Latest / Masterminds Podcast / Networking Is NOT What You Think: Peace Hyde Exposes the Truth || Masterminds Podcast EP23

Transcript

Networking Is NOT What You Think: Peace Hyde Exposes the Truth || Masterminds Podcast EP23 · Masterminds Podcast

• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: People often change credentials, but the real multiplier isn't your resume, it's your relevance, and relevance is built through relationships.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: To discuss networking today, we talked to Pete Howard.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Peace Howard is a Ghanaian British media powerhouse, an award-winning producer, journalist, and entrepreneur, the creator and executive producer of Netflix's first African reality series, Young Famous in Africa.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Beyond Netflix, she's also the head of digital media and partnerships at Fox Africa.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: Hi, P Side.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for having me, Richie.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: I think I owe you that introduction.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: No, but honestly, I have to let you know.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: I love your journey.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I remember hitmaker days, you know, when you would be hosting, I'll think, oh, this girl's good.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And as much as I could think, I'll say she has a great career in hosting.
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Then you vanished.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, hey, where's Peace Hyde?
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: I don't hear from Peace Hyde, I don't see Peace Hyde anymore.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: The next thing I see, boom.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: Young, famous African, and Pete Hyde is the executive producer.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, what?
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: How did that transition happen?
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: Um, first of all, I think it's a God journey.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: Um, because you can plan, but God laughs.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I really thought, to be honest, um, when I relocated to Ghana that I was coming to try to enter in the media space and see where I fit in.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_01: There was no master plan, um, but I had a very big passion for the media industry on a whole.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I think initially working in front of the camera was very key because I needed to be able to understand how that mechanism works, what it's like to build your brand, your name, your presence.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I became very intrigued behind the scenes about how the whole industry works, the team, the crew, how to actually build an organization, how to build a brand narrative, how to project stories.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_01: And so as I kind of develop my qualifications, as I develop my experiences, I started just realizing that there's so much more to it than just the fame and the bright lights.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, by God's grace, it's been from one place to another, but we've managed to slowly be getting there and writing.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and for me, I think my ultimate passion is really just telling stories about excellent people, creating platforms for excellent people to shine.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I don't believe that what we do today is in isolation.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_01: Everything that you're doing are literally the droplets and the pages of the books that your children will read in the future.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: And so if I can play an active role about creating platforms and opportunities for exemplary Africans and black people to be celebrated on a global stage, then that for me would be almost like a love letter to my future children and their friends because they'll realize that we weren't great in isolation, we were great as a people, um, and we were great because it was in our DNA, and that's something that's extremely passionate to me.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: So now you see, I understand your success fully because I always tell people the only way to succeed is if your purpose is bigger than you.
• 3:15
  SPEAKER_00: So hearing you talk about what you want to achieve for everyone makes me understand the journey.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: Because your growth is like it's incremental and it's steady.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_01: I got praise.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when people talk about networking, most people are talking about, you know, oh, I'm a crowd champion, or you know, in my country, everybody knows me.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: You've transcended, like you've actually networked across continents.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, how did you start that journey from being like, let's say, from nobody knowing you yet to now having connections globally?
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, I started in the UK.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_01: I was a teacher, a science teacher.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_01: So my kids knew me.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: Well done, kids.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: When I started when I decided to venture into the media space, originally, as I said, there was no plan.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but as I got my master's in journalism, my master's in digital media and communication, I started realizing with the acquisition of knowledge, um, I needed to kind of put myself in rooms that would challenge the new skill sets that I'm acquiring.
• 4:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so when I started working for Forbes Africa, I was a journalist in Ghana.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_01: Um, the goal wasn't really about networking, it was just really about telling stories about amazing Africans.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I noticed that as I kept meeting people, as I kept building relationships with them that went beyond the interview and was more about value exchange and what business opportunities we could do, or what they were interested in doing that I could help facilitate and amplify.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_01: I just realized that there was so much more that could be done.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_01: And as I met so many people, because it was literally my job to be on an aeroplane, I used to tell people I live in my suitcase because I was always on a plane going somewhere for an interview, for a shoot, for a documentary.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: And so I realized that um no man is an island.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and there are people who can achieve great things by bringing them together, but they're on the opposite sides of the world and have no clue each other exist.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: And so, by being privileged to be in contact with these types of people at different levels and different spheres, I was able to just say, Well, why don't we try and get you in this space and see what could happen?
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_01: Or why don't we tell your story and see who would see your story and be inspired and say, look, maybe something incredible can happen.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: And I think for me, that's been something that's extremely passionate for me.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, connecting the dots and connecting us as Africans, but more importantly, setting the stage to let people know that Africans and black people are amazing individuals.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: And we are amazing, united together in what we create, in what we do, and how we show up in the world, regardless of what we face, whether it's economics, whether it's our government, whether it's financial, whether it's our resources, no matter where we are in the world, we find a way to thrive.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think being able to show that collective in all the different projects, whether it's Forbes Africa TV, whether it's my numerous articles over the years, or even now Netflix shows, it's always to just celebrate and push that message because that's what I believe in fundamentally.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: I can really see how much of a storyteller you are.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, this is where we're all like that.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: So, but I two things struck me when you were talking.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: You mentioned value and relationships.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: But there's something I've noticed when most people try and network, they make networking feel more transactional than actually trying to build relationships.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_00: So, what mindset shifts do you think people need to understand that?
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_01: I think when you look at transactional versus rich relationships, you need to understand, first of all, what you're trying to gauge from that community or that connection you've created.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_01: Um, if we look at it, for example, in a business sense, a brand like a McDonald's, for example, does not need necessarily a relationship of quality.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: They just need a strong brand message and for you to believe in their brand message and build a relationship with their brand message.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_01: So by default, there's a lot of nuances that they would leave out.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: Now, if you're an entrepreneur trying to build a brand that you want to scale up and not necessarily be the face of it, then that type of method where you make sure that the relationship with your brand is solid and its consumers is perfect, but it is more of a transactional leaning dynamic then.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: When you're now working with individuals, though, it's very different because people are humans.
• 7:39
  SPEAKER_01: We connect with human beings.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_01: When the business is finished, we'll talk about your relationships, we'll talk about marriage, we'll talk about family, we'll talk about lovely Lulu, yourself.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_01: We will talk about those things.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: And so I think it's really first of all about understanding the type of connection I want to have with you.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_01: If it's a purely professional connection and I just want to do my business and go, then you have to really focus on bringing value to that dynamic.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_01: Nothing more but pure, concentrated, distilled value, which means that your presence and your impact of your work will speak for you much more louder than anything else.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: And when you leave that room, they will need you for those opportunities, or they will need you because you are the fuel in their car.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_01: If you're trying to build and maybe you're not established enough to have as much value as you'd like to be able to offer that person, then you need commitment, you need time, you need um flexibility, you need humility, you need to be able to say, Look, do you want me to go and pick up this?
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_01: Do you want me to almost like an intern?
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: You have to be available and you have to be useful.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because that's still a value that you're offering.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: Precisely.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_01: You have to be useful, but almost in this the the more day-to-day necessities of life.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so it depends really on the type of what do I have to bring to this relationship or connection, and also how confident I am I in what I have to offer.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: And then once you can identify which tier or which area you enter into, then that will be what can help lead whether your relationship will become more of a value exchange, more transactional.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: But make sure you have the underlining of the right character.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: I think integrity, reputation, your values and morals, um how you navigate certain spheres, whether it's financial, whether it's when you're meeting important people, how you conduct yourself, all of those slight, slightly unspoken ways of communicating and navigating life also set the tone for you.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes your value is just that you're a trustworthy person and you don't play nonsense games.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so by default, identify that in yourself, identify what you want in that connection, and then move accordingly.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: So that's great.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: So now you're talking about the fact that before you go into a relationship, before you actually start networking, you need to know your value.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_00: You need to build yourself up so you have something to offer.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of people don't understand this part.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: So, like you go into a party, you meet people, and you're so focused on just getting to meet them without thinking, am I actually affecting this person's life in any way?
