Turning Stumbling Blocks to Stepping Stones: The Inspiring Journey of Dr. Blessing Enakimio - E93

Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome, welcome, welcome. You're tuning in to the Lead to Excel podcast, the hub where science meets leadership and transformation begins. I'm your host, maureen Cheyanna, founder of the Mindsight Academy, a trailblazer in the world of neuro-leadership. I'm an executive neuro-coach, leadership transformer and a neuroscience enthusiast, dedicated to empowering leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers like you. Every week, we delve into the heart of neuroscience to discover how you can unleash your potential, master your brain, manage emotions yours and others alter behaviors and exceed expectations. We are here to help you not just to survive, but thrive and flourish in the fast-paced world around us.

Speaker 1: 1:02

We are about to kick off another high-impact episode today, diving into a topic that is powerful, intriguing and has the potential to shift your leadership journey. So, my friends, it's time to put on your thinking caps, grab your favorite beverage and get comfortable. It's time to elevate your leadership, to excel and so, hire, let's dive right in. Okay, today's episode is an interesting one because this lady I have known forever and we've never done a podcast together, so we will see where this leads. But, listeners, be prepared for some interesting brain rewiring, anything you want to think of. But listen to this podcast because this lady is amazing and her name is Blessing Enakimyo, dr Blessing, enakimyo, welcome to Lead to Excel podcast.

Speaker 2: 2:11

Thank you very much. I'm so pleased to be here.

Speaker 1: 2:14

I am really pleased to be here as well. So I'm going to start by saying actually Blessing, introduce yourself. I think that would be a good start. Who is Blessing?

Speaker 2: 2:30

It is a very, very long question to answer. Okay, so I'm Dr Blessing Enakimyo, the CEO of Black Global. Amongst many other things, I run a few companies, but I like to define myself as a multi-potentialist and multi-what Multi-potentialite.

Speaker 1: 2:49

Oh, I love that Multi-potentialite, I love that. Yeah, what does that mean?

Speaker 2: 2:55

before you go on, Okay, it means that I am multiple in my potential and I'm not who you define. I always like to say I'm forever becoming more. So the best word I found was multi-potentialite. So I keep that close to my heart so that I don't restrict myself in being who I am, but I'm forever becoming more.

Speaker 1: 3:21

I love that. Thank you Okay.

Speaker 2: 3:25

So I'm an event designer and I am also an international businesswoman and I facilitate international trade.

Speaker 1: 3:32

Wow, thanks for that Blessing and that new world, that new world, that new world, it's great. Now I want us to kind of elaborate a bit on blessing as a person. So just tell us a bit about you in terms of where did you grow up and where are you now, where you live now. So just give us a bit of background.

Speaker 3: 3:59

Okay, so I was born in London in United Kingdom. I was here in my first years, I think up to the age of four, and then my parents relocated to Nigeria so I went with them. So I did my education in Nigeria. I came back to England in my 20s I think it must have been years. I came back for my university studies in England. I lived in London, but now I am in Kent.

Speaker 1: 4:31

Thank you so much. So, in terms of your background, what did you study, what was your degree in and how? Yeah, let's start there.

Speaker 3: 4:45

Okay, so my very first, I suppose, my background. I started off life working for education, let's put it that way. So back in Nigeria, before I came out here, I would say I had to work. So I started off with a job. I think it was about 15 or 16. I started off with a business selling geodorant, I think it was. Yeah, I bought and sold geodorants. I bought and sold baby clothes. And then I got a job which was very exciting, at the age of 16, in the primary school, and I didn't have a job title, it was just the lady who did anything then did to be done. So I covered all classes from nursery all the way to primary six.

Speaker 3: 5:32

Then Nigeria that's what it's called which is a year six here, I suppose same thing. And then when I then came over, I went into university. I started off investing in Nigeria University of the Bado. I did animal science. I did one year of animal science and then I think that took three years because of all the strikes. So I came over to the UK and got into do psychology. I started off in psychology. I think I did up to three years. I couldn't afford to finish so I carried on working because I was working full time and studying part time. I couldn't afford to finish, so I think at year three of 30 of university I dropped out because of financial reasons. I carried on with my working career and built my cell phone and then went on later to back into university and I have a master's in education, amongst many other qualifications now.

Speaker 1: 6:31

Yeah, thank you so much for sharing that with us. So I want to dig a bit into the. You said you had to work. What was that like? And how did you? What do you mean by that, and what was that like?

Speaker 3: 6:49

And from about the age of 14, things started to change financially for my family. I got two older ones, siblings, so they were in polytechnic at the time, but I was still in secondary school just rounding up and I noticed that things changed. Things had changed financially significantly. My dad went through a couple of stams that took everything he ever earned his life savings, his everything. So I was in a situation where if I wanted anything I had to give it to myself. But I was okay to manage with whatever was happening and just joining with the family. Being the baby of the house, I just got on with it. But I noticed one day I went into my parents' bathroom and I noticed that they were in their sub dish was a detergent in Nigeria called Omu. I don't know if you remember Omu.

Speaker 1: 7:46

I know that.

Speaker 3: 7:47

So it's a washing powder. Essentially that's what they had in their sub dish. So I thought to myself hang on a minute, why are they using that to shower? Okay, I was able to buy my own little joy soap from Pyrrha Leather. With my little businesses I was able to cover myself. But what's happening with my folks? And I didn't like that and I thought I know my dad is doing his best. I know my mom's business. She's doing what she can. She's keeping a roof over her head with her business. Maybe I can do more.

Speaker 3: 8:18

So that was why I started applying for jobs and of course my parents were not happy with it. You're not going to work, you're too young, you need to go to school. So a couple of jobs I applied for via my parents' friends. I did get the jobs, but of course they told my parents before. They told me my parents declined it. So I never got to go. So in the end I had to go behind their backs, which was very risky, but I did.

Speaker 3: 8:41

I went for the interview, snuck out of the house, did all that, got the job. Of course, when I came back I was told off and the usual. But then I just got a job. My mom didn't believe. She was like if your father can't get a job, who's going to give you a job? You're only a kid, I said. But I did get it and I'm starting on Monday and I remember vividly that I had to go and stay during the period of the interviews and the training and everything. I had to go and stay in a friend's house, a family friend's house, to say that I was just visiting with them. But it's because I was going for the job interviews, the different series. I had to do that. So I got the job. My mom was happy I got the job and every time I got a salary I bring my envelope back to her and she'll I'll give it to her.

Speaker 3: 9:27

So that added to the income of the house and slowly but surely, the soap dish. For me is that soap dish. There was no longer detergent in there, there was soap, there was joy. So better now, joy, and for me that that was why I did it and I think from then on it's been a case of if I see anything that I don't like, I always say this, saying if it has to be, it's up to me. That has just always been my drive. If it is to be, it's up to me. So if a problem gravitates towards a solution, so if I identify a problem, it's not for me to flag it, it's for me to solve it.

