Personal Innovation Podcast: Recent Episodes
Eric Seyram
This podcast is for you if you are a Big Dreamer and a Careers Pathfinder, who wants to Master your Inner Gifts, Create a Unique Selling Persona, a Future Proof Career or a Social Impact Business, to stand out and leave a dent on the Universe. It is where we start thinking bigger about; Who we are, What we do, and How it matters to the world in a unique way. The Personal Innovation Podcast will help you to ignite your Dreams, Passions, Careers, and Social Impact. It is created and hosted by Eric Seyram; A Personal Innovation Evangelist, Future Careers Coach, and Small Biz Marketing Strategist.
The Future of Education in Africa is here and this is how Dext Technology is using the passion of its founders to change the world through creative innovations to facilitate practical education in Africa.
The goal of any nation should be to provide its people the knowledge and skills they need to live better lives. Though the Universal Declaration of Human Rights holds that every child and adult is entitled to education, unfortunately, this is not the case in many developing countries in Africa.
One very key area of education that needs urgent attention is the practicality of the academic curiculum of many educational institutions in Africa. As STEM is gaining grounds, a Ghanian based social enterprise Technology start up is taking STEM a step high in Africa.
This episode of the Personal Innovation Podcast is a Start up Learning Zone edition on How Dext Technology, a Ghanaian social enterprise technology start up is Helping to Facilitate a Practical Approach to Education In Africa
My guest on this episode is Michael Asnate Asare, a co-founder of Dext Technology.
Michael believes that the knowledge and proper understanding of science empowers us to create and or transform ourselves as well as our environment. Therefore he has made it his life’s goal to equip himself as well as the people around him with this knowledge by designing and developing, tools that allow us to understand our world better. “This way, we can change the world for good” He said.
The vision of is to transform science education all over the Africa by designing and deploying affordable and user- friendly tech-driven tools for the effective teaching and learning of STEM
In response to the rising demand for science and technology education by stakeholders, Dext Technology has resolved to design portable version of the contraptions and materials needed for experiments across science syllabi in Africa, fitting 45 individual materials and contraptions in a portable container that can fit in the bag of a student called the Science Set.
Every student can now have a science set and experience the beauty of science on their desks
A major source of failure for most start ups is the solo mentality, the mindset of owning everything because the idea was “mine”.
Alternatively, the best approach is to start thinking about How to Use The Power of Multiple Talents and Team work for Start Up Success.
It is therefore very refreshing to come across a Ghanaian technology startup with five co-founders who are working to ensure the success of their enterprise.
This episode of the Personal Innovation Podcast, is part of a series dubbed Start Up Learning Zone, a special edition of The Personal Innovation Podcast.
In this edition I am featuring Klaks Technologies, a Ghanaian Technology start up on How they Using Talents Five Co-Founders, with a great team spirit to achieve their corporate objectives.
In Africa, access to healthcare consumables such as feotoscopes and prosthetics are often problematic due to the cost involved, however 3D printing can help reduce the cost of such consumables and make them easily accessible especially to deprived communities.
Practical education is also lacking due to unavailability of machinery due to the cost involved; 3D printers can help in producing much needed teaching aids and be a tool to enhance creativity.
Most hardware start-ups and fully fledged companies spend a lot of money making prototypes of their products; 3D printers can help companies especially start-ups to make hardware prototypes at a far cheaper cost creating the much needed opportunities for hardware start-ups to evolve.
I had an interview with Nyankum Isaac, a co-founder and Production manager of KLAKS Technologies.
He holds Certificate 2 in Mechanical Engineering Craft Practice from Takoradi Technical Institute. He is passionate about innovation and creativity and loves making stuffs which fall under categories like Digital fabrication, metal work and fabrication, wood work, in short he is a MAKER.
He was a lab student for 3 years of GHANA FABRICATION LABORATORY and later became the lab assistant for 4years, where he left to join KLAKS, Isaac is a good team player, and handles all production for KLAKS technologies from machine building to testing and all company’s production.
Thinking of exploiting your passion and interest in a particular field whiles Schooling or working in a 9-5 situation? Are you currently in a bridge job and thinking about how to nurture your dream career and keep your passion alive?This episode of your motivational Personal Innovation Podcast Features, Nana Boatemaa Amoah, usually known simply as Boatemaa a passionate writer, blogger and inspirer.Boatemaa says above all things she is a Christian and believes; we all have a specific assignments to fulfill with our lives.
“That is one main reason why I decided to make my writing more than just a hobby, but also an opportunity to bless others. I never got round to blogging until a good friend of mine pushed me to muster the courage and let others see what I wrote. That was about almost two years ago, and I’m glad I took that step” She says.
Nana Boatemaa Amoah is extremely proud to be Ghanaian.She engages the pen as a tool to express her thoughts, to push her readers to be the best they can be.
“I think it’s an honour to share these writings with others and I hope over time, through my writings, people will also discover what special thing has been deposited in them to make this world a better place”. She says.
Boatemaa will rather Younevate because life is all about growth.
According to her; “You will never know what impact you will make and what you could have done differently”
Nana Boatemaa holds Marketing degree from legon while still in school she was writing while studying
She loved marketing because she gets to meet people and Likes to make people feel special.