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_03: 100%.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like um in a conversation with Kojo Soba, he kept mentioning the fact that one of the most stressful things is being friends with rich people because what do you have to offer this person who has everything?
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: So you must really build your value.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: But what about the reverse?
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: When you are selecting somebody to build a relationship with or to network with, do you also consider the likeness with that person or if that person actually has like some intrinsic value to offer you aside the transactional need?
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: Or is it that, okay, I can do business with this person, so let's be friends.
• 10:46
  SPEAKER_00: Which which is it?
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: I think you have to decide what matters more to you as an individual.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you know, some people are very money focused.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: So by default, they gravitate to the wealth, they gravitate to the money.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_01: And if they don't see that, they don't see a value in you.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: True.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: There are some people that may just connect with your work ethic and how you've managed to build yourself.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_01: And they don't even have a plan.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: They just want to speak to you and see what happens.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: And neither one is wrong.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: Because everybody has an appetite or what works for them.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_01: And if you try to operate in a capacity that is not authentic to you, it comes across.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_01: So if I'm a really transactional type of person and I try to act like I actually care about your life, I'm like, You can tell.
• 11:30
  SPEAKER_01: Ah, you can tell.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_01: And it's so annoying because they'll be like, Yeah, how was your weekend?
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_01: And they're not listening.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: They're going, so you you people pick up on those sort of non-verbal cues.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_01: So I really believe in being authentic in yourself.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_01: I also don't think that there's nothing wrong with actually just meeting someone and thinking, I respect you, I actually admire you, and I'd like to know who you are, and maintain a respectable dynamic, but at the same time be intentional about being in that person's life, whether it's just checking on them, making sure that, oh, what are you working on?
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: Is there a way I can add value?
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_01: If you're someone who's in a maybe not as wealthy or not as successful or not as experienced in the field that the person you're trying to connect with is.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_01: You have to also be mindful though, when you are building relationships, not to come across a bit like a creep, to be honest.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_04: Desperate.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_01: Where it's like, I mean, you're you're I've been breathing on you, I've been you know, preying on this picture and you can't be doing that.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you have to, you know, you have to also understand there's not a human being alive that doesn't have value.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, we get confused sometimes, it may just not be valuable to you, precisely, yeah, but we get confused sometimes and we look at these super successful big names, and one of the most successful or one of the most powerful people you will meet, there was a point where no one would even pay attention to them.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: And they had to be intentional about how they conducted themselves and how they chose their path of growth.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I always believe as well that sometimes your mistake can be that you're just looking at the chairman, chairman, chairman, and you're not really paying attention to actually the person who has value.
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_01: Because not everyone with the big name and big title has value for you.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_01: It actually is just a person thing.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_01: And so try to connect with people that actually have a connection and a value with you authentically, not necessarily running after the most hyped or the most um successful or perceived successful person.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think one thing about being authentic is also being authentic about who you actually network with.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, sometimes if the connection isn't there and you force it, yeah, it just feels so wrong.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: And that's when you come across looking very desperate, because it's like they can tell.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_00: When you're checking on the person, they can tell, yeah, oh, you don't mean this, do you?
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: At all.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's totally true.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I've I've met people where um that are extremely influential, and I've made zero attempts to speak to them, and zero attempt to follow up.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: And people have said, Oh, have you spoken to this person?
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: I said, No, I don't even know what their number is.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_01: And they're like, Wow.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: But after a year or two, I've bumped in that person again, we got speaking again, and nothing happened.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_01: Five years down the line, I've bumped into you again, I've seen you at a few events, and they said, Oh, you know, I saw something you did, and I want to talk to you about it.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: And they came to me, and it was the last thing I was expecting.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: I was there was no strategy to this.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_01: I just felt like if I have no value to offer, I'm not going to come and just put myself in your face, you know.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_01: Uh, I think they call it a home shash in Ghana, where they they put themselves, oh, chama.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: I don't do that.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: I think that, you know, I I really believe in leading and living by faith.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_01: And I think there's a lot of people that you can admire.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: I've admired your work for years when I first came to Ghana.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, I think.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: But we never connected.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I knew that I've I'm very confident to almost a point of arrogance in what God's plan for my life is.
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_01: So I meet amazing people and I'm very blessed to have that experience.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: But I always trust in God's timing and how He connects to dots at the right time.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: Because meeting the right person at the wrong time can end up with you closing a door that God had planned for you much later in a much greater way.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: So you shouldn't force it.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think you should.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_01: I think you should be intentional.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: But when it feels like you're just, you know, almost harassing someone, yeah.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_01: I think sometimes you need to kind of go back to the drawing board and say, Well, why is it coming across like this?
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: Because also you have to understand if I have to almost nag you for that breakthrough or for that audience, it could also be a point where that person is not also ready to receive you right now.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: So what you will go for will be much more not in line with what actually was supposed to be for you.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and that is a problem, also, if you're a transactional person, because you're only looking at currency and you're not understanding that sometimes the most powerful thing a person can do is go, I know this person.
• 16:01
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they can mention your name in a room that can set you like for life.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_01: Most definitely, most definitely.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: There's certain deals I've received, and when I was told the person who recommended me, I was like, What?
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I've met this person once in my life, but just because of the one conversation we had at an event, they recommended me.
• 16:22
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's not always about you have to be best friends with everybody.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: No, and if you even think about it, think about your friendship circles, the people you're most closest to.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, the level of the way in which you would navigate that relationship would not be the same as someone professionally.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_01: If I'm in my house and I'm dancing to Chris Brown and whatever, you're not gonna think, oh, that's a great person to execute this multimillion.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to also remember that there's a reason why you have layers in your life.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 16:55
  SPEAKER_01: And someone, what you're like in your private life, doesn't have to necessarily be like what you're like in the office, but at the same time, make sure that you use discernment and how close do you want to get to that person and take time.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_01: It shouldn't be, I met you today, and by Saturday I'm sitting in your house painting with your kids and trying to be best of your your wife or your sister.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's you have to also be realistic because life is long, God willing.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_01: And so there's no need to rush, it's about taking your time, and most importantly, we tend to kind of navigate looking outside of ourselves, but just stop for a minute and say, Well, why would you want to talk to me?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, very good question.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_01: Why would you want to know me?
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it even applies to dating.
• 17:40
  SPEAKER_01: Why would you want to date me?
• 17:42
  SPEAKER_01: Um, put it put it all into that kind of zone, and you'll start realizing sometimes the work is not to get in front of that chairman or chairwoman.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes it's to go back to school and study.
• 17:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, sometimes it's to build yourself.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: Build yourself so that you are someone they want to even talk to or be affiliated with.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_00: True, true.
• 17:59
  SPEAKER_00: So many people do that.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, in my position as like a label boss, I have a lot of calls of sign me, sign me, sign me.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_00: And most of them aren't actually thinking, why?
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like, there's a million Ghanaians who do good music that can be signed.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_00: Why you?
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_00: Why you?
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, what are you doing for yourself?
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_00: What are you building that adds value to me?
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_00: And it goes the same way for everybody.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_00: I remember I had a meeting with an artist once, um, they were recommended, they were talking about signing and everything.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_00: And then I reverse the script.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_00: I asked them, okay, great.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_00: You you want me to sign you, you want to be on links, but what value can I offer you?
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what do you expect out of this relationship?
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, oh boss, ah, you'd be the boss who and it's I was like, no, you actually have to think about it.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: Am I actually going to get you to where you want to?
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: What is your plan?
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, but I think we we jump into networking without thinking about these things.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_00: And one thing I hear people say, but I don't think they understand it, is the fact that you need to network before you need it.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_00: Because one thing I've come to see from my small, very small experience of networking is that the relationships that you build are not exactly what you need in the moment.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: But five years down the line, that could be what gives you your big break.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_00: So if you say, okay, okay, Peace Hyde is doing Netflix, um, you know, I do music, me and Netflix will never cross paths, so let me never work with Peace Hyde.
