Third Culture Africans
Inspiring, motivating, and full of wonder, discover how those who succeed do it. Hear what drives each of our dynamic guests to overcome obstacles and hear stories of their accomplishments.
ABOUT Morolake Akinosun
Morolake Akinosun is a Nigerian track and field athlete who grew up in the US and became a gold medalist in the Rio Olympics. She is a Nike sprinter, a 4-time NCAA champion, a Pan-American games gold medalist, and a Junior Championships gold medalist. She is also known as @misfasttwitch on social media.
Gold Medals and Equality for Black Women
Perseverance, talent, and an ability to negotiate are all part of the qualities athletes must have to be successful in the professional setting. Overcoming external challenges that have nothing to do with talent and more with marketing concerns is also part of the trade. However, setting a goal and not giving up on yourself can make all the difference between pushing forward or giving up.
Morolake Akinosun is not one to accept things she hasn’t earned. When she was unable to classify for the Beijing Olympics representing the United States, she was offered a spot in the Nigerian team. She wouldn’t have had to compete for it because a spot for her was guaranteed. However, she decided to continue her training and try again for the US team to go to the Rio Olympics. There, she became an Olympic gold medalist.
Morolake sheds light on the inequalities in the US and the athletic world. Her experience as a Black woman in the US has made her realize that Black women are always seen as less valuable until they prove their worth. In addition, there is patent gender inequality in the athletic world, which refers to differences in payment but also what is expected of them. While big personalities are valued in men, looks are the most important thing when it comes to women.
Highlights of the episode:
- 03:19: Morolake Akinosun’s beginnings as a track and field athlete and the road that brought her to become an Olympic gold medalist.
- 06:29: Morolake grew up in the US but she considers Nigerian culture as a part of her, with every aspect of it being ingrained in who she is.
- 16:32: Talent and performance are not the only considerations behind a shoe contract for a track and field athlete. Personality and, unfortunately in the case of women, their looks can be the deciding factor.
- 17:42: Before social media existed, athletes were the original influencers, selling all types of products through ads and sponsorships. This was the biggest way for them to have a steady income. Today, track and field athletes make most of their money from shoe contracts and races.
- 20:59: Being a Black woman in America generally means being seen as “lesser than”. Black women are often only considered valuable once they have accomplished something.
- 23:47: Gender inequality is strongly present in the athletic world, and it goes beyond differences in payment. Morolake has observed that male athletes are expected to have big personalities while women are expected to be beautiful.
- 42:29: Training is the time to think about the things to improve but once in the race, it is time to focus on what is going on right there, maintaining a clear mind at all times.
- 45:23: For Morolake, the best part of her career are the beautiful places she has seen and the amazing people she has met. They have become an important part of her journey.
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT Abdel Abdulai
Abdel Abdulai is a portrait lifestyle photographer better known as @boyfromdagbon who carved a name for himself as a street photographer. He has had the opportunity to shoot for some of the biggest publications such as GQ and Esquire. He now is not only a photographer but also an influencer well-known for his style and talent.
Telling Stories Through His Lens
This episode is all about street photography, fashion, and the stories that can be told through the lens of the talented Abdel Abdulai. He started his professional life in IT but his creativity and fashion style were always a part of him. After the opportunity to be in Paris’ Fashion Week as a photographer arose, he decided to make photography a part of his life. After a time juggling both IT and photography, he made the switch, which was a smooth transition for him.
Abdel became involved in street photography back in 2010, before Instagram was the giant that it is today. Back then, black African photographers were rare in the fashion industry and their sense of style made them stand out from the rest. Today, as numerous artists bring African fashion and culture into the mainstream, representation is a lot more prevalent.
Abdel has also focused on showing African faces and stories to the rest of the world. His love for portraits has allowed him to capture beautiful images in the continent, with the goal of showcasing the faces that make Africa what it is. For him, one of the key qualities of a photographer is their originality and creativity. Success in this field is all about finding an authentic style and persevering, always.
Highlights of the episode:
- 02:47: Abdel Abdulai’s decision to use Boy from Dagbon as his way to identify himself to bring light to his Ghanaian roots.
- 09:50: The transition from IT to photography and the creativity that was always part of Abdel’s life and work.
- 11:51: The rise of street photography and the changes that Instagram brought to the industry.
- 14:57: The evolution of black African photographers and artists during the last decade and how the African style stood out from others in the industry.
- 17:43: African artists and their influence in bringing the culture and fashion of the continent into the global fashion world.
- 24:11: The process of getting recognition as a photographer and the tools that can be used to get the work out there.
- 29:44: The impact of an image on the thoughts and feelings of individuals and entire groups. How images can tell a story and bring people together.
- 31:47: The discovery of the people who make Africa and the experience of getting closer to them and show the stories behind their faces.
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT Segun Gele
Segun Gele was born in Nigeria and he is an entrepreneur and make-up artist who has become well-known in the fashion world for his amazing style. He highlights West African fashion and he is all about bringing headgears to another level. He is a trendsetter and a creative soul that made geles a fashion statement instead of just one more accessory.
Transforming Fashion One Gele at a Time
Segun Gele is as authentic as it comes, pursuing the things he likes and turning his vision into reality by exploring his talent. This authenticity is what allowed him to transition from hairdresser to make-up artist, reaching a point that allowed him to open his own salon while he was still in college.
After going to America to work as a journalist and make use of his college major, Segun found himself going back to hairdressing. His road there was far from straightforward, and he had to forget who he had been in Nigeria and become an apprentice in the US. However, his people skills and ability to get out there and offer his talent led him to have an incredible breakthrough that led him to become popular in the social circles of Atlanta and Houston. He became Segun Gele, “the guy who did the gele” and he conquered all of the US with his talent.
Segun opens up about the importance of bringing passion into business, which has helped him overcome a physical disability and continue in the industry for decades. Building an entire portion of an industry is no easy feat and he has achieved it with confidence, perseverance, and knowing the value of his work. By bringing passion into business, Segun Gele has transformed the fashion world.
Highlights of the episode:
- 03:21: Segun Gele’s process to transition from hairdresser to opening his salon and becoming immersed in the makeup industry.
- 05:38: The non-existent gele industry and the influence Segun had in creating one without realizing it by just following his style ideas.
- 10:28: Making everything about the client to achieve great results, even when it means going over the set responsibilities of a position. The importance of understanding how everything works together.
- 14:07: What the makeup and beauty industry was like in the 90s, with few men working in salons and a growing wedding industry in Nigeria.
- 20:50: The lack of readily available information and the struggles of arriving in the United States without the proper preparation.
- 27:39: When frustration mounts, right when everything seems like it’s over, a breakthrough can change everything and transform a life entirely. The consequences of seizing the opportunity.
- 32:56: Despite a disability stemmed from poliomyelitis that left him with a bad left arm, Segun Gele didn’t let anything stop him. He works every day with his hands and he has never seen his disability as a limitant to live his life to the fullest.
- 46:38: The impact of economic turmoil in the beauty industry and the need to adapt and find alternatives instead of doing the job grudgingly and not providing the best service.
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT Kojo Baffoe
Kojo Baffoe is the son of a Ghanaian father and a German mother who was raised in Lesotho. He currently lives in Johannesburg, South Africa and is an entrepreneur, writer, content strategist, former men’s magazine editor and speaker, to mention a few of his roles in life. He calls himself a retired poet, and he studied Economics, Marketing and Business Administration. Kojo has worked in multiple sectors and aside from his content creation for different brands, he is in the process of publishing his book titled Listen to Your Footsteps.
Writing to Make Africa’s Voice Heard
In this episode, you will hear all about the possibilities that open up career-wise when you are willing to define your life by your needs and what you envision for yourself. Taking risks and making jumps without knowing how things are going to go is a challenging decision that can be very rewarding at many different levels.
Kojo Baffoe refers to himself as a “professional jack of all trades” and he undoubtedly lives up to the title. He talks about the different studies and jobs he has done and how his unwillingness to define himself by his career has allowed him to explore different pursuits, from being the editor of Destiny Man to entering the business world.
Kojo opens up about his addiction and how he realized he needed help. In the process of getting through this, he achieved self-acceptance and realized he doesn’t need to make excuses for who he is. This journey has helped him in his life and his writing. Kojo is an example of reinvention, perseverance, adaptation, and growth and his goal is to make the voice Africans heard worldwide.