In this episode of your motivational Personal Innovation podcast we are focusing on taking your career to the next level with Ahamed Nissar : Managing Editor of an online publication called careeermetic.com, a platform he created to help people create their unique careers. Careermetis.com aims to be the primary destination for job-seekers and freelancers to find useful advice,insights,resources and inspiration for starting & growing their professional and freelance careers.
He is the Host of Careermetic Podcast: a podcast aimed at empowering today’s job seekers
Nissar absolutely prefers to YOUnovate than stagnate.
He believes that Stagnation is dangerous, bit instead it is important that in this fast pace world we all acquire skills and be updated with what is currently on going in the world.
Since infancy Nissar always wanted to leave a trail in the world. He wanted to live life beyond the normal and that was pushed him as a child and as he was growing it became more clearer.
He said there is more to life than living it normally.
About what he is passionate about, He says what gets him excited is when someone gives him a call or sends an email thanking him for for helping them. The ability to make an impact whether small or big is what keeps him going.
Nissar Ahamed stressed that having formal education is important as it helps to acquire social interactive skills, even though he mentioned that he acquired many skills by actually doing something and practicing what he learned from school while on the job.
To Nissar, being aware of our personality types is important in building our careers. He warned, not to focus on the highest paying job out there, but focus rather on the skill.
Find a job out there that matches your personality not necessary one that that pays very well only.
Nissar Ahamed’s Favourite Quote is: The future belongs to those who prepares for it todayby Malcom X. He explain this quote by saying: Every day is important, and in order to get better results in the future, you have to be preparing and taking actions today if not, you will not reach that vision.
As a professional software sales man, Nissar went ahead to create a unique career for hims self as blogger na podcaster. He believes he is living his dream.
What he wants to achieve: empowering people by giving them the guidance, knowledge.
I am stoked to present to you a very inspiring and touching episode of your motivational Personal Innovation Podcast with my guest; Kow Cornelius, brought to you by personalinnovationhub.com.
My guest has always fantasied becoming a lawyer, a career he hope will help him speak for others who can not speak for themselves.
Interestingly this dream has today been transformed into becoming the voice of the voiceless. speaking for the deaf and hard of hearing people, empowering them to stand up for themselves and also educating the public on why they should bother caring for people in the deaf and hard of hearing community.
His love and passion for what he does today was inspired by his interest and eagerness to learn to communicate with his family member who was deaf.
Cornelius was basically taught by this relative; the rudiments of sign language usage and interpretation. And this is how the journey began for Kow Cornelius.
He continued to read more and gather as much information about the deaf and hard of hearing community. Today Cornelius is seen as an authority in his field and is dreaming of establishing a university for the deaf in Ghana. In fact he has already started setting the foundations for his dream university with a remedial school for the deaf in Ghana.
Cornelius has a vision to elevate the Deaf Community with One Big Idea, to provide live transforming and productive opportunities for the Deaf and hard of hearing community.
As a social entrepreneur Cornelius works with Sign language interpreters and instructors for a common goal of bridging the gap between the Deaf and hearing.
He is humbled to be recognised as a Thought leader and a go to person when it comes to the Deaf Community and Sign language interactions. He works to achieve total inclusion and shared opportunity for all.
Do you want to find out about how you can start a career, out of your experience of been cared for and your passion for caring for other people?
Listen to this episode of your favourite motivational Personal Innovation Podcast as I chat with Daniel Kweku Anguah Jr: founder of CARE, Child and Human Rights Activist and Social Entrepreneur.
In this Chat, Daniel Kweku Anguah Jr. said his childhood was not something he can wish for any child growing up today.
Coming from financially challenged family, Daniel had to sleep in a bar with his family. This bar serves as a bedroom in the nights and turns into a drinking spot in the day.
Fortunately Daniel became adopted by the SOS Children village where he lived and was taken good care of.
Interestingly, the fact that Daniel feels cared for, he has vowed to care for others as well through out his life.
Daniel believs “ no dream is ever too small.
D.K Anguah Jr, casually known as the Afrikan Son, is a multipotentialite, focused on Children’s Rights and Human Rights activism across Ghana with over 5 years of experience. He founded Children Are Reason Enough (C.A.R.E), a child rights protection and activism organisation which he has been running with his team of volunteers for the past 4 years.
As a strong proponent of Human Rights, Anguah believes that when people have better comprehension on the laws that govern and affect them, they will be well equipped to improve upon their lives at every point in time and defend themselves in most situations.
In this episode of your motivational Personal Innovation Podcast, I had a very insightful chat with Rya Kuewor.
Since childhood Rya dreamt of becoming a medical practitioner but this changed when he became homeless and had to beg for food and do menial jobs to survive.
Today, Rya is a refugee education and integration consultant with 6 years of working in higher and marginalised education in Ghana, Mali, and Burkina Faso, Singapore, and Kenya, and 4 years of working on refugee education with a special focus on societal integration.
His passion for refugees stems from him having been homeless once, and never having been formally educated.
Rya speaks 9 local and International languages, is a TEDx Speaker, and is a Fellow of the Amani Institute.
He has worked as a consultant for the Ghana Refugee Board through the Open University of West Africa, and also with a mobile education company in building and delivering entrepreneurship and healthcare courses to micro-entrepreneurs and secluded communities.