• 19:37
  SPEAKER_00: Then the day I decide to do something with Netflix, I'm calling Peace every day, then it's I'm a butter.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: So, but that's where I feel that the most important thing is authenticity.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can't maintain these relationships if you are faking it.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_00: And that's when now you come out as too transactional.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_00: Because as I'm having a conversation with you, if this conversation doesn't end in a deal or an opportunity, I feel like I've wasted my time.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: But if I actually enjoy conversations with you, like if you're a storyteller, I'm a storyteller.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: If we can get on the phone and just discuss Africa and all the stories and how we want to shape Africa's whatever, and nothing happens out of it, I still walk away from that call feeling fulfilled.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_00: But this one is for me.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: I have a problem.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know how to network.
• 20:36
  SPEAKER_00: I don't so let me explain to you.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like you should be holding my hand as you can help us.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_00: Talk to me.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_00: Help me.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the thing someone like me, I'm horrible at checking up on people.
• 20:50
  unknown: Okay.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: In fact, I'm horrible on checking up on my friends, my family, let alone somebody that I have a business relationship with.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_00: I am horrible at it.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_00: I am horrible at remembering, like, I can remember faces where I know this face, biggest problem.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like I can see 10 people in front of me, I'm like, I know all of you, but I have no idea where I know all of you from.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: And contrary to what people think, because I'm a talkative, I am super shy.
• 21:23
  SPEAKER_00: I am like, I'm so reserved.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: I am a natural introvert that entertainment is forcing me to have conversations.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: So for someone like me, how do you overcome this?
• 21:36
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can't exist as an island.
• 21:39
  SPEAKER_00: How do I overcome this to be able to grow my network?
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_01: You have to remember one thing you didn't mention about yourself is while you're introverted, while you're inside that isolation chamber you've been building, yeah, so your work is much louder than who you are.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_03: True.
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_01: Your artists are way louder.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_01: The Lynx brand is so much louder.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_01: There's not a single store, electronic store right now that you don't go into in Accra Ghana that I've seen, because I haven't gone outside of a car yet, that I don't see your name.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_01: So literally, you are a top of mind.
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: And even when I don't see you, I see people that you are very impactful working with them.
• 22:15
  SPEAKER_01: So when I see them, I think of you.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, oh.
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_01: So you don't realize that sometimes when they say that narrative, empty barrels make the most noise.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_01: You'll find that there's a lot of people that say, Hey, I'm here.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_00: The 15th, the title.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_00: The titles.
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_00: When you go on LinkedIn, oh my god, I love LinkedIn.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: I love LinkedIn.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: The titles.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_01: I love LinkedIn.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_00: I can see some titles and I'm like, wait, I know this guy.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm there giving it to them too.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_01: Let me just say, let me just say that for what it is.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_01: Give it to them.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_01: Because what can we?
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_01: We'll have to clean our house if we're going to bring this.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_01: But at the same time, there's nothing wrong with also letting your work speak for you.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's actually a very powerful testament for you to say I'm introverted and yet to be such a prominent name that moves in the business circles, the entertainment circles, because you're silent but you're deadly and it works.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_04: Okay.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: And not everyone can use that strategy.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: Some people need to say, I'm here.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_01: So there's nothing wrong with either or.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_01: Do you see that?
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: Or a balance of the two.
• 23:16
  SPEAKER_01: A balance of the two.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: In the right setting, it's important to make sure that at all times, whether you're in front of the camera, whether you're silent, whether you're confident, whether you're a bit shy, your value is really what matters.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_01: Because look, a really brilliant, bright flashing light can get you into the room.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: We'll listen to you, we'll be excited.
• 23:37
  SPEAKER_01: But when you realize it's just empty noise, we're not going to speak to you again.
• 23:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm sure that you found probably found in your experience some of the most beneficial relationships, opportunities, rooms you've been in came from a slow, drawn-out.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_01: You can't.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: I think actually most of them.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: There you go.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_01: So quality takes time.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_01: And when you're in the isolation chamber, sometimes God will need to just close you off to focus and build that quality in you because where He's taking you is not a short-term burst of noise.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's a long, slow-grown, impactful journey that is going to last your lifetime.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_01: So I need to take your time and build the pieces bit by bit so you're able to sustain the altitude that you're going to.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: Otherwise, you may fall away, you may crash and burn.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_01: So it's better sometimes that slow rise means you can sustain and you fully understand the level you're on.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_01: And you're not confused by friends and women and men and hype and you're just focused, steadily building.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes that builds more character, and character is what gives you longevity.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_00: Nice.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: I have to ask this, not to put you on the spot, but is there one meeting or one contact or one person that you can say networking with this person set me on the right path?
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I love this question because I have met, by God's grace, because of the work I do, some of the most powerful, influential politicians, business people, um change makers, creative entrepreneurs.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: I think you imagine it, you can name it.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: And whenever someone asked me, who is the most empowerful meeting you ever had, I said, it was my Uber driver.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_00: Really?
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_01: And why?
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_00: I can't wait to hear that.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_01: When I was in Ghana, um, I really wanted to venture out.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'm definitely someone who likes to experience the world and learn new environments.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: And I thought, you know what?
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_01: I have a master's now in journalism.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_01: How do I build my knowledge?
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_01: How do I meet more people?
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: How do I find out more about this media industry?
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: And because that creative economy is a bit more developed and it's more robust, I thought, let me go over there and see what it's like.
• 25:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I didn't really plan this well.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_01: I just ran over there and I was there for about two months and I wasn't working at the time.
• 26:03
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I was just scheduling meetings, and I had a few people that I was interested in getting to know at different levels, um, just to get a deeper understanding of how the industry works and just find out, find my way.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_01: Um but there was one person I'd been trying to meet, and this was quite a big dog.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_01: She was a very, very influential media figure, and I had zero clue, zero connections of how to get hold of her.
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: And I was on a phone talking to my friend saying, Look, I've met so many people, and this one lady I cannot meet.
• 26:37
  SPEAKER_01: And my Uber driver, when I came off the call, um, he had been an absolute diamond because in my time there, I had spent my resources and I was really struggling now to get around.
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_01: And he said, You know what?
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_01: I want to drive you around for free.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I want when you finally achieve what I think you're going to achieve, I want you to come back and then you'll cover me for these trips.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Why?
• 27:03
  SPEAKER_01: And he said, God is just telling me that he's gonna do something with you.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Amen, let's go.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_01: And he said, But I also heard you're looking for this person, and I don't know her, she's a really big deal, but I know her gate man, he's my friend.
• 27:17
  SPEAKER_01: So can I take you to meet the gate man?
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_01: And I said, Okay.
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_01: So we went to meet the gate man.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and I spoke to him, I said, Look, I'm trying to have a meeting with Madame, I'd love to meet her and just get some guidance.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_01: And he said, Well, I mean, I can tell you when she's around and see.
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_01: Um, these are the top people in the organization, you'd need to know, these are their names, but I can't give you their details.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_01: But when they're around, I'll let you know, and maybe they'll give you a meeting if you just turn up with your CV.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_01: I said, No problem.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_01: We made that trip six times.
• 27:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and that Uber driver, my trusted Uber driver, followed me every single time.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I got there, I met her PA who said, Um, we don't usually do this, but you've I've heard you've been here a few times, so maybe sit down and I'll get you to meet a few of the people in the team and we can see.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_01: And from that meeting, I began a very different trajectory in my life by God's grace.
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_01: But it was because of that Uber driver.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_01: It was because he was listening, it was because he listened to me talking to him all the time about randomness and trying to understand Nigeria, and it's because he took a personal interest and faith in me and whatever my journey was.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I believe there was a God in that situation that inspired him to be more than just, oh, I'm gonna drive and drop you.
