Origins Africa Podcast

"I had to become an upcoming artist again. With ego, with all that emotion of being a superstar once, of having hits once, of rocking the nation once, with all that ego, it would be hard to want to start again, right? The logical thing that I did was to just plunge." - GT Da Guitarman, Singer & Guitarist. For the first time ever, Origins Africa caught up with a guest for a follow up interview recording. On this bonus episode, we have a more personal conversation with GT Da Guitarman - the artistic side of Olaolu Olugbemiro Tokunbo. We explore the spiritual journey GT started last year, right after his divorce was finalized. You will hear GT talk about giving up his property and moving to Abuja. GT will also share an exciting news - about finally getting something he had been seeking for the longest time since he left Storm Records.    #GTDaGuitarman #GT #OlaoluOlugbemiroTokunbo #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

As GT Da Guitarman - the artistic side of Olaolu Olugbemiro Tokunbo, continues his origin story on this episode, you will hear him talk about taking a break from music - his dream. We will also explore the mistakes, lessons and embarrassing moments on his journey, his sojourn into mining business, as well as his recent return to music with renewed passion like he never left.    #GTDaGuitarman #GT #OlaoluOlugbemiroTokunbo #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"People would come to me and say, "GT, you have a great voice". And even when they'd say all those things, I knew I could sing; but then, the gravity at which people were coming, I just couldn't deny it. They kept coming and saying "Wow, the guy with the good voice". I now became "the guy with the good voice"; people didn't call me GT anymore. They'd be like, "that guy can sing"... I mean, it was more like music found me... or people just chose me." - GT Da Guitarman, Singer & Guitarist. "When am I gonna be what I wanna be, When am I gonna see what I wanna see, Time is ticking and I can't wait no more, Do dreams ever come true in this part of this world." Those words are from the song, Dreamer, by GT Da Guitarman - the artistic side of Olaolu Olugbemiro Tokunbo. Such powerful lyrics the song has, echoing the cries of many young individuals even today - "when will my dreams come true?" In 2021, we knew we wanted to interview GT on Origins Africa Podcast. If anything, to ask just one question - 2021 made it 16 years since he released Dreamer; was GT still curious about when he was going to be what he wanted to be or had his dreams come true?  GT''s origin story is one of a young man who had a dream to be heard all over the world through his music, and who gave that dream a shot. Indeed, he was heard. But along the way, he got frustrated, gave up on the dream for some time and went on to do something else. Today, GT is back pursuing that dream with renewed passion like he never left. On this episode, Part 1, you will hear GT talk about growing up in what he called a "broken home". He'll talk about the defining moment that shaped his decision to pursue music as a career, how he got his first guitar, the moment he got signed into Storm Records, and then, taking a break from pursuing his dream - music.   #GTDaGuitarman #GT #OlaoluOlugbemiroTokunbo #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

In 2012, Abolore Salami was working at Del-York International and earning a decent amount. But the key thing there was that he still couldn't picture going from that to being rich. So, he was asking himself, "how do people then get rich earning a salary?" On this episode, Salami shares his origin story, and mission to help people create a financially secure future through Riby, a fintech company. He talks about his early business failures while in school, his mistakes, and how the book, "The Richest Man in Babylon", inspired the birth of Riby. He also shares the need for the world to return to the apprenticeship model, as well as the importance of being prepared for one's time and chance. This interview was initially published in 2020.  #AboloreSalami #Riby #RibyFinance #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

As Kemi Shonubi continues her origin story on this episode, you will particularly hear how important it is to have a loving and supportive partner/people with you on your journey. People who, especially in your low moments, remind you of who you are and the achievements you have recorded. We will explore Kemi's defining moments in her first HR Executive role at Venture Garden Group - a tech company, her career mistakes and lessons, as well as her career progression up to her current role as the Director of People Culture Experience & Operations at TVC Communications. TVC Communications is a privately owned, multiplatform national and international full service media organization established in 2007 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. Kemi is also the Founder of the HR Storyteller platform, and on this episode, you will get to hear how the HR Storyteller platform was birthed - a platform oriented towards transforming the HR practice and workplace cultures with the art and power of storytelling. #KemiShonubi #HRStoryteller #TVCCommunications #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