Rya has researched refugee societal and economic integration in the Krisan, Ampain, and Dadaab refugee camps. Today, Rya co-runs RIO (Refugee Integration Organisation) in Ghana and Brazil, working with refugees, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), and Persons of Concern (PoCs) and provides them with language and cultural courses, and scholarships for higher education in transferable skills.
His work promotes social inclusion and economic independence for refugees, IDPs, and PoCs in Africa and South America.
Listen to How Henry Cobblah has created a career to solve Africa’s problems in this episode of your motivational Personal Innovation Podcast and how he wants you to do same.
I had a lively chat with Henry Cobblah who is very passionate about creating solutions to Africa’s problems. Henry believes that we all need to be humble enough to learn every day. it is not enough to identify problems and complain about them, henry is on a mission to use his skills, network and knowledge to solve Africa’s problems.
For Henry, Personal Innovation is all about thinking more about how we all need to come together to make the world work better. it is the inclusive and the collaborative view of the world that makes sense to him.
With an inspiration from Jack Ma; founder of Alibaba, Henry is ignited to leave a dent on the universe through his work. His future projects are focused on big data and creating platforms for young Africans to excel in their creative professions.
Henry learns online every day, is open to new ideas from other people each, and shares his knowledge through teaching.
He recommends the Mobile phone as a key tool for every body to leverage to facilitate their growth and development in their careers, businesses and personal lives.
He says it is also important to understand how to use Google effective to the advantage of our careers and businesses.
“if not now when, if not me who” is Henry’s watch word. He also believes that it is important for us all to ask our self “who we are, what we have and what we have to trade off.
Henry Cobblah founded iSolveAfrica Limited, in 2012 whiles at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to provide innovative solutions for Africa. He did his national service in his own start up after graduating. His company has ever since created over 298 websites and mobile applications in and outside Ghana.
Along side this, Henry co-founded a social enterprise that provided sexual reproductive health education and guidance platform for people who do not have the voice to talk about issues of STDs, Family planning and reproductive health.
Are you thinking of becoming an Entrepreneur? Do you know your love for fitness can become that pivot to impact lives and live your life as a love story? Listen to this episode of your favourite motivational Personal Innovation Podcast and Randy will inspire you with his “love story.”
“Younovation Family”; Thank you very much for tuning in as always. I am Eric Seyram, your personal Innovation evangelist. My work is simply to make us all think bigger about who we are, what we do in a unique way and how we can change the world through doing what we love.
Are you searching for that dream job? Are you aiming at creating a career that helps you to be relevant in todays very very dynamic and volatile world of work?
In this episode of your favourite Personal Innovation Podcast, I interviewed Felix Nartey who has created a career for him self through volunteering his skills and time.
Volunteerism actually enabled Felix to acquire very market demanding and employable skills that distinguishes him from his peers today.
This episode is therefore centred on the theme of “Building the necessary skills for your dream job through volunteerism”
Felix Nartey is an Open Activist and a youth Empowerment Coach. He is the 2017 Wikimedian of the Year award recipient, a cofounder of Creative Commons Ghana and a Co-founder and Director of Open Foundation West Africa (OFWA), an NGO that is solving one of his childhood problems “access to information or knowledge”. Open Foundation west Africa trains the youth on acquiring the 21st century skills in ICT by exposing the youth to skill sets from the “Open World“, a world that is today ensuring free and open access to information, knowledge, technology and other resources with open (non copyright) licenses.
He works with the WIkimedia Foundation in the capacity of the Global Coordinator of the Wikipedia Library and serves as a member of the drafting committee for the Movement Strategy of the Wikimedia Foundation and a member of the Advisory Committee of Global Network Strategy for Creative Commons. He is a fanatic of technology and strong advocate for volunteerism.
He has empowered the youth through programs that has introduced participants to comprehend with digital currencies and how to position themselves to benefit from such a new trend, building creative writing skills and how to write in an encyclopedic tone, recruited and trained developers to contribute to open source platforms. He is also a pioneering member of the team that instituted the National Volunteer Day which later birthed the Ghana Volunteer Program. A program that has empowered thousands of volunteers and impacted tens of thousands of people.
In this episode of your motivational personal innovation podcast, I had a chat with Bernard Kelvin Clive. In this chat Bernard exposed us to how he has built him self up as an authority in his field and how you can also start taking action today on becoming that go to person in your industry.
Bernard is a Lifestyle Entrepreneur, Personal Branding Coach, Brand Strategist at BKC Consulting with over 10 years of experience in digital publishing, has offered consulting services to hundreds of writers, poets, authors locally and internationally to self-publish their books. Amazon bestselling author of over 25 published books. Ghana’s foremost authority on Personal branding and Digital Publishing who hosts the #1 ranked Business & Career Podcast in Ghana/Botswana.
In January 2014, Springboard Virtual University named him as one of the ‘Apostles of the New Economy’ leading the revolution in digital publishing. He is the go-to-guy for digital publishing and personal branding.
In this episode of the motivational Personal Innovation podcast, I had chat with Gameli Adzaho who believes that we all can combine different skill sets and mixed passions to leave a dent on the universe. He advocates for a practical approach to learning, critical thinking and solving problems with the tools that are available today.
Gameli Adzaho is a public health professional and STEM educator focused on ‘shaping Africa and shaping youth’.
Gameli holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Ghana and MSc in Environment and Human Health from the University of Exeter, where he was a Tullow Group Scholar.
