The Creative's Chronicles Podcast

Today’s Guest, Mr. Raji Abdulgafar, He is a Programmer, Python lover, Certified Ethical Hacker, Community Developer, Digital Forensics Expert and in the recently concluded NaijaSecCon his team (L.I.G S3C) came out as the first runner up, He is a passionate and curious researcher, he  shares his story with us. Do listen and have fun.

 “I don’t focus on the challenges, if I focus on the challenge I won’t move on”

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Your curiosity and desire to figure out how things work propels you to probe and understand the underlying principles behind a lot of things

For users security ensure you are logged in and viewing the right website you intend to visit

Avoid code redundancy; Write a simple code

Don't chose a dictionary word as your password or anything related to your personal life e.g. street name, names of your loved ones. They are easy to crack; ensure to change your passwords periodically. Never use a password for multiple accounts, so in case one of them is compromised, the other accounts are still secured

You could secure your network by filtering file sharing across a network and also use VPNs

Have a Vision and a Goal you are working towards (A big picture for your career), it propels you past your challenges.

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that all hackers are bad, I don't seem to know where they got that from. Well, maybe in movies they see the guy behind the black and green screen. This is not true, an ethical hacker is someone who legally attempts to break into a computer system or network in order to find its vulnerability (weakness) and secure it.

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Abdulgafar Raji on Twitter - @mrgaphy

Today’s Guest Mr. Kareem Rahman is an Amazing Designer, you need to see his works and designs, they are amazing, he started to pursue design after his friend refused to teach him how to design, following the path of a Self-Taught designer, He has drastically transformed from the beginner to now he is earning money as a Professional Graphic Designer, He shares his story with us. Today’s episode is filled with a ton of valuable and actionable content do listen and have fun.

 

 

“Use your rejections; let it fuel your curiosity and passion to know more”

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Consistent practice is the way to become professional at any skill

You require patience and persistence in this career path

You need a sphere of supportive friends; people in your circle that can open doors for you and support you

Constantly staying in the know of what is happening in the industry keeps you relevant and updated

In every difficulty or mistake there is always a lesson

Collaboration and Team work will pay more, like we could achieve much more faster with help

Don’t get to a point where you feel that there is nothing to learn, learning is growing… (Keep the ego in check)

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that Designers are Wizards is wrong, as Designers we get inspired from a lot of things, we draw inspiration from other things existing and create Awesome designs.

 

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Kareem Rahman on Instagram- https://instagram.com/iamrhamzy

Today’s Guest Lilian C. Ezeli is a phenomenal personality, starting from a background in Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Network Security, She has worked as a Data Analyst and today she shares her story with us. Today’s episode is filled with a ton of valuable and actionable content do listen and have fun.

 

“Breaking my own personal records keeps me motivated whenever I face a challenge”

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Set challenges for yourself, this is one way to push past your limitations

Having people in your circle that can motivate and cheer you on also does a lot for your progress in any field

Creating calendars and schedules can help you in balancing work, relationships and rest

Have plans that are written, don’t use your head as a note pad

Most of the Creative Minds we admire and look up to have documented their experiences and thoughts; we could literary pick their brains and see from their perspective by studying them

Try and understand your learning style; you are unique; find what works for you

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that Experts and professionals in tech are super humans is wrong, everyone has their own journeys and they have worked on themselves and are still evolving and growing, so don’t discount yourself, trust your own journey.

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Lilian Ezeli on Twitter - https://twitter.com/DuchessLilian

Today’s Guest is phenomenal, She is a graduate of Microbiology from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka, a Software Developer, Technical Writer, Women-In-Tech Enthusiast, Community builder, the Queen of Memes in the Nigerian Tech Ecosystem and the CEO and Founder of She Code Africa. Today she shares with us her journey and gives practical tips on how to thrive in the tech ecosystem. Today’s episode is filled with a ton of valuable and actionable content do listen and have fun.

 

 

“Own your own learning and journey, don’t wait for anyone to spoon feed you”

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Don’t give yourself boundaries, try a lot a lot of things, let your mind explore the possibilities; this way you gain a lot of experience and exposure

You will get plenty advice and reasons to quit and give, focusing on your goal and being an explorer will give you an edge

When You start out; get building and when you learn anything, implement early and practice, practice, practice

Nobody owes you anything in tech, you need to own your learning, be ready to do the research yourself, if you have someone to hold you accountable that is great, just decide and commit to your own journey and progress

Starting out and learning new stuff in the tech ecosystem is quite different from the usual classroom structure of learning; here you have to own your own Learning, you decide how far you go and how much you achieve

Be open to explore various fields and aspects of tech beyond coding.