Highlights of the episode:
- 02:04: Kojo Baffoe talks about his background, how he defines himself, and his mission to ensure the voice of Africans is heard in this world.
- 09:23: Kojo’s father’s journey to become a businessman after being an academic, which formed how Kojo saw the business world and allowed him to have an early education on the subject.
- 14:35: The political limitations that existed in the African continent, especially for South Africa challenged the pan-african ideals in which Kojo grew up.
- 19:02: The difference between pursuing a life focused on the lifestyle desired and basing the definition of self through work and career goals. The importance of being willing to jump into the unknown and making it work according to what the final destination is.
- 25:39: A job title can come with numerous perks and keeping in mind that these are associated with the job and not the worker is instrumental to not get lost in the process. Self-worth should always be based on more than a job title, a career, or a social media following.
- 42:42: Koje opens up about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had in his work life and his mental state and how writing a book is not as profitable as people might think.
- 49:43: Koje talks about the origin of his addiction to alcohol, how this led him to try other drugs and the support system that allowed him to get the help he needed.
- 54:23: The trauma that comes with the rejection and struggle in the entrepreneurship journey and how COVID-19 has forced people to face themselves and navigate through personal and professional challenges.
- 01:02:14 Being an African beyond being born in this continent and the conversation around Africa as a location vs. Africa as a spirit and people coming together.
Mentioned Resources
About Ikenna Ordor
Ikenna Ordor is an entrepreneur and the founder and head of different luxury companies. He has been featured on Forbes and The Guardian and he has been called a beacon of hope as the creator of the Starr Luxury Cars. This has been called the “Airbnb of luxury cars”. Ikenna moved from Nigeria to the UK when he was 14 years old and the example set by his mother, who worked buying and selling houses has been part of what inspires him. In addition to Starr Luxury Cars, he is also the founder of Starr Luxury Jets and Starr Property Management and he plans to continue growing.
Bringing Luxury to a New Level
Failure is often seen as the worst thing that can happen to a person, especially once they’ve been successful. However, there is an immense strength in restarting, reinventing, and being as consistent as possible to achieve your goal.
Ikenna Ordor highly values commitment and hard work and he believes always staying busy and taking risks in business is the only way to go. He has faced his share of failure, which he sees as a learning opportunity and experiences that allowed him to keep growing. Ikenna always stayed on his feet, looking for the next investment and working hard and relentlessly in all of his projects.
Ikenna opens up about his past businesses and the experiences that allowed him to build his current company. He emphasizes the importance of networking and investing as well as the power of identifying opportunities. Part of this is assessing anyone he knows as a possible business partner and engaging them and proposing tangible business relationships. Ikenna always keeps in mind growth as his overall goal. Despite being considered highly successful, he sees his businesses as barely on the infancy stage and he aspires to continue advancing and achieving new goals.
Highlights of the episode:
- 03:32: Ikenna Ordor describes his main company Starr Luxury Cars, which allows people to choose different means of luxury transportation when they want to take their vacations.
- 06:04: Ikenna’s perspective on failure and why he’s so willing to take risks. He understands failure as an opportunity to learn and not failing the same way again.
- 16:53: After having a fancy office and a staff, Ikenna had to face a complete change of pace in his life, which led him to new investments and finding strength in consistency.
- 26:37: Understanding the market and the needs of influencers, celebrities, and people that can raise the profile of a business is key. Networking with agents and everyone involved in the industry is the best way to create collaboration opportunities.
- 35:00: Starr Luxury Cars has been built on organic SEO, which has allowed people to get in contact with the company. Customer service is at the core of this business.
- 37:02: Ikenna had to juggle caring for his newborn while he was starting Starr Luxury Cars, an experience that he embraced with the same passion as being an entrepreneur.
- 39:34: How understanding opportunities motivated Ikenna to start hiring in the middle of the pandemic. This allowed him to avoid losses and increase his clientele as well as diversify his business.
- 49:55: Work and life balance as the ultimate goals and the difference between working hard versus working smart.
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT Ore Runsewe
Ore Runsewe is the founder of Arami Essentials, a digital native beauty brand focusing on providing products made with African ingredients. Ore built her business from scratch, first using Instagram as her only platform before expanding to other social media platforms and setting up a website. After moving to Nigeria from the UK, Ore found it difficult to access beauty essential products, which led her to start Arami Essentials.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
This episode will give you an inside look at the process of growing a digital native brand and the many aspects that need to be considered during this journey. From growing a following in an organic way to properly including influencers in your marketing strategy.
Ore Runsewe is an expert on building a brand in the digital world. Starting on Instagram was not an easy thing to do, and Ore opens up about the struggles of doing this and how she had to change her life entirely to do so. She recognizes that her ambitious nature and desire to succeed were instrumental to keep her going and achieve her goals.
Ore shares her experience building her brand, how having a 9-5 job actually helped her to achieve this, and many important insights regarding things to keep in mind before getting started and once you have boarded the ship on entrepreneurship. Living in Nigeria has allowed her to have access to the source of her products, helping her build a brand that focuses on highlighting the natural heritage of African ingredients and presenting them as finished products.
Highlights of the conversation with Ore Runsewe:
- 03:55: Representing the natural heritage African ingredients as products that are already finished, highlighting the efficacy of these ingredients as a whole product.
- 08:01: The impact 2020 has had on the Arami’s understanding of their customers, including considering their mental health.
- 12:16: Ore’s process of building her brand while holding onto a day job was not easy. However, her background in communications and digital marketing helped her succeed.
- 15:58: The holistic and educational strategies used to communicate on social media and increase their following and impact and the role of being honest and transparent about the products.
- 20:58: Having a regular job before becoming an entrepreneur and the teachings this experience provides.
- 24:42: The moment in which Ore realized it was time to dedicate her full time to Arami and the realization that other people were starting to depend on her business.
- 32:31: How Ore engages with influencers and the importance of having an organic connection with them to achieve a successful engagement.
- 40:24: The considerations that need to be made before asking for external funding and why having a concrete plan and strategy beforehand is instrumental.
- 47:05: What brought Ore to move to Nigeria after living her entire life in the UK and what it meant to her business and life.
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT VANIA LELES
Vania Leles, founder and Creative Director of Vanleles, exemplifies what it means to be a Third Culture African. She is a world citizen who exudes a rare mix of vibrant African heritage, European sensibility, American dynamism, and a global flair for design and creativity. As a Gemmologist, she sources stones from Africa and produces the jewelry fairly. She is on a mission to become the world's first African fine jewelry house among the top ten global brands.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
This episode will open your eyes to the jewelry industry. While you may have heard of blood diamonds and ethical sourcing, you may not be aware of the other barriers preventing diverse creatives and entrepreneurs from entering the industry.
Vania Leles gives us an insider's perspective on how the mining industry works. Most of the stones leave Africa unpolished and unpriced, meaning the continent is missing out on an opportunity to build industry and wealth. She is passionate about changing this and inspiring other Africans to get into the fine jewelry industry.
You'll hear how Vania's career evolved and the decisions she made that set up Vanleles for success. Your reputation is precious, maybe even more so than the stones she deals with. So is being persistent in educating others about your product and inspiration. Stand up for yourself and your work.
Tune in to this episode for an insightful journey from the African precious stone mines, across the globe, and back again.
Highlights of the episode:
- 8:46: History of precious stone and metal crafting in Africa and how slavery brought the skills to a stop.
- 11:24: The track of Vania's early career in jewelry and having to work hard to break into an institutionalized industry
- 18:26: How the reputation she'd built for herself was crucial to getting her business off the ground.
- 27:53: Earning accolades as one of the great British luxury brands and how proud she was to have an African brand acknowledged as having high-level craftsmanship and quality.
- 30:31: The importance of educating people on the inspiration and the history of the product. How that story resonates with the audience.
- 39:10: Explaining the diamond industry process from rough stone to exported to an auction house; let's cut the middleman and bring it back to Africa.
- 44:43: Talking about some of the roadblocks countries have thrown up to allow diversity in the industry
Mentioned Resources
About Tiwalola Ogunlesi
Meet Tiwalola Ogunlesi, a self-love activist, confidence coach, and inspirational speaker specializing in positive psychology. The founder of Confident and Killing It, she is on a mission to wake women up to their self-worth so they can be more confident and empowered. She wants every woman to live the life she truly deserves.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Get ready to feel inspired and uplifted as Tiwalola Ogunlesi chats with Zeze about why all women deserve self-love. It was working with teenage girls that inspired Tiwalola to launch Confident and Killing It. It is time to stop the generational cycles and messages that impact our self-talk and personal beliefs.
