Tommorow starts now…
*Yesterday was huge.
It was deeply personal because I did not know what to expect. Surprisingly, I did not have a clear plan on how to celebrate. Until that morning, madam still asked, “Ope, what are we doing for your Birthday” and I did not have an answer.
First, it is a lie, “Age is not just a number.”
It changes a lot of things at a subconscious level. Your worries, fear, ambition, energy, drive, etc., are influenced by the definitions you give to the hands of time. And as you hit certain numbers, your priorities begin to change, and sometimes anxiety tries to have a go at you.
Two, your quality of life is affected by the quality of people for or against you.
In all my informed life, I have always been a people person. Sometimes to a fault. At other times, to my detriment, because it crossed the line into people pleasing {Therapy helped me work on this line}. But ensuring that I leave anyone I meet better than they were when they first met me comes without thought. I have always done this, but my podcast with Mudia was one place I could put a voice to my heart — We are all we have.
Subconscious should be one of my top 3 words, so it is number Three.
This is because I have realized how much of the present is controlled by the past. This means that what you make of your present based on your past will ultimately influence what the future holds. In English, I am just trying to say that a lot of your everyday actions are being run on existing files in your processor, subconsciously, so what you have fed on over time is what helps you decide good or bad, now or later, for you or not for you, etc.
To ensure that you are running on the right OS, always find time to interrogate your “Why” and be conscious of the Input devices for your system. A little bug can corrupt your files, and you would think you are doing what is right or appropriate because the elements that help you decide have been compromised.
Four. Find your tribe. People who are as invested in the kind of future you want to build as you are. This goes for business, faith, relationships, causes, etc. I must emphasize how important this is. Whatever you decide alone, for it to scale, you need to have people committed to running it with you. Trust is a function of time and results, and one of the ways to short-circuit the process in a good way in complex situations is through relationships.
Five, and the last one on this speed draft that I am pushing to print, I am still firmly committed to the African project. In this new year, a lot more actions beyond storytelling will be put into play. My single goal is to have a critical mass of people across the continent who believe that we can be significantly better than we are today.
My drive for brand storytelling is anchored on the fact that until we paint the picture of scalable success from and on the continent, it would be difficult to enlist a critical mass of young people in the direction of our Wakanda and more.
A. So yes, I want to tell the stories of Africa’s most ambitious businesses.
B. I want to broker conversations that help young people on the continent leverage cross-cultural and global opportunities that show more people what is possible.
C. I want to lead communications in African startups focused on delivering quality service globally, starting from Africa.
D. The aim is to be at the center of conversations for startups who understand that quality brand communications start from fulfilling a promise of quality service delivery and not just bombarding people with comms (even though we will still pull up in a wide range of strategic communication efforts).
So, in this new year, if you are ever at a cross-road on the opportunities, conversations, or relationships you should send my way, my 10+ years across radio, newspaper, print, digital magazine, brand comms & client relations, and partnerships make me a partner of choice for the charges itemized in exhibit A to D.
I am guilty as charged and ready to serve your term.
— O’gbemiro.
*Yesterday, for anytime you are reading this is 26th January, 2023.