Speaker 1: 10:10

Wow, blessing this. You were 14, 15 at this time and you were the last born, and usually what you tend to find with a lot of last borns this is not generalising, but you tend, you know, a lot of times last borns are the ones that are chilled because they don't have to do much. So what was it about blessing or what was it that actually made you? I don't know if there's something you grew up, I don't know, but why. My question is what was it about you that made you say I'm going to work? You know why don't I stay after? I've got younger ones, they can look after me. What was it about? You know what? I've tried to figure out.

Speaker 1: 11:01

What was going on in your brain to make you see that soap, that powder, soap, in fact. What was it about the Omo for those that know Omo or Ariel, and basically it literally is similar to what we use in a dishwasher. Dishwashing powder now, or washing powder, is similar. What was it about it that triggered in you that? Ok, it's up to me, because that's not what a 15 year old will be thinking, usually almost 15 year olds.

Speaker 3: 11:35

I know that I wasn't going to use Omo to wash my body. I we have drawn out of so many, many, many, many months ago, if not maybe years ago, and I have been using soap to shower. How come? Because I was with my little trade, buying it for myself. I could meet my own soap need. Let's put it that way.

Speaker 2: 11:57

And I was.

Speaker 3: 11:57

I don't know, but then I'd never thought that my parents would need my help. It wasn't what I was thinking at the time, but I just thought if I can buy one for myself from the little I'm doing. The whole point of going into the geodurant business is because I wanted geodurant and I thought, ok, the best way to do it is to sell it. If I, if I owned it, then I can have one, isn't it? So I started trading in geodurant and it is from church, isn't it the lady who was doing it. I just took some from her and said I haven't got capital, can I, can I take some? When I sell? I'll, you know, I'll replenish.

Speaker 3: 12:31

The thing is I grew up in a home that is quite entrepreneurial. My mom was a very vivid businesswoman. I saw her set up many women in business. So maybe innately I'd grown up seeing women empowered. Maybe so unconsciously, that was already my, my wiring, so to speak, that women can do stuff. You know, because I'd seen my mom do it for women. On the streets You'd see women who were hawking and she would call them in and say OK, instead of selling what you're selling, I'll give you a crate of Coke. You sell it, bring back the money and take your profit. You know she had empowered quite a few women, so I've seen that happen.

Speaker 3: 13:10

So I took the same thing and approached people who were in business and church to say, give me some, I'll sell and then I'll return the capital and take my profit. And that's how I started. So a simple thing of soap, I could do it. It wasn't a big deal and I was buying it for myself. I was just buying two a month. It just means I have to sell more. That's how I saw it. So I took that on. But then it led me down the path of actually, if I can do that, why why just get only petty? I can go and get a job. It's not like I'm doing anything. University is on strike. It's not like I can get in. There's no money to go to university anyway, so why not? You know? So I think for me, innately it was as if what else is there to do? That's how it was for me, I suppose.

Speaker 1: 13:55

I mean, actually that is. I think you kind of answered the question I was going to ask next, because what I was trying to find out is what had you seen? What was it? What you know, because where did it come from For a 15 year old to really go out to get a job, for 15 year old to see that, see, there's a problem here and I can do something about it.

Speaker 1: 14:21

And I think what you've, what you've described, is that your mom was doing something similar. So you had seen that empowerment. You had seen her empowering others, you had seen her running a business. You had seen her, you know, see a problem with other people and solve it. And I think that's so important because what we see as children is wired into our brain Very subconsciously. She did not have to say anything to you. You saw it. It got wired passively and when a problem came up, you knew what to do without even thinking about it, and that's so powerful. So I really thank you for sharing that with us.

Speaker 1: 15:04

Thank you, so I'm not going to bring us back now to the UK, because I really wanted us to get to the foundation, basically, and one of the things because you've really talked a bit what you said. You've talked a lot about that problem solving. You know, see a problem and it's up to you to solve it. I know you quite well and I see that play out in you over and over. So, in terms of coming to the UK, you then really because what you said is that you couldn't afford to finish your degree of psychology, you didn't fall apart, you looked for a solution is the same thing playing out again, you know, and then in fact even how you came to the UK, it's that whole process playing out. And then you then moved on. Now You've, then you had a master's in education and how did you then navigate to coming to being an events planner or not? Events planner, it's events design, events designer that's the one you navigate through, that to be to get into events designing. Yeah, if you just share that with us.

Speaker 3: 16:19

Okay. So coming to the UK in the first place was the case of I have the option of my British citizen. If I, if I'm doing so much being in Nigeria, my folks, if I moved, if I moved space, could I do more? That was the question, and I think the answer was an immediate yes. But then the question that followed us how? Because how do I afford to get a flight to get? Where am I going to stay? Blah, blah, blah. You know what are the logistics behind it and I thought, okay, my mom's sister still lives here. No one knows what she's doing. I reached out to her.

Speaker 1: 16:54

Can I just hold that thought blessing. I'm sorry, I'm going to keep interrupting you. Okay, so during this whole thought process of what can I? You know I'm doing it here, how can I do? Was this you driving this? Or was it your parents, where you was? Who was this coming from? It was me.

Speaker 3: 17:13

My parents had their own issues they were dealing with. They were trying to stay afloat, you know so I was inconsequential, I was. They were so drowned in what they were doing that I had the liberty to engage myself with my thoughts. Wow, you know so you want someone to look at it as though you were rejected, you were abandoned. No, I wasn't, I was. I had the free will to explore myself. My sister, my brother, they were offered in the, in the university, in their stuff. I was home alone, you know, with my parents, and I could. I could just explore whatever I could. That allowed me to dare myself.

Speaker 3: 17:55

So it was a case of if I'm going to go to the UK, I can't go empty handed. I need to upscale, I need to make sure I have something I can do as soon as I get in. So little things that I was doing around the house the baking, the stuff. I went to found a neighbor who I know run a school for baking, so I registered with her. Again, I didn't have to afford the fees, so in exchange I can break her. So I said I'll do your hair for a month in exchange for admission into your baking school. She agreed to it Because I had my mom had a hairdressing salon, as well as other things she was doing.

Speaker 1: 18:34

So I had a lot of skills.

Speaker 3: 18:35

I was brought up in it, so I exchanged value. That's why I talk about value a lot. I exchanged my hairdressing skills to get access to her baking school. I qualified, did that, got that, happy with that. Then, in the some of the parents that I was working with, the kids who lived on the street, I worked, except, instead of you paying drivers and your nannies to take the kids to school, I can come around. There were about 10 of them. I can come around and pick everyone up, take them to school and bring them back every day, and we negotiated a rate so I was earning from that as well. How old were you at this time? Probably still as a teenager. Yes, yes, wow, yeah, wow. Then also, of course, there were a few girls there. People were, they were having hairdressers coming and going and I thought no outcome, pick your kids up, take them to my salon, I'll undo the hair, wash it and look after them that Saturday. That means you're getting childcare as well and the hairs are done and I'll return them.