Hear more about Tiwalola's journey to becoming a personal coach and the importance of authenticity. She candidly speaks about burnout, the pandemic's impact on her business, and the challenges of change. Join us for an insightful conversation into personal evolution and transforming lives.
Highlights of the episode:
- 02:56: The inspiration to start Confident and Killing It
- 04:41: How she evolved into a coach and the importance to be the thing you want to be
- 11:08: Targeting through her work breaking cultural norms and generational cycles
- 14:30: Change takes time. It is an evolving process to arrive at a transformative life.
- 24:00: What it really means to be "woke" and defining success on your terms
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ABISOLA OMOLE
Abisola Omole is CEO and Creative Director of The Apartment Global Group. Her creative entrepreneurial career launched in 2012 with The Apartment, a creative hub for digital creators to foster brand relationships. Today her ventures have grown into a digital and creative agency, event production and design, a contemporary lifestyle brand, and an interior design studio. She is a model for what millennials, African women, and plus-size women can achieve in any industry.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
You may be wondering how Abisola Omole, or Abimarvel as her fans know her, juggles her various ventures. In this episode, Abi reflects on how her career has evolved. Learn about starting The Apartment while a student at the University of the Arts in London and how it grew over time. She speaks about finding people to help grow the venture. Hear how the power of reflection has influenced where she is at in her career today.
Abi and Zeze also speak to the influencer’s role and how that role is evolving in the digital landscape. As a blogger since 2008, Abi’s worked with and around influencers since their earliest days.
The episode ends discussing Abi’s work creating a respected high-fashion platform for the plus-size market. Abi recently joined the Harper’s Bazaar US team as its first plus-sized fashion columnist.
Highlights of the episode:
- 10:17: The process of moving from a concept to creating a community
- 15:00: How The Apartment was able to grow over time
- 22:16: Reflecting on how far her career has come; Abi’s youth belies success as she has been in her industry over fifteen years
- 24:30: The role of the influencer and monetizing their work
- 29:22: How Abi’s creativity and inspirations are constantly evolving, and an ability to edit
- 37:03: Abisola Omole on using the platform she’s built to amplify her voice
- 44:00: The theme of all Abi’s work is creating things that are affordable and inclusive but feels exclusive and luxury
- 50:04: How the influencer trend is evolving from personal brand to business
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT EKU EDEWOR
African actress, producer, and entrepreneur Eku Edewor has an extensive resume. She is a notable figure of influence, having worked with Martini Rose, Calvin Klein, Lancôme, and Maiyegun Beach Estate. She is passionate about media in Africa and the art of powerful storytelling.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
You might ask an aspiring actress or TV personality why they would stay in Africa over trying their luck in Hollywood. Eku Edewor is proud of Nigeria and her roots. She sees her role as representing the country's best and proving what the African media does is world-class. While many know her on-screen persona, she delights surprising others with her off-screen work ethic and drive.
A common thread is the ability to use media, whether as an actor, producer, writer, or director, to relay stories. Eku moved into producing because she was continuously disappointed by how the stories she worked on as an actress were coming across. She saw firsthand why creatives need to be in the driver's seat.
Hear during this episode from Eku her thoughts on the demands our social world puts on celebrities, keeping things private, and what trait is key to succeeding at your work.
Highlights of the episode with Eku Edewor:
- 07:35: What motivated her to go back and stay in Nigeria
- 09:40: The definitive moment she knew the stage and acting was for her
- 13:50: Behind the choice to keep her career in Africa, Nigerian pride, and early challenges
- 17:00: How Eku handled her popularity and everyday life
- 20:40: Her thoughts on social media and exposing your personal life as a public figure
- 22:40: Speaking on her work as a producer and finding where the power really lies in creating
- 25:35: Taking control of the story and creating stories of how women want to be portrayed
- 26:50: People are surprised continuously as Eku breaks down the expectations they had of her from her television past
- 28:35: How do you know when you've accomplished all you want to accomplish?
- 30:20: Her part in amplifying the African message through her choices
- 39:45: What keeps Eku inspired
Mentioned Resources
Third Culture Africans Podcast is back. We have an exciting season 2 ahead of us, and can't wait to hear our amazing guests and the invaluable experiences they are willing to share with us.
The first season of Third Culture Africans introduced us to the change makers putting the African continent on the map. We’ve heard from some incredible professionals, entrepreneurs, and artists about how they define and create success in their respective fields. These trailblazers have a few traits in common. Today we reflect on a few lessons we’ve learned from our guests: the value of being true to yourself, following your passion, and investing in what you care about.
Some Lessons From Third Culture Africans
Fashion-preneur Fisayo Longe reflects on how being open to sharing her journey is core to where she is at today. She speaks to how being herself is key to the growth of her business.
Guest Tiwa Works founded the Atlanta Greek Picnic, the largest event in the United States for black fraternities and sororities. Now drawing thousands to city each year, the event came about from Tiwa following his passion for business and entertainment. In this segment, he touches on losses, learning, and never giving up.
The U.N. recognized Efe as one of the Most Influential African People. His entrepreneurial journey has been able tackling the big problems, and he’s had some major successes along the way. During his interview, Efe discusses a time he was involved in something he realized he didn’t truly care about and the lesson learned.
Serial entrepreneur Charles Sekwalor has plenty of experience solving problems through business. Through MoveMeBack, he has set an ambitious goal to bring 500 million jobs to Africa. Here, he unpacks his approach to problem-solving.
Arese is on a mission to help women take control of their financial independence. In her episode, she talks about how one thing led to another: small articles created a following, leading to workshops, and eventually the book idea.
Misan has captured photos of the royal family, film icons, and supermodels. Now Misan Harriman is the first black photographer to photo a cover for Vogue. He talks in Third Culture Africans about his obsessions with photography.
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Tiwa Works ABOUT TIWA WORKS
Tiwa Works’ positivity has buoyed him into becoming a world-class entrepreneur and leader. An entrepreneur, real estate agent, and motivator, he founded Tiwaworks International, which annually hosts the United States’ largest black Greek letter event, the Atlanta Greek Picnic. It draws over 25,000 people to Atlanta with a $7.5-million impact.
Creating a Multi-Million Dollar Event
Nigerian-British born Tiwa Williams, known better as Tiwa Works, was raised in a family of entrepreneurs. Tiwa makes friends everywhere he goes; his infectious optimism is at the root of his multiple successful business ventures. The most notable is the Atlanta Greek Picnic. Hear how this multi-million-dollar event came about and its legacy.
Tiwa covers a lot of ground in this podcast, with insights on everything from the power of black fraternities and sororities to having the American experience. He speaks about systemic racism, the riots in Atlanta, and fostering the necessary change. He touches on his influences: his parents, Jim Rohn, and others. Learn why you always need to be looking for opportunities and the importance of networking to grow your business.
Highlights of the episode:
- 5:03: What it was like adjusting to the different cultures; some “Coming to America” moments
- 18:52: Getting into fraternity life and how it created the foundation for Tiwa Works
- 35:38: The seed for Atlanta Greek Picnic
- 45:21: Why he started in real estate ahead of the Great Recession of 2007; seizing the opportunity
- 50:30: What entrepreneurship looks like for Tiwa Works
- 57:49: Witnessing the frustration of people after George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement in Atlanta
- 1:02:13: About how the Greek Picnic was already a voice of protest; the implications of the BLM and George Floyd at next year’s event
- 1:04:27: What else can be done to combat racism as African-led brands build and grow across the globe?
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a BSc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, and an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Charles Sekwalor WHO IS CHARLES SEKWALOR?
Charles Sekwalor is a serial entrepreneur and advisor on a mission to change and influence lives through small businesses and investment. Notably, he is the CEO and founder of Movemeback, a community that connects professionals, entrepreneurs, students, and influencers with inspiring opportunities in Africa. He’s on a mission to drive economic and social growth through individuals and organizations.
Connecting Entrepreneurs in Africa
Before big brand names like Uber or Facebook come onto the continent, someone is laying the groundwork. Chale Sekwalor is one of those change-makers. Where ambitious goals and problems turn others away, he embraces the challenge and shows what is possible when we stretch our capacity.
Chale covers a lot of ground, but so has his career. He’s worked for big names like Tesco and McKinsey. He talks about the journey into full-time entrepreneurship and the drive to solve problems. There is some frank talk about financing and the challenges facing businesses. Tune in to learn from Chale’s insights and experiences.
