What does real leadership look like at 19?

In this episode of Baskets of Knowledge, we sit down with Mackenzie, a student at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She is a youth advocate who is quietly reshaping what leadership, empathy, and impact truly mean.

This conversation explores people-first leadership, the power of reflection, and why real change doesn’t come from titles, it comes from showing up for others.

Mackenzie shares her lived experience working in youth advocacy within a fast-growing rural district, navigating leadership at a young age, and becoming one of only 37 people globally to receive the Zonta International Young Women in Leadership Scholarship.

We dive deep into:

• Leadership driven by empathy, not ego

• Youth voice, advocacy, and community change

• Mental health and social media, the good, the bad, and the dangerous

• Online hate, clickbait media, and resilience

• Grief, loss, and continuing to show up when life is heavy

• Why banning social media won’t solve the problem, conversation will

• The importance of reflection and enjoying the process of becoming

This episode is for leaders, parents, educators, coaches, and anyone who believes leadership starts with humanity.

🎧 Listen now and add this conversation to your basket of knowledge.

What happens when the life you worked so hard for… no longer feels like your life?

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Mina Amso, founder of Notes from the Executive, to explore identity, reinvention, cultural expectations, courage, and the moment you finally choose alignment over approval.

We dive into:
• Career pivots & following your purpose
• Breaking away from family expectations
• How to find your voice and use it with impact
• Why values are the most important part of your story
• How to build a life that feels true, not safe

If you’re feeling misaligned, stuck, or ready for a new chapter, this conversation will speak directly to you.

In this episode of Baskets of Knowledge, we sit down with 18-year-old Adam and 17-year-old Alfie, the young entrepreneurs behind ZenSha, New Zealand’s first matcha protein brand.

They share how they turned a classroom idea into a fast-growing health and wellness business, how they built their startup while still in school, and why consistency and action are the keys to success.

Perfect for listeners who enjoy:

🔹 Entrepreneurship podcasts
🔹 NZ startup stories
🔹 Gen Z founders
🔹 Health and wellness brands
🔹 Matcha culture & protein supplements
🔹 Real conversations about building a business

Stream now on Spotify and learn how two teenagers are reshaping the NZ wellness industry.