Between Meetings
Between Meetings is a thought leadership podcast from 21st Century Funeral Services, hosted by Aphiwe Khambule. It captures the real conversations that happen between boardrooms, strategy sessions, and everyday leadership moments.
Each episode offers practical, relatable insights on leadership and decision-making, women in business, corporate mental health, personal growth, and financial literacy, grounded in lived African corporate experience across the funeral, insurance, and wider financial services world.
If you are a young professional, manager, entrepreneur, or aspiring leader, expect warm, honest conversations with clear takeaways you can use straight away. New episodes are released monthly, moving to weekly as the show grows.
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Episodes
23 hours ago
23 hours ago
Welcome to Episode 01 of the Between Meetings Podcast! In this thought-provoking conversation with your host Aphiwe Khambule and her guest, Mr Khambule (also her dad), sit down to discuss the business’s origins, early challenges, and growth, including navigating the COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation highlights the importance of client-centred values, adapting to technological change, and balancing family with business.
Mr Khambule shares insights on leadership transition and his hopes for the company’s legacy under the next generation. The episode offers a candid look at sustaining a family business and the lessons learned across decades of service.
⏱ Timestamped Overview
01:18 – Introduction and welcoming Mr Khambule. 02:19 – The Origins of 21st Century Funeral Services. 04:24 – Early Business Struggles and Breakthroughs 06:36 – First Milestones and Corporate Partnerships 10:16 – Branch Expansion and Industry Influence 13:21 – Sustaining the Business Through Challenges 15:23 – Client-Centred Values and Business Philosophy 19:23 – Transition to the Next Generation19:54 – Family Involvement and Legacy Building 23:17 – Navigating Family and Business Boundaries 23:38 – Adapting to New Technologies and Generational Change 27:10 – The Evolving Funeral Industry 29:02 – Leadership Expectations and Future Vision 33:01 – Reflections on Second-Generation Pressure 36:06 – Lessons Learned and the Importance of Planning 38:01 – Continuous Learning and Embracing Change 40:11 – Learning from Each Other and Team Input 41:30 – Fatherly Advice for Next-Generation Leaders
💬 Quote of the Episode
“'When I get a client saying to me, “Thank you very much,” that makes me so happy.” – Mr Khambule 🌐 Connect with 21st Century Funeral Services
🔗 Website: https://21stcfs.co.za/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/official21stcenturyfunerals/ 📸 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@21stcentury_funerals 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/21stCenturyFuneralServices 📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/21st-century-funerals/ 📘 X: https://x.com/21stCentury_KZN