Highlights of the episode:
- 3:13: Reflecting on the diaspora experience while growing up in West London; starting the journey to owning all that makes him a world citizen like the name Charlie and speaking Ga
- 14:34: Getting “itchy feet” syndrome and the start of his investing. The confidence to back himself.
- 17:00: Investing big in real estate, and then the market crashed. Taking a huge chance to make it work.
- 20:37: The side project of finding investors for the property and how he started to discover himself and what can be achieved
- 26:13 Jumping into entrepreneurship and speaking about being in the same organization but having different experiences
- 27:33: About starting Project Nights, Minds Meet, and other side businesses
- 32:39: About pivoting to the African continent and solving problems there; the start of Movemeback, setting up the business, and the benefits of talking to people
- 36:01: The challenges entrepreneurs on the African continent face around launching and scaling; part of the reason for Movemeback
- 40:46: The real impact of Movemeback in Africa and where the platform is today
- 43:47: How do you finance the big goals? Speaking on directing funds to solve the right problems.
- 51:08: The paycheck isn’t impressive, but they have built self-sustaining businesses. A frank talk about salaries and reinvesting in the business.
- 56:19: Discussing the obsession businesses have about raising funds as a way to survive and if it is a valid method to operate
- 1:03:18: The need for a unified African business plan and 500 million jobs for Africa’s economic survival
Mentioned Resources
- Movemeback
- The Continent Group
- AgonyApp
- COS Ventures
- Charles Sekwalor
- Callmechale.com
- Malée
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a BSc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, and an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Aduke Onafowokan
ABOUT ADUKE ONAFOWOKAN
Meet Aduke Onafowokan, a lead associate at Inclusivitii and Founder of The Sister Sister Network. She is passionate about corporate social responsibility and teaching others. Professionally, she works to help leading companies develop and retain talented people while creating inclusive, diverse, and effective teams. With The Sister Sister Network, she helps empower women to tap into their natural abilities and become even more effective leaders.
Finding Opportunities in Diversity Challenges
It’s hard to miss the passion in a conversation with Aduke Onafowokan. A lifelong learner and natural educator, she speaks candidly about inclusivity and diversity in the workforce. Learn her approach to tackling diversity and inclusion in the workforce and how she guides corporations toward seizing opportunities.
She touches on how successful people need a village of support. Aduke Onafowokan is a parent, and she understands the push and pull people feel to juggle their lives. She talks about the importance of emotional education and knowing your worth. Hear what inspired The Sister Sister Network and its growth.
Highlights of the episode:
- 9:43: How she ended up with a law degree and discovering it wasn’t her passion; pursuing a PhD in corporate social responsibility
- 13:39: Meeting her husband, deciding to take a break from school, discovering she liked contracting on project management
- 19:05: About the Sister Sister Network, its inspiration, and how it grew from a small, once-a-year event to forums across the country.
- 24:01: Re-evaluating her priorities with contracting and parenthood. Finding opportunities to speak about diversity and help other organizations become more inclusive.
- 29:28: Moving into learning and development consulting around diversity and inclusion, how you can be a multilayered person.
- 36:43: Why we need our village to be successful and battling our innate vulnerability
- 42:51: What her work in diversity and inclusivity does for companies
- 46:12: Helping identify the challenges and opportunities for inclusivity and diversity
- 56:14: You need to be your own sponsor and know your worth
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Tara Gbolade
Tara Gbolade makes ordinary places extraordinary. Founder of Gbolade Design Studios, she focuses on the community when designing her spaces. As a result, she’s a 2018 RIBA Rising Star Winner and has been tapped to work on council housing projects.
Community First
Zeze and Tara discuss her journey from Nigeria to the UK and her boarding school experiences. Hear about her early career in architecture and what inspired her to start her business. Surrounding herself with the right people spurred her growth.
Her Nigerian roots influence how she views UK spaces. Tara believes in the importance of place-making and the sense of identity that comes with a home. She explains why she thinks about creating social connections when designing spaces. Lastly, she talks about overcoming challenges in launching a new business venture.
In this episode, we talk about:
- 00:00-2:28: Introduction and welcome of Tara Gbolade, a 2018 RIBA Rising Star Winner and founder Gbolade Design Studios
- 2:28-4:12: How they met and correct name pronunciation
- 4:12-6:00 Knowing early on what career she wanted and African parent expectations
- 6:01-7:02: Getting real advice before starting a business
- 7:02-11:44: Early career in architecture and the impetus to launch her business
- 12:02-15:21: Experiences in independence and boarding school away from home
- 16:14-18:17: Surrounding yourself with people consistently driven to create and grow
- 18:17-19:40: Architecture as place-making and bridging the gap between people
- 20:38-22:02: Differences between the UK and Nigerian lifestyles and design
- 22:02-23:43: What has been most challenging in launching her new business
- 23:43-24:32: Connecting with Tara Gbolade
Mentioned Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Hanneli Rupert
ABOUT HANNELI RUPERT
Hanneli Rupert is the trailblazing founder and social impact champion of the sustainable African accessory label Okapi. It’s hailed as a farm-to-fashion concept and works to contribute to rural communities’ development by creating stable, long-lasting jobs. She founded the pioneering Merchants on Long, a store championing authentically made African brands.
Farm to High-End Fashion
Something clear from Hanneli Rupert is her passion for materials and sustainability. She discusses the importance of sustainability sourced materials as a way of investing in communities through jobs and skilled labor. The quality of the craftsmanship always comes to the forefront.
Paired with that is a need to elevate African voices. Hanneli isn’t looking for European heritage products with an African spin; she sources authentically African materials and voices. She discusses how the 2010 World Cup was a fortuitous opportunity to showcase the continent.
She also touches on building supply chains and logically building markets. Hear her take on the importance of creative ventures in the pandemic world.
Highlights of the episode:
- (3:17) The origins of the Okapi brand and Merchants on Long
- (11:07) Being at the forefront of fashion and art and launching successful entrepreneurs in the African fashion scene.
- (14:02) Her goal is to seek artisans and designers who speak with an authentic African voice
- (20:44) Okapi as a brand empowering as many people as possible through sourcing and skilled labor
- (24:58) Discussing why she chooses to work with skins even as culture has shifted to synthetic materials
- (32:12) The importance of a product’s story for the branding and the nuances in the layers
- (44:02) Speaking about the Social Impact Arts Prize and what’s happening with it
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Adebola Williams ABOUT ADEBOLA WILLIAMS
Some call Adebola Williams the man who helped elect three African Presidents. As the CEO and co-founder of Red Africa, a portfolio of youth media brands which includes Statecraft Inc and YNaija, Williams is in the business of nation-building.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
One thing clear after listening to Adebola Williams is a deep-rooted passion for uplifting others. Always the kid concerned about other people, he recognized the power of our voice early on. His relentless drive to find ways to share his voice and help others amplify themselves led him across careers.
Hear from Adebola firsthand about why the focus should always be on the people. He has a true passion for reaching young people and speaking to them using different platforms. Through the conversation, he shares the importance of pursuing what you care about with courage and putting yourself where you want to be.
Highlights of the episode:
- Speaking to Adebola’s superpower to bring attention to African causes and lift people out of inequality (3:45)
- About an inborn passion for helping and encouraging others using his voice (16:11)
- How hanging around the media and building a presence led to becoming a TV presenter, and then a producer (27:48)
- His goal to create platforms that reach and convene young people; speaking about the turmoil and march in Abuja in 2010 and motivating the young people to turn out (30:46)
- His advice for young entrepreneurs and people starting out (37:15)
- Talking about his iconic uniform and why he chooses to wear it (41:25)
Mentioned Resources
- StateCraft Inc
- Rubbing Minds
- Ynaija.com
- Beat Corona Africa
- The FutureAfrica.com
- Malée
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Adora Mba Who is ADORA MBA?
Adora Mba is the founder and director of The Afropolitan Collector, an art advisory platform specializing in contemporary African art. They work with art organizations and clients to find exceptional pieces and promote the growing African art market.
Cultivating African Art on A Global Scale
Adora Mba has a deep love for art. As a child of two cultures, educated in the UK and United States, her travels exposed her to art around the world. In today’s episode, Adora reflects on how her home life inspired her love for art, even if her parents didn’t see it as a career. She talks about working in public relations and journalism and being at forefront of bringing art to the mainstream media.
