Grow With Kepo | The Corporate to Founder Podcast

Grow With Kepo | The Corporate to Founder Podcast

By Onikepo OmotadeBusinessEntrepreneurshipEducationSelf-Improvement
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Grow With Kepo | The Corporate to Founder Podcast episodes

  • I Got Laid Off at 39 (and That Wasn't the Hardest Part)

    Almost 10 months ago, I got on a Zoom call I had dreaded, imagined, and ultimately expected. I got laid off. And I've been ashamed to tell the story until now.


    Here I was, building a coaching business helping people in 9-to-5s figure out what they're good at and build something of their own — and then I lost my own job before my business had even taken off.


    How am I supposed to talk to people working full-time about building something alongside their jobs when I couldn't even keep mine?


    This is the honest story of what happened next. Not a neat "I chose the rebuild and everything changed" story. Just the truth of what it felt like, what I decided, and what I've learned so far.


    ⏱ TIMESTAMPS

    0:00 The Zoom call I dreaded

    0:16 The shame of being laid off while coaching others

    1:05 The day it happened

    2:15 The layoff call

    3:04 "It felt like I'd been hit by a heavy object"

    3:44 Financially, mentally, emotionally unprepared

    4:27 "Is this an invitation to think differently?"

    5:20 "Am I going to treat this as a verdict on my life?"

    5:36 The decision to rebuild everything

    6:17 The shock stage

    8:36 "This is a golden opportunity"

    9:22 Suffering comes from the meaning we attach to events

    10:26 The payoff — almost 10 months later

    11:53 Consistency beats intensity

    13:19 "If you're going through hell, don't stop"

    14:15 "My breakthroughs aren't here yet, but neither is my ending"

    14:59 The shift in identity and credibility

    16:49 "If you're hoping for an overnight miracle..."

    17:20 Share this with someone who just got laid off


    Follow on Instagram: @growwithkepo

    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    18 min
  • 10 Things I Wish I Knew at 30

    I turned 40 this year. And looking back, there are 10 things that would have saved my 28-year-old self a lot of pain, a lot of money, and most importantly — a lot of time.


    Number 9 is something I'm still paying a hefty price for today.


    These are the lessons from a decade of expensive mistakes, relationships that went nowhere, businesses that never took off, and the hard-won clarity that came after.


    If you're in your late 20s or 30s, pay attention.


    ⏱ TIMESTAMPS

    0:00 "I turned 40 this year..."

    0:38 Welcome to Grow With Kepo

    1:29 #1 If it's not a hell yes, it's a hell no

    3:34 #2 Your gut instinct is always spot on

    4:59 #3 Never overplay your role in someone's life

    6:40 #4 Being interested ≠ being committed

    8:49 #5 Ditch the timeline

    12:22 #6 Don't hold others to your standard

    14:52 #7 You can end suffering any time of your choosing

    17:23 #8 Your circle determines your life

    20:48 #9 Put the big financial rocks first (still paying for this one)

    23:37 #10 Most men aren't worth your time

    26:30 Share this with someone who needs to hear it


    Follow on Instagram: @growwithkepo


    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    27 min
  • Afraid to Be Seen Online? How She Went From Faceless to Fully Booked

    What does it mean to actually be an unedited version of yourself online in a world where everyone's curating, filtering, and performing? Kayla Shannin is a positioning coach who helps women in their online businesses show up as the authentic, unedited version of themselves, and she's living proof that it works.


    In this episode, Kayla opens up about her own journey from editing herself to tearing back the curtains and putting herself out there, even when it terrifies her. We talk about fear of being seen, blocking for boundaries, why you don't need a perfect method before you start, and why giving yourself permission to change your mind is actually a superpower.


    If you've been holding yourself back because you're afraid of what people will think, this conversation is your permission slip.


    👉 Join the free newsletter: https://onikepo.com/newsletter👉 Waitlist for You're Sitting On Gold workshop: https://onikepo.com/workshop


    TIMESTAMPS:

    00:00 Intro

    00:38 Meet Kayla!

    02:51 Fear of Being Seen

    05:57 Blocking for Boundaries

    09:38 Becoming an Unedited Challenge

    12:19 Corporate Roots and COVID Pivot

    16:57 From Affiliate to Coaching

    19:21 Just Execute and Evolve

    22:36 Work With Kayla

    24:45 Authenticity Attracts Clients



    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    27 min
  • I got laid off 6 times from corporate. Here's what finally clicked.