Prior to his masters he was a science teacher at Keta Senior High Technical School where he taught chemistry and integrated science.
There he initiated projects to build the capacity of students and teachers in the school and beyond. He currently works in the public health space in Ghana, implementing a suite of sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) projects for an international NGO.
Additionally, he leads Global Lab, a platform that connects students to established scientists, and mobilises them to undertake social impact activities. He further contributes to various STEM (environmental health, digital literacy, practical science) and youth development initiatives.
He was the brain behind the design and delivery of Woekpor, a digital literacy initiative of Global Shapers Ho hub.
He was a core team member of SHAPE (Shaping Healthy Attitudes and Protecting the Environment) project, sponsored by the Wellcome Trust, which spurred basic school pupils in Accra to apply science to tackle local environmental health challenges.
Gameli has received a number of accolades and awards for his work on Global Lab and other initiatives.
These include New Accra Young Achievers Award, Airtel Evolve with STEM Champion, and Study UK Alumni Awards (Social Impact). He is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, a Next Einstein Forum Ambassador, and an alumnus of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University.
This episode of your motivational Personal Innovation Podcast is brewed with Love for Fashion and the Passion to Impact Women In Public Relations.
My guest is Faith Senam Ocloo, a Fashion Public Relations Specialist and founder of e’april Public Relations, a boutique PR agency specialising in fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands.
She is also the PR Representative for Nadrey Laurent ( formerly Totally Ethnik), Accra Men’s Fashion Week, Evangel Christian Magazine and Egudzi Accessories.
She is a weekly Columnist with the Business and Financial Times Newspaper where she writes on various topics and events relating to fashion.
Faith is also the founder of Women in PR event, a platform dedicated towards mentoring the next generation of young PR and communication professionals who are confident of the skills they have acquired and well equipped to deliver when and wherever they find themselves.
She has a deep love for fashion and as Strategic communications specialist she has specialises in Public Relations in the fashion design industry. she helps her clients to remain that top fashion brand that every one will love to work with.
Faith believes that women need to be empowered to climb the top management levels on the corporate ladder, which is why she has founded the Women in PR event.
Hello my lovely #YounovationFamily. This is another interesting episode of your motivational Personal Innovation Podcast featuring; Philomena Esinam Afi Antonio. She is a Model/ TV Show Producer/ Presenter and actress. She is also the founder of Solar4girls.
In this episode Afi shared with us how she got disqualified from becoming a soldier but went on to create a career for her self as a model, and a social enterprise project that is built on her passion of putting smiles on people’s faces.
Afi Antonio: “Solar4girls is an initiative to eradicate kerosene lanterns, candles, bobo etc from off grid communities so that students can learn extra hours at night. My team and I contribute and solicit for help from friends through social media campaigns.
In this episode of your motivational personal innovation podcast, I am glad to present to you Benjamin Dzamesi a Change Agent, Social Entrepreneur, Leadership Enthusiast and a Digital Tech Lover.
He is the Founder and Director of Graphics Media Hype and HighSchoolGh.Com.
He has over the past 8 years increased ROI on small to medium sized businesses in Ghana through local knowledge in the market and expertise.
He is keen to use new media and digital technology to empower and drive social & economic change among African youth.
This episode is all about: Approaching life with an open and creative mindset.
This world is complex and living in it requires a high level of readiness to deal with these complexities and the daily challenges that we might face.
Credits to William Shakespeare; This world is said to be a stage and all men are players or performers. We all have our exits and our entrance onto this stage. As is the case, our performance, our creativity and showmanship is what determines how the world will react towards us; either with cheers or boos.
As if thats not challenging enough, we have a very short time frame to prove our worth. to create a raving fan base, create a movement and a follower-ship and make the impact that the world needs from us.
Our approach to life: how enthused, emotionally engrossed and spirited we are into our performance on this stage,- is what will determine wether the dent as we leave it, will be short-lived or sustained till eternity.
William Shakespeare in that monologue about the world being a stage, also intimated that “each man in his time plays many parts”. Through out our life cycle we have the opportunity, the window and chance upon chance; to reinvent our selves and shine to the world.
Do not be limited in thinking about your current state and circumstances, those limiting factors inhibiting your craft, and your showmanship.
The cheers and chants of your audience can grow louder if you stayed longer on this stage, work harder to entertain your audience- think bigger about what they need and give it to them.
If only you can start thinking bigger about who you are, what you do and how you can impact the world in a unique way, the world will dance to your music and this stage will be your home.
What is your stage? what part are you playing in this theatre of a world?
Personal Innovation is about approaching your daily work and the challenges you face with an open mind and a creative, can-do attitude. It’s about seeking unconventional solutions to the problems on your plate. At work, it’s looking at everything you do and figuring out where you can do better, in less time, with fewer motions, in a way that adds value to your self and others.
Instead of looking at “being creative” as something you need to do consciously, see it as something you do unconsciously, like breathing.
“innovate” each day till you exit this theatrical stage of life.
Surelly! You will live your life as a love story.
In this episode I want to tell you: Why your smallest dream matters to the world.
I believe in dreams no matter how small. This believe comes from the innovative concept of the “economy of Unscale” . I believe today, Small is the new Big and no matter how small your dream, the world can create a path for your success, so you can shine to the world and live your life as a love story.