Along Adora’s journey to founding the Afropolitan Collector, she moved to Ghana. She touches about the country’s rich culture and the role of art in African culture. Adora speaks to new artists and the need to have a story behind the product. She also talks about opportunities that arose from putting herself out there and being willing to take risks.
Highlights of the episode:
- Adora Mba started in public relations, which was a great thing for networking and meeting artists starting their careers (5:55)
- Her ARISE Journalism days; she wanted to be behind the scenes learning. The benefits of being a producer. (11:03)
- Pioneering conversations about art in mainstream media (13:57)
- The importance of taking action on your dreams (22:39)
- Art is a snapshot of a time in our culture; we lack institutions that hold a record of our history (26:44)
- Working with Gucci, how it came about and what happened (33:23)
- Adora Mba’s future plans and projects in Accra (46:49)
Mentioned Resources
- Afropolitian Collector
- ARTX
- One 54
- Malée
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Wale Davies ABOUT Wale Davies
Wale Davies, also known as Tec, is a creative pioneer and figurehead of the independent music scene in Africa. As a musician entrepreneur, he is a record label owner, a production company owner, video and film director, and talent manager.
Making Music with Integrity
Music is not a career most African parents want to see their kids pursuing. That may be why many parents tried to have Wale Davies dissuade their youth from entering the industry. But Wale is the perfect example of living your passion. Music is encoded into his DNA. Through the rap duo Show Dem Camp, this love has become a thriving career.
In Wale Davies’ journey from finance student to musician, you will hear firsthand about hard work, living authentically, and the need to keep learning. He’s added to his skill sets over the years, which has diversified his knowledge base and led to new opportunities.
He will also touch on the advantages of being an independent artist. Learn where he sees the music industry going and how it’s different from when Show Dem Camp started.
Highlights of the episode:
- Music was never Wale Davies’ plan; he didn’t see it as a career (4:52)
- His time at the University of Brighton and university’s ability to expose you to different points of view. (7:21)
- Being raised by a single parent and the foundational lessons he learned from his mother (11:33)
- How he ended up in Nigeria making music (21:39)
- The work behind building a music career; parents asking him to talk their kids out of it and the pushback from peers about choosing music (25:29)
- The source of Wale Davies’ confidence (29:51)
- Deciding to go independent versus signing onto a label; how it increased their skillset and made them more strategic (33:07)
- Comparing how things were before to today’s music industry and streaming distribution; how social media is an amplifier (52:48)
- Wale Davies’ thoughts and hopes on the music industry’s future (1:10:08)
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Efe Edmund Olotu ABOUT EFE EDMUND OLOTU
Efe Edmund Olotu is the CEO of TechAdvance, a fintech infrastructure company that provides platforms to enable transaction processing and payment collection, aggregation, and reconciliation. He is a cutting-edge fintech entrepreneur, having been a founding investor and CEO of other companies like biotech company Novira Therapeutics, Nigeria’s G-Pay Instant Payments, and SuperGeeks Services and Solutions. He has dedicated the last decade to advancing technological solutions for businesses in Africa. The United Nations named Efe one of the 100 Most Influential People of African descent.
ABOUT "Invest In What You Care About"
Listen to Efe Edmund Olotu’s entrepreneurial journey, and the importance of learning, pivoting, and solving problems come to the forefront. Over the decades, his passion for providing solutions has led him to be a leading African entrepreneur. He’s learned from his incredible successes and failures and shares some lessons. Efe hasn’t been afraid to step back to gain experience or change his mind about something.
Hear about some of the challenges facing young African entrepreneurs in raising capital and building an investment infrastructure. He touches on how COVID-19 has exposed business gaps and the need for entrepreneurs to take advantage of them. Finally, hear about Efe’s interesting side hobbies and overcoming his fear of the water.
Highlights of the episode:
- 04:07: Efe Olotu is a pajama CEO
- 14:40: Reflecting on his first startup and the challenges when getting started
- 20:30: Learning about entrepreneurship living in Lagos; the start of SuperGeeks and figuring out how to solve distribution problems
- 29:30: What COVID-19 has meant for his business and gaps it has exposed
- 32:55: Are there opportunities for young African entrepreneurs? Speaking about investing in African businesses and building a venture capital structure.
- 42:28: The importance of evolving and changing your mind as an entrepreneur
- 45:06: The Glenfiddich campaign and conquering his fear of the water
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Lerato Umah-Shaylor ABOUT LERATO UMAH
Lerato Umah-Shaylor is the founder and chef at Lerato Foods and Naturals. She runs immersive supper clubs and culinary classes in London and writes about food for The Guardian in Nigeria. She was a TV chef for Good Morning Nigeria and producer for the show THE BITE.
ABOUT "Passion on a Plate": African Food
Lerato Umah-Shaylor is passionate about celebrating African food traditions with the world. In her career as a food journalist, TV chef, and cookery school owner, she has championed African dishes and making them accessible to the audience. She discusses how she does this through the available kitchen equipment and adjusting the recipes.
Hear her thought processes behind different business decisions she’s made during her career. Everything has been done with the intention to celebrate and start discussions around Africa’s culinary tradition. Lerato celebrates food’s ability to nurture and create relationships with others.
Highlights of the episode:
- How people view the role of professional chef and cook (1:48)
- Her passion for sharing her love of food with others (6:14)
- About the perceived “bastardization” of African cuisine by non-African influencers (22:20)
- Why sharing information about African recipes is important to Lerato (24:33)
- When Lerato Umah-Shaylor decided cooking was her career; being inquisitive about food and cooking from a young age (27:25)
- Talking about her online cooking courses and making the pivot due to COVID-19 (41:08)
- Adjusting the preparation to make sense for different palates (58:02)
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Arieta Mujay ABOUT ARIETA MUJAY
Arieta Mujay is a marketing and communications expert who has worked with brands across the globe. In her continuously evolving career, she’s styled celebrity photoshoots, collaborated with globally renowned artists, founded an agency, contributed to Cosmopolitan Online, and worked for a United Nations incentive.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Behind every famous person, every movement, every cultural shift, there are the people you see. Then there are the influencers you don’t know, but should. Arieta Mujay is a stylist, PR chameleon, and communications guru who has been a pivotal player behind the shifting culture in and about the African community for the last decade. Today’s podcast details her journey from university student to someone who’s worked with people like Kelly Osbourne, Rihanna, and Kelis.
Hear firsthand about how hard work and hustle will take you places. Arieta’s career started by embracing opportunities and being willing to keep learning. Each job and side hustle led to something else, sometimes bigger and more life-changing than before.
She talks about the incredible experience partnering with Rihanna. She also touches on her take on life as a Third Culture African, and how our culture has shifted over these two decades to include more of our voices.
Highlights of the episode:
- An early role model and looking for African names in the industry. Learning to be herself. (6:51)
- How she transitioned from business degree to stylist (10:46)
- Starting on the Visual Merchandising Team; her career connects her with stylists and a fashion editor for the Daily Mirror (21:20)
- The partnership with Rihanna and River Island (28:12)
- About her Boohoo time and working with some smart people; learning the power of the influencer while breaking the internet in Nigeria (41:27)
- A frank conversation about being a Third Culture African and being the foundations for what is happening in the industry now (53:40)
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Chibundu Onuzo ABOUT CHIBUNDU ONUZO
Chibundu Onuzo, Ph.D., is the acclaimed and award-winning author of “The Spider King’s Daughter” and “Welcome to Lagos.” Currently a freelance writer in the UK, she was born in Nigeria. She started writing at 17 and was published by 21.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
If you’re interested in what it takes to become one of the youngest writers named as Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, hear the journey of author Chibundu Onuzo. She started writing her first novel at age 14, and her first book hit the shelves age 21. She discusses her early years writing and creating, her path to traditional publication, the journey since.
Additionally, Chibundu and Zeze dive into meaningful cultural conversations, such as tackling cultural ignorance, what defines “Third Culture African,” and the layered meaning behind the question, “where are you from?”
Highlights of the episode:
- Experiences have added value; understanding the context of the question, “Where are you from?” (9:28)
- The decision to pursue the traditional publishing route over self-publishing and how she went about finding her representation (12:12)
- Realizing how people in the West have this narrow perspective of what Africa is like (27:19)
- Becoming a full-time writer and writing for the screen (35:36)
- Combating ageism in literary circles and what was the hardest part of publishing in the beginning (43:22)
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Trevyn McGowan ABOUT TREVYN McGOWAN and African Design
Trevyn McGowan is a pivotal force behind advancing contemporary African design and presenting it to the world. She’s the founder and co-CEO of The Guild Group, a platform with 12 companies that facilitate international collaborations, hosting art exhibitions, and exporting retail design products. Her mission is to amplify African design’s place in the global marketplace.