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that tech is for a specific gender is not true; as long as you have the mental and technical skills you can thrive in tech. Another myth is that you must come from a technical background before you get into tech; over and over this myth has been proven wrong; regardless of your background you can get into tech; you just need to be committed and pay your dues.

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes  and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

She Code Africa: [email protected]

Twitter - @SheCodeAfrica

Facebook - @SheCodeAfrica/

Ada Nduka O. on Twitter - @Kolokodess

Today Guest is Amazing, we have joining us today Tsowa Mainasara Al-min, He is a JavaScript and Go Developer who aims to change the world; one line of code at a time. Today he shares with us how starting with the basics and working our way up can be of tremendous value to our paths as Creatives.

 

“Your imagination is not limited whenever you are programming a computer, these devices have the power to do a lot and with little effort you can get them to do anything”

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Stating with and facing seemingly difficult tasks gives us the confidence to proceed and even pick up simpler concept with ease.

Learning standards and basics at the beginning is of crucial importance, it will save you a lot of valuable time and effort.

If you get stuck, take some time out and come back; try and try again. When you leave the challenge you were working on, use that time to learn something new. Everything we do is connected.

What we need more of is community projects, these way we can get more people interested in the tech industry and inspire these people to do more and make them enthusiasts too

To stay updated, I usually get myself in the circle of the developers working on the new stuff

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that a certificate gets you the job is partly true, when you come out with a first class result in computer science, you will get the job, but to keep this job you need to be able to implement a lot of concepts. Most times in school, the students  that practice and implement  concepts they are taught might be average students and the other students that just get the head knowledge without necessarily implementing; will find reality after school rather shocking.

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Tsowa Mainasara on Twitter – @neutrino2211

Today Guest is Amazing, we have joining us today is the Women TechMaker Lead for GDG Minna, Ms. Gbemileke Anthony, she is so many things in one, a techie, developer, writer and poet. Today she shares with us how our paths are uniquely different, in this episode she challenges a lot of myths we hold about our personalities, our stories and life’s tasks

 

“Do I have to be a single color, why can’t I be a rainbow; if I am rainbow?”

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Accept all of who you are, don’t minimize your abilities to fit into people’s definitions

There is always a learning curve to getting any new skill, you don’t just start and become a pro, remember that this is essentially what life is, give it time and be patient

When people share their up and downs and failings you are encouraged and you know that you are not the dumbest and you are spurred on to keep going

Remember you were once a newbie, be willing to provide mentorship and be honest about your own journey and give advice from your own experience

People will still be people, just be as much of yourself as you can

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that you need to have a singular definition of yourself is quite limiting. “Do I need to stifle parts of me to be organized, can’t I be all of me… if you are not just one thing, don’t limit yourself”

Why is there so much pressure to give a specific very succinct singular definition to oneself?

An onion has several layers, but it is still an onion, a sedimentary rock has various strata but it is still a sedimentary rock, this is to say that the sum your parts is greater than the singular entity of you. You can decide to become as much as you desire to be.

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes: and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Do you stay in Minna,  join GDG Minna - @ minna.gdg.ng, meetup.com/gdgminna

Today Guest is Amazing, we have joining us Mr. Omole Samuel, he is a full stack web developer and Freelancer, a coding instructor and an IT Consultant, currently based in Abuja, he started out as an Embedded Systems Programmer and then moved on to become an external coding instructor for various private schools and today he is a Freelance Web Developer. Today he shares with us how we could use criticisms as building blocks for career growth and also how community can be the best thing that can happen to any developer.

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Programming languages are like spoken languages, the way to get good at it, is to speak it, keep using it till you get fluent in it.

Soft skills matter a lot in this technical field, I actually believe that 20% is your skill set and 80% is the soft skills; your presentation, relationship skills etc.

Community is the best thing that can happen to a programmer; you literally have a group of persons with different stories and different perspectives; it’s not just about your skill, it’s about the community around you.

Criticism is what we need for growth, don’t be defensive, use the criticism and let it becoming building blocks for your growth

When you are just starting out, try and block out distractions, this will aid your growth

Most times generalizations people have shaped the narratives people hold and our world views. Don’t let such limiting beliefs hold you back, you can handle as much as you can dream up; you can evolve and get better

You need to know how to create balance and turn off, this way you can build healthy relationships with friends, family and people in general

 

Demystifying myths

The Myth that you cannot do a lot and be good at it, our brains can actually take as much as we would give it, polyglot programmers and multi-potentialite talented persons is prove to this concept of being able to thrive in more than one field. “A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.”  You can master more than one skill; you are well able.