Yes I know you always hear about, “economy of scale” and how good it is to be big and be able to swallow up the small guys, rule the world, Dictate the pace of the game, taking all there is to be taken.
The concept of Economy of scale propels companies to strive to expand, develop and penetrate into new markets and geographical territories. It is what gives them competitive advantage over the small scale organisations who also continues to complain about how lean, resource constrained and cash trapped they are. Start up entrepreneurs would often say “ if only we had the size and strength of that multinational organisation” and They end up fighting a lost battle, because it is “survival of the fittest”.
I tell you today, the tide is about to turn and has even already started. This is evidenced from a series of breakthrough technologies, discoveries and new business models that are making the old rule of “bigger is better” an obsolete philosophy.
By exploiting the vast (but cheap) audience afforded by the Internet, and taking advantage of a host of emerging, innovative and cutting edge business models , small becomes the new big.
A small business in a little corner of the world can be heard loud and clear in every nook and cranny of the world, and every Tom, Dick and Harry would love to do business with them no matter the geographical barriers.
All that matters today is creating a solution to the world’s problems and once it resonates with the world, you can go places.
The global business environment is decomposing into smaller yet more profitable markets, so businesses can no longer rely on scaling up to compete, but must instead embrace a new “economies of Unscale.”
This is same with your personal development; your career and life. It is why you must embark on personal innovation; thinking bigger about who you are, what you do and how you can impact the world in a unique way.
Think of yourself as a brand today. Magnify your dreams no matter how small it is, be passionate about it, turn it into a career and use it to leave a dent on the universe.
It is the start of living your life as a love story. You can achieve what big corporations achieve just with your personal brand and of course at a lower operation cost. just as they would if they had economies of scale.
Let the concept of “economy of unscale” become real in your life today.
In this episode I want to tell you: Why you must become a leader.
Are you scared of leadership? Do you tell your self ; “I am not cut out for leadership?”
In the world of work, we have two types of people. There are those who are leaders and there are those who are followers. This has been the tradition, our way of life, our orientation, our psychological make up and the structure of the world. There has always been an emperor, a king, a governor, a president, a father; whose commands are final, who virtually thinks for us and decides for us.
Leadership was a preserve for a certain group and calibre of people, Traditionally, there is a Royal family, whose descendants take up the leadership mantle. This is surely a good thing. It ensures law and order, it is our heritage, it is our culture. It is beautiful.
Well, today as the world is changing, leadership is been redefined, diffused and liberalised. and no matter who you are, what you do and where you are from; You can lead and be followed. You can lead a movement, a revolution, and a tribe that impacts the world in a unique way, through social media for instance.
Thats what am talking about. We are in the age of Personal Innovation.
Personal Innovation is all about leading.
its about being seen as a category authority. it is about taking actions that can be emulated, replicated and beneficial to the world.
This is all made possible through what you do. Your Dreams, Your Passions, Your Career and Impact.
At your place of work, what ever it is you do; Think about this:
Are Yo u Designing the Bricks or Moving Them?
Are you preparing the meal or you are eating it.
Just as we have leaders and followers. At the world of work, there are creators and there are users. Which one are you?
You may be thinking eating the meal is a better position to be than cooking the meal. This kind of thinking is why; followers are many and leaders are few and theres is a popular believe out there, that “not all people can become leaders”.
Change your mind set today and start thinking about becoming a leader. Think about becoming the one who cooks the meal not the one who only eats. What happens when the cook is no more? will you starve to death?
The world of work will always need people who are moving the bricks from point A to B. There will always be the need for factory workers and labourers. there will always be employees no doubt.
There is absolutely no lack of people who are willing and more than happy to follow instructions and comply.
But what I need you to realize is that, you don’t have to be the one who moves the bricks. You can be the one designing the bricks.
In 1940, the world desperately wanted factory workers. In 1980, the world desperately wanted middle-managers.
Today, the world desperately wants and needs leaders and visionaries. Doers, change agents, Builders and creators.
This definitely is where the opportunity lies for you. Don’t miss it. Start work on your Personal brand today.
I believe in the Pareto Principle of the 80/20 Rule, which says that in anything a few people; about 20 percent are vital and the rest 80 percent are trivial.
Be part of the 20 percent of the population, that is vital so you can earn 80 percent of the world’s income more than your colleagues, 80 percent of the market, 80 percent of the world’s respect, recognition, credibility, Likability, following and loyalty as you strive to be a unique selling brand.
There is one way to achieving these; which is personal Innovation.
Personal Innovation will help you to Master your inner gift, Create your own future, live your life as a love story and shine to the world.
Today is your future, because today will define your tomorrow. Act now.
I was glad to host Vera Adu- Amaning on this weeks episode of your favourite personal innovation hub.
In this very interesting chat, she shared her journey as an entrepreneur and how her personal brand and the use of social media has aided her success as a small businesses owner. There are great lessons to be learnt.
Make sure you subscribe to this podcast and look out for more of this great interviews that will get you thinking bigger about who you are, what you do and how you can impact the world in a great way.
Bellow is a profile of Adu Vera-Amani
“I am a Marketing enthusiast
I am visionary entreprenuer
I use social media in my day-to-day life”
Vera Adu-Amaning is a very creative Ghanaian entrepreneur who takes initiative of branding herself by effectively marketing her products and services globally via social media.