ABOUT THE EPISODE: Bringing African Design to a Global Audience
Trevyn breaks down two aspects of her work. First are the collaborations and relationships fostered in the artistic company. She talks about how her role on the business side of art helps artists be creative, the influence of partnerships inside the company and with the community, and fostering an artistic industry in Africa.
The second aspect is about starting, scaling, and running a design business. Listen to how The Guild Group evolved into time and Trevyn McGowan’s advice for others starting their businesses. She shares insights into what it takes to grow an authentic business.
Mentioned Resources
Highlights of the episode:
- Straddling two hemispheres and how her time in the U.K. helped show her what was missing. Moving back to South Africa and starting in the export business (4:04)
- Her gut-punch career moment and the privilege of working with so many different craftsmen (8:56)
- Is Trevyn McGowan creating an artistic industry? (16:45)
- Some advice on running and starting a business; what their endeavor looked like in the beginning (25:31)
- Combating the idea that international work is superior to local work (34:41)
- Trevyn McGowan’s curation process and how her role gives artists the freedom to create (38:38)
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Ernest Danjuma ABOUT ERNEST DANJUMA
Ernest Danjuma is the founding partner of The Denda Group, a brand design and growth hacking company using digital storytelling to elevate startups, small businesses, and social enterprises. During his career, he’s been a construction project manager, writer, engineer, entrepreneur, and business strategist. He is passionate about African-owned businesses and startups.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE: A Journey to Becoming an African Change-Maker
Ernest Danjuma illustrates there is more than one pathway to success. He journeyed from construction management to brand design while building a platform to elevate African voices and issues. Now he uses his influence to highlight vital issues and support Africans.
Ernest is someone recognized for being at the change-making events of the last decade. Learn from him why being present was important. Hear the conversations that changed his perspective on the continent and reshaped his values.
Highlights of the episode:
- Why Ernest Danjuma believes his presence and involvement with change-making events is vital to giving a voice to a voiceless (05:59)
- His background in mechanical engineering and construction and transitioning into politics, writing, and entrepreneurship (12:44)
- How it felt to be recognized for his social entrepreneurship (18:04)
- Ernest uses attention to focus on what issues are significant (23:34)
- The conversations that altered Ernest Danjuma’s approach to Africa (29:48)
- Break from the pressure to find your purpose; understanding life is a journey of decisions (44:21)
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, and an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com.
ABOUT ARESE UGWU
Arese Ugwu is the founder of Smart Money Africa, a personal finance platform targeting millennial Africans, with a mission to educate all Africans about financial literacy. Arese's ground-breaking books, The Smart Money Woman and Smart Money Tribe, are helping young Africans make wiser financial decisions to empower their futures.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
It’s important to Arese Ugwu that women become more self-aware about financial issues. Her passion is rooted in her personal experiences. She had a career in finance, but even with her knowledge about growing wealth and making investments, the reality of managing personal finances was driven home when she became a single mother. From her experiences facing financial challenges, she wants others to learn how to manage their money better.
Hear about how Arese came around to authoring her books and some interesting experiences setting up a tour. She talks about the power of social media and using the platforms she organically built to create her business.
During the conversation, Arese talks about peer pressure as a detriment to saving and investing. A key theme is spending should be a reflection of your values and not spending like society thinks you should.
Listen to this episode for Arese Ugwu’s advice about personal finances and what she has learned from starting her business.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
It’s important to Arese Ugwu that women become more self-aware about financial issues. Her passion is rooted in her personal experiences. She had a career in finance, but even with her knowledge about growing wealth and making investments, the reality of managing personal finances was driven home when she became a single mother. From her experiences facing financial challenges, she wants others to learn how to manage their money better.
Hear about how Arese came around to authoring her books and some interesting experiences setting up a tour. She talks about the power of social media and using the platforms she organically built to create her business.
During the conversation, Arese talks about peer pressure as a detriment to saving and investing. A key theme is spending should be a reflection of your values and not spending like society thinks you should.
Listen to this episode for Arese Ugwu’s advice about personal finances and what she has learned from starting her business.
Highlights of the episode:
- The power of story as a medium for learning (2:38)
- Why having a saving and investment mindset is so important and the dichotomy of mindsets (6:32)
- What is financial independence for a woman? (9:51)
- Building wealth is about balancing two levers (13:42)
- We need to become more aware of our personal values and how they relate to our spending habits (17:18)
- Africa will humble you quickly. Some advice for navigating your career or business. (22:15)
- Arese Ugwu’s journey to authoring her books (23:23)
- Creating creative with her book launch and how it’s launching opportunities (31:04)
- Our problems with finances are more universal than we think (36:48)
- A discussion about pirates stealing digital works and its impact on the creators (41:29)
Mentioned Resources
Arese Ugwu's Bio
In print, online, on screen, and in person, Arese is leading the charge in guiding young Africans as they start their journey to financial literacy. The success of her first book ‘The Smart Money Woman’ led her to a wildly successful Pan-African book tour and spawned ‘The Smart Money Woman’ television series, of which she is Executive Producer.
She is also the co-executive producer and host of BusinessDay's The Bridge, a contributor to multiple publications, a sought-after speaker on the continent and serves on several boards including for House of Tara, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation as a non-executive director and is an associate member of WIMBIZ.
Her experience working in wealth management in Nigeria led her to build the Smart Money Africa brand, a multimedia Financial education platform purpose-built to facilitate African millennials’ conversations about investments, wealth, entrepreneurship, and employment that motivate young people to learn new, diverse ways to earn, keep and grow wealth.
She holds an MSc in Economic Development from University College London (UCL) and a BSc in Business and Management from Aston Business School, Birmingham. She is also an alumna of the of the Lagos Business School, INSEAD Abu Dhabi, and The London School of Business executive education programs.
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management, where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a BSc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, and an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com.
Fisayo Longe ABOUT THIS EPISODE WITH FISAYO LONGE
Fisayo Longe dives into her history and evolution from a corporate background in accounting to a fashion-preneur. She talks about seeking her degree, being kicked out of university, and if the education is worth it.
A large part of her brand has been inviting others into her life. She didn’t start blogging with the intention to monetize and grow a brand; it evolved naturally. Fisayo nurtured her passion for fashion and travel into a career. Being her true self has been a way for her to be creative and empower others.
Hear Fisayo Longe’s advice about blogging as a destination. She shares her advice on monetizing the blog and why authenticity matters.
Episode Highlights:
- Her experiences seeking a degree and an inferiority complex - 8:25
- Fisayo was kicked out of university because she was busy starting her business - 12:34
- Fisayo Longe’s thoughts on creativity - 18:10
- Finding how being her true self on the Mirror Me platform empowers others - 23:14
- Her passion for making women feel powerful and embrace who they are - 24:34
- Fisayo Longe gives advice on monetizing blogging - 29:16
- What our work lives looks like currently with the pandemic - 46:07
- The importance of connectivity and transparency in what you do - 49:40
ABOUT FISAYO LONGE
Fisayo Longe is the owner and creative director of Kai Collective; a womenswear brand described by ELLE UK as ‘transcending trends’. After three years as an accountant at KPMG, she set out to focus on building her personal brand as a fashion, travel and lifestyle content creator through which she has collaborated with brands such as Nike, Google, Lancome, Facebook and Aldo. She now teaches aspiring creative entrepreneurs how to transition from content creators to profitable entrepreneurs through her initiative, the Clan of Creatives and has shared her insight on panels at Cambridge University, Warwick University, and the Ernst & Young foundation.
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans.
Afua Osei ABOUT AFUA OSEI
Meet Afua Osei, the co-founder of Motherland Mogul Media which comprises of digital media platform She Leads Africa and the networking SLAY Festival. Her work reaches over 700,000 women across the world. Forbes Africa listed her as one of the youngest power women in Africa in 2014.
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Afua Osei has an interesting backstory as someone born in the United States to immigrant parents who now lives in Nigeria. In this episode, she talks about the differences in her parents as immigrants and immigration today.
