Experience the captivating journey of Christopher Ward, founder of Model Strangers, as he unveils the power of human connection through street photography. In this episode, Ward shares his unique upbringing in apartheid South Africa, the birth of his mission to capture the essence of humanity, and the transformative lessons he's learned from interacting with strangers on the streets. Dive into his natural ability to forge meaningful bonds, overcome challenges, and find joy in the moments that make us come alive. Ward's story is a testament to the impact of empathy, kindness, and embracing our common humanity. Join us for this inspiring conversation that celebrates the stories that shape us and promote understanding among people.

In this episode of 'Stories That Shape Us', our host Samuel Agbede sits down with Niyi Oludipe, Director of Shepha Properties. The conversation ranges from Niyi's journey of moving from Nigeria to the UK, overcoming numerous challenges to establish himself in a new country and his eventual success in the property sector. He freely shares his personal struggles, life-changing decisions, the role of his faith and the importance of persistence. Niyi also reveals how books and biographies have been crucial in influencing his mindset. The episode climaxes with discussions about setting up Shepha Properties, the lessons learned and the satisfying feeling of creating high-quality homes for families.

Join us on this interesting conversation with David Forrest, a writer, software engineering tech lead, and a PhD holder in Experimental Particle Physics as he shares his experiences, life lessons, and perspectives. We delved into a variety of topics, circling the themes of self-worth, heart attitudes, diverse cultural appreciation, and love.

Join us on this insightful conversation with Ken Nwokoroafor, a leading voice in the personal finance space, and the author of the book ‘Financial Joy: Banish Debt, Grow Your Money and Unlock Financial Freedom in 10 Weeks’. In this episode, we dive deep into the personal stories that have shaped him.

Ken shares his journey from humble beginnings to financial independence and the pivotal moments that have defined his path. From growing up in Nigeria to moving to the UK and facing financial challenges, Ken's story is one of resilience, determination, and self-awareness. He shares how he overcame debt and financial struggles, and how he and his wife Mary founded "The Humble Penny" to help others achieve financial independence and create financial joy in their lives. Tune in to discover the lessons Ken has learned along the way, including the power of prioritizing values, the importance of investing in self-education, and the mindset shifts needed for financial abundance. Whether you're looking to take control of your finances or seeking inspiration to pursue your dreams, this episode offers valuable insights and practical tips for creating a life that truly matters.

Join us as we sit down with Tabitha Nyariki, a Kenyan-born advocate for child literacy and racial equality. Get to know Tabitha as she shares her life story, from her childhood in Kenya to her inspiring journey of founding the NGO Kosi Africa . From her mother's influence that shaped her childhood to her experiences in student politics, you'll hear Tabitha recount her life with honesty and wisdom. Listen in as Tabitha recounts her experiences living in different countries, and how each of these experiences helped shape her into the person she is today.

Tabitha also shares her unique insights into the complex issues of racism and equality. Hear from her firsthand about the practical ways to tackle racism and the importance of educating oneself. Be inspired by her work in the charity space and the difficulties she had to overcome in starting an NGO.

Finally, in this conversation, Tabitha talks about her personal struggles and how she learned to find motivation despite her failures. From her move from Mauritius to Glasgow to her experiences in student politics, listen to her reflect on the life lessons she has learned along the way. So, tune in to this inspiring conversation with Tabitha and be inspired by her journey, passion, and resilience

In this episode, we sit down with Peace Itimi, the founder of FoundersConnect, a platform that documents the African tech startup landscape and stories of founders on the continent.

Peace shares impactful anecdotes from her life and the key takeaways that have helped her grow. She emphasises the importance of failure as a learning opportunity and how it can lead to growth and feedback. Her journey is a reminder that success is not always a straight line, and that it's okay to take risks and learn from those experiences.

In this interview, Peace further talks about the phrase "do it afraid" and how it has become a mantra for her. For Peace, "doing it afraid" means acknowledging and feeling the fear and anxiety that comes with taking risks, but still pushing forward and taking action. She emphasizes that fear is a natural response, but it shouldn't stop you from pursuing your goals and dreams.

Bayile is a social entrepreneur and project manager with 12 years of experience in the hospitality industry in various roles in marketing,operations and consulting.

Bayile’s experiences led her to start Dechomai in 2015; a social enterprise empowering Black and Minority Ethnic communities with leadership and entrepreneurial skills so they can be financially independent.

Dechomai’s mission is to stimulate a vibrant entrepreneurship eco-system within Ethnic minority communities.

https://dechomai.co.uk (https://dechomai.co.uk/)

Bayile has a passion for developing and coaching black and ethnic minority youths into leaders and change makers and serves on the Advisory Board of many BME businesses as well as being President for the Scottish Women in Business (SWIB), Young Enterprise Scotland Alumni Board member, Women’s Enterprise Scotland Ambassador.

Bayile sits on the NSET Programme 1 Board and Scottish Government steering committee for social Enterprise, and Co-chair for Social Enterprise Equalities subgroup

Wuraola Oyewusi is a Data Scientist, Technical Instructor and Pharmacist, a passionate professional committed to advancing Artificial Intelligence practice. She has held roles in AI Research as a Researcher(Data Science and Data Curation) at the Imperial College London and previously Led Research and Innovation at Data Science Nigeria.