In 2015, Adu Amani’s ,(as she is popularly known), hairstyle to “chalewote 2015” became a talk on social media which is still trending and creatively compared to the Adomi Bridge in Ghana, her hair exposure is a study case for social media marketing ploys discussed by the MEST students.
Her influence online attracted brands like woodin to work with her and became the 2016 Ghana Entrepreneurship Challenge Youth Ambassador ,and a mentor for the Ghana interns.
Born and grew up in Ada, From the Eastern Region, and last of four children
(two girls and two boys).She was conceived when her mum was 42 years, and to her, that’s the greatest inspiration which drives her on, believing anything is possible.
Adu Amani is very super passionate about colors, she is inspired by everything around her especially her clients and started her fast growing company Adu Amani Klodin (manufacturers of shoes, accessories} without any capital.
‘It was never my plan to own a fashion brand but God must have his own
amazing plans. This business was initiated by my Friend.
Even though I once worked with a fashion company just after SHS but I didn’t see myself becoming a
designer, I wanted to become a film maker. All my memories involve shape and
colors and styling, customizing, maybe the inspiration came from there when I
took over.’
AduAmani , produces shoes, bags and fashion accessories in Ghana . As part our mission to interpret the traditional Ghanaian or African identity to the world, the brand is a vehicle to communicate Ghana as well as Africa as a continent to the world. It is the aim of the clothing line to remain a household name and as such celebrated gloriously and globally as always been.
Hopes are that people will remain excited and anxious to know what’s on the clothing line, the quality, completely beautiful and really good brand of products.
Apart from the Brand tagged “aduAmani” which originally represents where the shoes or products are coming, our unique design is something to remember from Home or Africa as a whole with a touch of African fabric added to the collection.
If you are a believer in dreams and an optimist like me, you will still have hope for the future, you will still believe in the fact that there are many opportunities out there, more than ever.
Even though things might not be going the way you intended. Believe that, there are greater things ahead. We just have to think differently about who we are and what is within us that can act as the magnet to attract the very many disguised opportunities out there.
Many of those who lose hope, complain about the economic challenges and the ever changing, turbulent nature of the business world.
Jobs are not guaranteed, businesses are folding up, there is a global competition for every local business, Small businesses are struggling for there share of the market with their little mights against the global giants
It is true, we are really facing very stiff competition in all spheres of life. Consumers, employers and any other person, who will be looking at engaging your services today is exposed to lots of offers and choices.
But you know what? this is the time for you to explore more and explode. I believe this is the time David can win the battle against Goliath. In todays economy of unscale, small is the new big and Innovation is the weapon for career and business success.
It has become very important for us all to strive to Look apart and stand tall, if we want to secure our future success, happiness and security.
Bruce Barton once said: “Most successful men have not achieved their distinction by having some new talent or opportunity presented to them. They have developed the opportunity that was at hand.”
You can do more if you work on your personal Brand,
differentiate your self,
Stand out and shine to the world.
I challenge you to change your mind set and start thinking of your personal brand and what you want to offer to your market in a different way.
This is same as asking, what sells and what doesn’t.
If you have ever been rejected by a potential client or employer after putting in your all and even though you had the perfect qualifications, experience, capabilties and skills sets that met the job specifications , I know how bad that feels.
You might have told your self “oh he hated me”, or “oh the recruitment process is not free and fair,” “perhaps you are thinking the HR and other existing staff are threatened with your experience and expertise” or “they had the vacancy filled with their friends and cronies”.
May be you are one of the people who have come to the conclusion that, “the job market is now about whom you know, not what you know”
Have you ever wondered why you did not get that gig even though every rational argument was in your favor?
If you want to successfully sell any product, services, or get employed you need to know why people really buy what you are selling. the big why is always important and it is what makes the difference.
People dont buy what you sell they buy why you sell it. it is the why the connects with people emotionally, and most often our emotions control our behaviour.
Most people think it’s because of their experience, skills or education and that’s exactly where most people are wrong.
Imagine at an interview for a job, you are asked why should we employ you and your response is because am qualifies, i have the certificates and the experience.
hmmm, the bad news is that you are not the only one with those certificates, people will come in with more certifcates, experience and exposure than you have.
What will put you in the lead?
Sure, it helps to have all of these qualifications in place when you offer your services as a professional or apply for that job. However, even if you have the perfect resume and exactly what the decision maker wants to have, it’s not enough for him to make a sound purchasing decision or engage your services.
let me ask you now.
Why do you Buy the things You Buy?
Have you ever made a decision or bought something, and when somebody asked you why you did it, you could only answer with “It just felt right.”?
Many people hire people because of shared beliefs, values and emotional connection. People buy from you because they see the world from the same point of view as you do.
So if people mainly hire you because of your believes and values, how can you use that to your advantage?
One of the first lessons in marketing is segmentation, targeting and positioning. if we try to sell to the mass market, we might fail miserably at it. We always need to be specific and pick a very niche target market.
So let’s imagine you are a business development executive, consulting for CEOs of fast growing technology startups in a specific territory. You have already picked your target market and it’s specific.
Now, does that mean you will be able to work with all CEOs of fast growing technology companies? Of course not.
Many, or even most, may never hire you, even if you can provide massive value for them and their business.
