Ep. 11 | Career & Purpose — More Than Just a Job

In this episode of Dear Mom, Dear Daughter, Athi and Mtha unpack what career really means across two generations of Black South African women. For moms, work was survival, stability, and the thrill of stepping into professional spaces previously closed off. For daughters, work is about passion, purpose, identity — and often overwhelming pressure.

Together, they explore the emotional, psychological, and cultural layers of choosing a career, changing direction, hustling to stay afloat, and redefining success on your own terms.

This episode also dives into:

How different generations think about purpose, success and identity

The tension between survival jobs and passion careers

Why young women feel pressured to “have it all figured out”

The reality of burnout, uncertainty, and endless reinvention

Black women navigating corporate South Africa

Motherhood, ambition, and rewriting traditional gender expectations

A listener dilemma about a daughter constantly changing career paths

If you’ve ever questioned your purpose, felt stuck in your career, or struggled to balance passion with practicality, this conversation is for you.

Search tags (SEO): career advice for women, purpose and career South Africa, mother daughter podcast, Black women careers SA, career pressure Gen Z, finding purpose podcast, navigating job uncertainty, career change advice, women in corporate SA, Dear Mom Dear Daughter podcast.