Today, Kemi Shonubi is the Director of People Culture Experience & Operations at TVC Communications, a privately owned, multiplatform national and international full service media organization established in 2007 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. Under her leadership, the media company has been certified as a Great Place To Work Company in Nigeria for the last two years by the Great Place To Work Institute of the USA, and has gone on to win several awards including some from one of the foremost people management institutes in Africa, the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM). All these are certainly no mean feat. And you might be tempted to think Human Resources (HR) is something that Kemi has always done, that she started her career in HR. But, you couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, Kemi's journey into HR could be termed coincidental or what many people might call destiny, a divine orchestration of some sort.   On this episode, Part 1, you will hear Kemi talk about growing up in the north, the defining moments she had that shaped who she's become today, including losing her mom while in school, as well as her journey into the HR world. Kemi is also the Founder of the HR Storyteller platform - a platform oriented towards transforming the HR practice and workplace cultures with the art and power of storytelling.  #KemiShonubi #HRStoryteller #TVCCommunications #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"I fell asleep and I heard a TV commercial basically saying bookingsafrica.com, the #1 online platform for service providers across Africa. 'Cause I remember, like, literally jumping up out of my sleep. I go, finally, this website will be perfect for my production company... I was like, great, let me go on to the website to see if I can find this location that I need and, literally, I woke up and my TV was off. And I thought, wait, did NEPA take light? Or what's going on? I was like, okay, there's still light. I don't know what's happening. But let me just check, I remember the name of the website. And I went bookingsafrica.com, and the website's available to purchase..." - Fadé Ogunro, Founder & CEO, Bookings Africa. What is particularly curious about Bookings Africa is that the name came to Fadé in a bizarre dream - a dream she had in 2016. But, how did Bookings Africa move from a bizarre dream to a platform that now has over 20,000 service providers, clients and partners combined? On this episode, the concluding part of our chat with Fadé Ogunro, we will explore Fadé starting a new life in Nigeria after her return from the UK. Fadé will talk about the birth and growth of Film Factory, a multi-award video production company she co-founded with her brother in 2011, as well as her latest venture, Bookings Africa, a pan-African on-demand digital marketplace for the entertainment, media, and lifestyle industries. Fadé is the Founder & CEO of Bookings Africa. #FadéOgunro #BookingsAfrica #FilmFactory #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"God does not dish out talent based on race, based on gender. He's not going to say just because you are a woman, all you can do is sing and all you can do is be a make-up artist; because you are a man, the talent He's going to give you is biochemistry and chemical engineering or something. So, a woman can be a mathematician; a man can be a chef, can be a make-up artist, can be whatever you want. So, never allow another human being tell you what you can or can't do because they aren't God." - Fadé Ogunro, Founder & CEO, Bookings Africa. In 2019, Fadé Ogunro, a multitalented creative who has boldly lived her life exploring her curiosities across media, arts and entertainment, segued into another sector entirely, technology, and launched her latest venture, Bookings Africa – a pan-African on-demand digital marketplace that allows professionals and service providers from Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa to sell their services and skills online.     What is particularly curious about Bookings Africa is that the name came to Fadé in a bizarre dream. Curiously, how did Bookings Africa move from a bizarre dream to a platform that now has over 20,000 service providers, clients and partners combined?      