Today we’d like to introduce you to Andile Ndlovu and Maggie Sellers.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Maggie and I had just recently met after starting at a new company and within a few short weeks, COVID-19 hit. We found ourselves far from our families, isolated and simultaneously trying to navigate a new job, remain healthy, date, all while achieving our goals. For support amid the uncertainty of a global pandemic, our FaceTime calls about work turned into deep conversations rooted in regret about the things we never got around to do because of the fear we let dictate our life and hold us back. These FaceTime conversations inspired the entire mission of DWFI – to empower listeners to stop trying to fit in across careers, relationships, and life. Because in reality everyone is born to stand out.
As an interracial friendship, the strength and impact of the BLM movement was an even greater incentive to take our mission and turn it into something impactful. We were shocked to discover a lack of representation that unified a black and white perspective. Interracial conversations are something we feel the world strongly needs right now.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Being in our early stages of growth, we’re constantly uncovering new challenges.
On a personal level, being that our mission is to empower others to push past the fear of fitting in in order to stand out, means putting ourselves, our lives, and our experiences out there for the world to hear. That is definitely a huge challenge for both of us. Being authentically yourself in a world of filters and hyper-curated content isn’t easy. And exposing the things society has taught us to hide is downright terrifying. But with each episode, if we can help just one person to live a more authentic life—to find true happiness and purpose—sooner than we did, it’s worth every anxious moment and doubt.
Creating authentic content that will resonate with listeners and create a community takes time, planning, and a lot of work. We both have demanding jobs (which we love), so it takes some creativity (and long nights!) to carve out that time.
Please tell us about Do We Fit In.
It seems like everyone and their mom has started a podcast (and literally, they have). Content is everything these days and we’re inundated with options. According to Podcast Insights, there are already over 850,000 podcasts out there, but yet amongst all of that content when we scanned the industry, we noticed there wasn’t an interracial perspective. It’s more important than ever to shine a light on the fact that no matter the color of your skin, we’re all going through the same things as human beings.
As hosts, we couldn’t be more different. We think this gives us a greater opportunity to connect with people across the world that might relate to one of us over another yet appreciate a different perspective.
Each week, we release a new episode in which we discuss a relevant topic – calling upon special guests along the way who have excelled and stood out in that specific area. So far, we’ve had on entrepreneurs, music executives and dating experts who all offer a different perspective and keep things different and interesting. Some days you’ll get a meaningful, deep discussion surrounding mental health and the next, you’ll get the best dating advice from one of Los Angeles’ most eligible bachelors. We want to keep the audience on their toes and not sure what to expect next.
The biggest success so far has to be the countless DM’s from listeners all over the world – Africa, Australia, Canada, Turks and Caicos, and the US – who have shared that our podcast has helped them find the confidence to be more authentically themselves.
What were you like growing up?
Andile: Growing up in Zimbabwe, family and culture were the most prevalent influences in my life. Those who knew always described me as friendly and curious and always intrigued by music. I was in a Marimba band from a young age and that’s where my curiosity turned into a lifelong love affair with music. Moving to the US, I carried my passion for music forward which resulted in 10,000 hours spent studying music in the form of concert band, jazz band, pep band, and marching band. A band geek at heart, I’m proud to have followed my dream now being a part of today’s music industry.
Maggie: I was always a very creative and independent kid. I started my first business at age 5, “Maggie’s Pet Business” where I would take care of my neighbor’s pets while they were away. I was always allowed to dress myself which meant that sometimes I would leave the house with two different colored socks and a mix matched outfit on. I think my parent’s allowance of my expression of self from a young age is what has made me such a creative today. I also loved to plan, direct and act. So when I hosted a sleepover, you could guarantee that instead of watching a movie, we’d be downstairs in my basement reenacting one instead. My favorite was The Princess Diaries.
Who else deserves credit – have you had mentors, supporters, cheerleaders, advocates, clients or teammates that have played a big role in your success or the success of the business? If so – who are they and what role did they plan / how did they help.
There have been countless mentors, supporters and advocates that have been instrumental in both of our independent careers. Without them, having the confidence to launch something like this would not be possible.
“Do We Fit In” would simply not be possible with our executive producer, Dean Glasz. He is the glue that holds us together. The late nights and hard talks is what has kept this podcast alive and growing. We’re so thankful to have a wordsmith on standby when we don’t quite know where to go next. A songwriter by trade, he knows exactly what to say to coach us to dig deeper and lay out our emotions on the mic. Because of this, we’re able to create this space that immediately welcomes in listeners no matter where they’re at in their life and how they found us.
Lastly, we’re so grateful for the guests and listeners that took a chance on us from day 1. It’s never easy to be the first person to offer support or time and we’ll be forever grateful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/do-we-fit-in-by-andile-and-maggie/id1522799228
- Phone: 3104221538
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
@blairbbrown @stevensonopoku
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