Ayo Owodunni is a Senior Manager at the Black Professionals In Tech Network (BPTN) Inc. Since moving to Canada, he has worked as a Management Consultant, Real Estate Investor, and a Community Activist.

Ayo founded the Coalition of African Associations, a not for profit that had 15 African associations working together for the empowerment and development of Africans in the community. The coalition has now merged with the African Canadian Association of the Waterloo Region. He is also on the board of Adventure4Change, a not for profit focused on programs dedicated to developing and helping underprivileged youth in the Sunnydale community in Waterloo.

Ayo is a columnist on the CBC radio segment called How To Canada. The show runs in Kitchener, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Quebec. He also runs his own podcast called “The Immigrant View”. The goal of his podcast is to help immigrants maximize their potential in Canada. Ayo releases new episodes every week and focus on a variety of topics that are relevant and helpful to Canadian newcomers.

During this episode, we discuss Ayo’s motivation for moving to Canada and the importance of educating organizations and recruiters about people from different cultures. We also talk about how finding mentors and help through networking sets you on the path of professional success earlier on.

Relevant Resources: 

Ayo's Podcast - The Immigrant View

HBR Article about Weak Ties (mentioned during podcast)

Ayo's Personal Website (where his ebook will be published in 2022)

P.S. Interested in networking with fellow immigrant professionals? Check out the VisaWire Community: https://community.visawireapp.com/