On this episode, Part 1, you will hear Fadé talk about her defining childhood experiences and how they shaped who she's become today, including her entrepreneurship mindset. Fadé will also talk about taking a break from her work at Google in the UK and starting a new life in Nigeria in 2010.     Fadé is also the Co-founder of Film Factory, a multi-award winning video production company she started together with her brother, Sesan Ogunro, in 2011. Most recently, Fadé is the Africa Chair for the Cherie Blair Foundation. She was also recognised by South Africa's Tropics Magazine in their African Doers Power List 2021 as one of the 500 most influential Africans in the world.  #FadéOgunro #BookingsAfrica #FilmFactory #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"But just hearing Natalie on that episode explaining the concept of "The Suitcase Entrepreneur", guy, this young boy from Igbuzo, Delta State, who grew up in Surulere, Lagos, who had a lid on how far he could dream, my head was burst open. She was talking about realities I had never seen or heard or fathomed of before. Like what? She lives from country to country out of her suitcase because she only works from her laptop, what kind of extra terrestrial being is she? And she explained the concept, I was shocked. I lay on my back and was just looking up at the ceiling like, this exists, this exists, this exists..." - John Obidi, Director of Growth, The ABiT Network, & Founder, Headstart Africa. On this episode, the final of our two-part conversation, you will hear John talk about how he began his journey as a social media expert, his relocation to Lagos State in pursuit of his dreams, as well as the circumstances that led to the birth of Headstart Africa community (formerly Smart Bcamp). John will also share his mistakes, habits and principles, and general life lessons.  John Obidi is the Director of Growth at The ABiT Network, a blockchain and cryptocurrency solutions company, as well as the Founder of Headstart Africa (formerly Smart Bcamp), a community dedicated to closing the knowledge gap among working professionals in Nigeria. #JohnObidi #HeadstartAfrica #TheABiTNetwork #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"In 100 years, you, me, everybody listening to this episode of this podcast will be dead. Gone. In 100 years, we will all be gone. Nothing will matter. It puts into perspective some of the things that we take as very big problems or big challenges or big embarrassments. In 100 years, none of these will matter. None of the people concerned will matter. We will all be dead. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes." - John Obidi, Director of Growth, The ABiT Network, & Founder, Headstart Africa. Right from when John was a kid, he has always been drawn to computers. In fact, when he was 8/9 years old, he "accidentally" learned a programming language. From studying Computer Science at Benson Idahosa University, John has evolved and worn many hats, moving from programming into digital marketing, community building, and more recently, cryptocurrency. But what was the journey like for John? On this episode, the first of a two-part conversation, you will hear John talk about his journey into blockchain and how he made the decision to join The ABiT Network. He will talk about his early childhood experiences, growing up in a lower middle class family, as well as the defining moments that shaped who he's become today. John Obidi is the Director of Growth at The ABiT Network, a blockchain and cryptocurrency solutions company, as well as the Founder of Headstart Africa (formerly Smart Bcamp), a community dedicated to closing the knowledge gap among working professionals in Nigeria. #JohnObidi #HeadstartAfrica #TheABiTNetwork #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

It is one thing to become a Christian. It is an entirely different thing to build, first, a fellowship, and then, a church. On this episode, the concluding part of our conversation with Pastor Dele Osunmakinde, we explore the birth and growth of, first, the Vessels of Honour Foundation (a fellowship Pastor Dele started in the University of Ibadan as a student), and then, The Baptizing Church. Pastor Dele will also talk about the sacrifices he's made, his most alone moments, lessons he's learned on his journey, as well as what's next for him. Pastor Dele Osunmakinde is the Founding Pastor of The Baptizing Church. The church started in Abuja in 2005, and was formally commissioned in 2007 by Pastor Tunde Bakare, with a vision to raise a generation who will influence things to the ends of the earth. Today, the Baptizing Church has expanded beyond Abuja to several states and cities. #DeleOsunmakinde #TheBaptizingChurch #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast #VesselsofHonourFoundation *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"But the day I gave my life to Christ, nobody invited me. I was on my way home; that kind of encounter you just have with God and I couldn't just go home. And I just had this strong urge, became troubled, "Go to that fellowship". I'm like, "me?" You know, then I was a big boy in school. "Go to fellowship? What will the girls say? News will go everywhere. I mean, everybody will be disappointed." But I went. In fact, I still remember the experience -- the moment I entered, you'd see everybody just turning back, everyone was just whispering, "Dele Osunmakinde, Dele Osunmakinde..." - Dele Osunmakinde, Founding Pastor, The Baptizing Church.  