Her research interest is in Natural Language Processing and she has also been in the forefront of the unstructured data application and open source access, especially in the area of health and language. She is the Author and Instructor of the ⁠⁠Hand-on Natural Language Processing⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Advanced AI: NLP techniques for Clinical Datasets⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ Hands-On Data Science and AI for Healthcare⁠⁠ courses on LinkedIn Learning, contributed to the Springer ⁠⁠AI in Medicine⁠⁠ Textbook and teaches Tech in Yoruba on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠. You can follow her research⁠⁠ publications⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠medium blog⁠⁠"

Ebuka Mordi is a creative fashion and commercial photographer based in Nigeria. His work has featured in Vogue Italia and he currently advises Adobe on their Lightroom suite. Ebuka's remarkable journey started several years ago when he picked up his iPod and started to shoot photos with it.

Ebuka's journey into photography, as you would discover in this episode is not just about capturing beautiful images; it's a journey of self-discovery. Throughout the episode, he shares personal stories that offer a glimpse into his stories of growth. Listen in as he recounts the moment his talent was recognized, the initial struggles of turning a hobby into a successful business, and how he overcame the obstacles on his path.

As we venture into Ebuka's creative world, he provides insights on how he continues to drive progress in his craft, including his ventures into teaching Skillshare classes, running a YouTube page, and even selling NFTs. What stands out to me in Ebuka's story is the importance of authenticity, consistency and staying true to your creative vision. Join us on this fascinating journey and be inspired by Ebuka's story.

Join us for an interesting and fun conversation with our guest, Dami, as we uncover the power of competence in building confidence and the impact of leaving a positive legacy. Through Dami's story of resilience and resourcefulness as a Nigerian immigrant in the UK, discover how his journey, at different times driven by faith, family, and personal growth, led him to overcome challenges and to create a career for himself.

Dive into the heart of Dami's immigrant experience, from culture shock to the struggle for work opportunities, and how his determination transformed a lack of resources into newfound skills. We discuss the significance of developing transferable skills and humbly embracing opportunities for learning and growth, all while keeping one's ego in check. Learn how Dami's people skills and focus on personal development allowed him to transition into a new career and make informed decisions.

In this episode, we share valuable insights on humility, breaking goals down into manageable stages, and the importance of focusing on personal development. Listen in as Dami's story encourages you to embrace the power of competence, religious tolerance, and the pursuit of a lasting legacy.

Join us on this inspiring episode as we sit down with Odinaka, a learning and development professional and transformation catalyst. Listen in as Odinaka shares her work-related experiences, her mission of personal transformation, and her founding of the Graduate Journey Podcast. We cover a wide range of topics and learn about Odinaka's story in this engaging conversation.

Odinaka discusses her role as a transformation catalyst and how she uses various mediums, such as writing and speaking to young adults, to inspire and empower others in their personal journey. We also talk about her co-founding of Sharing Life Africa, an organization that aims to provide access to quality education for children. One of her favourite initiatives at the organization focuses on the Cash Transfer Program, which provides cash and training to women in the community, allowing them to start businesses, support their families, and send their children to school.

Throughout the episode, we touch on Odinaka's passion for education and her commitment to making a lasting impact in the sector. She shares her experience teaching in a rural community in Nigeria and how she was inspired to co-found an amazing company in the education space. We also explore her transition to the University of Pennsylvania for her Masters, her struggles adjusting to a new environment, and her experience starting a podcast to share her journey. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to hear Odinaka's story and learn from her wisdom and experiences.

Join us on this fun conversation with Adora, a software engineer at Microsoft, founder of NexaScale and author of the newly released book “Beginning Azure Devops”. We talked about her upbringing, and her family's impact on her life. She talked about dealing with the pressures of people looking up to her, how she structures her time to be more effective and some of the lessons she has learnt in juggling a busy but productive life.

In this episode, Samuel engages in a fun and dynamic conversation with Susie, whose career has spanned diverse fields such as cancer research, public policy and innovation, working at the Glasgow commonwealth games (including performing backup vocals at the closing ceremony to an audience of 1.4 billion people) and innovation and storytelling. Through this discussion, Susie sheds light on the significance of seizing opportunities, the transformative power of surrounding oneself with the right people, stepping outside comfort zones, and the immeasurable fulfilment that comes with pursuing one's passions.

As the dialogue deepens, Susie's journey into the world of music unfolds, revealing her early experiences playing the piano and guitar. Overcoming initial hesitations and imposter syndrome, Susie shares how she eventually found joy and fulfilment as a session musician. Her story serves as a testament to the transformative power of pursuing one's passion, even in the face of self-doubt.

Susie's dedication to making a difference shines through as the conversation turns to her advocacy and her contributions to Scotland's advancement in sharing our innovation story. As a Programme Director for Glasgow City of Science and Innovation, she shares her insights on the importance of storytelling in innovation in driving positive impact for society, productivity, and the environment. Susie's passion for creating a more inclusive and innovative future resonates strongly throughout the discussion.