• 28:34
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but that was the most pivotal meeting I've had in my life because he saw something in me, and I would never have even imagined that that meeting would turn into everything that it did.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_01: And we're very close to this day, actually.
• 28:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_00: So that's such a powerful message, you know.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_00: Please, what's the Uber driver's name?
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_01: Tao.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_01: Tao.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_00: Tao, thank you so much.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: And so many people out there don't understand this, they think networking always needs to be networking up.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: They don't get the fact that everybody, like you mentioned earlier, everyone has value.
• 29:09
  unknown: 100%.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: You know, and this thing, I can I can let you guys know that as somebody who somewhat is at the top sometimes, I get upset with people who don't respect the people around me.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you know, it's like how you mentioned the Uber driver connected you to the gate man.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_00: The gate man connected you to the assistant, the assistant connected you to the business associate.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_00: But I have this thing happen all the time.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe somebody starts working with me, and I was like, oh, okay, cool, we'll do this deal, blah, blah, blah.
• 29:39
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, this is my assistant's number.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_00: Talk to my assistant.
• 29:42
  SPEAKER_00: Then they don't want to talk to the assistant, they want to keep coming back to me.
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, this is my creative lead.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_00: Talk to them.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_00: They don't want to, and I keep thinking, what are you trying to say?
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_00: Are you saying you don't respect those people?
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: So that means you only respect me because I have a big name.
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_00: And instantly, anytime that happens, I lose respect to the person.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: And also, I think as well, sometimes you don't know the power of what you're doing in this current moment.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_01: I think sometimes when you see what can happen when you're not in the room, when your presence isn't around, you'd be surprised how powerful the choices you make today can be tomorrow.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_00: Invisible PR.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_01: I sat with someone um just a few weeks ago, and um a gentleman was saying to him about his father.
• 30:32
  SPEAKER_01: And apparently his father was very impactful in that man's life.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_01: And because of what his father had done for that man, okay, is why he said, You are always welcome in my home as his son.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_01: And now take me as your father, because your father's no more here.
• 30:50
  SPEAKER_01: And so, outside of even your existence as you are right now, you are sowing the seeds for your children's tomorrow or your friends' tomorrow that will say, you know, Richie did something really amazing for me.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_01: Because you're his sister, because you're his PA, because you worked with him, oh you're I know that you've passed the check because Richie's a solid guy.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_01: And so sometimes it's that you're you're making investments by all that you do.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_01: And so you have to be very mindful about it.
• 31:17
  SPEAKER_01: And sometimes you're human, things will go wrong, big things will, you know, mess up, you'll make big errors, it's natural.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_01: But it's not really about how you fall, it's about how you rise.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's about how you now rework your narrative.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_01: Because I know some people, not everyone, maybe when you were younger, you made bad choices, you did a whole bag of nonsense.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_01: But as long as you're here, you're alive, you have a chance to rewrite that history.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_01: And it can always reinvent yourself with the people around you and by what you do, what you say, and how you navigate life.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_00: That's powerful because invisible PR is something everyone should try and understand.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_00: And it's one of the biggest things in networking, but it's not as intentional as looking for connections because um, maybe you had an internship with somebody, and during your internship, you know, the person was thirst one day, asked you for water, you said, Oh, please, and you snap them off.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe that was your only interaction.
• 32:15
  SPEAKER_00: Five years later, this person is now working as an assistant to some big CEO, blah, blah, blah.
• 32:22
  SPEAKER_01: Ah, the proposal comes and falls to teach the name.
• 32:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um, no, she's not professional, and that's it.
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_00: Invisible PR.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_01: Invisible PR.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_00: We once signed an like an endorsement deal for one of our artists, and honestly speaking, we were stressful.
• 32:38
  SPEAKER_00: I said we were stressful because while other people were taking low amounts, we kept staying.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we said we are not going below this amount.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_00: They came back like for months until finally the deal was signed.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_00: Then later on, we found out why they kept coming back.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_00: So the CEO's daughter had met the artist at an event, and the artist was super nice.
• 33:02
  SPEAKER_03: Oh.
• 33:03
  SPEAKER_00: He didn't know who she was, it was just a chance meeting.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 33:08
  SPEAKER_00: So she had told the father, you have to sign this guy.
• 33:11
  SPEAKER_00: Brilliant.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 33:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's the only reason he got the deal.
• 33:15
  SPEAKER_00: She wasn't a friend like nothing.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_01: That's it.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_00: Invisible PR.
• 33:19
  SPEAKER_01: And also, I'll give you the after extreme because sometimes, no matter how solid you are, no matter how correct you've been, there are people who are just not gonna like you.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_01: And they're gonna be very vocal about it.
• 33:33
  SPEAKER_01: And you have to make sure that at all times you're functioning in the right capacity for yourself.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_01: Because I've also seen situations where people have even spoken ill of me, and it's inspired someone to go, really?
• 33:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm gonna go and check.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_01: And when they came to check, they're like, oh, but this one's brilliant.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_01: In fact, I want to do this with.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to remember you the invisible PR can be positive or negative.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: Or negative, yeah.
• 33:56
  SPEAKER_01: But make sure when they meet you, it is solid and in line with what you want it to be.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_01: And you have full control over that reality.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_01: And like you were saying, if that artist had been rude to the daughter, you would have lost the opportunity.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_01: But because they probably were just genuinely a nice person, they weren't arrogant, they weren't by default, you did your own PR.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, she was good looking, so it helped him with being nice to her, but just saying.
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, no, but it helps, you know, the way you interact with people, the way you carry yourself, whatever PR is going on around you, the truth will always shine through.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_01: So allow yourself to maintain and be authentic to who you are.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_01: So even if it's positive invisible PR or really negative, the reality of it is inevitably somebody somewhere will come to check.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_01: And just like Joseph in the pits, they'll call you out because they realize the person you've put in there is not that's not the right narrative.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: It shouldn't be there.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_01: Because we serve a living God, he will never allow the story he's put on your head to go void.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_01: So it's important for you to honor that authentic message and make sure that when people see you, when they come to you, when they experience you, they are able to get the authenticity, the truth of who you are, yeah, so that they're able to honor whatever God has brought them to you.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_00: And I think they have people have to build their integrity.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_01: Indeed.
• 35:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know, because integrity is about having that discipline, doing the right thing when no one is watching.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 35:23
  SPEAKER_00: But what we don't know is someone is always watching.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_01: Always, especially in the social media generation.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_01: Especially in the social media.
• 35:31
  SPEAKER_00: Or even you get to an event.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I've seen this thing happen to a number of people, right?
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_00: You get to an event, you are entering the events, maybe two girls, and you're gossiping and you're talking about, hey, this man, they have to be to chop his money or blah blah blah blah.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_00: But as you are walking by, his sister is standing at the entrance, and they notice you.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: So when they see you an hour later talking to their brother, they're like, This girl, she's just after your money.
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_00: We don't understand that integrity needs to be something that is intrinsic.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_00: Like you always have to do the right thing, not just because you think the right person is watching.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_01: It shouldn't be a performance, it should just be who you are.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it should truly be who you are, and in all honesty, it's about owning who you are.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_01: You have to be realistic with yourself.
• 36:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, if I'll use your example, if that is what you're about, where you're like, look, I'm coming to don't then come like some, oh cell, I admire you and you don't admire him.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_01: Say exactly what it is.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know, tell me what you want.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_01: There are people who respond to what you want, and there are people who are not.
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_01: And if you're about your business, you honor your business and you go in the correct fashion.
• 36:37
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not encouraging, by the way.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_01: I just realized how that's happening.
• 36:43
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not encouraging certain things.
• 36:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm saying, be authentic.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: I'm looking dead in the camera.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_01: I better go.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_01: I'm a child of God.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_01: Be authentic and be truth about who you are, because people cannot find who you pretend to be.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_00: No, but you see, there's there's a mantra I've lived by.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_00: I saw this when I was very young and I lived by it.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: It said, be who you are.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_00: Those who matter don't mind.
