She Talks Tech

Episode 66: Keep That Courage — Sewagodimo Matlapeng on Self-Taught Coding, Big Tech, and Career Pivots

Sewagodimo taught herself to code at 16 in Rustenburg, before she'd even learned to use Microsoft Word
Her path went from South African startups to Meta in Ireland, then into machine learning
She talks about being the only woman in the room, pivoting careers even when it meant moving backward, and unlearning the idea that good work speaks for itself
She closes with a letter to her ten-year-old self, a signature of every episode

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Emerging Tech Voice Ep.13: Everyone Was a Beginner at Some Point - Joan Wanzetse

In this episode, Hlulani sits down solo with Joan Wanzetse, who pivoted from architecture into data science and tech, for a conversation on starting over, feeling behind, and staying resilient.

In this episode, we cover:

Growing up creative and torn between music, fashion, art, and a love for math
Studying architecture, then leaving after studio critique culture took a toll on her confidence
Pivoting to applied mathematics, where she found she thrives when art and analytical work stay separate rather than merged
The overwhelm of her first data science bootcamp session, and learning to sit with not knowing
Balancing her days between running her art studio and building tech skills and projects
Navigating a competitive, saturated Kenyan tech job market while still job hunting
Leaning on her sisters, Gertie Sheshe and Cynthia, both already in tech, for support and perspective
Why she now wants to explore AI and machine learning, especially at the intersection with the creative industry
Her closing advice: don't compare your journey to anyone else's

Connect with Joan and see her art at @zee1zeth_studio on Instagram and TikTok.

Hear from Joan's sister Gertie Sheshe in her own episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/68MSArs3C8j8x3EisClU5Y

Follow She Talks Tech on Instagram @she_talks_tech_podcast, and if you'd like to support the show, you can do so at buymeacoffee.com/shetalkstech.
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Emerging Tech Voice Ep.12: Speak for Your Work
This episode's roundtable tackles what nobody tells you in your first year on the job.
Topics covered:

Why school only prepares you for about 30% of what the job actually demands
Corporate politics: how to recognize it, when to stay out of it, and what to do when you can't avoid it
The unspoken rule of not overstepping seniors, even when you know more than they do
Why visibility matters as much as delivery, and why your work doesn't always speak for itself
Office attendance policies and why "but I get the work done at home" doesn't always cut it
Told feedback vs advice: how to tell the difference, and when it's okay to push back
Closing advice for anyone starting their first job tomorrow
If you've ever wondered whether you belong in the room, this one's for you.
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"Come Out of Your Cocoon": Garima Agrawal on Java, Nike, and Building a Brand

Garima Agrawal is a backend software engineer with a decade in Java development, having worked at Tavant Technologies, TCS, and Nike's India Technology Center. In this episode, she talks about landing in Java by chance rather than choice, freelancing in Tanzania, and moving to the US alone only to learn she was pregnant weeks later. She shares what it took to navigate a new country, a new healthcare system, and H-1B visa pressure while raising a young child, plus her honest take on AI's impact on developer jobs. She closes with why she started building a public brand two months ago and a letter to her 10-year-old self.

Topics discussed:
From Tavant to TCS to Nike: a decade in Java
Moving to the US alone and finding out she was pregnant
H-1B visa pressure and navigating layoffs in tech
Microservice architecture and cloud work at Nike
Why deep Java knowledge still matters in an AI-heavy market
Building a personal brand and joining Java community leadership

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7aZRzRG0jFs0i8hLrmpG2R
#SheTalksTech #WomenInTech #GirlsInSTEM #AfricaTech #JavaDevelopers
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Emerging Tech Voices Ep. 11: Career Growth and Boundaries

She Talks Tech | Emerging Tech Voices

Hosts Hlulani, Murendeni, and Nhlamulo sit down for a candid roundtable on what career growth actually looks like once you're in it, and why "boundaries" isn't just a buzzword but a survival skill. From imposter syndrome after a non-traditional entry into data science, to the real cost of overworking for validation, this episode unpacks how growth, burnout, and boundary-setting are more tangled together than most career advice admits.

In this episode
How career growth definitions shift over time, from chasing promotions and titles to defining growth as sustainable delivery and self-trust
Starting a data science career through an online certificate instead of a university degree, and the pressure to "prove" ownership of the title
Why growth isn't linear, and unlearning the instinct to plan promotions on a fixed timeline
The early-career trap of overworking to be seen as relevant, and what that costs long-term
Turning performance reviews and check-ins into a personal habit, not just a company policy, including weekly one-on-ones and informal "coffee chat" alignment sessions
Knowing when to hold boundaries firmly versus when the season of the business calls for flexibility (e.g. close to a launch or deployment date)
The moment of realizing that consistently overdelivering (finishing 5-day tickets in 2 days) sets an unsustainable expectation
Who really benefits when someone has no boundaries: the individual, the employer, or both
Practical boundary tactics: blocking calendar time for lunch and focus work, communicating workload feasibility upfront, and understanding "what time it is" in the business before deciding where to push back

Pull quotes
"I'm only learning now that growth is not linear."
"Boundaries work well when you have priorities."
"Who actually benefits the most when you don't have boundaries? ... It's both."
"It's not sustainable, but it did help me earlier on in the career."

Connect with us
🎧 Listen: She Talks Tech on Spotify
☕ Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/shetalkstech
Share your own definition of career growth and how you set boundaries at work — tag us using #SheTalksTech.
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