Speaker 3: 19:37

So I had quite a lot of little jobs and I had a lot of money I was making. You know for, for, for my age, it's not like I had to pay rent or anything. So I was making a lot of money and all the money I was making from my job the full time job was going straight into my mom and she was it reinvesting it in her business or her business skills, because she had a lot of capital monthly coming in. Then the money I was making from these other little jobs I could spend, if that makes sense. So I had enough cash flow for myself and then I was also providing for my family and my mom was just doing her magic with whatever I was bringing in. She went from selling retail Coca Cola to becoming the major distributor in all of Ikea. You know from that. So for me it was no longer a case of can we eat? We could eat, you know. You know we could fill the car we could. That was me bringing in mine and my mom multiplying. So it's so.

Speaker 3: 20:39

The issue of now going abroad was who is going to do what you're doing here? Who is going to afford that sort of huge capital to do the shift? So if it's to be, it's up to me. So I remember deciding that was. It wasn't beyond me, but I didn't know the answer. So I was going to fast and pray, remember, and I said I was going to seven days faster than praying on the day one.

Speaker 3: 21:06

Someone said to me why don't you go and speak to so-and-so one of the parents of my children, so to speak? Because I had my little children's club. I said travel alone. So I went straight to her. I said I want to drop the case and I said I wanted to travel. She said travel why? I said I'm British and I want to go back and study. And she was like oh, who's gonna do all this stuff that you agree for us? It becomes so dependent on you as like, well, it's my turn. I need to go and do something for me. She said that's not a problem, I'll buy your flight ticket. I said, oh wow and that was it flight ticket sorted.

Speaker 3: 21:39

Do you have a passport? Passport, what's a passport? So you know, that's just the journey and I carried on and got my British because my parents hadn't done my British passport either. So I went and I had got my British passport, got my Nigerian passport again these are from parents helping out, chipping in. You know, oh, you've done this for my kids, you've done this, you've done that. Okay, what do you need? How much do you need? And that was it, and I just somehow figured it all out and got on a plane and arrived here with my suitcase and slept on the floor for a good three months, you know, wow.

Speaker 1: 22:13

Let's take a break there, because there's a lot to unpack there. That is that is amazing, you know. You know something you said I mean always comes back to that saying. You keep saying it is down to me if it has to be done, it's down to me. And one of the there are two things you did which I find really powerful.

Speaker 1: 22:34

You started fasting and praying and you see, that is is so powerful in the sense that once we start one, we are connecting to God to hear what God is saying. It helps us to quiet him down and stop moving and trying to figure things out in the process. You're able to hear from God, because I always say that, see, we are spirits. God is a spirit and he can speak to us. He's always speaking to us, but most times we're not hearing because we're just constantly moving. But insights for, as a Christian, is when God speaks to your spirit and a lot of times we don't hear it. But when you don't quiet him to pray and there's something powerful about praying because we're praying and the good type of prayers you're listening and when you listen, you hear and that and it's so great that when that person came to you on that first day to say ask this person. If you were not that in that calm, quieting mode, you would have brushed it off and say I don't need to. You did actually almost. Do you know why would I speak to this person? But because you, in that quieting mode, listening and being able to take action, you took the action. So you're not just praying and praying and praying. For seven days you prayed, you listen, you acted, and that's so powerful and you asked that, you asked and you know, when you ask, the opportunities come, I love it, I love it, I love it, right.

Speaker 1: 24:11

So then you came to the UK. When you go here, you did, you know, we don't, because of time, we can't go into all the details. In fact, I think, blessing, we need to come back and do a part two, part three and see where this leads us. But in fact it's interesting because I did not realize that you had started, you know, doing hair back in Nigeria. Because the story here is that I met you when I had my own hair and beauty salon and my main hairdresser had left and I was looking for someone to come and help me out and someone said do you know? Blessing? And I said no, she said, oh, she does hair, but she's not a hair, she's not a hairdresser, but she's very good. She and I can't remember if she said you were trained, but she said you are very good anyway. Anyway, you came through, I spoke to you and the rest is history. You helped me out for a few months before eventually had to sell and close the salon.

Speaker 1: 25:11

You came to the UK and you navigated and I think the reason I brought this up is that what you were doing back home, what you learned from home, it's a skill you had picked up and you could. You still use dates even years later in the UK, and that is what ended up connecting us and probably connected you to so many other people. And that's so important that when we acquire skills along that journey, don't don't don't devalue it, because they come in handy at different points and it's never wasted. So I'm gonna give you the mic again to now take us through how you then came into what you're doing now.

Speaker 1: 25:59

So, navigating through, I know you've done a bit in education and then you I know, in fact, you a lot that you said, really you know, got me to understand a lot of what you do, because the cake. I didn't even realize the cake baking, how you paid for yourself to go and learn that because you eventually have your. If I want you do now is that's how let you. I'll let you take it. I'll let you take it okay.

Speaker 3: 26:28

I think it's important to watch. Your saying is very, very key vocational skills. You can never have enough of them. And I think, like what's your saying, I just think it's important to say is, when I decided that I was going to come here, I always ask what is in my hand, and I had skills, so I made sure that I got a qualification to quantify that skill before I left. So my hairdressing yes, I learned everything.

Speaker 3: 26:55

I was fortunate enough to be with a mom who run a vocational back then was the NDE, so she had like what we're in the UK will call MVQ school, so she had that. So that was exposed to a lot of skills. But I made sure I got my certification for hairdressing, for the baking, for the. I got the certification because I was preparing to come out here. So I didn't think I want to come here. I'm gonna become a cleaner, I'm gonna go, I've got something to offer and I'm going to exchange my value. So I prepared myself, so got here. Of course I've got education, experience, I've got you know. So I, I got here, started looking for a job immediately I got it. I got an admission. My university then emails to say that course wasn't running that year because they didn't have enough intake so it meant I couldn't start immediately.

Speaker 3: 27:39

I got in so I had more time to play with, so to speak. So I got a job. I said I looking for jobs within the education space. I tried out in a couple of primary schools and then I ended up in a nursery school. I was lucky enough, when I knocked on the door it was the owner who let me in. So she interviewed me on the sport, said she's gonna give me a trial, which she did. She loved me, she employed me.

Speaker 3: 28:01

I started off maybe the next Monday. I started my career here. So I was working in nursery school. Of course it's different from how things are done in Nigeria, so it took a minute to calm myself down. You know. You know what I mean. So I got on with it. Well, she was quite invested in me. She. She would monitor me, maybe from the CCTV. If she sees I did anything, we should call me and correct me.