• 37:08
  SPEAKER_00: Those who mind don't matter.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_03: Indeed.
• 37:11
  SPEAKER_00: So every time I'm talking about branding, I explain to people there's no such thing as a bad brand.
• 37:17
  SPEAKER_00: Because you can have like Lil Wayne who walks around with a cup that it's rumored that that cup has all the deadly poisons in this world and he's drinking it, and we love him for it.
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_00: He has tattoos from his, you know, from his head to his toe, and we love him for it.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_00: He has unlimited endorsements.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then we have Tiger Woods, who can do no wrong.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_00: And then the day Tiger Woods cheats on his wife, he starts to lose endorsements.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: And trust me, if Lil Wayne also decided to start going to you know church every day and preaching and stuff, he'll start to lose followers.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_00: So you need to be authentic because either way works.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_00: People who gravitate towards the naughty will gravitate towards you.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_00: Those who gravitate towards the decent gravitate towards you.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_00: But if you are pretending, then on both sides are confused.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_01: And also, I'll I'll use an example in a professional capacity where you have to honor each season of your life.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_01: Because there was a point where I was a host and everyone knew that Peace was doing the show, and she's and then there was a point where I had to fall back and just get into study mode and actually build value and build quality and build work ethic and understand the world that I'm trying to penetrate and get into and develop in.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_01: And so at each stage, if I wasn't truly committing to me being a host, when I evolve, how would people even see that story and see that what God has done in my life in my path?
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_00: They won't be able to connect with you because you're not being authentic.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_01: Indeed.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like I've I've worn so many hats.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_00: The reason the hats fit is because at every point in time, I'm being genuine.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_00: When I was an artist, I loved being an artist.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_00: I was enjoying being on stage and I loved it.
• 39:08
  SPEAKER_00: Then when I took a step back to build the business, I loved being the CEO and building talent and doing all that.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_00: Now that I'm on an inspirational journey, I'm loving it.
• 39:17
  SPEAKER_00: That's the only reason I can sit here and have this conversation because I am being who I am right now.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 39:23
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe 10 years ago, Richie would never have done this, but right now, this is who I am.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_01: Well, to be honest, 10 years ago, I wouldn't be called for this interview.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_01: So it works for both of us.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so let's look at it from this point of view, too.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_00: You have managed to be able to network across all these countries, but I expect something to get in your way, but it never does.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_00: Cultural differences.
• 39:52
  SPEAKER_00: Because if I just look at like from Ghana to Nigeria to UK to the US to South Africa, things are so different.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_00: How do you manage that?
• 40:01
  SPEAKER_00: How do you not upset somebody with the way you are because it's not in their culture?
• 40:08
  SPEAKER_01: To be honest, you will upset people because you can't cater to everyone's taste.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 40:14
  SPEAKER_01: But at the same time, like you said, those who matter and those who don't mind.
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: What is it?
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter.
• 40:23
  SPEAKER_01: Look at me.
• 40:24
  SPEAKER_01: I was doing my mom's version of a little new version of the world.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_01: But yes, um, I think that you're going to have to be open-minded and you have to be willing to learn, you have to be willing to absorb, so you're not coming in with your preconceived notions and also you don't take yourself too seriously.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_01: I know that sounds strange because I'm quite a serious person when I'm in a professional setting, especially, but I'm a big joker when I'm at home with my friends.
• 40:51
  SPEAKER_01: But I do find that being able to go into different environments with an open mind and an open heart and be willing to learn has really meant that there's no country or no culture that so far I've been able to not be able to be integrated in.
• 41:09
  SPEAKER_01: And also I think people, the right people, will appreciate you for being who you are.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it sounds a bit repetitive to a degree because we keep talking about authenticity and being yourself, but that is truly the cheat code of life.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_01: Um, you shouldn't be trying to be everybody's bestie.
• 41:27
  SPEAKER_01: You shouldn't try to be everybody's favorite person because you have so many people that you don't like.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_01: Look, Beyonce is disliked by so many people.
• 41:34
  SPEAKER_01: There are websites that don't like Beyonce, and there are people that are willing to sell their child's left leg to go and see Beyonce in concert.
• 41:40
  SPEAKER_00: I know one of them.
• 41:42
  SPEAKER_01: The left leg or left leg.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_01: Are we gonna say the name?
• 41:45
  SPEAKER_01: Are they in the room?
• 41:46
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, she's in the room.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_00: Baba, you know.
• 41:48
  SPEAKER_00: She will sell, she will sell me.
• 41:53
  SPEAKER_01: See, we need to work on this, Baba.
• 41:55
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but yes, I think that um you can't please everyone, but you can be yourself and you can be true to yourself.
• 42:03
  SPEAKER_01: And I think by me personally being able to honor that, I don't go into environments with preconceived notions.
• 42:10
  SPEAKER_01: I go into environments just as myself.
• 42:12
  SPEAKER_01: And the right people that will like me will gravitate to me, and there will be people that just can't stand me.
• 42:16
  SPEAKER_01: And I love them both.
• 42:17
  SPEAKER_01: Bless you either way.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_01: As long as I'm focused on my path and what I believe God wants for me, your dislike or like for me does not really phase me.
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_01: That's a you problem.
• 42:28
  SPEAKER_01: And frankly, I love that.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_00: That's a you problem.
• 42:30
  SPEAKER_01: That's a you problem because we're awesome like that, right?
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_01: So for me, I feel like as long as you're confident in yourself, you believe in yourself, but you're also open-minded and humble enough to learn and you're you use discernment, you start moving by the beat of your own drum and not trying to kind of accommodate everyone else's preconceived notions.
• 42:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, because I've been in environments where people have said, 20 people said, Oh, I wouldn't talk to that person.
• 42:57
  SPEAKER_01: That person has been the most influential, sweetest, kindest person to me.
• 43:02
  SPEAKER_01: But they have such an awful like keep away, and you know, and if had I listened, I would have lost out on one of the most biggest blessings and mentors in my life.
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_01: Um, and really you realize that when you get close, it was because they just have a very no-nonsense setting.
• 43:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_01: Because there are a lot of nonsense out there.
• 43:19
  SPEAKER_01: A lot.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I feel that it's so important when you look at the cultural differences.
• 43:24
  SPEAKER_01: There are gonna be um hiccups, there are gonna be things that are a bit difficult, you're gonna make mistakes, but at the same time, it's about you just being open and being okay with it, you know, and being okay to not get it all right.
• 43:37
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, let it go.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's fine.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_01: If we're supposed to prostrate and I'm ready to shake your hand, it will be a laughing moment because I didn't know that.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_01: Then you can show me how to prostrate in the right way, you know.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_00: And it's okay to learn.
• 43:48
  SPEAKER_00: Don't take yourself too seriously.
• 43:50
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's never that deep.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_00: I think we we yeah, it's never that deep.
• 43:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we go through life second guessing ourselves and worrying so much.
• 43:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the first phase of my life.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_00: If you had asked me what my biggest fear is, I would have said failure.
• 44:04
  SPEAKER_00: And then as I matured, I realized no, failure is my best friend.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_01: And it won't leave me alone.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's chasing me everywhere I go.
• 44:14
  SPEAKER_00: But it's fine if I make a mistake.
• 44:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's fine if I don't know this.
• 44:17
  SPEAKER_00: It's fine if I insult somebody unintentionally.
• 44:21
  SPEAKER_00: Because I learned and learned not to do that again.
• 44:24
  SPEAKER_00: Or I grow through that mistake.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_00: You know, sometimes we worry too much.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_00: So you have people like maybe they go to a setting or they go to a country.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now when they get back to the hotel, oh no, I did the wrong thing.
• 44:36
  SPEAKER_00: I bowed at the wrong time.
