right hiring choices If you're building a team, managing staff, or just want to know how to be a better leader without losing your sanity, this conversation has a lot to sit with. 🎧 A genuinely honest talk about HR, setting boundaries, and leading with unshakeable confidence. 📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversations 📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop 📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/ (https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/)

  4. Jul 13

    Why you need to be unforgettable

    Description 🎙️ What if you stopped letting failure define you and started asking "what if?" instead? On this episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert sits down with Dr. Phindile Msomi Group CEO of Hazila Group, founder of Acumute Consulting, and the woman behind the newly launched Impact and Legacy Collective. They get into what real leadership actually costs, what resilience looks like in practice, and why she believes purpose has to come before profit not the other way around. Dr. Phindi doesn't hold back. She talks about becoming a mother as a teenager, losing her husband shaped the way she thinks about business. She built a hydroponic farming company from the ground up and when COVID hit and wiped out her hospitality clients overnight, she pivoted to processing dried herbs just to keep going. She also opens up about why helping women in informal settlements build something of their own has become the whole point for her. 💡 Some of what they get into: ✅ Why just having a good idea means nothing it's the unglamorous, day-to-day execution that counts ✅ Why she sees a "pity party" as something she simply can't afford to throw ✅ Choosing curiosity over fear the "what if" mindset that keeps her moving ✅ Balancing the reality of daily survival with the sacrifices long-term growth demands ✅ Why getting your business formally registered early matters it's proof for investors down the line ✅ How something as simple as asking customers what they actually want can change everything ✅ Trusting faith and gut instinct when opportunities show up out of nowhere ✨ They also talk about:     •    Her "Eco-farm port" an affordable, solar-powered hydroponic system made from recycled plastic, designed to help African women get into agritech     •    Why she's more interested in building real, problem-solving community through the Impact and Legacy Collective than doing another surface-level networking event     •    Why hearing "no" from a funder isn't a verdict on your worth it's just telling you what to fix next     •    Her habit of staying endlessly curious and asking questions wherever she goes, because that's often where the next opportunity is hiding If you're building something a business, a career, a comeback this conversation has a lot to sit with. 🎧 A genuinely honest talk about resilience, leadership, and doing things on purpose. 📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversations 📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop 📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/ (https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/) Here is the Milpark Education episode:https:// http://youtu.be/_Xm7h6IIrDk

  5. Jul 6

    The One Quality That Destroys Professional Paths Faster Than Anything Else

    🎙️ What happens when you stop waiting to be chosen and start betting on yourself, even when your world collapses? In this powerful episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert sits down with Tumi, the CEO of a Film Commission, author of Thrive, and founder of the Power Play movement, to talk about the true cost and reward of transformational leadership. Tumi shares her incredible journey from living in a shack in an informal settlement after her parents' business collapsed to becoming one of South Africa’s most respected executives. This conversation dives into the heart of self-mastery, explaining how leadership is truly shaped during times of uncertainty and why your biggest setbacks are actually "learning paths" for your future.💡 In this episode, we talk about: ✅ Why you must "choose yourself" when no one else will. ✅ The "Sleep It Off" Strategy: How radical rest leads to divine business breakthroughs. ✅ Why visibility without influence is worth zero in the marketplace. ✅ Moving beyond just a "seat at the table" to creating ownership and legacy. ✅ The life-changing habit of accounting for every single minute of your day. ✅ Why failures are not evidence of losing, but God preparing you for what’s ahead. ✅ Leading from the inside out and finding your own identity beyond gender biases. ✨ We also unpack: • The trauma and lessons of parental business collapse. • How to lead a team without falling into the "hero complex" or micromanagement. • Building a multi-faceted ecosystem so you aren't defined by a temporary title. • Why getting your hands dirty can sometimes ruin your "eagle's view" as a leader.If you’re an entrepreneur, a corporate leader, or someone trying to move beyond survival to a life of impact, this episode is a masterclass for you. 🎧 Tune in for a real and honest conversation about resilience, leadership, and the power of intentionality. 📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversations 📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop 📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/

  6. Jun 29

    Why you must be offensive...