    I got laid off six times. Six. And each time I thought it was a performance problem. Each time I sat in that boardroom hearing "we're sorry, we're going to have to let you go," I blamed myself. I thought I wasn't good enough, wasn't competent enough, hadn't done the PowerPoint deck well enough.


    Then I noticed the one thing all six layoffs had in common, and it had NOTHING to do with my performance. It had everything to do with me putting my ladder against the wrong building and climbing anyway.


    In this episode, I walk you through the full cycle: the stellar resume, the Deloitte orientation where I thought "I want to make partner," the first layoff shock where I couldn't even hear what they were saying, the job hunt trap that pulled me back in five more times, the ridiculous job demands (10 years of experience with ChatGPT, really?), and the moment I finally chose to bet on myself instead of running back to the safety net.


    If you've been laid off, or you're stuck in that cycle of pushing through exhaustion wondering "how long am I going to do this for," this episode is your wake-up call.


    👉 Join the free newsletter: https://onikepo.com/newsletter👉 Waitlist for You're Sitting On Gold workshop: https://onikepo.com/workshop


    TIMESTAMPS:

    00:00 Intro

    00:26 Chasing The Perfect Resume

    03:10 First Layoff Shock

    05:36 Blame And Self-Doubt

    06:10 Sixth Layoff Pattern

    09:58 Job Hunt Cycle Trap

    12:49 Ridiculous Job Demands

    16:26 Betting On Myself

    17:38 Building The Business

    19:49 Your Turn To Bet

    22:05 Freedom Without Fear

    22:58 Start Before Layoff


    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    25 min
  • Stop Hiding Behind Logos and Build a Real $100K Brand | Amanda Swiger

    What if everything you thought personal branding meant was keeping you broke? Amanda Swiger has built a multi-six-figure photography and brand business by helping people see themselves the way they really are, not through pretty photos or perfect color palettes, but through embodying the results their clients actually want.


    In this episode, Amanda breaks down why your brand isn't your logo, your colors, or even your photoshoot (though those are nice). It's how you make people FEEL when they work with you. We talk about reverse engineering the experience, why you are the niche, and why permission to evolve matters more than getting it "right" the first time.


    If you've been stuck perfecting your brand instead of building your business, this conversation will set you free.


    👉 Join the free newsletter: https://onikepo.com/newsletter👉 Waitlist for You're Sitting On Gold workshop: https://onikepo.com/workshop



    TIMESTAMPS:

    00:00 Intro

    01:56 Beyond Logos and Colors

    04:28 Brand as Feeling

    06:01 Reverse Engineer Results

    11:19 Candle Brand Example

    14:21 Pinterest Without Templates

    18:41 You Are The Brand

    27:45 Power Play Presence

    32:05 Permission to Evolve


    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    37 min
  • Your Excuses Are Lying to You: Kelson Hillier's Story
    My guest today is 22 years old and he is making moves that most people twice his age are too scared to even talk about.
    Kelson Hillier grew up in Roseville, California, got bullied from second grade all the way through eighth grade, was on suicide watch for two years, and still chose to rise above it. He read over 100 books in high school, turned down a management training position at his day job to step into his dad's $3 billion real estate brokerage, and he will tell you straight to your face: you need to learn how you make excuses and then knee-cap them.
    In this episode we talk about where his drive actually comes from, why he chose faith after everything, the moment he decided quitting was not in his vocabulary, and what he would tell anybody sitting in a 9 to 5 right now who knows they are meant for something bigger.
    If Kelson at 22 can do this, what excuse are you holding onto?
    Watch the full episode, share it with someone who needs to hear this, and if you are ready to find what YOUR genius zone actually is, join us at the "You're Sitting On Gold" workshop. Link below.
    Subscribe to Grow With Kepo for more real conversations with people building real things.
    TIMESTAMPS:
    00:00 - Intro: He is making braver moves than you
    01:25 - Growing up in Roseville, bullying from 2nd to 8th grade
    02:40 - On suicide watch and choosing to rise above it
    03:30 - Meeting his best friend and giving his life to Christ
    05:20 - The 3 things that drive him: family, faith, future
    07:55 - His support system: brothers, parents, and the "fake it 'til you make it" years
    10:40 - "If I am doing everything for that goal, then I am succeeding" (the core quote)
    11:10 - Age reveal: 22 years old
    12:30 - The skills gap: going from physical work to his dad's brokerage
    14:00 - "Even if it doesn't work out, I'll have learned something"
    16:50 - Reading 100+ books in high school (the work ethic origin story)
    21:25 - COVID grade 11, distractions, and needing a physical classroom
    26:20 - How to snip your excuses in the bud
    27:20 - Surround yourself with the 5 best people you can think of

