Step into a story where ancestral wisdom meets modern innovation: a journey shaped in the soil of Thembisa and refined through the quiet alchemy of becoming.

In this episode, hosts Bobby and Rehema sit with Zama Shabalala, biotechnologist, entrepreneur, founder of Earthling Emily, and a son of herbalists who transformed lineage into legacy. Together, they explore:

• The influence of growing up with traditional herbal medicine and herbal healing
• How biotechnology opened the doorway to plant medicine and cannabis research
• The courage to challenge norms, including stopping a national brewery beer line
• Building Earthling Emily and pioneering accessible cannabis wellness
• The deeper mission: community upliftment, spiritual wellness, and surrendering to purpose

Through raw honesty, laughter, reflection, and the wisdom of lived experience, this conversation reveals what it truly means to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, and why surrendering to the unfolding often leads us exactly where we’re meant to be.

Connect with Zama:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zama_shabbaranks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zama.shabalala.5/

Earthling Emily:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthling_emily_/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@earthling_emily

Website: https://earthlingemily.com/

The Spirit of Alchemy

A space of transformation and truth-telling, The Spirit of Alchemy invites you into the stories behind the makers — where wisdom, courage, and creativity come together to form something new, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Hosted by Bobby Forssman and Rehema Isa.

Stay Connected to the Journey✨

The Spirit of Alchemy

Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_
TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy
YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast
Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com

Bobby Forssman

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobbyforssman/

Rehema Isa

LinkedIn : www.linkedin.com/in/rehema-isa-6372681

TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@rehema.world

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/rehema.isa

X : https://x.com/RehemaIsa

For all enquiries:
tanna@thespiritofalchemy.co.za

Remember: you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review — it really helps us grow our community.

Step into the warm, fragrant world of Conza’s Biscuits, where the spirit of alchemy transforms flour and love into a legacy that spans generations. Hosts Bobby and Rehema sit down with sisters Rhulani and Randzo, the remarkable women behind this beloved family business rooted in Soweto.

From early mornings baking with their mother to landing spots on national retail shelves, their story is one of matriarchal wisdom, entrepreneurial grit, and the magic that happens when ordinary ingredients are crafted with purpose. Through laughter, vulnerability, and honest reflection, the sisters share the joys and hardships that shaped their journey — from moving homes more than twenty times, to rebuilding after devastating setbacks, to learning the deeper language of gratitude.

This conversation explores:
• The matriarchal legacy that shaped their path
• How sisterhood became their backbone in business
• The reality of building a brand from scratch
• The fires that forged their resilience
• How community, empowerment, and opportunity became part of their mission
• The sweet hope carried in every vanilla biscuit

It’s a story of roots, resilience, and the alchemy of turning adversity into abundance. In every challenge, a lesson. In every laugh, the echo of generations. In every biscuit, a memory — and a reminder that even the simplest recipe can change a life.

Thank you for tuning into The Spirit of Alchemy.
Sharing entrepreneurs’ life stories of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary

Connect with us:
Instagram: @thespiritofalchemy_
TikTok: @thespiritofalchemy
YouTube: The Spirit of Alchemy Podcast
Website: www.thespiritofalchemy.com

For all enquiries:
tanna@workpods.co.za

Remember: you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review — it really helps us grow our community.