On this episode, the first of a two-part conversation, you will hear Pastor Dele talk about being 44; the lessons learned and mistakes made. He will also talk about his early years, how he has been able to organize his time effectively juggling multiple responsibilities, the spectacular encounter he had with God in 1993 which has led him on the journey he has been on since then, as well as how he has through the years learned to hear from God. Pastor Dele Osunmakinde is the Founding Pastor of The Baptizing Church. The church started in Abuja in 2005, and was formally commissioned in 2007 by Pastor Tunde Bakare, with a vision to raise a generation who will influence things to the ends of the earth. Today, the Baptizing Church has expanded beyond Abuja to several states and cities. #DeleOsunmakinde #TheBaptizingChurch #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each guest interview. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast:  Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"The confusion for us was -- Every time we ran trainings, people would say to us, "This is the best thing we have ever experienced in our lives." We were that good; we just felt the world needs to hear us, but we were not getting jobs with the world." - Bankole Williams, Founder & Principal Consultant, LYD Consulting; Founder, Live Your Dreams Africa Foundation.   On this episode, the concluding part of our chat with Bankole Williams, we explore Bankole, in pursuit of his dream, leaving Guaranty Trust Bank to start his consulting career at Visible Impact, moving on from there to start Edgeecution with Steve Harris, and then, moving on to birth LYD Consulting. We also talk about his lessons, challenges, habits and practices. Today, Bankole Williams is a Management Consultant, Peak Performance Expert, Author, Speaker, Therapist, and Entrepreneur. He is the Founder & Principal Consultant at LYD Consulting, and has delivered consulting interventions for banks and different organizations including The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the World Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (now GTCO), Access Bank, Diamond (now Access Diamond) Bank, Skye (now Polaris) Bank, Union Bank, Heritage Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, First Bank, Fidelity Bank, Oando, NLNG, Google, UTC, and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.  Bankole Williams is also a Social Reformer with a goal to solve the problems of unemployment and underemployment through his foundation – Live Your Dreams Africa Foundation. He is often regarded as the mind surgeon. #BankoleWilliams #LYDConsulting #LiveYourDreamsAfrica #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"Desire is such a powerful thing. At the point when I started, I wasn't a great speaker. I wasn't; I just desired it. All that time I heard Fela and all that, I was a very quiet person. But something on the inside of me always got excited when I heard people speak and speak well. I believe that desire is a seed of greatness. It is an indicator of what the future holds, of possibilities." - Bankole Williams, Founder & Principal Consultant, LYD Consulting; Founder, Live Your Dreams Africa Foundation.   Bankole Williams was not always a great speaker. In fact, he was a very quiet person. On this episode, the first of a two-part conversation, you will hear Bankole talk about his early childhood fascinations and the light bulb moments that shaped who he's become today, including his encounter with Fela Durotoye and Steve Harris. He will talk about leaving the rap music group that later evolved into Rooftop MCs, starting his career in Guaranty Trust Bank, and his early embarrassing moments as a speaker. Finally, Bankole will talk about the events that led him to laying himself off in the middle of the worst economic recession the banking sector has faced, in pursuit of his management consulting and speaking dreams. Today, Bankole Williams is a Management Consultant, Peak Performance Expert, Author, Speaker, Therapist, and Entrepreneur. He is the Founder & Principal Consultant at LYD Consulting, and has delivered consulting interventions for banks and different organizations including The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the World Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (now GTCO), Access Bank, Diamond (now Access Diamond) Bank, Skye (now Polaris) Bank, Union Bank, Heritage Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, First Bank, Fidelity Bank, Oando, NLNG, Google, UTC, and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.  