Thepod Live 2025: From Conversation to Community – A New Chapter for Women’s Leadership in Africa

Mary Nnah

On October 25, 2025, OnHerOwnLane staged THEPOD LIVE 2025 — the maiden live edition of the popular OnHerOwnLane-THE POD — bringing a curated room of women leaders, creators, entrepreneurs and change makers together for a day of worship, conversation, practical learning and high-quality fellowship at The Alternative Bank, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. The event translated the podcast’s core conversations into an intentional, in-person experience designed to catalyse long-term impact for women across Nigeria and the African continent.

The idea: extend the podcast into a movement

OnHerOwnLane was conceived as a platform for women to tell the stories that matter, cultivate confidence and equip one another with tools for life and leadership. The podcast’s host and founder has built a community that listens not only for inspiration but for practical guidance — and THEPOD LIVE was designed to lift those conversations from audio to action. The event aimed to bridge personal testimony with professional resilience: faith-centered worship, topical panel sessions (finance, law, mental health, social media and entrepreneurship), and breakout sessions that delivered practical toolkits attendees could apply immediately.

Programming built around outcomes — not just talk

What set THEPOD LIVE 2025 apart was its program architecture: From the professional Panelists who took the conversations that intentionally paired thought leadership with tangible outcomes. Panelists Invited where: ABIMBOLA CHARLES-DAVIES (CEO & Co-founder of Fastest Cakes), TENIOLA TUNDE-ONI (CEO & Co-Founder of Pharmarun) DOREEN OMOSELS (Founder, Blossom Girls Outreach Foundation) ENIFOME OGBIMI (Founder of the Live Again Foundation and Shelter), MICHELLE OMOSEHIN ( Founder & Creative Director of Mimi-Luxe Premium Experiences) ADURALERE LADIPO ( Clinical Psychologist) ESTHER AKINTAYO (Financial Educator, Speaker and Coach) MOBOLAJI OLOTU (Founder of Startup Legal Consulting) , AYODELE FASUYI ( Certified Life-coach & Co-Founder of Amani Health Inc.) IBUKUN ADELEGAN (Gospel Artist & Multi-Passionate Enterpreneur) ANUOLUWAPO SOMOYE (Founder of Shows Delight) and PRECIOUS OMOLU (Founder of the Growth Pen)

Each panel session was framed to surface key pain points — for example, legal and tax hurdles for women founders who are also seeking for more information on the new tax laws, practical business templates for startups and business planning, faith discussions on how to live each day in alignment with your faith, and accessible mental-health practices for relational wellbeing — and then move to solution sets that audience members could take home and apply. This outcome-first approach ensured the day moved beyond inspiration to action. (Session themes included: Finance & Law, Her Faith- Her Life and Her Lane, Building for HER- Building with HER, Relationships, Mental Health and the wholeness of a woman)

Audience & selection: who this room was for and why

THEPOD LIVE 2025 purposely limited attendance to create a space of deep engagement — the event was invitation-friendly and targeted women who are early-to-mid stage entrepreneurs, creatives, corporate leaders, ministry leaders and change makers who want both spiritual depth and practical growth. This curation was intentional: when rooms are smaller and well-matched, mentorship, accountability and real business connections form far more quickly. The event’s focus on both faith and professional competence also reflects the founder’s conviction that spiritual formation and career leadership are complementary disciplines.

Pan-African relevance: why this matters beyond Lagos

Although hosted in Lagos, THEPOD LIVE’s implications are continental. OnHerOwnLane’s audience reaches women across Africa and in the diaspora; convening leaders for concentrated, replicable programming creates models that can be scaled into other cities and countries. The content — from structured financial playbooks to legal checklists for startups and mental-health frameworks for relational resilience — addresses challenges common to women across African markets: access to capital, regulatory literacy, mental-health stigma, and the need for networks that translate into measurable opportunities. By showcasing solutions and partnerships on a single platform, the event positions itself as a replicable playbook for women-focused convening across the continent.

Strategic partnerships: amplifying impact

THEPOD LIVE aligned with partners who share a commitment to women’s development and sectoral excellence — from media partners to specialized sponsors in finance, food and wellbeing. These collaborative relationships amplified reach, ensured operational excellence and brought practical resources directly into the hands of attendees. Strategic media and academic partnerships also open pathways for scholarship, mentorship and post-event content distribution — all critical for converting a one-day event into ongoing impact. Supported by visionary partners and sponsors, including Sanu Coin, One Remit, Matta Africa, Tolas Touch, Grubspot, Swit & Fit, Helado Delicia, De-May’s Finger Foods, Maia Dada Interiors, Teri Bakes, Roshe Agro Farms, Gino Nigeria, Duppy Zobo and Media partners TMA Global Consults and was planned and coordinated by Curated by Nolabyne

Thought leadership & a solutions-driven posture

OnHerOwnLane used THEPOD LIVE to model an approach increasingly needed in African leadership circles: pairing narrative power with practical capability. Rather than framing the event as merely inspirational, organizers structured content to surface systemic problems (access to capital, regulatory confusion, and mental-health neglect) and then provided step-by-step resources, specialist referrals and follow-up pathways. This solutions orientation positions THEPOD LIVE as a learning ecosystem — not just an experience — and offers a template for other organizers seeking to design high-impact, faith-aligned convening’s.
“We built this space because conversations alone are not enough. Women need tactical resources and trusted networks to translate their gifts into lasting works,” — Amodu Oluwadamilola Founder of OnHerOwnLane.

Voices from the room

Panelists and attendees described the event as “intimate yet catalytic.” Several speakers highlighted the rare combination of faith and professional rigor: worship that prepared hearts for honest conversation, followed by panels that offered real, implementable steps. Sponsors reported strong brand engagement signals and an immediate uplift in audience sentiment, while attendees reported new collaborations and mentorship leads in the days following the event.

What’s next: scaling responsibly

THEPOD LIVE has been designed to be replicable and responsible. Planners are already evaluating regional partnerships and potential city editions to broaden impact while maintaining the core intimacy that made the maiden edition successful. Important next steps include: building an alumni network, developing a modular curriculum from session recordings, and creating micro-grants or pro-bono legal clinics for attendees who need follow-through support. These mechanisms ensure the event becomes an ongoing engine for capacity building — not an isolated moment.

Joining the movement

For organizations, media houses or philanthropic partners interested in working with OnHerOwnLane, THEPOD LIVE offers a tested model for women-centered engagement: an evidence-led program, high-quality production, and measurable outcomes.
OnHerOwnLane is a women-centred media platform and community that amplifies voices of purpose, leadership and faith. Through the OnHerOwnLane- THE POD, live events and community initiatives, the platform equips women across Africa and the diaspora with stories, skills and networks to lead with confidence