Own Narrative Podcast
Hosted by Own Narrative
A South African podcast where host Promise Makunyane interviews women about overcoming adversity, building businesses, and navigating family dynamics.
A weekly interview show focused on the personal and professional journeys of South African women. The host, Promise Makunyane, facilitates deeply personal conversations about overcoming significant challenges like rare diseases, grief, divorce, and corporate burnout. These stories of adversity are consistently framed as catalysts for building businesses, finding purpose, and achieving personal empowerment.
“The show stands out for its raw emotional vulnerability and the host's willingness to share her own life, including her marital separation, as a running storyline. Unlike more polished interview shows, it has a strong community feel, often featuring live event recordings and panel discussions that tackle taboo subjects with candor.”
Who hosts this show
Promise Makunyane is a South African podcaster, author, and entrepreneur. She hosts the "Own Narrative Podcast," which focuses on marriage and family dynamics, and its sister podcast, "The Working Wife/The Working Woman." Driven by a passion for storytelling, she uses her platforms to empower women to achieve financial independence and own their stories of resilience. She is the author of the book "The Broken Promise," which explores her personal journey of healing and growth.
Credentials & credits
- Public Relations Management graduate, University of South Africa
- Author of "The Broken Promise"
- Certificate in Labor Relations Management, University of South Africa
- Podcaster and Digital Content Creator
- Business Coach
Other ventures
- The Working Wife/The Working Woman Podcast
- Author ("The Broken Promise", "SHOULD I STAY or SHOULD I GO?", "Starting Again")
- Mel La Vie Skin Care
- Public Speaker
What kind of podcast
- Country
- South Africa
- Region
- africa
When new episodes drop
- 01Mahlatse ON living with a rare disability and making it anywayJun 24, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 0221 June 2026Jun 21, 2026 · 40s
- 03Mahlodi ON choosing PURPOSE over CORPORATE..Jun 19, 2026 · 1h 21m
- 04Motherhood and Becoming Panel conversation Part 2Jun 10, 2026 · 1h 03m
- 05Motherhood and Becoming Panel conversation Part 1Jun 4, 2026 · 1h 06m
- 06Coach Nonnie ON relationship and match making businessMay 31, 2026 · 56 min
- 07Penelope ON surviving her Ex-HusbandMay 27, 2026 · 1h 13m
- 08Lesego ON being a Woman leader in corporateMay 24, 2026 · 45 min
Notable episodes
- 01Mahlatse ON living with a rare disability and making it anyway
A powerful story of resilience, this episode details a guest's journey with the rare disease Guillain-Barré syndrome, widowhood, and community gossip.
- 02Mahlodi ON choosing PURPOSE over CORPORATE..
This episode clearly articulates the show's core theme of leaving an unfulfilling corporate job to pursue a purpose-driven entrepreneurial path.
- 03Motherhood and Becoming Panel conversation Part 1 & 2
Recorded at the host's book launch, this two-part panel discussion showcases the show's community aspect and its capacity for raw, vulnerable conversations on difficult topics like grief and marital collapse.
What you'll be asked on this show
Promise Makunyane opens interviews either with a structured 'icebreaker' segment or a broad origin-story question to establish a guest's background. She practices active listening, asking specific, probing follow-up questions based on the guest's responses, such as inquiring about a medical diagnosis or the specifics of a career change. She fosters an empathetic atmosphere by sharing her own related experiences and offering affirmations, creating a space where guests feel comfortable discussing deeply personal topics like grief, illness, and marital strife.
Episodes are typically long-form, one-on-one interviews or recordings of panel discussions. The host's tagline, "It's good to have a man do stuff for you, but it's much more better if you can also do stuff for yourself," encapsulates the show's core message. The host frequently promotes her own book and skincare line during episodes.
Questions Own Narrative keeps coming back to
10 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Own Narrative reaches for it.
origin
1- Q.01
“Please introduce yourself: who are you and what was your upbringing like?”
This is a standard opening question used to establish the guest's origin story and socioeconomic context.
mindset
3- Q.01
“What's one thing you're currently unlearning as a woman?”
Used during an 'icebreaker' segment to quickly access a guest's mindset on personal growth.
- Q.02
“Are strong women emotionally abandoned because people assume they can handle anything?”
A thematic question from a panel discussion that gets to the core of the show's exploration of female resilience.
- Q.03
“Did you even know it was purpose, or what feeling did you get?”
This follow-up question probes the internal, emotional experience behind a guest's career change.
personal
4- Q.01
“How would your closest friends describe you in three words?”
An icebreaker question to get a quick, external perspective on the guest's personality.
- Q.02
“What has losing your son taught you about love?”
A deeply personal question posed to a panelist known to have experienced this specific grief, showing tailored and direct questioning.
- Q.03
“What was that disability about?”
A direct, unvarnished question seeking specific details after a guest mentions a medical condition.
- Q.04
“What is your version of self-care lately?”
An icebreaker question that reveals a guest's current wellness and coping strategies.
career
2- Q.01
“When did you realize your purpose could no longer be a sideline?”
Asks guests to pinpoint the exact turning point in their career or life transition.
- Q.02
“What was your role when you were working in corporate?”
A straightforward question to understand a guest's professional background before a major life change.
Signature segments
- · Host's tagline: "It's good to have a man do stuff for you, but it's much more better if you can also do stuff for yourself."
- · Panel discussion episodes recorded at live events
- · Promotion of the host's book, "The Broken Promise"
- · Promotion of the host's skincare line, Mel La Vie
- · Cross-promotion of the sister podcast, "The Working Wife/The Working Woman"
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show features South African women—entrepreneurs, authors, coaches, and influencers—who have compelling stories of overcoming significant personal or professional adversity and are willing to share their journey publicly.
- Mahlatse Lekwaduon Mahlatse ON living with a rare disability and making it anyway
- Mahlodi Kgatleon Mahlodi ON choosing PURPOSE over CORPORATE..
- Coach Nonnieon Coach Nonnie ON relationship and match making business
- Penelopeon Penelope ON surviving her Ex-Husband
- Lesegoon Lesego ON being a Woman leader in corporate
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors include national brands like Citroën SA as well as local businesses. The host also heavily promotes her own book, "The Broken Promise," and skincare line, Mel La Vie Skin Care, within the episodes.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name?
- The host's name is Promise Makunyane.
- What is the podcast's format?
- The show primarily features long-form, one-on-one interviews, but also includes recordings of live panel discussions.
- What topics does the podcast cover?
- It focuses on marriage, family dynamics, and empowering women through stories of overcoming adversity, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.
- Is the podcast still being released?
- Yes, the podcast appears to release new episodes on a weekly basis.
- How can I pitch a guest for the show?
- The host has mentioned that prospective guests can email, and the address is provided in the YouTube channel's description.
- Does the host have other projects?
- Yes, Promise Makunyane is an author of several books including "The Broken Promise," runs a skincare line called Mel La Vie, and hosts a sister podcast called "The Working Wife/The Working Woman."
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]The Broken Promise by Promise Makunyanethebrokenpromise.co.za
- [02]Own Narrative Podcast - YouTube Channelyoutube.com
- [03]Promise Makunyane "The Broken Promise" Book Launchyoutube.com
- [04]The Broken Promise - Strength Redefined by Promise Makunyane - DotDot.directdotdot.direct
- [05]Motherhood and Becoming Panel conversation Part 1youtube.com
- [06]Patterns and lessons of marriage and family dynamics| Promise Makunyane| Own Narrativeyoutube.com
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