Speaker 3: 28:29

So I started off there and the September of that year I was able to get into another course and started schooling part-time my psychology degree. So having done that job I think about for a year I saw it's almost like I fast forwarded. I do fast forward myself in five years. I do mentally. I do look five years. What does this look like for me in five years? And I couldn't see myself in that space in five years. So I thought, okay, I need to find another space. So I told the lady that I would be looking for another job, not because I'm not great for bots and it's what fans and there's not much room here. So I then got a job in off-stead I applied for as a civil servant and got a job in off-stead within the help desk team for inspectors. So I got in at the then. Whatever the C1, whatever it was administrator.

Speaker 1: 29:25

And just to come in here for those that don't know what off-stead is, what is off-stead in the office for education standards, so they're the ones who manage the standards of education and inspect schools.

Speaker 3: 29:39

So I got in as an administrator and started my career there as an administrator and then, of course, rose in the ranks when it's a help desk, management and things that. And then there was a vacancy for training, training administrator, training coordinator was called. So again, background in teaching. I was quite keen on it so I took on. I said I'll take it on without extra pay because they said they won't give it to me. But I had qualified for a B3, which is first-line management, but there was no job per se for it and I agreed to take it on. If I did the job well, in three months they were going to give it to me.

Speaker 1: 30:18

So they said fine, and that was what you negotiated for yourself. You see, I think this is important to stop here and emphasize that. I like how you said that you kind of look, you know, five years at in advance to where you're going to be, or asking yourself the question where do I see myself? And that's so powerful. You know how the Bible talks about vision. You know, write your vision, that have a vision. Vision is literally looking into the future to see, and it's asking yourself the question what do I see? Do I see myself still doing this or rising? And that's planning.

Speaker 1: 30:55

And when you give your brain something to plan for something to see, your brain always takes you to that thing. It will help you navigate through it. You know, and it's so powerful. You know, and I like the way you said it, because that is what helped you leave that initial job to go into Austin and helped you within Austin to see an opportunity. The first thing you didn't do oh, I need the money. What you are seeing more of is where is it taking you? Because you knew where you wanted to go and you took it without pay but negotiated and I think that is so key, really negotiating what you want. A lot of times we don't. You know, surely women, a lot of women, hold back from negotiating what they want.

Speaker 3: 31:44

But you did at that point and so, okay, let me do it for three months and then you see, oh, that's so cool, okay, continue so I did that and it turned out that whenever the head of department PA was going on leave For some reason because I was the Jack of all trade kind of person I would be asked to sit in for her. So I used to feel very cool with myself. I have to move desk from being with memmo tools to sit on the other side where the head of department's desk was and be happy for a week or two whilst happy was on leave. So that helped me a lot because it helped me with my communication skills and I took advantage of it. I wrote her letters, I sent her emails. It really helped.

Speaker 3: 32:36

So by the time this job came up and I was bold enough to say I'll do it, see what I can do, which I did. So I got into training coordination and part of the job was then to create a waydays for the staff. I've never done it before but, ok, let's try. So part of that was that to book in the venues, coming up with the agenda. So I said just let me do it. I have. You guys have nothing to lose. You're not paying me for it. If it goes wrong, you have lost nothing. If it goes right, you have gained so much. So the first day they gave me free reign, gave me a budget and I managed it. I can spend all the money, but I gave us a beautiful way day. The agenda was on, spot on. The engagement is worked. So, of course, by the time we came back, I was put into a meeting on Monday. I was given the job, up my pay, but you know and Well, you've never done anything like that before, had you no Wow?

Speaker 3: 33:35

Wow. No, I think you know creativity. This is why I say I'm an event designer, not a planner, because design is my superpower. It doesn't matter what space I go into, it doesn't matter what it is. I can think from within and come up with an idea and come up with a solution. So I use that. I suppose I'm more conscious of it now, but then it was just the thing I did. But now I claim it's my superpower and I know it's my strength and so I play with it.

Speaker 3: 34:06

So I did that and that's how I got into designing conferences, planning away days, training courses, training, so that we would have a budget and people need training and of course, the money never meets. You have to come up with creative ways to then make sure people do their key skills. So Adam said, if I trained, if I trained to be the trainer and I delivered it in-house, it would be cheaper for us. So a lot of times that's what I ended up doing to make my budget work. So I became a trainer myself to then cascade the training down to others and I saved my organization quite a significant amount of money. But whilst doing, I was racking up my own, my own skills, my own qualifications, you know, vocational training came in.

Speaker 3: 34:49

Then Everybody had to have the ITQ. When the whole buzz of IT came on and was, the IT department said they can handle it, I thought I'll do it, you know, and I'm a yes person. So I got the training to deliver it and I became an A1 assessor, went on to be a V1. You know, I just kind of pushed my way through there and then fast forward a few years later Back to coming, moving, getting my having kids and coming over to Kent and those skills. You know, those skills had stacked up. So it was almost like that was a path I loved.

Speaker 3: 35:27

I just love bringing people together, I loved gathering, I loved it and I also love designing. So you put two and two together. What do you have then on the commercial level is to design events, and but not just design events to bring people together, but with a purpose. I want to know what my client's KPI is. I want to know why are you doing it? What is it you want to achieve? And then I walk backwards, design backwards, to make sure that need is met.

Speaker 1: 35:51

Oh, you know, I'm listening to you and I, like I said, I've known you for years. A lot is falling into place for me. I'm thinking OK, so this is how it started, and one of the things that I always find fascinating about you is your creativity. Your dopamine gosh goes into drives. You know, it's kind of spire, it goes. It's amazing the way your brain works and then you know that's all.

Speaker 1: 36:24

If there's a problem, what can we do? It's interesting because, as you're very creative in things, you're so creative with people. It's if somebody has a problem, how do I solve it for them? You know your brain is constantly ticking that way and now I see how the origin started, but the power in how you've leveraged it, how you've used it, how you've continued to really enhance those skills.

Speaker 1: 36:57

Yes, I'm sure there are times you felt low, usually when you know background, when things were not going as planned. But what's really got, you know, pushed you. Is that OK? What do I need to do? How? What's the solution? How do we navigate through this? And I think that is just commendable. So I want you to now share with us. Ok, your journey has been through the events planning. You have a cake. You know cake is still one of your biggest passions. Talk to us about the cake business. And talk to us about the events designing and you know what you do, because I know you do wedding as well. You do corporate events. Talk to us a bit about that and I'm going to kind of drill a bit, you know, drill a bit deeper into it.

Speaker 3: 37:46

OK, so carried on in my career and then, after I think, my second child no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You have to go back to first child. It was her birthday and we needed a cake and I couldn't find anyone locally who could do what I wanted.

