It’s a brand new year and I’m delighted to bring you the first episode of Conversations with Creatives for this year. In a time when the art of being your neighbour's keeper is becoming lost, it is expedient to be reminded that we all exist to serve one another and foster community. And what better way to learn about making a difference and becoming change agents in our society than from a woman who is blazing the trail in her world?

Jennifer Soba Pearse is a community development strategist, an experiential leader and teacher. She is the founder of Give Back Nigeria, a Non-Profit Organisation based in Nigeria. On today’s episode she reiterates the benefits of travel, experiential learning and the need for everyone to get involved in community development and nation building. Today’s podcast will inspire you to learn, relearn and unlearn some of your cultural beliefs to embrace a global world view.

Becoming an entrepreneur requires a good dose of grit. Many potential entrepreneurs do not eventually start out in business due to fear and procrastination. They wait for the perfect time, the perfect circumstance and situation, not knowing the longer they wait, the more difficult it becomes. The time wasted could have been used to gain knowledge and experience.

Today's episode of Conversation With Creative Podcast features Morenike Molehin(founder and CEO, Oak and Teak) listen as she talks about her entrepreneurship journey and shares lessons from her experiences, her success story and what matters most!

Building a business or brand from scratch can be quite challenging. And it takes twice as much effort or resources to keep the business running. Regardless of where you are in business, good advice can save you plenty of time and errors. You do not have to re-invent the wheel!

In this episode of Conversations with Creatives, Elaine Shobanjo of ShoMya shares her experiences in business and offers valuable insights on the relevance of business structure, balancing personal relationships with professionalism, and customer innovation and management. Take a listen!

By the end of 2020 (post-COVID 19), many employees would have lost their jobs. Experts estimate that an equivalent of 195 million jobs could be lost worldwide due to the pandemic (scary, right?). This also means that new job roles will be created and many daring entrepreneurs will start new ventures.  

Transitioning from a 9 to 5 to your own business can be scary and stressful but also rewarding. If you've ever felt the need or tug to leave paid employment to build your own business, this might be a perfect time. This crisis offers a unique opportunity for you to consider your options, make adequate preparations, and take the bold step.

Join this conversation with Deroju Ope-Ajayi, a second-generation water safety instructor and Chief Lady Fish of Dolphin Aquatic Centre & Swim School as she shares her journey of transition from a secure, high-paying job with a Telco into entrepreneurship. Deroju's story will encourage, motivate, and challenge you to take the next step towards starting your own business. Take a listen!

Choosing to start all over again is definitely not what many of us like to think about or plan to do. I bet it takes a good dose of grit and tenacity! While very few heroes (those I refer to as courageous) plunge into this journey in their lifetime, many (in fact, most) cling tightly to their comfort zones being blinded by their fears and excuses. Sadly, they would rather bid a precious and long-awaited opportunity or change goodbye than confront their own fears.

No doubt, starting any venture over can be downright tasking and can cause a lot of pain and untold hardship (I know from experience) but it does have its good sides. How do we move past our fears and become unstuck from our comfort zone in order to pursue a higher goal or vision?

In today’s podcast, I speak with Wani Olatunde, a wedding and portrait photographer in the UK. She shares on her life journey and tips that can help anyone move past fear and undo their life or business again.

You can find Wani Olatunde on
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/waniolatundephotog/
Website: https://www.waniolatunde.com/

The world has been taken by surprise by the pandemic COVID-19. While we take necessary precautions to keep ourselves safe, it is also important that we protect our hearts from fear.

Fear is a major factor responsible for the failure of many people and businesses. While we cannot completely eradicate fear from our journeys as entrepreneurs, we can, however, make progress in spite of it. 

On this episode of Conversations With Creatives, I reveal my current fears and how I have been dealing with it and share tips and tricks on how you can overcome them too. If you’ve ever been stuck from fear or you currently feel so, this podcast is for you.

Nigeria is a combination of opportunities and challenges. While many see challenges as obstacles, others see them as an opportunity for service. On today’s podcast, I speak with Dare Aliu, the founder and Group Managing Director of TDA Group of Companies including TDA Couture, a Nigerian conglomerate of businesses with a focus on operational excellence and customer service. He shares the inspiring story of how he started his businesses and offers valuable insight into how entrepreneurs can survive in this fast-changing economy.

On this episode of Conversations With Creatives, you will learn:

-  How to recognize business gaps and opportunities and tap into them.

- The importance of creating seamless and effective business processes.

-   How to constantly balance the supply-demand chain.

-  The value of emotional intelligence.

-  How to prioritize staff welfare and build a formidable team.

-  How to ensure customer satisfaction and avoid being owed by clients.

-  Practical ideas for overcoming challenges in business.

The world would be a better place if we all shared our stories and inspired one another by them. Behind the glamour and glitz of successful people are failures, hidden scars, and pains that have birthed change. 

Join me, Adeola Dara, your host on Conversations with Creatives, as I take you on a journey of learning, and uncovering hidden treasures in the lives of Nigerian Creatives (entrepreneurs, business owners & solution providers, thought leaders and industry experts) to help you grow and thrive in life and business.

Conversations with Creatives is a Bi-monthly podcast for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs and those who aspire to birth change in our society.