Listen to what inspired her evolution as someone passionate about Africa and women. Afua has a positive mindset rooted in faith. While her work as brought accolades, she believes in lifting up others and giving them space to shine.
Afua and Zeze also get real about what entrepreneurship means to your pocketbook. The successful entrepreneurs are motivated by purpose more than financial reward. Afua gives advice for someone starting a business and why you should enjoy the process.
Highlights of the episode:
- What is She Leads Africa and its visions (4:17)
- About the SLAY Festival and its community-building aspiration (6:44)
- Afua’s early years and what influenced her evolution as someone passionate about Africa and women (8:46)
- What Afua gained from attending business school and working with McKinsey Africa (17:04)
- Afua on the value of letting other people shine and being helpful to others through mentoring (27:16)
- Being real about being broke (33:08)
- How Afua Osei found her purpose as an entrepreneur (37:14)
- Afua’s advice for someone starting their business (40:09)
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management, where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips, and more on her website Zezeonline.com.
Rozan Ahmed and Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao About Rozan Ahmed
Rozan Ahmed is a visionary, humanitarian, writer, and much more. Throughout her life journey, she’s become a bold force for change. She advocates for the arts, a cultural ambassador, and exemplar of the African Renaissance.
About this episode
Rozan Ahmed is a champion of finding your voice and living your authentic self. In this podcast, learn from Rozan’s journey as an immigrant refugee to a leading voice in the global African story. She talks about her experiences in Grime culture, moving onto the next medium, and the inspirations behind her various endeavors.
Ownership of the African Renaissance is something currently on Rozan’s radar. What does it mean to be an African today? How can Africans be a part of the conversation instead of having labels thrown our way?
In this episode, we talk about:
- 00:00: Introducing guest Rozan Ahmed
- 4:19: The early journey of Rozan and “Grime” culture
- 9:53: Diving into Rozan’s early background in Kuwait and the UK; visiting Sudan and its influence on her
- 12:39: Bringing together her intersectional school of thought.
- 14:42: Discussing how she found her way across different mediums
- 17:15: Rozan finds her way to encouraging and championing local voices
- 19:19: What does owning the African story really mean?
- 20:55: Getting real about the financial aspect of what Rozan does
- 24:16: Being a disruptor before “disruption” was a thing
- 27:42: Choosing the service model over building wealth then sharing
- 30:11: On the African Renaissance, which Rozan sees as an ongoing process
- 35:01: Breaking away from labels and discovering your true self
- 38:36: What entrepreneurship really means
- 40:24: Equalizing the global African movement
- 44:11: The relationship between identity and economy
- 45:36: Rozan’s proper name pronunciation
- 46:44: Where to find Rozan and wrap up
Mentioned Resources
ABOUT ZEZE ORIAIKHI-SAO
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management, where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is a mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program Director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends, and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine, and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com.
Multimedia
Zeze Oriaikhui-Sao and Michelle De Klerk About Michelle De Klerk
Michelle De Klerk is the founder of The Women’s Chapter, a movement for women in business to connect, inspire, and thrive. An entrepreneur herself, she’s also built careers as a journalist, marketing director, and business development consultant.
About this episode
Listen to Michelle discuss her inspiration and reason for founding The Women’s Chapter. She covers the validation for the work and the need for women in high-impact careers to support each other.
Michelle De Klerk talks about how her various career roles influenced the entrepreneur she is today. Michelle touch on what it’s like being a parent, managing a career, and starting a business. She discusses how parenthood enhances the entrepreneurial service mindset.
In this
episode, we talk about:
- 00:00 - Introducing guest Michelle De Klerk
- 1:15 - How Zeze and Michelle first met
- 3:06 - The history behind The Women’s Chapter, a platform for supporting and showcasing women-led businesses
- 8:09 - How Michelle saw the need for a women’s platform and figuring out how to scale in a way that made sense
- 11:27 - What is validation for her Women’s Chapter work
- 15:01 - The challenges behind supporting women in business
- 19:12 - Michelle’s early career in journalism, marketing, and business development
- 20:04 - The influence of her Mom and Dad’s work ethic
- 23:33 - Back to the evolution of her career, the SARS epidemic impact, landing in commodities, and circling around journalism
- 27:34 - Discussion on how entrepreneur have a service mindset
- 29:11 - The demands of running a business and motherhood
- 31:57- Facing work discrimination as a new mother
- 33:57 - How becoming a mother enhances career aspirations, not detracts, and the role entrepreneur plays in finding a system that works
- 35:59 - Meeting Mother Teresa
- 37:05 - Circling back around to Michelle’s professional evolution
- 40:02-42:30: Thoughts about fear being a good thing and tackling fears first
- 42:31 - The recent “aha” moment
- 44:33 - Name pronunciation segment
- 46:07 - How to find Michelle and the Women’s Chapter online
Mentioned Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao and Ifeanyi Oganwu Ifeanyi Oganwu is the founder of Expand Design Ltd, a London-based studio with a unique take on architecture and furniture design. His work fuses craftsmanship and digital technology inspired by the world around him.
Now celebrating ten years, Ifeanyi Oganwu offers insights into his design process. They cover his background, influences, and unique approach to materials. While we view his work aesthetically, Ifeanyi has a more mathematical and formal way of discussing his work. He sees himself as separate from what he produces.
Learn where Ifeanyi has been and where the next ten years will take him!
In this episode, we talk about:
- 00:00: Welcome and introductions to Ifeanyi Oganwu
- 1:27: Discussing why Ifeanyi started Expand Design, his futurist creations, and celebrating craftsmanship
- 5:24: Ifeanyi’s thought process behind designing and sustainability
- 10:23: Having a “hands off” approach in his work
- 12:43: How long the process takes and working through roadblocks
- 13:45: Separating himself from the work and its accolades
- 16:24: What Expand Design means and the influences of his travels
- 18:56: Ifeanyi’s background, moving from Nigeria to Chicago for university
- 21:45: Being experimental in his childhood
- 23:47: Early artistic influences from Benin
- 26:17: The “maths” in life; how mathematics plays a role in design
- 27:31: Not really caring about who’s bought his work and a pinch-me moment
- 29:57: Making the decision to start his business and what’s next
- 32:53: Advice for those considering exploring materials and design
- 33:56: Where to find Ifeanyi Oganwu’s work in the real world and digitally
- 37:40: The correct pronunciation of his name
- 39:19: Thanks and wrap-up
Mentioned
Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao and Winifred Awa Winifred Awa is the CEO and Founder of Antidote Street, a global beauty marketplace for multi-cultural women. She talks to Zeze about the relationship women of color have with their hair. Along the way, she dives into her personal history and discovering her natural hair. Winifred discusses how Antidote Street is bringing the salon experience for women of color into the modern era.
Winnie didn’t start in the beauty industry. She originally was an analyst with IBM Business Consulting Services. She stepped into the industry working with Net-a-Porter as a Strategic Program Manager. Winifred Awa discusses the pivot and the need for the work of her hands to have a real impact. Learn about the beginnings of Antidote Street and advocating for her business.
In this episode with Winifred Awa, we talk about:
- 00:00: Introduction of Winifred
Awa - 2:13: Winifred’s impetus for
starting her business Antidote Street and discovering her natural hair - 4:43: Women’s relationship with
hair, especially as a woman of color - 7:28: The frustration of having people not knowing what
they’re doing, and how understanding allows you to make decisions from a place
of power - 11:01: Bringing the experience for
women of color into the 21st century with excellent formulation and
packaging - 14:01: The ritual of hair
- 15:05: How Winifred ended up
studying management technology and a career in management consultancy - 21:15: Pivoting into e-commerce
working with brands like Net-a-Porter - 25:50: Putting out a salon
manifesto and putting the fashion industry to task. Inviting people to have a
conversation about the industry - 29:45: About the five-point
manifesto and staying accountable - 31:57: Tapping into our
experiences as third culture kids - 33:24: Realizing she wanted the work of her hands to
have an impact - 36:22: The beginnings of Antidote
Street, the hair lab, and advocating for the right location. - 40:42: Diving into creating a
fashion label andVerv alongside the hair industry; creating black vintage
glamour; being at London Fashion Week’s Discovery Lab
Mentioned Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao and Misan Harriman Misan Harriman, a jack of all trades. Currently gaining attention for his photojournalism, he’s captured images of high-profile celebrities such as Princess Beatrice’s engagement photos. But he’s more complex than an eye behind a lens.