Speaker 1: 38:03

Problem.

Speaker 3: 38:04

Yeah, ok, I couldn't find anyone who could do what I wanted locally. So I thought, ok, how do I give myself what I want? So I went to a charity show and I bought a baking book. I remember I still have it. It was £2.50. I still have the boba. So I read it cover to cover and I thought I can do this.

Speaker 3: 38:26

I've trained, even though how we do it there and how we do it how it's done here is different. I can find a way we didn't have. There was no YouTube then or Google, where there's a hack for something. We didn't have it then you had to read. So I bought the tins, I bought the ingredients. I didn't just got on with it. I've got the basic skills, by the way. So I followed the recipe. I baked the cake. I remember baking the cake and decorating it. I didn't put any fillings in the cake, because in Nigeria you don't put fillings but here. So I made the cake and everyone loved it. When I look at the pictures now I'm like, oh my God. But I got so much praise for it and people right then and then asked me to make their cakes for them and I said I'm making a. You, of course you were one of those people who kept encouraging me, like, oh, I've got this coming up. Oh it's Monday, make me a cake. Oh, it's Friday.

Speaker 1: 39:20

I did a Friday cake, you know, I've still got pictures of your cakes that you made different times, because there was a time I was so into I think it was Russell and Bromley and you made a cake of Russell and Bromley Bag or something for me. And yeah, no, but your cakes, even my children's cakes, yes, I think it's the designs and I think that's that creativity that kept coming through. Everything that you did, yeah, ok continue.

Speaker 3: 39:47

Yes, it was definitely definitely the design, you know. So I made a few cakes and after a few I think I thought these are people, friends or friends, so I kind of need to do things right. I'm always a person who likes doing things right. So I did what I needed to do, got my food license, as it were, to then make cakes from home, of course, and registered it as a small business on the set, because I still have my full-time job going. So I carried on doing that.

Speaker 3: 40:17

And then with the cakes it's a lot to grow as people ask for wedding cakes. My neighbor's brother was getting married and wanted me to make the cake and of course I had the panic. So I'm sure we'll get my panics. I had my panic or the panic. I did the cake, it was great and I think it just grew from there. And then the design kept pushing through and I saw that I wanted to style my cakes. So when someone orders a cake, I don't just deliver a cake anymore. The cake has a table, that has a cloth, that has a base and other. That.

Speaker 3: 40:52

And I did so many style shoots for magazines and Kent's wedding magazine will come and they need to take. Can you feature this? And I'll start creating something and create a design and take the pictures and send to them. I wasn't a lot of that, you know, for the magazine, and then it dawned on me that hang on what this is. It's design, it's styling. I want to do more than just the cake and that's how I got into venue styling, you know, cause I already had the event design going on, but my expression was growing, so I started to look for specific fabrics, so that to look for specific, and I went all the way. My search led me all the way to suppliers in China, so I was now designing my own sort of florals, flower walls. You know, come up with something and they can create it. And it just honestly, it was like a kid in a child. What do you call it in a sweet shop? In a sweet shop, it was exciting. It was exciting.

Speaker 3: 41:48

It wasn't even about the money anymore, it was just, you know, but of course I've got bills to pay, you've got to check the balance. You've got to make money, you've got to I'm coming to that. So my creativity took the best side of me when I was just creating and creating and creating for creating sake. So that's how we went from Blackature Cakes to Blessing by Blair, which is the design, styling. That's what it was. Then it's grown up to become something else, you know, but that's the journey into it. If that answers the question.

Speaker 1: 42:25

Yeah, yeah. Now that's really great because I want you to continue a bit into where you're at now, because I'm going to go back, but just quickly into from the designing weddings to where you are now in terms of being international events and what you're doing now. So just take us the whole journey, because I'm going to go back a bit, go backwards.

Speaker 3: 42:49

Okay, that's fine. So I'm doing my cakes and I had a boutique where we made the cakes from and also had a wedding planning sort of office in there.

Speaker 1: 43:01

So you literally created a proper business out of yes.

Speaker 3: 43:05

Oh yes.

Speaker 1: 43:06

Yes.

Speaker 3: 43:07

I had the two businesses, so Blackature Cakes and Blessing by Blair, and then we had a premises where we worked from and again, I had my five-year planning. Where do I see myself in five years? And I thought, if I'm going to do event planning, I also want to take into account my corporate events, past and experience. And I had tried to do it here within my sphere. There wasn't much how do you put it? My skill set was not required in the space I was in. I'm back to space again, so I thought, okay what, what space was this at that time?

Speaker 3: 43:45

The Kent Market.

Speaker 1: 43:47

Okay.

Speaker 3: 43:48

The Kent Market. I was doing very well with cakes and stuff, yes, but with the events, what I wanted to deliver didn't fit in my space, so I needed a new space. So I went back to my thinking self. I always ask myself if you had the magic wand, what would you want? You have no restrictions. I thought, okay, I would want to do events in the oil and gas space and I want to go international and I want to start from my home country, nigeria. So I want to do oil and gas events in Nigeria and from there take over the world. That was just my wish. I wrote it down. It's my five-year plan. It's just between me and myself. Nobody's going to judge me whether I do it or not. It doesn't matter. But that was it.

Speaker 1: 44:29

But as soon as I get one of those. That's what was the desire.

Speaker 3: 44:32

That was it.

Speaker 3: 44:33

And as soon as I get one of those things, I tend to go back to my fasting and praying. Now, when I say fasting and praying, it's because I've dreamed a dream that I think is bigger than where I am Spot on, yes. So the reason I fast and pray is I need to move myself to this new space, because if my brain doesn't live there, I can't get there. So I fast and pray, not because I'm praying to God to come and save me. I'm praying because I know God has already saved me. So I need to just move myself spiritually and my physical will follow. That's the simple way I can put it. So my fasting and praying is to hear, is to connect with I'm one with God. So I need to remember who I am. So that's why I fast and pray.

Speaker 3: 45:28

And as soon as I start fasting and praying, someone comes into my shop. I mean my apron covered in flour. I was finishing up a wedding cake and I had a couple who came in. No, three people came in Husband, wife and a daughter who was getting married. They sat with me and quiet about their wedding cake.

Speaker 3: 45:47

We finished that consultation, but while I was having someone else, another gentleman came in and I asked him to wait, so which he did. So when I finished with these people on the left, I sat him down and he had observed that on my screen I did events and luxury events, and he could see he was intrigued by what he had seen and my work was on the screen, and so he just came in to say what it was he came to do and we talked about it and he wasn't of interest to me, he was selling something. But he then observed what was then and said, oh, he also did blah, blah, blah blah and the story I think that's a different podcast on its own, but we connected and it turned out that he was running events in Nigeria in the oil and space.