• 44:38
  SPEAKER_00: I didn't stand up when everybody stood up.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like, and they are cursing themselves so much.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_00: But it's not that deep.
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_02: It's not.
• 44:46
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, it's it's there's no prizes in this life.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_01: Just be who you are.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's okay to not know.
• 44:52
  SPEAKER_01: There'll be people who will mock you because you don't know, and there'll be people who will say, Oh, let me show you.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_01: And I think that's the beauty of it.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_01: If you don't show up in your imperfect self, you don't make room for people to fill the gaps for you.
• 45:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because it looks like you know it all.
• 45:06
  SPEAKER_00: You don't get a chance to grow.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_01: You cut yourself short, you cut your growth journey short.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_01: So it's okay to be, it's okay to get it wrong.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_01: It's okay to make mistakes.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_01: Just make sure, though, that when you're going into environments where you are offering a service or almost pitching something, make sure the area you are proposing you are competent in.
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 45:28
  SPEAKER_01: And so if there's cultural nuances that you have to adjust for or even guide yourself through, at least what you're coming in, your value proposition that is your value proposition, you're very solid in.
• 45:38
  SPEAKER_01: Then you're fine.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_00: You're fine.
• 45:40
  SPEAKER_00: And the truth is, like either way, you're fine.
• 45:42
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen two different instances happen, right?
• 45:46
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say maybe you're going to work with Chinese people for the first time, and to impress them, you go and learn a few things in Chinese.
• 45:54
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen it really work, and I've seen it really backfire.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_00: I've took those words, it's quite well.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 45:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I've seen somebody speak the Chinese and I'm like, oh wow, and you studied for this, I love it.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen somebody speaking and like, this guy's insulting us by how he's pronouncing our words.
• 46:09
  SPEAKER_00: So don't take it too seriously.
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_00: Either way is fine.
• 46:13
  SPEAKER_00: You will fail, you try again next time, it'll work.
• 46:15
  SPEAKER_00: You know, some of my best moments in life have come from very, very big failures.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: Is it still worth it to invest in face-to-face relationships, or should we just be looking at more digital ones?
• 46:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think it's a combination of two.
• 46:30
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think the digital self-publishing world that we exist in, you are actually still doing face-to-face.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_01: But the danger of it is you don't notice it.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_01: So I've seen um, there's a very popular British skit maker where he created a character who's called, I think it's called Role Safe.
• 46:51
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 46:52
  SPEAKER_01: And it was, it went viral.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_01: It was hilarious, but it was the total opposite of his actual personality.
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_01: And so he wasn't expecting it, I think, to blow up and go viral the way it did.
• 47:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_01: To this day, he's popular memes.
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_01: He's constantly being used in those gifts and everything.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_01: But the real person is a very serious intellect Christian.
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen this happen to so many people.
• 47:20
  SPEAKER_01: And he's kind of he was locked for a while in this prison of the perception of what he had made because he didn't realize that that face, that self-publishing, that clip was actually an initial introduction.
• 47:30
  SPEAKER_01: So whereas before we would go into a room and say, Oh, hi, what's your name?
• 47:34
  SPEAKER_01: You've now gone on the social media or online and you've said to maybe a million, billions of people, depending on how far your clip goes, say, hi, this is who I am.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_01: And they don't have a chance to ask you any more questions, and you don't have a chance to further develop that.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_01: So whatever they saw is your final frontier.
• 47:51
  SPEAKER_01: And with that in mind, you have to be mindful about what you're publishing and long-term what it says about you.
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't think you should be super stiff.
• 48:01
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I'm not completely stiff sometimes.
• 48:03
  SPEAKER_01: The non-site post is ridiculous, but at the same time, um, I'm human.
• 48:08
  SPEAKER_01: But I think it's so important to understand there are opportunities, there are so many things you can do and never meet the people face to face.
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_01: And I've had that where some of the biggest opportunities I've executed was all done by Zoom calls, by what they saw online.
• 48:26
  SPEAKER_01: We had all our meetings, we executed the project, and it was done.
• 48:30
  SPEAKER_01: I never met them.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_01: I personally am quite old school though, despite being extremely young.
• 48:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um I slipped that in right there.
• 48:39
  SPEAKER_01: You've got to let them know.
• 48:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but I I really like face-to-face meetings.
• 48:44
  SPEAKER_01: I think there's a different connection there, um, there's a different way in which you will engage with each other.
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_01: I think you have the opportunity to get a deeper understanding of the person.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_01: So I would always prefer that.
• 48:54
  SPEAKER_01: But I think we have to understand that even when you meet someone digitally, they're telling you all about themselves.
• 49:01
  SPEAKER_01: Before I even met you, I knew who you were and I had a whole notion of what you're like.
• 49:06
  SPEAKER_01: So now rather than you working with a clean slate, you're almost proving or disproving what I've already seen.
• 49:11
  SPEAKER_01: True.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_01: And the notions that I've already created.
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_01: And I think whether we do it consciously or subconsciously, as human beings, that is how we're navigating this world.
• 49:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I tell people all the time, be careful what you put out on social media.
• 49:23
  SPEAKER_00: You know, a lot of people are trying to trend or look a certain type of way, so they post things that aren't authentic.
• 49:30
  SPEAKER_00: But you are telling us that's what you are.
• 49:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 49:33
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I actually once was having a conversation with this girl, and she said she doesn't know why, and she's a very good, decent girl.
• 49:40
  SPEAKER_00: She said she doesn't know why, like, every guy who meets her just wants sex.
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, open your social media.
• 49:47
  SPEAKER_00: And when she opened it, like each picture is you know, a butt shot, or like, you know, like yeah, you are advertising that.
• 49:56
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the kind of guy that you are calling onto yourself.
• 49:58
  SPEAKER_00: If you're looking for a decent good guy, post things that are like your real life.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, but you know, there's there's you know, even the devil goes to church.
• 50:06
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to make this a relationship, but podcast, but even the devil goes to church.
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_00: No one did.
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_01: But I do agree that you address it's simple as if when they say you dress how you want to be addressed, yeah, you post now how you want to be addressed.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_01: But you also have to realize that there are rooms for for certain people to still approach you with what there is.
• 50:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's what life is like.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_01: But um, it's true.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_00: But it cuts it cuts out some of the chaff.
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_01: 100%.
• 50:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and also on the other side.
• 50:34
  SPEAKER_01: There's nothing wrong with showing that aspect of yourself.
• 50:37
  SPEAKER_00: If it is a part of you, but give us more then.
• 50:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, show us the depth, show us the other side so that we are able to create a fuller image if that is what you want to do.
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_01: Because if you only show once version, understand that is what you're going to be addressed like.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_01: And so show what you are happy to be addressed like, if that makes sense.
• 50:59
  SPEAKER_01: And make sure that you're giving your most authentic version of yourself so that way when people then respond to you, you know that you've earned this and you've maybe stopped feeling so subconscious about it all.
• 51:11
  SPEAKER_00: Even though I have a friend who is a very, very serious person with a big corporate job.
• 51:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like, he's worked for three of the biggest companies in Ghana.
• 51:21
  SPEAKER_00: His trajectory is amazing.
• 51:23
  SPEAKER_00: And on WhatsApp, he's the biggest fool I've ever seen.
• 51:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like, if I'm bored, I just go to his WhatsApp.
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, do you know what he's done?
• 51:32
  SPEAKER_00: He's blogged all his work people.
• 51:36
  SPEAKER_00: He said, He said he has two lives.
• 51:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, he knows he's a fool, but he's also a very serious person.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_01: No, I just posted.
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_00: He told me a story of how one day he was at work and one of his work guys, he had just come to the job like three months ago, was like, Hey, and what's your status yourself?
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, Oh, block.
• 51:58
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I missed, I missed one.
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_01: It's true.
• 52:01
  SPEAKER_01: I just posted just the other day.