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Follow Samuel on Twitter - @samuel_omole01

Today we have an Amazing personality joining us, we have an Online Business Coach, Social Media Legend Mr. Phenomenal Himself, Mr. John Obidi... aka Daddy J. O. a few of his attributes, He is good looking, has an Amazing sense of Humour, Avance Media 2017 Most Influential Young Nigeria in Personal Development and Academia category and He is the Commander in Chief of Smart B. Camp.  Everyone has something, you have a gift, you need to find out how that super power is relevant in today’s economy. He shared with us that it pays to be open minded. Keep moving, trust the process, and believe that one day, your path will trust you enough to stop testing you. There is always something to learn from the winding path, it can be the thing that leads to the thing, that leads to the thing…

 

Notes from Today’s Episode:

Do not be seduced by doctrine that pats you on the back for weakness and mediocrity; by philosophies that encourage you to 'remain as you are'.

Being a techie gave me that capability to shape-shift and thrive in various industries

These problems have always been around here, but if you want it bad enough there is always a way; I don’t look at the challenges but the solutions…

I believe that programmers should be the richest group of people in Nigeria, if only they knew how to monetize solutions…

Most programmers get it wrong from the beginning, they start out thinking of selling their time as a service; you should be looking at the market place for a software need and since you have the skills; you then create the solutions for these needs; after doing this you need to learn how to take that product to market; one way to take your product to the market is through Facebook ads… You can monetize through Admob and or licensing

To stay updated you can stay subscribed to the most relevant email lists in your field, stay subscribed to YouTube channels and attend Meetups, have Twitter lists about particular categories etc.

There are low costs ways of starting out; there is Microsoft Bizspark, you need to learn to bootstrap, you can also launch your app in market places like JVZoo and get subscribers to your solutions, you don’t need money, you just have to be more innovative

To get anything you need to be able to express yourself intelligently, step out of your comfort zone and learn these things, learn to speak, get in to places that require you to express yourself

Handle the inevitable rejection like it's simply a rite of passage. You have to be willing to look like a fool for a period of time. This is the price that you must pay.

 

Remember to go out and create Awesomeness, I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Join SmartBCamp - http://facebook.com/groups/smartbcamp 

 

Books Mentioned

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Today we have the Billionaire Designer himself, a minimalist designer and a Brand Identity Expert, if you see his work and projects they are just awesome, you will be wowed by the level of excellence in his works and projects. He shares with us how he started out as a Marine Sailor and was able to successful navigate and switch to become the professional Designer he now is. He intentional chose this Design Career and also shares from his wealth of experience.

 

Notes from Today’s Episode:

You can’t satisfy everybody, not everybody will buy-in to your solutions

Design is relative, one thing that looks good for you, might not look good to the next person

Document your idea properly and present it in a way that the client sees how it solves their problem, remember to provide value for the client first…

It was an experimental journey for me, I had to do a lot of trial and error...

In this industry, you need to stay updated and continually research on ways of improvement…

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!

 

Show Notes:

Follow Emem Didymus on Instagram – deedeemors

Facebook -   emem.didymus

Today’s Guest is the Computer Vision Prodigy, a Data Scientist and a passionate Developer Abdulmaleek Mustapha Abdullahi, this young man is phenomenal, he has crazily awesome ideas, I was in awe of the kind of ideas he shared, this is one episode you have to listen to.

 

“After learning, create fun projects, solve your own problems and then you can start earning…”

There is no rush, you can always learn, remember you have to be patient…

 

“AI is the new electricity” said Andrew Ng, co-founder of Coursera and an adjunct Stanford professor who founded the Google Brain Deep Learning Project

 

“The modern AI is modeled after how the brain works, you show a computer this and it learns to create that…”

“When I started programming I had no access to the internet, I don’t want the next generation to suffer like I suffered, I want access to information and learning resources to be free…”

“The AI we have now is AI that works with humans and solve problems…”

I trust you have picked some actionable nuggets from today’s episode, do execute and have fun.

 

I am looking forward to hearing from you, send in your comments via email:  [email protected], remember to subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/thecreativeschronicles/id1304002365 and any other podcasting app you use, just search for thecreativeschronicles on your podcasting app and subscribe, thank You!