Speaker 1: 46:38

So that's a story for another time or we might come back to it. But that then led to you running events in Nigeria in the oil and gas space, and that is just so powerful because it was a desire you had, and then how you, and then it happened. Now I want us to come back a bit into you've this. You've told us how you've navigated different. You know you move from one space to another. How, what, how has that been? Because when you're saying it, it's like, ok, it's quite easy. You know you want to move into a space, and then you pray about it and then you shift and you go. What's been the reality of moving into those spaces?

Speaker 3: 47:23

It's a good question. The reality it comes down to a decision first of all. I think it's a series of decision. Decision is what do I want? What do I want, and that's something you've taught me, even on a more advanced level now, what do I want? So, once I'm clear on what I want, I convert what I want to an intention, so I write it down. This is a hope. That's detailed enough. I write it down and when I start to write, it starts writing as I want, I want. That's fine, I just shut it down. Then I go back and rewrite it as present I am, I am, it's happening. I sometimes doesn't happen immediately. Sometimes it takes me three months for that shift to take place. But why do you do that? Because I know that I can want till the cows come home. It makes no difference. The more I want, I'll just keep attracting, wanting more.

Speaker 1: 48:21

Spot on.

Speaker 3: 48:22

So that's a waste of energy. Yes, and back to that. My saying of if it is to be is up to me. If I ask the right question, I'll get the right answer. So it's always down to what is the right question to ask. So I keep, I keep rephrasing my questions, and writing down is a very good thing, because if you just keep it all in your head, you don't know where you're at. Well for me anyway. So I, I, I generally lots, I write a lot. So I write down my questions what do I want? What do I want?

Speaker 3: 48:51

And I keep checking what I want with that five year dream or five year vision or five year plan. If it, if it's not going to get me there, why am I praying for it? I think for me that's the key thing is if God answers that prayer and praying, is it going to fulfill the need? So I'm honest with myself because I strongly believe that God can do anything. Yeah, anything is possible. That's not a, it's not a scripture for me, it's a reality for me. Anything is possible.

Speaker 3: 49:22

So I need to determine what the thing is. That's the role I have to play. So if I'm not clear on the thing, god is going to multiply whatever the thing I give is. So I need clarity on the thing because when he, when the blessing comes upon us and is multiplied, if I'm a minus and it's multiplied, I'm going to be more minus. If I'm in profit and it's multiplied, I'm going to have more profit. So I must be clear that the thing I can attach the any to it, because anything is possible. So it's very important to be clear on intention and to be sure that intention matches the goal.

Speaker 1: 50:01

Yeah, yeah, clarity, clarity. And how establishing that clarity? How do you do that?

Speaker 3: 50:09

By writing. I literally write so it's writing. Yes, so I write and I go back and read it again and I have, I have. I can let this out of, but I have an alter ego, I have blessing and I have Ngozi.

Speaker 1: 50:24

I like that. These are her two names.

Speaker 3: 50:27

Yes, my name is about me. Ngozi is the normal happy girl, lucky, whatever you like. Default person. Blessing is a rewired brain. That has been more in, like I always say. Often I come up with something. I have to then battle it between Ngozi and blessing, so there's a debate going on. So I shifted from up here to down on my paper. So I'm now objective, I'm less emotive, I've objectives with it.

Speaker 3: 50:58

It's away from me. By writing it down, it's separated from me. I'm not a motive about it. I'm looking at it as though I was talking to somebody else, because I'm very good at solving people's problems. What can I solve my own?

Speaker 1: 51:08

Absolutely. And let me just cut in a bit there, because what you've described is so powerful that you've got your alter ego, you've got Ngozi, you've got blessing and for everyone listening, it could be however you interpret it, it's up to you, but the truth is your subconscious brain, in what's in memory, is going to battle anything you're bringing in consciously, because what you have in your subconscious is your memory, is your beliefs. Are those experiences, those experiences that you've had growing up, like blessing, as just described her own experiences from childhood. A lot of those will come out, surely, when you're now coming up with something new. Oh, but this is different. Your brain, your subconscious brain, want to keep you safe, protected, and you see, we're all wired differently as well. I'm listening to you.

Speaker 1: 52:03

I can tell immediately that your frontal part of your brain, that dopamine, is really what drives a lot of what you do, and that dopamine is, you know, that right side of the brain is where we have the. You know a lot of that connecting with people, building relationships with people, where people matter to you. The problem is to be able to be objective. You've got to quiet in that dopamine bit down. And the yeast. You've got to quiet in it down a bit To be able to activate the serotonin so that you can think and analyze and evaluate. The problem is that many people don't know how to quiet in one part and activate another part. They feel that, oh, I'm just creative, so I'm just in that creative space. It's your brain, it's knowing how to navigate this. And I know, let's say you talked about more, you know being more in. All it is is coaching to enable you understand how to navigate your brain. You did talk about you know. So you know let me not deviate a bit so those two, literally is your subconscious, unconscious brain at battle. So it's knowing how to navigate that. So you've got the Ingozie, you've got the blessing and you've developed a way of being able to detach the emotion from the.

Speaker 1: 53:29

Is it the Ingozie? It detached the emotion from the Ingozie so that you can really be, really, so that blessing can step in and then go okay, this is what we are doing or this is what we need to remove or add and be able to do that. So thank you for bringing up because that's really important in getting an understanding where we need to go and connecting. You know, even hearing from God. So we are praying. We're hearing. Are we hearing the right? Is this what God is saying to me? Is it in line with what I'm doing or we are going? Is it actually God speaking or not? You know so. All those things are so important. So, thank you, so continue.

Speaker 3: 54:10

I think it's important to add that Ingozie is the she's very filling, filling. She feels, you know, she feels it all. That's the emotion. Yes, and I'm conscious of my feelings, and my feelings to me is an indication of what I'm thinking. So, my feelings is not a spiritual thing. It's just indicates what I'm thinking. It is a consciousness. Of consciousness, Exactly, yeah. When I have certain feelings, I have to ask why am I feeling that way?

Speaker 1: 54:37

Spot on yes.

Speaker 3: 54:40

Why am I having feelings Exactly? You know. So, when I'm aware of how I'm feeling, I'm aware of what I'm thinking and the truth is, I have the power to change my thoughts.

Speaker 3: 54:51

Yes, my thoughts don't determine me, I determine my thoughts. So if I can change my thinking, then I can change my feelings. Emotions, absolutely. Yes, that's what I teach my kids. You know, even they are teenagers. So of course you've got the whole and I have taught them and I keep teaching. It's a choice, absolutely. If you let your feelings determine your day, you have no control over your day. I say the same to myself. So whenever I feel the feelings, what's going on?