    🎙️ What happens when you stop being afraid of offending people and start making bold business moves? In this powerful episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert sits down with returning guest Buntu Masiwa (Slim), founder of Black Grind and a growing talent management agency, to talk about the real challenges of growing a business. Slim shares how he changed his coffee brand from Black Earth to Black Grind, stepped into a new business space, and landed a six-figure deal all while learning hard lessons about leadership, discipline, and faith. This conversation dives into the truth about business: sometimes you have to make hard decisions, set tough boundaries, and stop trying to please everyone. 💡 In this episode, we talk about:
✅ Why being too “nice” can hurt your business
✅ The difference between honesty and transparency
✅ The hard truth about managing money and staff
✅ Why leaders must follow the same rules they set
✅ The guilt of letting people go and trusting God through it
✅ Growing stronger for the weight of leadership
✅ How getting 1% better every day can change everything ✨ We also unpack:
• The pressure of firing friends
• Taking big opportunities even when you feel unready
• How faith and business work together
• Why God’s silence can sometimes be part of the process If you’re building a business, leading a team, or trying to grow while staying grounded in faith this episode is for you. 🎧 Tune in for a real and honest conversation about business, leadership, and growth. 📌 Don’t forget to:
👍 Like
💬 Comment your biggest takeaway
🔔 Subscribe for more powerful conversations 📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop 📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/

  7. Jun 22

    Marketing vs. Sales: Why Your Business Will Fail Without Both of Them

    🎙️ What does it take to transform a legacy giant into a digital growth engine for thousands of SMEs?In this compelling episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert is joined by Andrew Dawson — Management Executive for SME and Diversified Business Sales at Telkom — for a masterclass on sales strategy, the "pivot" mindset, and why connectivity is the ultimate growth partner for the South African economy.Andrew has spent over 16 years helping Telkom transition from its "ticky box" legacy into a data-led powerhouse managing 180,000 km of fiber. With a background that started in graphic design and interactive agencies, Andrew brings a unique creative lens to the high-stakes world of B2B sales, proving that the best leaders aren't just technical they are supportive, inquisitive, and approachable.From the streets of Mitchell's Plain to the boardroom of a 13,000-employee organization, Andrew shares the grit required to move beyond "monolithic" business structures toward a culture of agility and innovation. This is a deep dive into building sustainable businesses and the power of human connection in a digital-first world.💡 In this episode, we discuss: ✅ The Heart of Business: Why Andrew chooses Sales over Marketing every single time for survival. ✅ Flogging a Dead Horse: How to recognize the "hero complex" and when it is time to pivot your business strategy. ✅ The "Unfair Advantage" of Connectivity: How a simple Wi-Fi router can transform a salon or guest house into a high-revenue environment. ✅ Leading with Forgiveness: Why creating a safe space for mistakes is the only way to drive true innovation. ✅ AI vs. Human Logic: Navigating the fear of technology and why "people still buy from people". ✅ The Future Maker Hub: How Telkom is mentoring 2,600 SMEs to become the "growth engine" of the country. ✅ Removing Digital Friction: Streamlining customer journeys without losing the essential human touch.✨ We also unpack: • The Ticky Box to Fiber Story: Reflecting on the evolution of prepaid calling cards to the backbone of the SA economy. • Innovation from the Front Lines: Why your best ideas often come from drivers and call center agents, not the "Ivory Tower". • The Data Guardrail Warning: Why using public LLMs (like ChatGPT) might be leaking your private business secrets. • Partnership over Silos: Why you can't be everything to everyone and the necessity of finding reputable tech partners. • A Radical Economic Truth: "If Telkom sneezes, the country catches a cold" — why connectivity powers everything from ATMs to retail "tap to pay".💬 If you are: • an aspiring entrepreneur looking for the "backbone" to support your hustle, • a leader trying to dismantle silos and build an agile, collaborative company culture, • navigating a digital transition and feeling intimidated by the rise of AI, • or ready to stop "flogging a dead horse" and start scaling with the right partners… this episode is for you.🎧 Join us for an honest conversation on sales, medical-grade innovation, and the reality of building a lasting legacy in the telecommunications space.📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations on entrepreneurship, business, leadership, and personal growth📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/