    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    29 min
  • The Exact Method I Used To Make My First 5K With No Website, Logo, or Audience
    The first real money I made in my business was $5,190. No website, no logo, no hot social media following. And in this episode, I'm walking you through the exact steps I took to get there, while still working my 9-to-5... and with zero complicated tech, funnels, or online audience.
    If you're a six-figure corporate professional who knows they're meant for more but you're stuck in the research-rabbit-hole stage (you know the one: 47 saved reels, 13 webinars, and still no clients), this is the episode that's going to get you moving.
    This is Part 3 of 3 in "The Good Job Lie" series. If you haven't watched Parts 1 and 2, go back and watch them first. They're linked right here on the channel. Part 1 is about why your company is making millions off your exact skillset (while paying you a fraction). Part 2 is about the invisible cage most corporate professionals live inside, and why the door was never actually locked.
    Part 3 is the execution. This is where I show you what I actually did.
    I was delusional for a long time. I spent over $137,000 on programs, courses, and ventures before I figured out that the thing I was looking for was already inside me, and that the people around me were my first (and best) clients.
    If this episode hits, do two things:
    1. Join the free newsletter: Paid in Full (link below). I go in-depth every week with practical tools for getting started.
    2. Sign up for the paid live workshop: You're Sitting On Gold. I host it about every month. The links are below.
    TIMESTAMPS
    00:00 The $5,190 moment (no website, no logo)
    01:18 Why this is Part 3 of the series (go watch Parts 1 and 2 first)
    02:21 The busywork trap (47 saved reels, 13 webinars, zero clients)
    07:06 When you stop obsessing over perfection and just START
    09:12 How I actually used my network to land my first clients
    12:23 The voice note strategy that worked better than any funnel
    13:58 Simple beats ego every single time
    15:32 How real conversations drive sales (not Instagram)
    🔗 Join my free Paid in Full newsletter and access a free members-only community here:
    https://onikepos-newsletter.beehiiv.com/
    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 6AM GMT-7.
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.
    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please like, comment, and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    18 min
  • The Cage Door Was Never Locked — Why Corporate Professionals Don't Leave
    I told my boss I was building a business on the side.
    He didn't threaten me. He didn't ask me to stop.
    His response completely blew my mind.
    If you're exhausted from living a double life (one person at work, a completely different person at home), this episode is going to shift something in you. Because the cage you feel trapped in? You built it in your head. And the door was never locked.
    This is Part 2 of 3 in The Good Job Lie series. If you missed Part 1, go watch it first. This is like Game of Thrones, y'all. You can't skip episodes.
    👉 Part 3 drops next, where I walk you through the exact steps I took to make my first $5,000 on the side WITHOUT quitting my job, WITHOUT a hot online audience, WITHOUT a website or a logo.
    In this episode:
    • The exhausting double life you're probably living right now
    • The wig story: why I wore something that made me "ugly" for a whole YEAR
    • The moment I told my boss the truth (and his 4-word response)
    • Why your cage is imaginary (and how to walk out of it)
    • The 3 things to do when you're finally ready to own what you're building
    Resources mentioned:
    🔗 Paid Live Workshop: "You Are Sitting on Gold" (link in description / show notes)📧 Newsletter: growwithkepo.com/newsletter ▶️ Part 1 of The Good Job Lie: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hBaaxCjYzxwLvc3f1XOJV?si=285bc2460ac44953
    ▶️ Part 3 of The Good Job Lie is coming soon!
    TIMESTAMPS:
    00:00 — I told my boss I was building a business on the side
    01:45 — The double life: one person at work, a different person at home
    03:30 — Why hiding is draining you (your limiting beliefs are lying to you)
    05:15 — The wig story: I wore something that made me ugly for a year
    07:00 — Practicing on Zoom: the week I finally planned to tell my boss
    09:00 — "Kepo, that is amazing" — his 4 words that changed everything
    11:45 — Why owning what you do commands respect (the entrepreneurship test)
    14:00 — 42 years of pretending (why you feel dragged down on paper)
    16:30 — The 3 things to do when you're ready to walk out of the cage
    19:00 — The cage door was never locked
    21:00 — Workshop CTA: You Are Sitting on Gold
    22:00 — Part 3 preview: how I made my first $5,000 on the side