Speaker 1: 55:23

Yeah, it's asking the question. You've got to stop and ask your brain the question why am I feeling this way? Because your brain will give you the answer. Because a lot of times those emotions or feelings are below our consciousness and that's why you can suddenly be feeling something and then going what's going on here? If you don't stop and ask your brain the question, you will just go with that emotion in the wrong, where your brain is taking you. Your brain is only acting on the information it has and that's your subconscious brain and that's what drives 90% or even more of what we do. So what we want to do is consciously take that control back. So thank you, blessing.

Speaker 3: 56:09

I'm guaranteed my feelings will never align with my dreams or my visions. So I have to teach them to follow me, because if I wait for when I feel right to do something, I'll be waiting a long time. So anyway, continuing on, I've gone in and I'm designing events internationally now and I'm excited I'm in this space and I went in into a space that was bigger than me and it was like when you take a koi fish out of a fish bowl and put it in a pond and all of a sudden you're like so this fish could be this big. I watched myself and I watched you watch me just become. I just became, you know.

Speaker 3: 56:51

So when I make that statement, it's not a fancy word, it's a real thing. I watched myself become more than I thought I was. So the question then came could there be more? So I was no longer hungry, I became greedy. I want more, I can be more, I can be more.

Speaker 3: 57:11

So I did a lot of work with you in my identity, you know, because it shifting and I think for us as women, shifting from identifying who you are with what you do I. That is a big thing on its own. So who I, what I do does not determine who I am. Who I am will influence what I do. But it took me a minute. That's again, okay. What I do does not determine who I am. Who I am is what will determine what I do. Yeah, it took me a minute to align with our statements because I struggled. I struggled with my identity coming into this space. I desired it, I want it. I'm here. I struggled, I struggled. The struggle was do I? Why am I here? What can I offer? Oh, my God, what are the expecting of me? Oh, can I even do it? What do I think I'm doing here? I'm just at this. I know people just say Boster syndrome, but I have a different take on it now. But then, my goodness, I didn't. I didn't think I should be there. I really struggled with yes.

Speaker 3: 58:29

I'm here I desired it and I walked my way there or whatever. But every year I always had the. Every year it was a case of oh my God, what am I supposed to do here? And I saw that that feeling affected my work because you don't, because I didn't value. I lost sight of my value in the space I was in. It affected my delivery because of my confidence. But I think the advantage of having a coach is you can be honest and come to the table with that and and again being being coached to think correctly and just someone to help you with your thinking. But it's back to a feeling. It's a feeling, it's just a feeling. So that feeling is an indication of what you're thinking, whether it's consciously or consciously. So we go back to that cycle again. So my thinking had to be almost manual. I had to let go of autopilot fully and manually think.

Speaker 3: 59:30

Intentionally, I had to think I had to write so many. I had to. Just, I was going through books one book a week from my thinking. When I wake up in the morning. I write down every morning who I am, what I am, what is it, my intention, what I'm going to. I took the deliberate steps to do it for months maybe, maybe up to a year of consolidating.

Speaker 3: 59:53

I had to reprogram my brain. I had to rewire my brain. I had to tell my brain how to think yes, yes, we are this way, we are that way, but this is to move forward. This is how I want you to think, and, using the tools that I gained from the Men's Health Academy, I was able to put it to work. I'm not someone who learns for learning sake, or to express that I've learned something, or take joy in knowing I want to do, I want to actually, and for me, the Bible, the scripture, isn't a storybook. I'd rather have five scriptures that make sense and I can put to work than the whole you know so because, again, if you think about it back to my, if it has to be, it's up to me.

Speaker 3: 1:00:35

I need to know what I can do and just give me, give me action to take. So so for me, I think, from from from being that in that space, to, if that's possible, what's next? And I open myself up and there's more coming if I put it that way Listen, that's awesome.

Speaker 1: 1:00:59

You know what I'm going to. We're going to have to do a part two, because we can go on and on, because your journey has just been amazing in terms of how you've learned to take that control back of your brain, how to manage the emotions, which is all, which is emotional intelligence, basically, knowing, understanding the brain, understanding the emotions, understanding that you are in control. One thing that I want us to touch on before we round up today is you did mention that when the first person came to you and asked for a cake for I think it was a wedding or family thing you panicked. Now I want to talk to us about how you navigated that panic, because I know there was also a time and you see, this is so important we are by, and you did mention it briefly every time you're going to step up, panic would set in. The reason why is that it's unknown to your brain, so your brain doesn't know it, so it wants to protect you from it, so you panicked at that stage.

Speaker 1: 1:02:09

I know there was a time you did your first international wedding. You panicked as well. Can you just talk to us about this and how you navigated it, how you lead, Because we've been talking about it why your brain? How did you do it?

Speaker 3: 1:02:23

Okay, so I can talk about. I think the wedding one is one that I would want to talk about. I had my first destination wedding booked and I went out with the bride a couple of times. Us, the venue, did all that. Now this is the night before the wedding itself. Everyone is there. I've done my job. I've brought everyone there. It's just before we hit go.

Speaker 3: 1:02:43

I had a severe panic attack. I didn't sleep at all that night. I did not sleep one wink. I went to the venue several times the evening before just to cross, check and recheck. It was all good, but that night I didn't sleep. I was in the pool of my own sweat. It's the biggest thing I had done at the time.

Speaker 3: 1:03:04

And in the morning, as God would have it, and I'm grateful. I always say to you, I'm grateful for you you rang me all the way in Rome, where I was, and I picked up the phone and you could tell I wasn't okay and I told you what was going on. I don't even know if I was able to articulate my words. What you then told me was a mid-dela hijack, True to form. When you come up with these things, I just want to understand what's going on. So you told me what it was and I was like, good, there's a diagnosis, what's the cure? Straight up. So I think it shifted me slightly from what I'm panicking about to oh, there's a problem to solve. There's something else I need to learn Quick, quick. What is it?

Speaker 3: 1:03:51

And I remember standing in front of the mirror when you were talking to me. Maybe you told me to go to the mirror. So I started from the mirror on my phone and I remember because that's the vision I have of it, and you explained to me what was happening, the signs behind their mid-dela hijack. So I understood fully the signs of what is going on. Good, Now, what do I do? So you started asking me questions. Why are you here? Why do they hire you? Blah, blah, blah, Do, do, do, do. Do you know this stuff you were able to give me, ask me questions for me to answer. That brought me back into the room because I had panicked and let fear. I was afraid of the unknown. Yes, I was afraid of the unknown and I'm not if I'm thinking about it now what was the unknown?

Speaker 3: 1:04:37

I don't know. I've done many of them before, but now I can say that, but at that time. But when you bring it into context and you can separate the feelings, again I realize it's just another step.

