Episode Summary

In this episode of the Africa X series, Kevin is joined by Adelle Onyango in Kenya to discuss her journey to becoming one of OkayAfrica’s 100 Extraordinary African Women. She talks about why and how she transitioned from being a popular primetime radio host to launching her own podcast, Legally Clueless, amplifying African stories about business, relationships, and grief, but also the places where these stories take place. Adelle shares what she wishes she knew before launching one of Spotify’s most listened-to podcasts of 2021, tips for new podcasters, and thoughts on the future of podcasting in Kenya and Africa as a whole. She talks about her co-written book, On Broken Silence, which holds the stories of survivors of sexual violence from the Greater East African region, and the creation of the Adelle Onyango Initiative to provide programming and group therapy for survivors. Kevin and Adelle discuss the mindset of continual learning and staying humble even if you have years of experience, feeling comfortable being yourself (and the cost of doing otherwise), and how to be an active citizen.

Kevin Y. Brown

Kevin is a seasoned multi-media executive who is passionate about Africa’s digital future. As an award winning entrepreneur,  podcast producer (over 1,000 episodes across different genres with over 30 million downloads across clients) and tech veteran, Kevin leads Afripods’ multi-country strategy and product vision.

Kevin is the host of the Create Your Life Series podcast and has been featured or spoken in Forbes, Black Enterprise, Essence, Podcast Movement, Podcast Sessions, Ted X, Sirius XM, Inc. magazine and many more…

Adelle Onyango

Adelle Onyango has over 10 years experience in the radio industry. She begun as a drive show host on 1FM where she was instrumental in bringing in a digital arch to the Kenyan radio scene.

Adelle then moved to Kenya's top media house; Radio Africa Group as a presenter on their radio station, KissFM. She hosted the mid-morning show and created a show dedicated exclusively to African music which was a first of its kind on the station.  She later moved to host their prime breakfast show until June 2019. 

During her time on the KissFM breakfast show it was the 3rd most listened to show in Kenya. She then left to start her new media company, Legally Clueless Africa.

Adelle is a Kenyan businesswoman, author, award winning podcaster, one of OkayAfrica’s 100 Extraordinary African Women, and also one of the BBC’s 100 Inspirational and Innovative Women in the World. She is on a mission to impact and empower women globally.

Insights From the Episode

• How to notice when you’re in a toxic space, get out of it, and move forward
• Insights on what it means to be a woman working in the media industry
• Tips for new podcasters for creating a sustainable business and an engaging podcast
• How to reduce the noise in your life and follow your intuition
• Strategies for dealing with negative feedback and sorting out constructive criticism
• Tips for setting goals and following through on them

Quotes From the Show

• On the purpose of her podcast, Legally Clueless: “Everybody has a story, and if you look at Africans, storytelling and really having that oral connection has been part of our culture for eons.” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• On leaving her job and branching out on her own: “Was I scared? Absolutely, but I just feel that there’s no point where you’ll ever be free of fear. You just don’t let the fear win.” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• On creating a podcast: “Preparation makes life so much easier and it also helps you to run a system and something that can sustain.” - Kevin Y. Brown, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• On the framework that has helped her launch a successful podcast: “Figure out your brand heart. That’s made up of your vision, your mission, your values, and your purpose. Your vision is your ideal world and what you are trying to create in your ideal world. Your mission is what you’re going to do repeatedly every single day to try and actualize that vision. The purpose is your why–why do you exist? And your values should be about 3-5, and it’s the things that you stand for.” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• “We all have to be active citizens… I’ve been told I’m an activist, but I call myself an active citizen. Just by you being alive and in this moment, you have a responsibility–and a right!–to speak up on issues that are not going right. … Why are we not stepping into our responsibility as active citizens and demanding better for ourselves?” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• “I think it’s very expensive to try to fit in. Expensive because it costs you yourself.” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• On telling African stories: “On a continental level, we’ve always had our power stripped from us. We’re really just coming into our power in different industries, and why media is so important (like podcasting) is we get to tell our own stories, talk about our own topics that affect us from our lens without waiting for somebody with a skewed lens or an ignorant lens to do that for us.” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191
• On his experience growing up in foster care: “I still take that attitude of always being a student, understanding that sometimes people will be there for you but a lot of times you’re going to have to keep going by yourself. …If I end up somewhere by myself, I’m okay because I understand the things that matter and how to navigate the world.” - Kevin Y. Brown, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191

Resources Mentioned

• Legally Clueless podcast
• Our Broken Silence by Lanji Ouko-Awori and Adelle Onyango
• The Adelle Onyango Initiative
• Daughter of Africa by Gina Din
• The Kenyan Breast Health Program
• Ushuru.co.ke tax services for freelancers and small businesses

Favorite Book

• The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck by Mark Manson

• The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin

Favorite Quote

• Favorite word: Expand
• “I need to go through experiences that expand me.” - Adelle Onyango, Create Your Life Series, Episode #191

3 Keys to Create Your Best Life

1. You do not have to explain yourself to anybody.
2. Get rid of all the noise in your life. To live your best life, you have to hear yourself tell you what that looks like.
3. Nobody knows what they are doing, so extend grace to yourself. Speak to yourself as you would a lover.

Stay Connected

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Kevin Y. Brown

Website: www.kevinybrown.com

Instagram: kevinybrown

Twitter: kevinybrown

Facebook: kevinybrown

Adelle Onyango

Website: adelleonyango.com

Instagram: adelleonyango

Twitter: adelleo

Facebook: adelleonyango

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This episode was produced and managed by Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com)