• 52:03
  SPEAKER_01: I posted cooking, I love cooking.
• 52:05
  SPEAKER_01: And someone came to me and wants me and said, Oh, I want some of what you're cooking.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, How did you know this?
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_01: My mind has separated WhatsApp and Instagram or Facebook.
• 52:16
  SPEAKER_01: So it confused me.
• 52:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I was like, How do you know I'm cooking?
• 52:20
  SPEAKER_01: You're in the office.
• 52:22
  SPEAKER_01: What are you?
• 52:22
  SPEAKER_01: What are you looking at?
• 52:23
  SPEAKER_01: Where did you my mind totally blocked that out?
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_00: So that's also fine.
• 52:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you have split personalities, just decide who you're showing it to.
• 52:30
  SPEAKER_01: Manage yourself.
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_01: Manage yourself accordingly.
• 52:32
  SPEAKER_00: But but I know that you're very big on alignment and you're very big on the connection being real.
• 52:37
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the question: When is it time to let the connection go?
• 52:42
  SPEAKER_01: That's so painful.
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 52:44
  unknown: Don't be me.
• 52:47
  SPEAKER_01: No, um, I think if I'm honest, um, Tyler Perry is someone that I really admire in terms of his career, and he has this expression where he compares people to trees, and it's so powerful.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_01: I'll repeat my kind of understanding of it.
• 53:03
  SPEAKER_01: Where he said, People represent different parts of the tree.
• 53:06
  SPEAKER_01: You have your leaves, you have your branches, and you have your roots.
• 53:10
  SPEAKER_01: Now, the leaves are plenty, you're gonna have loads of them, yeah, but they're very fickle.
• 53:16
  SPEAKER_01: When seasons change, when a strong wind blows, they're gonna fall away.
• 53:21
  SPEAKER_01: Um, they'll look nice around you, they'll make it appealing.
• 53:25
  SPEAKER_01: Fundamentally, they're very temporary.
• 53:27
  SPEAKER_01: And there's nothing wrong with those types of people.
• 53:29
  SPEAKER_01: You just have to accept that's who they are.
• 53:31
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and once you can accept that's who they are, when they fall away, it doesn't faze you.
• 53:36
  SPEAKER_01: Then you move on to your branches.
• 53:39
  SPEAKER_01: Now, some branches will be weak and short, some branches are very long and strong, and they can open up to more branches and leaves.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_01: But fundamentally, you have to allow the branches to either grow with you and break where they break and continue where they continue.
• 53:56
  SPEAKER_01: And that will help you discern what the value of each branch or each leave or where it connects to.
• 54:03
  SPEAKER_01: But fundamentally, identify between your leave people who are very short-term and fleeting, to your branch people who are maybe a bit stronger, but will break.
• 54:13
  SPEAKER_01: They will not go the whole hog with you.
• 54:15
  SPEAKER_01: And that is also okay.
• 54:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it is okay for the journey to end, it is okay for your season in my life to come to an end.
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_01: But then there are some people that are like the roots, and these are your gold minds.
• 54:28
  SPEAKER_01: You see, when you find roots, they are the most powerful people you can be blessed with, I believe, personally.
• 54:36
  SPEAKER_01: Because they're not looking for the fame, the lights, the height, the I did this, recognize me.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_01: No, no, no.
• 54:42
  SPEAKER_01: They're quiet, they're still, and they're sure.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_01: But they're very few of them.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_01: But they run deep.
• 54:47
  SPEAKER_01: And what they do is they hold you up, they keep you strong.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_01: So when things happen, when seasons change, when winds blow, they stay the same.
• 54:56
  SPEAKER_01: They stay solid.
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_01: There's no tree, there's no bird, there's no nothing that can happen to that tree that will make your roots shift or change their disposition with you.
• 55:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean an earthquake, but an earthquake.
• 55:07
  SPEAKER_01: But even then, if we look at when a tree falls over with the earthquake, the roots remain.
• 55:13
  SPEAKER_01: The stump is still there, and the tree will grow again.
• 55:15
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 55:16
  SPEAKER_01: So fundamentally, when you find your root people, and you can't make them, you can't create them, you can't incentivize them.
• 55:24
  SPEAKER_01: They just are.
• 55:26
  SPEAKER_01: And when you find them, you hold them, you hold them like the most valued possession.
• 55:31
  SPEAKER_01: But don't confuse a very strong branch with a root because sometimes it can look a bit confusing.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_01: And you also have to give people the room to grow.
• 55:41
  SPEAKER_01: So someone who can start off as a leaf and only plan to be around as a leaf can morph into a branch and can maybe even eventually become a root.
• 55:50
  SPEAKER_01: But if you don't give them that room to grow and don't put expectations on them, but just let them be and see where they take you, you'd be amazed.
• 56:00
  SPEAKER_01: I have had some of the most incredible roots that started off as a leaf that was barely about to fall off.
• 56:07
  SPEAKER_01: And now, if you tell me that I'm going to have to go a week without maybe communicating with them or connecting with them, I don't, I'll be like, what am I gonna do?
• 56:17
  SPEAKER_01: And I've had people that I thought were branches that were quite strong.
• 56:21
  SPEAKER_01: And when a wind came and the season changed, they broke off like that.
• 56:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I thank God for it all, good and bad, because some will present themselves as roots, but they'll be leaves, and some will be leaves present, but they're actually roots.
• 56:36
  SPEAKER_01: So you have to use discernment and let God show you which one it is.
• 56:40
  SPEAKER_01: But that analogy that he shared has been the most impactful one because it's not about letting people go necessarily or even holding on to people, it's about almost allowing yourself to be a vessel, but use discernment and have boundaries and let whoever comes come and let whoever goes go.
• 57:00
  SPEAKER_01: But make sure that through it all you maintain who you are and what God is doing in your life and not compromise your individual integrity and your value and your morals, regardless of who comes and goes, because that is what matters at the end of that is the ground you stand on.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_01: But allow people to come and go, allow people to allow the seasons to change and allow God to evolve as you go through the journey of life because that's what's gonna happen.
• 57:22
  SPEAKER_00: You're very deep.
• 57:23
  SPEAKER_01: God bless you.
• 57:26
  SPEAKER_00: Now you need to help me out.
• 57:28
  SPEAKER_01: Auntie Peace, what are we saying, darling?
• 57:30
  SPEAKER_01: Speak to me, speak to me, darling.
• 57:32
  SPEAKER_01: What is that?
• 57:32
  SPEAKER_00: Someone like me, my social battery is you know, I was about to mention a battery brand, but let me not shame them.
• 57:40
  SPEAKER_00: My social battery dies out so quickly.
• 57:43
  SPEAKER_00: He's shading me again.
• 57:45
  SPEAKER_00: How do you prevent burnout?
• 57:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um to be honest, before when I was more um or when I was less confident in myself, I would try to be something you're not.
• 58:01
  SPEAKER_01: Like I don't want to go nuts and party and go crazy with you guys.
• 58:06
  SPEAKER_01: But I would force myself, maybe I'm missing out, or maybe I'm not called.
• 58:10
  SPEAKER_00: FOMO.
• 58:10
  SPEAKER_00: FOMO.
• 58:11
  SPEAKER_01: Now I have JOMO.
• 58:13
  SPEAKER_01: Joy of missing out.
• 58:14
  SPEAKER_01: Instead of fear of missing out, I have joy of missing out.
• 58:17
  SPEAKER_00: If you see me in a t-shirt that says Jomo, please know it was born from this moment.
• 58:22
  SPEAKER_01: I just want 10% royalties on every t-shirt sold.
• 58:25
  SPEAKER_01: Because that t-shirt you'll sell it.
• 58:26
  SPEAKER_00: I know you joy of missing out.
• 58:28
  SPEAKER_01: But yes, have a joy of missing out, and I think it's so important to just find your tribe.