Speaker 3: 1:04:51

So I think rewiring of the brain for me is, has been, is not has been, will forever be with me because I'm forever going to be changing. So it's being comfortable with the change Absolutely. When you allow yourself to resist the change, you resist growth, and I know you started off with a while back about growth mindset and that's that exposed me to. I can actually program myself to be in that mode. If you choose to have a growth mindset, you have to choose the discomfort that comes with it, and there's nothing wrong with it. It's okay. It's okay to not know. And there's something I wrote down back then. I said if I can't get rid of the fear to do it, I will do it afraid.

Speaker 1: 1:05:48

Absolutely yeah.

Speaker 3: 1:05:49

So as soon as I realized that the fear is not I don't need to get over the fear to do it here, you're welcome to come along with the ride I find that as soon as I open the door for the fear to come into the car, you don't hear from the fear anymore. So I'm maybe a mumbling, but for me, but it makes sense. Yeah, it makes sense. I mean, you talked me off the ledge that day with whatever it was you said, because you made me look into myself to see who I was. You are good at what you do. That's why someone took you from where you were. There's a reason and they're paying you for it. Yes, exactly.

Speaker 1: 1:06:34

So how did the wedding go after that? How did it go?

Speaker 3: 1:06:39

It still brings tears to me. It was such a bliss, it was so amazing. It's still in touch with the family. You know, it was just an amazing event. It was just an amazing event and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have done it and other things then, and I think it's important to note that this thing we call imposter syndrome is an indication of growth. We're just going out of our box. Exactly, exactly. It's a very negative thing, exactly, it's a very positive thing, positive thing exactly.

Speaker 1: 1:07:16

And you see, I think you're saying that is so important because it all comes down to perspective. It all comes down to how you interpret anything and the way you interpret it will become your reality. For it to be the reality for you, because what you described, that you expressed, it's what we call imposter, but it's growth, it's opportunity to grow. And even as a Christian, we say when God gives you a vision or gives you something that is bigger, you know, some people call it God-sized vision or God-sized dream. It's bigger than you and because it's bigger than where you are now, that's what it is. But to be able to get there, you've got to stretch, you've got to exercise those muscles Like when you're going to the gym and you want to build your muscles, you've got. But a lot of times we shy away from that uncomfortability of the pain or the challenge or the resistance. What we need to do is really push through, embrace it.

Speaker 3: 1:08:15

You have to embrace it Exactly. You know you have to push, you have to look for imposter syndrome situations, because that means you're growing. You have to go and look for it. You have to go and look for it Because the more you have it, the more you're growing. And once you overcome something, once you've overcome it, so don't overcome and say I've overcome, thank God, I'm here now. No, don't settle, keep going, keep pushing, because we're forever, because we are limitless.

Speaker 3: 1:08:48

Thank you Is the extent. I'm curious to see the extent to which I can grow. I want to know what else there is within me. I want to know what else I can do. What problems can I solve? I want to see the next version of blessing. What is it going to be? Who is she going to meet? I'm curious to see what's next for me.

Speaker 1: 1:09:10

I love that. I love that I'm going to bring this to a close for now, because the next podcast guys watch out is going to be the next phase of where blessing got to. But blessing, can you just tell us quickly what you're working on now, because I know you've got an event coming up soon, and if you just talk to us about what's Black Global and what you're doing at the moment, OK.

Speaker 3: 1:09:38

So Black Global is an international business relations consultancy, again an offspring from other things that we've done in the past. So at this point it's facilitating market entry either into the UK or from UK to other parts of the world. So businesses who want to take themselves global, we can help facilitate that and we do that through connections, collaborations and just the human capital cutting through red tape to get you to where you want to be. We've got an event coming up in October, 21st of October, the Empower Gala. Again, it's simply to inspire and empower people. We're looking to recognize those who have done quite a lot in the Kent community and also to inspire those who are just joining or the younger generation, that anything is possible.

Speaker 3: 1:10:32

You know, where you are is not the determining factor. Not where you are physically, but where you are mentally is what determines where you end up. You know, like I keep saying about space, space it's important to identify the space you're in. If the space you're in isn't big enough, just like when you have a child, you put them in a crib, then a cot, then a baby bed, then you move them on to a single bed, then you move them on to a double bed. You see what I mean. You have to increase your space in order to grow. It's important that you do that for yourself as an individual. So personal development and then you also do that for your business business development. You can't just develop the business without yourself or develop yourself without the business. So for us at Black Global, it's about looking at the holistic way to make sure you get to your global goals. That's kind of what we do in Black Global.

Speaker 1: 1:11:27

Thanks so much, and where can people find you? Oh?

Speaker 3: 1:11:31

on the Internet. You can go to Google. If you type in my name, it comes up. Ooh, but anyway you can go to BlackGlobalcouk and we across also should be there platforms as well, with a handle Black Global.

Speaker 1: 1:11:44

Awesome. I'm going to put all the links in the description as well, so you can click on them. Blessing, thank you so very much for coming on. I knew this podcast would be long, but it's just full of so many nuggets. Thank you for opening yourself up to us, and I know we're going to do another part too, to really look at the journey of going deeper into how you actually navigated it. Because, you know, I love it, because your business is called Black Global. You wanted that, you wanted to be global and you are global. You know, every time we ask, let's say we are. You know, oh, I'm in Rwanda, I'm in Dubai, I'm here. You know, it's just amazing to have a desire and go for it. So we're going to go into that. You know, in a bit of detail in terms of how you navigated that path. So, finally, can you give our listeners one final word of wisdom? You've given us so much, but just give us something to take away with finally.

Speaker 3: 1:12:52

Okay, I think I'll repeat one of the ones I've said before, which is, if you cannot get rid of the fear to do it, do it afraid.

Speaker 1: 1:13:02

Do it afraid. Thank you so much. The other thing I'm going to add to that is I love that analogy where you described you opened the door and said you know what fear? Come in and drive with us, but we're still going, we are going and that is doing it afraid. The fear is coming along and it's coming with you. The fear is not coming in and stopping you. You're still driving, You're still moving, and that's so important. Thank you so much, Dr Blessing and Akinmio. It's such a joy to know you, it's such a joy to have worked with you all these years. And then, yeah, I am so pleased that you're in my space and I'm in your space. Thank you so very much. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you. Thank you.

Speaker 1: 1:13:52

We've gotten to the end of another enlightening episode of Lead to Excel podcast. Thank you for spending your valuable time with us today diving deep into the intriguing world of neuroscience and leadership. Remember, the journey to personal and professional excellence is not a sprint, it's a marathon, and every step, no matter how small, brings you closer to your goals. If you found value in our conversation today and its packed insights or even questions, I invite you to share your thoughts with us, Join our community on the MindSite Academy it's called Limitless Leaders Community where we continue the conversation and share valuable resources to help you lead and excel. Please also consider leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to your podcast.

Speaker 1: 1:14:52

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