If you’ve ever felt like you should be able to figure out your career alone, or worried that asking for help will make you look “less competent”, this episode is your gentle (but practical) reset. Tolu sits down with her friend Nkem Iroh to unpack what it really looks like to go far with community: networking without fear, addressing assumptions early, building trust, and leading in a way that lets your team shine.

This conversation is especially for immigrants, IPGs, Black professionals, and anyone navigating leadership in systems that weren’t designed with you in mind—but the truth applies to everyone: you don’t have to go alone.

Featured guest

Nkem Iroh is the Executive Director of Pharmacy Services for the Saskatchewan Health Authority and serves as Vice President of Black Pharmacy Professionals of Canada (BPPC). She’s a leader, mentor, coach, and teacher, known for pairing real wisdom with real joy (yes, including TikTok dancing).

In this episode, we talk about

•Why “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” is more than a quote

•The mindset shift that makes networking easier: “What’s the worst that can happen?”

•Why “If you don’t ask, the answer is already no” is a career principle

•How to stop telling yourself stories at work—and address things with clarity instead

•The difference between seeking feedback and seeking acceptance

•How to build a “professional village” (even when you’re the only one in the room)

•Leadership that’s team-based: “When they shine, you shine.”

Key takeaways

•You don’t need to carry your career alone. Community is not a luxury; it’s part of growth.

•Networking is relationship-building, not just collecting contacts.

•When you feel anxious about reaching out, ask: “What’s the worst that can happen?”

•Assumptions are expensive. Clarity is cheaper. If something feels off, address it respectfully.

•Great leadership isn’t “having all the answers.” It’s maximizing gifts, building trust, and letting people shine.

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Resources mentioned in the conversation

•The Four Agreements — Don Miguel Ruiz

•Johari Window (feedback + self-awareness framework)

•360 Feedback / 360 Review (leadership development feedback process)

•Working Genius Assessment (Patrick Lencioni / Working Genius)

•A referenced Barack Obama clip about realizing people “at the table” aren’t always as extraordinary as we imagine (shared as an imposter-syndrome mindset reset)

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Connect with Tolu + InnerScript

•Instagram: InnerScript Wellness — https://www.instagram.com/innerscriptwellness/

•Newsletter: Sign-up link is in the bio on @innerscriptwellness

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Support mention

•Hope Restored Psychotherapy (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/hoperestoredpsychotherapy/

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Closing note

If something has been staring at you—an email you need to send, a message you’ve been avoiding, a community you’ve been hesitating to join—let this be your gentle nudge: you don’t have to do this alone. You’re allowed to be supported, to ask the question, and to go far together.