    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    23 min
  • Your Company Charges Clients Millions For What You Do. You Get a Fraction
    Your company charges clients millions for the exact thing people come to you for at work. And what do you get? A salary that feels okay but leaves you restless at 2am wondering "is this it?"
    This is Part 1 of 3 in The Good Job Lie series. I pull back the curtain on why your salary has NOTHING to do with your actual worth. I spent years at Deloitte, Bain, and Wood Mackenzie climbing the ladder, negotiating for a six-figure salary like it was the finish line. Then I realized my company was charging MILLIONS for the same work I was doing. And they paid me a fraction.
    This episode is the fire. Not the fluffy motivational kind. The real kind that makes you stop wondering "when" and finally start building something of your own.
    👉 Join the free newsletter "Paid In Full" for practical tools on getting started: https://onikepo.com/paid-in-full-opt-in 👉 Or sign up for the live workshop "You're Sitting On Gold" where we turn your skills into a business concept you can actually launch.
    TIMESTAMPS
    00:00 — The One Thing Everyone Comes to You for at Work
    01:30 — The Good Job Lie (3-Part Series Intro)
    02:45 — My Corporate Background (Deloitte, Bain, Wood Mackenzie)
    04:00 — Negotiating My Six-Figure Salary Like It Was "The Goal"
    06:00 — My Company Charges Millions. They Pay Me What?
    08:15 — Your Salary Is NOT Your Worth (It's What They Say You're Worth)
    10:30 — The Busywork Trap: Quizzes, Archetypes, and Logo Obsession
    12:30 — You Don't Have a Business Until Someone Pays You
    15:00 — Stop Renting Out Your Genius
    18:00 — Two Things You Can Do Right Now (Newsletter + Workshop CTA)
    20:30 — The Real Goal Was Never the Job

    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    24 min
  • They're Replacing You With AI Unless You Do This First | Grow With Kepo Ep. 32
    Episode Summary: Your safe job is cooked. AI is reshaping the professional landscape and the people pretending otherwise are running out of runway. But the flip side is bigger: AI is also the tool that can free you. Gary Henderson, founder of Gary Club, has helped businesses generate over a billion dollars by building systems that liberate people from the grind. In this conversation he shares the exact playbook for reclaiming your time, starting with a pen and paper and ending with a fully automated personal workflow. He also explains why becoming AI fluent is the highest leverage career move you can make this year.
    Key Takeaways:
    The pen and paper exercise: list every task you do, then ask AI what it can take off your plate
    How Gary's AI agent handles podcast outreach, scheduling, and follow ups and how to build your own
    Using AI to personalize resumes and cover letters for a 20 to 30 percent pay bump
    The million dollar meal prep business: how one person turned a simple PDF into an empire
    Why AI needs to be a line item on your budget and how to shift from tool user to power user
    Building a business with enterprise value that does not collapse when you step away
    AI fluency as career insurance: why ignoring AI is the biggest risk in your professional life
    Connect with Gary Henderson: Join Gary.Club

    🎧 New episodes of Grow With Kepo drop every Monday at 9AM GMT-7. 
    Don’t miss a moment of clarity, confidence and aligned action.


    📱 Follow Kepo on Instagram for more insights and behind the scenes:  
    https://www.instagram.com/growwithkepo/

    ❤️ If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it.

    This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

    39 min

About Grow With Kepo | The Corporate to Founder Podcast

From the publisher's feed

You run strategy for billion-dollar clients, lead teams, and solve high-stakes problems. Yet, you keep thinking: "Is this it??" There is MORE, and you are not crazy for wanting it.