• 58:35
  SPEAKER_01: You know, there's some people you'll have to do the most for, and it will never be enough.
• 58:40
  SPEAKER_01: And eventually you're just kind of like, it's okay.
• 58:43
  SPEAKER_01: And then there's some people you just have to exist, and they are so fed and full of who you are that you almost feel like you're the best thing since life's spread, and you haven't, it's like I haven't even done nothing yet.
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_01: You want me to go through, you know, you want me to, you don't know.
• 58:58
  SPEAKER_01: So I feel like sometimes, um, especially as life starts showing you the high moments, the low moments, there's a bit of Shage and Pepper inside, there's a bit of sweet points, you're gonna start realizing I'm okay with however this story goes.
• 59:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and if you feel maybe my silence or my kind of disconnect is me being off, I'm okay.
• 59:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's a misunderstanding on your part, it's definitely not mine.
• 59:23
  SPEAKER_01: As long as you're not um rude about it or you're not abrupt or disrespectful in your conduct of it, if you say, Oh guys, I'm having such a lovely time, but I really am tired and I think I'm gonna bow out at this point, that's completely fine.
• 59:37
  SPEAKER_01: I'm saying this, but on the weekend I was actually falling asleep.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I have to ask permission before I leave.
• 59:43
  SPEAKER_00: Do I have to ask permission before I leave?
• 59:47
  SPEAKER_00: Because something happened that made me see that I have such a low social battery.
• 59:52
  SPEAKER_00: So I went to an event and my driver knows me so well that when we were at an event one day and I got up to go use the washroom, he thought that was the sign, let's go.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_00: So by the time I was near the washroom, he was already there with the car keys, let's go.
• 1:00:08
  SPEAKER_00: I was like, oh no, no, no, no, no.
• 1:00:10
  SPEAKER_00: I don't mind staying.
• 1:00:12
  SPEAKER_00: So in these kind of situations, you're trying to say, Jomo, joy of missing out.
• 1:00:19
  SPEAKER_00: It's perfectly fine that I'm tired, I just bow out, I go, and they should still appreciate it, right?
• 1:00:25
  SPEAKER_01: I I will you I love what you just said because there's um a very influential lawyer that um I had the privilege of being very good friends with.
• 1:00:35
  SPEAKER_01: And every time we were invited to go to the function, they would say, Oh, you can just do your 20.
• 1:00:43
  SPEAKER_01: And I said to him, Why does everyone keep saying that to you?
• 1:00:46
  SPEAKER_01: And he said, Oh, because over the years people have realized I want to come, I want to honor your event and invitation.
• 1:00:53
  SPEAKER_01: But I cannot give you more than 20 minutes of my time because after that I don't want to be there.
• 1:00:57
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't want to disrespect your invitation by staying and looking exasperated or just uninterested.
• 1:01:03
  SPEAKER_01: So I always turn up, but I'll leave after 20 minutes.
• 1:01:06
  SPEAKER_01: So now people say, just spring your 20.
• 1:01:10
  SPEAKER_00: I'll do 30 so I feel like I've done something.
• 1:01:13
  SPEAKER_01: If there's small chops of good food me, I'll be there with my tupperware ready to take home.
• 1:01:20
  SPEAKER_01: But yes, um, it's about just really showing up in your in your truest self and giving people the best you can of yourself and okay, hoping that again, those who matter those who matter don't mind.
• 1:01:35
  SPEAKER_00: Those who mind don't matter.
• 1:01:36
  SPEAKER_01: This is this is really bad.
• 1:01:38
  SPEAKER_01: Well, now you can see why I'm not in front of the camera so much.
• 1:01:41
  SPEAKER_01: Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter.
• 1:01:45
  SPEAKER_00: But please come back in front of the cameras.
• 1:01:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, what are you planning to do with me?
• 1:01:49
  SPEAKER_00: We'll talk.
• 1:01:51
  SPEAKER_00: We'll network after the podcast.
• 1:01:53
  SPEAKER_01: Amen.
• 1:01:53
  SPEAKER_01: Let's do it.
• 1:01:54
  SPEAKER_00: By God's grace, let's see what happens.
• 1:01:55
  SPEAKER_00: Now do something for me.
• 1:01:56
  SPEAKER_00: My aim here is to make everyone watching this become a mastermind.
• 1:02:02
  SPEAKER_00: So if you could reach behind the cameras to the person who's watching and implant one idea that would create a mindset shift, what would that be?
• 1:02:14
  SPEAKER_00: Anything at all?
• 1:02:15
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think the one thing that will create a mindset shift is understanding that your current location is nowhere near your final destination.
• 1:02:24
  SPEAKER_01: When you know where you're going, you move differently.
• 1:02:28
  SPEAKER_01: When you know what tomorrow has in store for you, you move very differently.
• 1:02:33
  SPEAKER_01: So anybody who has the blessed opportunity to interact with yourself or your masterminds podcast, understand that where you are, I'll look at the camera for this, where you are as you sit at home right now watching this, understand your situation, whether it's good or bad, is only temporary.
• 1:02:51
  SPEAKER_01: It's all about to change for you.
• 1:02:53
  SPEAKER_01: And unfortunately, it can be negative or positive.
• 1:02:57
  SPEAKER_01: But even then, as long as the dice is rolling, your six will come.
• 1:03:01
  SPEAKER_01: So remember that where you are today, you are building the blocks for tomorrow.
• 1:03:05
  SPEAKER_01: It is so important for you to keep acquiring knowledge, wisdom, connections, relationships that are positive and that are feeding you on every level.
• 1:03:16
  SPEAKER_01: But understand everything you do today is going to inform your tomorrow.
• 1:03:21
  SPEAKER_01: Let people talk, let people criticize, let people celebrate you, let people cut you down.
• 1:03:27
  SPEAKER_01: Whatever they do should not matter.
• 1:03:29
  SPEAKER_01: All that should matter is most importantly your relationship with God and understanding your current location is not your final destination.
• 1:03:38
  SPEAKER_01: And watching content like this is what arms you for your tomorrow, is what will create light bulb moments that say, I think I'm ready actually.
• 1:03:45
  SPEAKER_01: Oh wow, I didn't know that.
• 1:03:47
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe this is how I've been approaching the issue wrong.
• 1:03:49
  SPEAKER_01: And your biggest breakthrough can come through in the most mundane, irrelevant, you're not even paying attention.
• 1:03:56
  SPEAKER_01: You're probably going to listen to this while you're driving to work or to see your girlfriend that's pissed off with you, or to go and get some food from a chop bar, or even just to go to a nice night out.
• 1:04:05
  SPEAKER_01: Wherever you are listening to this, you are actually contributing that extra grain or that extra investment into your future.
• 1:04:13
  SPEAKER_01: So if you want it to be bright, prosperous, if you want God's grace and that testimony to be strong in your life, then please make sure you are feeding your spirit, your ear, your intellect, your soul with quality, not nonsense.
• 1:04:25
  SPEAKER_01: The nonsense can come sometimes, but when you have opportunities to access incredible platforms like this, take full advantage.
• 1:04:32
  SPEAKER_01: And remember, your current location is definitely not your final destination.
• 1:04:36
  SPEAKER_01: God is not what done with you.
• 1:04:37
  SPEAKER_01: As long as your dice is rolling, the six will come.
• 1:04:40
  SPEAKER_00: I love this such an amazing honor.
• 1:04:44
  SPEAKER_00: And you are literally awesome like that.
• 1:04:46
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so you awesome.
• 1:04:49
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much, please.
• 1:04:54
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for watching this episode.
• 1:04:56
  SPEAKER_00: The fact that you stayed all the way through to the end tells me that you're not only curious, but you have the discipline to see what you do all the way through to the end.
• 1:05:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's build a community of thinkers who are ready to become the best version of themselves.
• 1:05:11
  SPEAKER_00: So subscribe to the channel and the mindset that you will develop and grow every day to become a true mastermind.