Bankole Williams is also a Social Reformer with a goal to solve the problems of unemployment and underemployment through his foundation – Live Your Dreams Africa Foundation. #BankoleWilliams #LYDConsulting #LiveYourDreamsAfrica #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"5 hours to the event, no ticket sold. We were still on full panic... Next thing, we just saw the whole of Lagos. I'd never forget standing in front of the stage, just looking, saying "My God." I'm like, "Jennifer, we did it." So those are the things I live for." - Bukky George-Taylor, Founder & Managing Director, Robert Taylor Media.   On this episode, the concluding part of our chat with Bukky George-Taylor, we explore the birth and growth of The Bobby Taylor Company - a certified Public Relations company Bukky started in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada, in 2007 at the age of 25.   Bukky will talk about how she was able to penetrate the Nigerian market, the subsequent rebrand of the company into Robert Taylor Media, as well as her mistakes, most alone moments, habits, and general life lessons.   For well over a decade, Bukky, with her agency, has represented local and global brands like Dubai Tourism, Pernord Ricard, BAP Productions, ONE, WARIF, Cece Yara, Lagos Social Media Week, GT Fashion Week, Eterna Plc., British Petroleum, and more.   Bukky is also the brain behind hospitality and tourism tech start-up "Crawl", and in 2020, became a Director of one of Nigeria's first digital publications "The Lagos Today Newspaper" which covers stories, sights and happenings around Lagos, Nigeria.   Bukky's expertise and dedication to her community has seen her land on publications such as Forbes Africa, Business Day CEO Magazine, Genevieve Magazine, TW Magazine, Schick Magazine, Shoppe Black USA amongst other prominent publications.   #BukkyGeorgeTaylor #BobbyTaylorCompany #RobertTaylorMedia #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"So, I've had receptionist jobs. I mean, I worked front desk...but before then, I was cleaning rooms at UMass. And I'm glad I have had every experience that I've had, because I think it just helped me and shaped me for today." - Bukky George-Taylor, Founder & Managing Director, Robert Taylor Media.   Bukky George-Taylor is a Strategic Communications & Special Events Expert, Public Speaker and an Entrepreneurial Coach. In 2007, at the age of 25, Bukky founded "The Bobby Taylor Company" in Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada; a certified Public Relations Company. In 2017, the company evolved to become a prominent household African Strategic Communications agency, now known as Robert Taylor Media. For well over a decade, Bukky, with her agency, has represented local and global brands like Dubai Tourism, Pernord Ricard, BAP Productions, ONE, WARIF, Cece Yara, Lagos Social Media Week, GT Fashion Week, Eterna Plc., British Petroleum, and more. Bukky is also the brain behind hospitality and tourism tech start-up "Crawl", and in 2020, became a Director of one of Nigeria's first digital publications "The Lagos Today Newspaper" which covers stories, sights and happenings around Lagos, Nigeria. Bukky's expertise and dedication to her community has seen her land on publications such as Forbes Africa, Business Day CEO Magazine, Genevieve Magazine, TW Magazine, Schick Magazine, Shoppe Black USA amongst other prominent publications.  On this episode, the first of a two-part conversation, you will hear Bukky talk about her early exposure to the world of PR as a kid, and how she hadn't realized that she could make a career out of it. Bukky will also talk about leaving Nigeria for the United States of America at the age of 15, her early careers, as well as the birth of MyCrawlApp, Africa's first social calendar app.   #BukkyGeorgeTaylor #BobbyTaylorCompany #RobertTaylorMedia #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"...Every time anybody gave me words of encouragement, I was, like, another step higher than how I came. They'd just say "Wow, this guy is good!"