Join us on this deep conversation with Tolulope Oke, Global Head of Diversity At Diageo and Multi-Award Winning Diversity Champion where we discuss everything from the people who have had an impact on her life’s story to pivotal moments in her career to lessons she’s learnt from growing up as a minority in the United Kingdom.

More specifically, in this episode, we spoke about:

• Her faith and the impact of her faith on her life’s journey

• The necessity of being kind to yourself and healing from the past

• Dealing with grief

• The importance of role models in shaping the next generation and closing the generational wealth gap

• Being true to yourself and not defining ourselves by other people’s expectations

Tolu ends this episode by saluting other black women for their strength, resilience, and contributions to society. She reminds listeners to embrace their own journey and to be proud of their accomplishments.

In this episode, our host, Sam interviews Dr. Nike Folayan, a Chartered Engineer and the co-founder of the Association for Black and Minority Engineers (AFBE). As part of the Black History Month theme of celebrating sisters, they discuss Dr. Nike's journey and her work in advocating for diversity in the engineering industry.

Dr. Nike shares her insights on the importance of courage and kindness in making a difference. She emphasizes the need to stand up for what you believe in and the value of having a strong support system. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by change-makers and the significance of staying true to oneself while navigating societal pressures.

Throughout the episode, Dr. Nike's personal experiences and beliefs shine through. From being inspired by her mother's bravery and confidence to drawing strength from her faith, she shares how these influences have shaped her determination and commitment to making a positive impact.

Join Sam and Dr. Nike as they explore the power of courage, kindness, and finding one's identity in this thought-provoking conversation.

In this episode, we have an amazing guest, Ollie Folayan, a chartered process engineering consultant, visiting professor at the University of Dundee, and an award-winning diversity champion. Ollie shares personal stories on his family background, faith and upbringing. He further shares his experiences with racial discrimination and how it has shaped his career and advocacy work.

Ollie emphasizes the importance of community in professional development and how it can help individuals overcome barriers and achieve success. He also provides insights on creating effective initiatives for promoting diversity and inclusion in organizations.

This podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Ollie's insights and experiences provide valuable lessons on how to overcome barriers and achieve success in the face of discrimination. Tune in to this episode to learn more about the importance of community, education, and research in promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Sir Geoff Palmer is Scotland’s first Black Professor and is Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University. He was knighted by the Queen in 2014. His groundbreaking work, the barley abrasion process has revolutionised the world of brewing and has earned him the ⁠⁠American Society of Brewing Chemists⁠⁠ Award of Distinction, considered the "⁠⁠Nobel prize⁠⁠ of brewing".

Sir Geoff was also recently honoured by King Charles with his portrait which is on public display at Edinburgh’s royal palace as part of celebrating the Windrush Generation. The special display commemorates the positive contributions these pioneering men and women have made to the United Kingdom. In this reflective and historically-rich conversation, we discussed Sir Geoff's journey, upbringing, pivotal moments in his life, the famous “Barley Abrasion” process, and what advice he would give to younger people looking to get involved in activism and science.

Growing up with hardworking parents who instilled the value of diligence, our remarkable guest - Sofiat has dedicated her life to making a difference in the world. This has shown in her founding ⁠⁠Computer Science Academy Africa (CSAAfrica)⁠⁠ - an initiative aiming to provide young Africans in STEM with access to quality computer science education and her numerous speaking/mentoring involvements. She also founded the Nigerian Student Society at the University of Glasgow. Sofiat's passion for helping others (particularly through CSAAfrica) has led to her being awarded the Future World Changer Award by the University of Glasgow. In this episode, we explore her upbringing, pivotal moments and why she believes in giving back to others. Her dedication to teaching, community outreach, and creating positive change is truly inspiring.

Sofiat takes us behind the scenes of running an organisation such as CSAAfrica and one highlight was her candid explanation that the journey wasn't always easy. She feels grateful that she kept on going.

Finally, we discuss the importance of self-care and balance while striving to help others. Our guest shares their insights on setting boundaries, prioritizing wellbeing, and recognising one's strengths and resources when setting goals. Don't miss this inspiring episode as we uncover the power of kindness, determination, and the pursuit of making a positive impact in the world.

On this episode of Stories That Shape Us, Enoch Adeyemi shares insightful stories on varying topics from the impact of his upbringing on him to the importance of dreaming big dreams and surrounding yourself with the right company to overcoming challenges while climbing the corporate ladder amongst other topics. He further talks about how gratitude has played a big role in his giving back to the community. Enoch also talks about ⁠Black Professionals Scotland⁠ - including the challenges he faced in the beginning and why he believes in the mission. Enoch ends this episode with gratitude for his family - parents, wife and other people who have played a big role in his life.

Join us on this deep, enlightening and emotional conversation with Henry Anumudu about his life's stories, upbringing, pivotal moments, what excellence means to him, lessons from working to improve education in under-served communities and dealing with grief.

In this episode, Adewale shares his personal journey of starting from a security job in Lagos, Nigeria and eventually achieving success - starting his own companies - Techpoint.Africa, AltSchool and TalentQL. He talks about how he had to work hard to make ends meet and support his family. Despite facing numerous challenges and setbacks, he never gave up on his dreams and continued to push forward. Adewale's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and determination. Adewale believes that we are all role models and we need to include core values of diligence, excellence, creativity and integrity into our work. He started from humble beginnings but was able to achieve success through his persistence and willingness to take risks. His story serves as a reminder that success is not always easy or immediate but requires patience, hard work, and perseverance.