  8. Jun 15

    The Power of 2,500 People: How One Community Created Their Own Bank

    🎙️ What does it take to turn a R150 contribution into a 60-hectare land empire when the system says it’s impossible?In this compelling episode of The Resonate Podcast, Michelle Expert is joined by Leslie Gama — General Manager of Omnotho Empowerment — for a masterclass on radical community ownership, building trust as capital, and the "do-it-yourself" model of restoring dignity.Leslie has spent over a decade building an ecosystem that bridges the gap for those who earn too much to qualify for government housing but not enough to access traditional bank loans. Starting with just 12 families and a relentless drive to solve the housing crisis in his own community, Leslie grew a movement that now encompasses over 2,500 members, multiple developments, and even a licensed community banking institution. His work is built on the core belief that poverty is a physical reality—not just a "mentality"—and that true leadership means creating the infrastructure that the government hasn't provided.From the personal heartbreak of his mother’s passing in an informal settlement to navigating "Ponzi scheme" labels from skeptical officials, Leslie shares the grit required to manage people’s money and land while keeping 15,000 people trained and a 3,000-house pipeline moving forward. This is a deep dive into building an empire from the ground up and the power of consistent, community-driven action.💡 In this episode, we discuss: ✅ The "Do It Yourself" Strategy: Why waiting for government petitions fails and how to build your own infrastructure instead. ✅ Trust vs. Capital: Why Leslie believes building trust is the hardest "growth hack" for any community venture. ✅ The Reality of Poverty: Moving beyond the "mentality" debate to solve hunger and lack of ownership with physical solutions. ✅ Building a Community Bank: How managing extra savings for building materials led to a Reserve Bank license. ✅ The Power of Consistency: How preaching the need for land every single day for years turned a church meeting into a 60-hectare movement. ✅ Managing the Waiting List: Dealing with "side deals" and objections from neighbours who fear community developments. ✅ Designing for Dignity: Why RDP uniformity is a failure and how to let people build unique homes they are proud of. ✅ The Brick-Making Plant: Vertical integration—how the community now manufactures its own materials to lower costs.✨ We also unpack: • The Funeral Catalyst: How the experience of erecting a funeral tent next to a shack in 2010 inspired a housing revolution. • The "Gap Market" Trap: Why being able to buy a car but not a house is the reality for thousands of South Africans. • Why 86% of Members are Women: The vital role of women as primary caregivers and their commitment to land ownership.• The 3 AM Head Start: Why Leslie wakes up three hours before the world to solve the community’s biggest problems. • A Radical Motto: "Government will find us moiling"—starting the work so that support finds you already in action.💬 If you are: • an aspiring entrepreneur looking to build a social enterprise with real-world impact, • a leader trying to understand how to build and maintain high-trust community systems, • navigating the "gap market" and looking for innovative ways to achieve property ownership, • or ready to stop waiting for external help and start taking action in your own neighborhood… this episode is for you.🎧 Join us for an honest conversation on courage, community innovation, and the reality of building a lasting legacy.📌 Don’t forget to: 👍 Like 💬 Comment your biggest takeaway 🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations on entrepreneurship, business, leadership, and personal growth📲 Connect with Michelle Expert: 📸 Instagram: @michelle_expertreal 📘 Facebook: Michelle Expert 🐦 Twitter/X: @Michelle_Expert 🌐 Shop the Hub: resonatehub.shop📩 Join the Resonate Community Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/resonatehub.co.za/

See All (107)

About

Your Gateway to Sales and Entrepreneurial Mastery. Join us as we delve into the minds of industry executives, thought leaders, and sales gurus to uncover the most powerful insights, strategies, and tactics for driving revenue growth and scaling businesses. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or a budding sales professional, tune in to gain invaluable wisdom and actionable advice to propel your success to new heights."

Information

You Might Also Like