Misan’s excelled in various industries:
He is a content curator, consultant, social strategist, and more. He’s made waves in digital publishing and social media as the founder of What We Seee, a platform of curated, inspirational stories from an array of voices.
Misan Harriman breaks down his roots, starting with boarding school and dropping out of university. He works through what he learned as a club promoter, his experiences as a headhunter pre-recession, and moving into the digital publishing landscape. Misan discusses the importance of authenticity and how we’ve lost track of the power of the internet.
Misan sees his platform as a way to elevate
the promise of the human conditions. He doesn’t shy away from activism or
invoking cultural conversations. They briefly touch on the pressures of
cultural heritage, the role of privilege, and giving opportunities to others to
excel.
In this
episode, we talk about:
- 00:00: Welcome and introduction of Misan Harriman
- 3:03: How Misan and Zeze first met around 2007
- 6:463: Recounting Misan’s early days after dropping out of university running club promo nights
- 9:14: Work as a headhunter before the 2008 recession
- 11:12-12:46: The oil business in Nigeria and time with Nokero
- 12:47: Their parents and the opportunities they had when they moved back to Nigeria
- 14:32: Being sent to boarding school and experiences there
- 18:05: Evolving into the digital publishing landscaping
- 22:13: Technology’s power, the arrogance of youth, and recognizing privilege
- 25:39: Publishing with empathy and a human algorithm
- 30:28: You never know the impact sharing your story makes
- 32:45: Using What We Seee as a platform for activism and content that matters
- 36:28: Misan’s correct name pronunciation
- 38:00: Misan’s natural icebreaker tendencies and a few dating tricks
- 42:07: Celebrities he’s photographed and his starstruck fanboy moment
- 44:51: Photojournalism around the world and his Saudi Arabia experience
- 46:34: How to find Misan and What We Seee
- 47:29: His experience as a father and how having a child educated him more about women’s issues
- 50:01: Tapping into your empathy engine and living an authentic life
- 55:40: You have to grow and carefully choose what you put into your mind
- 58:27: Episode wrap-up
Mentioned Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao and Touria El-Glaoui Touria El-Glaoui is the founder of 1-54, the first leading international art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Touria takes us a journey from her Moroccan heritage to a career in finance in the United States, to rediscovering the vibrant African art world.
1-54
In creating 1-54, Touria El-Glaoui ’s mission is to give contemporary African art the platform and voice it deserves. She talks about its creation, navigating early obstacles, and important decisions that set 1-54 up for success. 1-54 created a market that wasn’t present at its launch in 2013.
Touria gives advice for emerging African artists and 1-54’s role in inspiring the next generation. She talks about while having a good partner could be helpful, it’s important to know you can do things as an independent woman.
In this
episode, we talk about:
- 00:00-3:54: The origins and growth of 1-54
- 04:28-7:51: What 1-54 is about and creating a market that wasn’t yet there
- 7:51- 12:33 Touria’s background, being raised as the daughter of two creative people and granddaughter of a Pasha of Marrakesh
- 12:34-15:56: Creating standards for 1-54 and pushing back against expected roles
- 15:57-20:55: Touria’s past career in finance in the United States, and returning to Morrocco as a repatriated African selling infrastructure
- 20:56-22:50: Discovering creativity on the African continent not seen elsewhere
- 22:51-24:16: Working on an ongoing project of her father’s work and how it informed the creation of 1-54
- 24:17-26:35: Our responsibility as African entrepreneurs and providing a platform for its voices
- 26:36-33:40: Overcoming some sponsorship and investment obstacles to grow the brand
- 33:40-35:21: How having great advisors with business experience to guide at the beginning helped her make smart brand choices
- 35:22-37:41: Learning to work and negotiate with vendors
- 37:42-41:02: Earning accolades in Forbes and how to approach media interest
- 41:03-47:18: Touria’s advice for young and emerging artists; using 1-54 as a goal to shoot for
- 47:19-51:44: Fielding questions about family and partnerships, but knowing you can do things independently
- 51:56-53:38: Correct pronunciation of Touria
- 53:38-55:42: Where to connect with Touria and 1-54
Mentioned Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Eva Sonaike and Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao Meet Eva Sonaike, the person behind the luxury interior design company of the same name. Her home textiles and furnishings have a vibrant West-African aesthetic with high-quality manufacturing and hand-finished designs.
Today she discusses how her early career in fashion journalism helped her gain the confidence to launch her brand. She has long been passionate about African fabrics and design but started in interior design from scratch. Learn why she chose to use her name as the company name and why it’s important to never compromise on your standards.
Eva draws on
her background. She was born to Nigerian parents in Germany and adopted by a
German family. Embracing different cultures is important to her, and what drew
her to the UK. She reflects on breaking barriers and becoming mainstream. The
chat ends with a discussion on finding the balance between home and work
demands.
In this episode, we talk about:
- 00:00-1:54: Introducing Eva Sonaike
- 1:52-2:31: Correct pronunciation of her name
- 2:32-3:34: How she started in her business; why using her name as the brand name
- 3:34-4:45: Eva’s upbringing in Germany and her Nigerian background
- 4:45-6:15: Learning to work with textiles and creating fabrics
- 6:17-7:26: Early interest in interior design, but taking time to build confidence
- 7:27-10:32 Searching for a multicultural city; making the move to the UK
- 10:32-13:21: Reflections on what has been achieved, breaking barriers and crossing over into the mainstream.
- 13:21-17:49: Being unapologetically African and staying true to her brand standards
- 17:50- 19:47: How she was able to get started with interior design; you need to keep learning to be successful in business
- 19:48- 21:26: Myths about entrepreneurship and finding success
- 21:26-23:45: Balancing sustainability and quality in business choices
- 23:46-24:55: Finding ways to inspire and lift up others
- 24:55-27:37: Attending trade shows and if they are the way going forward
- 27:38- 29:27: The interesting customer demographic and person who likes her work
- 29:27- 32:30: Making tough choices when balancing work and home life; the need for support networks
- 32:31- 33:37 What’s next for Eva’s collection
- 33:38-35:08: How to find Eva and the wrap-up
Mentioned
Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage. Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
About Ayo Adeyinka
Ayo Adeyinka is the founder of TAFETA galleries. Today Ayo is a recognized specialist in modern and contemporary African arts, but he started in the financial world. Dive into Ayo’s early years and influences to hear his journey from accounting to art consulting and founding TAFETA.
About the episode
The discussion turns to Africa’s rich cultural
history as a launching point for contemporary and modern artists. They tackle
what it means to be a third culture African and how Africans around the globe
are reconnecting with their roots.
Additionally, Ayo and Zeze discuss the work behind growing and running a thriving brand. What does putting the customer first mean in their business? Learn why TAFETA values building communities and relationships.
Highlights of the episode
- What is a Third Culture African? Understanding and appreciating that we have diverse cultures - 7:19
- Creating businesses with a purpose and serving the customer - 11:41
- Ayo’s early life and handling the financial responsibilities of starting a business - 13:35
- Staying mobile for success. Why having a funded business builds confidence with investors and viewing art as an investment - 31:19
- Enjoying the modern era of African art and the documenting of traditional culture; Africans across the globe reconnecting with their roots - 37:26
- Finding leaders that look like you in all fields for inspiration and mentorship - 43:31
Mentioned Resources
About Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao
Zeze Oriaikhi-Sao attended Grenoble Ecole De Management where she received a Master’s in International Business. She also holds a Bsc (Hons) in Informatics. She is mother, an international and entrepreneurial leader. The Founder and Managing director of Malée Natural Science; Africa’s 1st global luxury fragrance and body care brand operating across two continents with products available in 9 countries in wholesale, B2B, Hospitality, E-commerce and travel retail. An advisory board member and Program director at INNOCOS, the world beauty innovations summit as well as a consultant and international speaker and beauty industry expert on the luxury beauty and cosmetics industry, sustainability practices, innovation, disruption, trends and brand heritage.
Featured in international TV and Media publications such as CNN, The Telegraph, Grazia, ELLE Magazine, Glamour, Oprah Magazine and Atlanta Post. She is a pioneer of Female owned luxury business in Africa and is passionate about innovation. Zeze is the host of the pioneering podcast Third Culture Africans. She shares entrepreneurial tips and more on her personal website Zezeonline.com
Every Monday starting February 10th, join me as I sit down with culture changers, industry disruptors to learn about their journeys. The challenges and obstacles they have overcome to achieve their success and living with purpose.