Many may be very interested in the result that you can provide and the benefits they might get from that result. However, they may hire somebody else that resonates with them emotionally, morally, ideologically, religioudely, inteletually and even perhaps spiritually. And you know what? That’s great.
Your goal is not to work with anybody or everybody. Your goal is to work with people who believe what you believe within your target market because only then, you can do your best work and will fully love what you do and live your life as a love story. thats all i want for you.
These I believe are the universal and very significant questions that we all have to find answers to, in our bid to identify our wealth, differentiate our selves and create value for people we serve.
Have you ever thought of these questions?
If you had, keep it up and if you haven’t I entreat you to get right into it.
Are you a lawyer, an accountant, a banker, a doctor, photographer, a teacher, a musician, or an entrepreneur?
Who are you? What do you do?
Are you just one of them? And you are thinking, “Oh I have a career that will last me a life time and make me all the money I need”?
Think again.
Well am sure you will realise that you are not the only one in that profession or industry. Perhaps there are, and will continue to be many more new entrants into your profession and area of work.
Why will people chose you and not your other colleagues or better still competitors? what unique do you have to offer?
If you are a student, or a graduate looking for a job, you will know that, there is a high rate of Graduate Unemployment:
In most developing economies , the public sector employs less than 10 percent of the total population and it’s the same phenomenon across the world.
There is also a high level of Academic Cloning: and for each course or subject area of study, thousands of students come out of different universities every year with the same knowledge base and certificates, with no differentiating factor. What guarantees your success beyond the certificates?
The bar will keep getting raised high and higher: this is evidenced from the Glut of post graduate qualifications available on offer from all universities both local and international these days,
We are witnessing International competition for jobs, where people travel from different countries with variety of qualifications and certification from world renowned universities, with rich and diverse backgrounds and experiences clamouring for that same job you are looking for.
Are you a startup entrepreneur or a rising one? How known are you? Do you promote your organisation and products more than you promote yourself?
You know you operate in a very volatile and competitive market, where many bigger organisations are fighting for your target market.
You also know that there is a new customer out there, who is now very tech savvy, choosy, quality driven, price sensitive, highly demanding, reads through marketing gimmicks, emotionally concerned and sometimes detached.
I’m sure, you know that it is not easy succeeding due to these high levels of customer bargaining power, threat of substitute products, rivalry between you and your competitors, lack of access to capital and the many other challenges that are faced by small businesses every day.
Need I say more?
You need to Start differentiating yourself today. Look apart and stand tall, if you want to secure your future success, happiness and security.
But how do you become unique, follow your passion, drive interest, follower-ship, loyalty and overall make a good living out of what you do, and impact the world with it?
It all starts and ends with personal innovation.
In todays changing Job Market Where Will You be, 10 Years from Now?
When ever we think about career development and planning, we plan for the next 5-10 years. and we tell ourselves in the nest five years “i want to move up the corporate ladder to become the Chief Marketing Manager, the vice president of sales or say a senior partner at the law firm where you work.
Depending on your career choice and industry this is mostly determined by the Human Resource department and in certain cases the board of directors, and the internal politics and competition at the given time.
Yes this is what worked yesterday. What if what worked yesterday does not work tomorrow?
We all know that today, increasing sales through advertising and mass media does not work anymore like it did yesterday.
Most business people know that telling customers what they have to buy based on what the company wants to sell does not work anymore? You see, this already stopped working a while ago but many companies still insist on doing these things and force you to comply with these strategies even if it’s clear that they are fighting a lost batle. What about your job? What if in your field, a job like we know it today does no longer exist tomorrow? What are you going to do when the rules change?
I believe the concept of job is fading.
I tell you it will get worse in the coming years. Especially people with jobs for life mentalities who say: I will be in this job till i retire“ will need to start rethinking their stands.
Fact is the “job” is a concept that has been invented for the industrial age. We all are aware that the industrial age is fading away or is even over at certain places. Many people argue that, “We are now in a knowledge economy”, so what about the “jobs”? the jobs are surley fading.
The Mighty Corporation is dyeing too.
Maybe “death” is a bit of a harsh word but it is true that in some few years to come, corporations will have much less power than they have today.
Small businesses will lead the world economies as they have started doing in some places already, and corporations will merely be doing what they are told, that is producing commodities and products for the masses.
The only way for corporations to keep innovating will be to buy small companies, like startups and their innovations. we see lots of these happening around us.
But you see this is a good thing.
So Where Will You be, 10 Years from Now?
This is a question i want you to seriously consider if you are young, thinking about career development and planning your life.
This is one big question I aim to help you answer with my work and this book, which is why I am proud of my passion. I help my clients to create a career or business on their own terms so they are not stuck with yesterday’s rules and can easily adapt to the new rules.
What we have now is The Rise of the Free Agent
I heard the term “Free Agent” the first time from Daniel Pink’s Free Agent Nation.
A Free Agent is somebody who decided to work for himself. The Free Agent can be a freelancer, consultant, micro-entrepreneur and any other type of person who is not dependent on an organisation.
You can count on your personal brand power to work for you here.
It is estimated that one out of four people in the U.S.A. is now a Free Agent. Europe is following that trend fast and more and more people decide that being dependent on an organization is not the best way to live life.
I decided that this new path is the right one for me, and I don’t regret a thing. it is what Personal innovation is all about.
We all have to start thinking bigger about who we are and what we offer the world in a unique and why people should bother dealing with us.