...I'd just feel like "Okay, I can do this." You know, all I needed was a boost..." - Olanrewaju Fasasi (Sound Sultan). On Sunday, July 11th, 2021, we lost an industry titan and veteran, Olanrewaju Abdul-Ganiu Fasasi, whom we popularly called Sound Sultan. August, last year, Origins Africa Podcast met with Sound Sultan to have him share his origin story with us. On this bonus episode, celebrating the life of Sound Sultan, you will hear Sound Sultan talk about where his inspiration came from, his songwriting process, his early years, and releasing his 8th album in 2020 in spite of the pandemic. #SoundSultan #OriginsAfrica #OriginsAfricaPodcast *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"...I am selling a cup of smoothie for a thousand naira. Like, I couldn't imagine it. That was easily my sales tripling. So if I sold 10 cups in Ogba and I sold 10 cups in Ikoyi then, it was triple... I said I went to take cooperative loan. There was no doubt..." - Olagoke Balogun, Co-founder & CEO, SoFresh. It is one thing to launch an idea. It is an entirely different thing to build a successful company across 14 locations, and still counting. On this episode, the concluding part of our chat with Olagoke Balogun, Co-founder & CEO of SoFresh - Nigeria's pioneer and #1 healthy food chain, we explore how 'Goke was able to navigate the trying period when he felt like quitting, the crucial roles customer data, business location, systems and standards played in the profitability and expansion of SoFresh, as well as his mistakes, general life lessons, and habits.   *** 1-2-1 Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: originsafrica.substack.com    Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf Youtube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"...in my head, I'm like, I just need to get 50 people to walk into the store every day. I thought that was easy. If I got 50 people to buy pineapple, watermelon, and some apples every day, then I should be able to make, like, N100,000 every day. This was 2010. If I made N100,000 every day, every month that was N3 million. And I felt, like, yeah, it's a good business, right? That was the premise. And then we started, November 6th. We opened the next day, and there was nothing..." - Olagoke Balogun, Co-founder & CEO, SoFresh.   SoFresh started in 2010 from a very simple idea of selling whole, fresh, healthy and dry foods to people in an organized, serene, hygienic environment. The business started as Fruitivegies, and as the name implied, they sold mostly fruits and vegetables. 10 years, several iterations, and 14 locations after, Fruitivegies has evolved to what we know today as SoFresh, Nigeria's pioneer and number one healthy food chain, providing fresh, delicious, nutrient-rich healthy meals and committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle. Today, SoFresh sells a wide range of fresh salads, juices, smoothies, parfait, fiesta wraps, sandwich and other quick-on-the-go healthy meals.  On this episode, the first part of our chat with Olagoke Balogun, Co-founder and CEO of SoFresh, you will hear Goke talk about his early years and defining moments, how SoFresh started in 2010 as Fruitivegies, and how he came close to quitting the business.    *** 1-2-1 Friday Newsletter by Origins Africa Catch our 1-2-1 Friday newsletter where we share with you 1 Lesson, 2 Quotes, and 1 Question from each new episode published. You can check it out and subscribe here: 1-2-1 Friday Newsletter   Follow Origins Africa Podcast: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf YouTube: youtube.com/originsafricapodcast

"...By December 2016, customers were paying one month ahead for our products. By March 2017, our revenue had dropped 90%, because we took a price increase in February and everybody stopped buying." - Gbola Lawson, Co-Director, Fastizers Food and Confectionery Limited. On this episode, the concluding part of our chat with Debby & Gbola Lawson, Co-Directors at Fastizers Food & Confectionery Limited, we talk about the challenges they faced as the business rapidly grew and how they were able to effectively navigate those challenges on their journey to building a successful company. This is our first partnership series on Origins Africa. Fastizers is a rapidly emerging food manufacturing company, which started from a kitchenette in 2010 with very basic equipment, and with N960 only. Ten years after, Fastizers runs a 2-acre automated production factory in Agbara, Ogun State, fitted with modern baking equipment. Their current distribution covers over 20 states with a production of over 600,000 Fastizers Fun Cookies daily.   Episode Preview 02:41 - Introduction 13:00 - Need to Hire a Managing Director 21:00 - Mismanagement at Fastizers 25:31 - Economic Recession & Impact on Fastizers, Price Point Problem in Nigeria, & Innovation/Failure Lessons 38:20 - What Debby & Gbola Look Forward To 41:10 - Doing Business in Nigeria 42:15 - General Questions/Life Lessons   *** Season 1: Origins Africa Podcast Feedback As we wrap up Season 1, we decided to make this survey to check how you feel about our current content as well as our future direction. The survey should only take a few minutes to fill out: bit.ly/originsafricapodcastfeedback. Thank you!   Follow Origins Africa: Twitter: twitter.com/originsaf Instagram: instagram.com/originsaf Facebook: facebook.com/originsafrica Youtube: youtube.com/originsafrica