Welcome Back | January, 2025 - By Nthanda Manduwi

I feel like I do this every other year, BUT… welcome (back) to the By Ntha Newsletter!

Hi, I’m Nthanda — or as my father has always endearingly called me: Ntha.

I am an economist, entrepreneur, and passionate storyteller. I started blogging back in 2013, during the second year of my undergraduate studies at the University of Malawi .

Over the years, byntha.com has evolved — covering everything from travel and tourism (showcasing my beautiful home country, Malawi), to policy and innovation (through my work with The World Bank and the United Nations ).

I hold a Master of Science in Entrepreneurship, where my thesis was on Digital Transformation (IMS Creation and Uptake) in Africa. I am presently pursuing a STEM Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Michigan State University – Eli Broad College of Business, with concentrations in Marketing Management and Business Analytics.

My journey has taken me from the vibrant beaches of Mangochi, to the halls of the United Nations Headquarters, and now into the dynamic world of tech at Microsoft .

View My Full Résumé

As my professional path expanded, I decided to turn what was once a personal blog into a full-fledged newsletter. While byntha.com remains the home base for my writing, this newsletter is now mirrored here on LinkedIn — and, in time, may find life across other platforms too.

In this Newsletter, I share insights, experiences, and reflections on everything from business and innovation to personal growth and leadership. I’m currently in the process of writing several books, and in the meantime, this newsletter serves as the bridge — a place where I continue to write, think, and connect.

Whether you’re here for professional insight or personal reflection, I hope you find something that resonates — and maybe even inspires you.

📬 Feel free to subscribe here on LinkedIn , or directly on my website, to get updates straight to your mailbox.

All my Love,

Ntha

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2025 Issues

📬 By Ntha Newsletter

(Re)Introducing the Newsletter | January, 2025 Reclaiming the voice that started it all. A soft relaunch of my blog—now curated as a newsletter—reintroducing myself, my purpose, and where I plan to take this space.
An Engineering Teacher | February, 2025 A reflection on my unexpected role as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in the College of Engineering, and how that experience stretched both my leadership and my love for teaching.
From Mangochi to Microsoft | March, 2025 Tracing the journey—personal and professional—that took me from the beaches of Mangochi to the global tech stage. A story of ambition, alignment, and audacity.
What is an MBA? | April, 2025 Dissecting the MBA experience so far—what it teaches, what it doesn’t, and what it’s really like being a Black international woman navigating business school in America.
(UP NEXT:) Hello from Microsoft | May, 2025 Announcing my transition into Microsoft and sharing early insights from the Developer Accelerator Program under Xbox. A season of learning, shifting, and showing up.
Exploring Washington’s Innovation Scene | June, 2025 First impressions of Redmond, Seattle, and the vibrant ecosystem of innovation I now find myself in. Tech giants, coffee shops, stillness, and new rhythms.
Lessons | July, 2025 In the spirit of turning 30, this edition holds the early outlines of two books: one on systems and development, the other on navigating my twenties. What I’ve learned—and what I’m still learning.
This is 30 | August, 2025 A celebratory reflection on turning 30. Not a highlight reel—but a grounding check-in on growth, grief, gratitude, and the power of becoming.
Back to School | September, 2025 Returning to Michigan for my final year. What’s changed. What’s clearer. What I’m hoping to bring into this next (and final) academic stretch.
Black MBA Presidency | October, 2025 Documenting my term as President of the Black MBA Association at MSU. The wins, the lessons, the quiet leadership work that doesn’t always make the brochure.
Lessons: The Show | November, 2025 Behind the scenes of a media moment. Reflections on public storytelling, podcasting, and building platforms for thought leadership—on my terms.
The 30th Year | December, 2025 A closing reflection on a year that shaped everything. A quiet, poetic inventory of what 2025 gave me—and what I’m carrying forward into the next.