Welcome to the Personal Innovation Podcast with me Eric Seyram.
In this episode, I am happy to introduce to you The Love Resolution Campaign with the theme: ‘love yourself and others will love you too.
Trust me it is the core foundation to personal innovation.
I know loving yourself to many people is natural. You will not “deep your hands into a burning fire” because you know it will hurt. Most people look out for themselves before others. I am not in any way supporting selfishness and greed; I believe strongly in sharing and making an impact in other people’s lives. That is what personal innovation and branding is all about. The more impact you make, the more memorable and likeable you become and the stronger your brand.
The Love Resolution Campaign is a series of blog posts, intimate and honest conversations between me and you and some other very interesting activities like “Lets Meet and Grow”, (a community for expressing our love stories) that make a difference in our lives. It is the new reality and our new way of life.
Now, if you are thinking; how will this work? How will it impacts my life positively? How will I make more money, make the right connections, clinch the best contracts by loving myself? I challenge you to be a part of this love Resolution and you will see the value.
The “Lets meet and grow” Community that I have initiated is a system that makes all of this possible. It creates an intimate avenue, which propels you to identify your passion, love yourself and start expressing your love story to the world and then trigger emotions and passions in your target audience, to want to work with you.
And the only person who can get in your way is also the only person who can make this happen. You!
This is a call. A call to express. To give, to influence, to receive, to play and engage in. Will you answer the call? If you’ve been waiting to share what you truly care about with the world – and to fully receive the gifts this life has to offer – your wait is over.
Join the Love resolution campaign now and “Let’s meet and grow” Everybody’s talking about the “challenging economy.” And they’re right, but my call and challenge to you is to think differently about yourself and your situations, and play a bigger game, think bigger about who you are and what you have to offer the world in a unique way and see the great benefits.
The first open secrete, you need to know, is that people who will employ you, hire your services or want to really pay you more, mostly will like to know how much love you have for your yourself first.
You are sure to get more just as you love yourself. Most successful and wealthy people you ever heard about all loved themselves first, then the success came knocking on their doors.
Lovely dreamers and doers, you are listening to the Personal Innovation Podcast.
This is where I lead the movement of us thinking bigger about who we are,
what we offer the world in a unique way
and why people should bother dealing with us.
The Objective is for us all to master our inner gifts
create our own future
and live our lives as a love story
Make a resolution today to be more valuable, differentiate your self and shine to the world.
To find out more, subscribe for regular updates here www.personalinnovationhub.com and connect with me on Facebook, www.facebook.com/YOUnovateNow
on twitter my handle @YOUnovateNow
You can also look for me linkedIn and connect
You can do and achieve more if you work on your Personal innovation today.
be different, Stand out and shine to the world.
This Podcast is all about a new way of life.
It will inspire you to change the world by doing what you love.
It will help ignite your personal brand power: identifying who you are, what you offer the world in a unique way and why people would be interested.
This is where I lead the movement of us thinking bigger about who we are, what we offer the world in a unique way and why people should bother dealing with us. The Objective is for us all to master our inner gifts, create our own future and live our lives as a love story. Make a resolution today to be more valuable, differentiate your self and shine to the world.
To find out more, subscribe to receive regular updates from : www.personalinnovationhub.com
Connect with me on Facebook: facebook.com/YOUnovateNow
On twitter my handle @YOUnovateNow
You can also look for me linkedIn and connect
You can do and achieve more if you work on your Personal innovation today.
be different, Stand out and shine to the world.
Episode Summary
In todays very volatile and competitive world you better innovate or else you retard, decline or even die. yea its that bad.
Thats the new commandment for career and personal development.
Indeed We are in the Age of Personal Innovation.
you see!
We all have to become innovators of our own careers and lives.
Businesses have always needed to innovate in order to stay relevant and competitive in their marketplace,
but now so do YOU.
Am you you are asking: “ why should I?
This is why!!
The skills of yesterday might not be as important in five years as the robots and other apps for instance are taking our jobs
Even in the face of continuous technological advancements, the systems, tools and equipements we use today may be obsolete next year.
WE therefore have to constantly evolve, adapt to new realities, be accountable for OURselves and think creatively if we want to survive.
Thats what I call personal innovation.
It is your ability to see new opportunities where others don’t,
It is how you create new positions and careers that never existed, while undergoing continuous learning and adapting to economic change.
Fact is…
Today We all have to stay educated, connected and confident despite the economic shifts and be able to come up with solutions to new problems that might not exist yet.
Personal innovation is about critical thinking, problem solving and aligning your interests with the current and future market needs.
My Passion has always been about empowering you to succeed, through my coaching, consulting, public speaking and blogging ventures. It has and will always continue to be about you.
And this is why I put together a complete do it yourself guide on personal innovation for the success hungry professionals, and dreamers like you.
My objective is to use this book to challenge you to change your mind set and start thinking of your personal brand and what you have to offer to your market in a different way and as a result drive emotions, build a following, loyalty credibility, trust, likability, love, authority and above all earn a great deal of a living on your passion/ doing work you love.
To find out more, stay locked on the Personal Innovation Hub, connect with me on Facebook, facebook.com/YOUnpvateNow
on twitter my handle @YOUnovateNow
You can do and achieve more if you work on your Personal innovation today.
be different, Stand out and shine to the world.