Summary
In this episode of the Deciding to Win podcast, host Reggie interviews Gitika Gorthi, the founder and CEO of Ignited Thinkers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading aerospace education. Gitika shares her inspiring journey from a curious child fascinated by space to a passionate advocate for STEM education. She discusses the pivotal role of mentorship in her career, the importance of parental support, and her commitment to empowering the next generation through her organization. Gitika also highlights her global outreach efforts and the collaborative spirit within the space community, as well as her vision for the future of Ignited Thinkers.
Follow Gitika
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gitikagorthi/
Ignited Thinkers
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ignitedthinkers/
Follow us on Social media
Follow Me on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/
Get in touch - Donate to the Project
reggie@ticketmiller.com
In this episode of the Deciding to Win podcast, host Reginald Nsowah interviews Mike Beckham, the CEO of Simple Modern. They discuss Mike's background, his journey as an entrepreneur, and the importance of culture and vision in building a successful company. Mike shares valuable insights on entrepreneurship, failure, leadership, and the impact of social media. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear purpose, being a lifelong learner, and practicing generosity. Mike also provides advice for young professionals starting their careers and highlights the significance of working with the right people.
Keywords
entrepreneurship, culture, vision, failure, leadership, social media, purpose, learning, generosity, career
Takeaways
Important Links
Mike's Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm/
Scaling for Good Podcast
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm/
If you want to sponsor or advertise on the show send me an email
regnsowah@gmail.com
In this episode, Reggie interviews Chris Tran, a career coach in the gaming industry, about his career journey and insights. Chris shares his background as a child of Vietnamese refugees and how it shaped his mindset of appreciating what he has and maximizing opportunities. He discusses the importance of hard work, developing keystone skills, and leveraging emerging technologies like AI. Chris also provides advice on career planning, navigating career changes, and developing leadership skills. He emphasizes the need to take responsibility for one's career success and the importance of work ethic in achieving goals. In this conversation, Chris Tran discusses the changing landscape of employment and labor, the lessons he learned from building the esports industry in Vietnam, the importance of career coaching, key messages for the young generation and young professionals, and his plans and projects.
Takeaways:
Summary
In this episode, Sherry, a self-taught machine learning software engineer and entrepreneur, shares her journey and insights. She discusses her decision to go into coding, the challenges she faced as a self-taught engineer, and the opportunities in software engineering and machine learning. Sherry emphasizes the importance of data science and analytics as a foundation for machine learning. She also talks about her entrepreneurial journey and the goals of her startup. Sherry provides advice for young people and shares her experiences as a content creator. She looks up to successful founders and aims to inspire others to pursue their passions in tech.
Takeaways
Self-teaching programming is a viable path to a career in tech, and there are many opportunities in software engineering and machine learning.
Data science and analytics are crucial skills for aspiring machine learning engineers, as understanding and working with data is a fundamental part of the field.
Taking risks, changing your mindset, and pursuing your passion are key to success in the tech industry.
Content creation can be a powerful way to inspire and educate others, and it's important to focus on providing value and engaging with your audience.
Having role models and mentors can provide guidance and inspiration on your journey.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
03:04 Decision to Go into Coding
08:08 Overcoming Challenges as a Self-Taught Software Engineer
13:15 Transitioning into Machine Learning
16:11 Opportunities in Software Engineering and Machine Learning
18:02 Importance of Data Science and Analytics
20:03 Starting the Coding Journey
22:16 Getting Started with Data Science and Analytics
24:08 Entrepreneurship and Startup Journey
27:03 Progress and Challenges in the Startup
30:54 Advice for Young People
34:16 Content Creation and Influencing
38:02 Role Models and Inspirations
40:47 Future Goals and Impact
41:25 Where to Find Sherry's Content
We would love to hear from you
email: deciding2win@gmail.com
Follow Sheary
https://www.instagram.com/codersheary_coding/
In the financial world, while skills and strategies are essential, the real game-changer is often one’s mindset. The power of a cultivated mindset can mean the difference between mediocrity and monumental success.
Join me on this amazing conversation with KP Akom , a brother, a friend, an successful entrepreneur, author and mindset coach.
KP shares his amazing journey from Ghana to the US as teenager, developing leadership skills from serving in the US army into venturing into the world of entrepreneurship.
He is also the author of the amazon best seller Unshackled.
Follow KP on medium : https://kpakom.medium.com/about
The CEO of Norhart, Mike Kaeding joins us on this special episode. Mike is leading Norhart's vision of transforming the way apartments are built and managed by incorporating technologies and efficiencies that have revolutionized other industries and led to high-quality, cost effective projects.
Mike’s parents started their family business. But just a few years after joining the business,Mike’s father unexpectedly passed away. Suddenly, Mike had what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders. He had to lead this business with no preconceived notion of "the way things are done" in this industry. He was struggling to the point where the city briefly shut him down. This shattered his world. Norhart just naively started to solve problems after that incident. And that led to magic. Norhart began changing the way construction is done. Starting with an attractive culture unique to the construction industry they hired the best talent. Together Norhart solved chronic construction inefficiencies, applied techniques from manufacturing, and integrated traditionally unaffiliated trades. This resulted in higher quality and lower cost projects. Norhart’s mission is to solve America’s housing shortage by transforming the way apartments are built and managed. And in doing so we will improve the way we all live.
Our guest today is Sara Rauchwerger, Founder TechLAB Innovation Center in Silicon Valley.
Sara is the Founder and Managing Director at TechLAB Innovation Center, where her mission is clear: nurturing company growth and fostering innovation. But that's not all—she's also the driving force behind CCICE, a global entrepreneur connection platform, and the visionary mind behind BG Strategy, a leading global market entry services company.
With a rich background in Business Development, Business Strategy, and Investment, Sara has left an indelible mark across industries such as Telecommunication, Aerospace, and Information Technology. Her leadership has ignited cross-border business growth, helping private enterprises, SMEs, and publicly listed corporations thrive internationally.
Sara's forte lies in IT markets, where she offers end-to-end market entry services. Her sharp insight and evaluation skills make her a trusted partner for the investment community, consistently identifying impactful opportunities.
Having shaped countless business plans, marketing strategies, financial analyses, and more, Sara's expertise has propelled ventures to success, optimizing value for owners and shareholders.
Join us in this episode as we tap into the brilliance of Sara Rauchwerger, a sought-after speaker and lecturer, and uncover the journey of an extraordinary entrepreneur.
On this episode, Sara shares deep insights on how to scale and grow your startup.
On this episode, i had an amazing conversation with my best friend Victor Owusu.Victor is a software engineer at Paradigm. Victor has had over 13 years experience in tech, working for multinational companies and consulting on projects. Victor on this podcast breaks down the simple keys to thrive in technology roles in any tech organization.
Victor's journey is inspiring for any young Africa who wants to have a successful career in Tech. His work ethic, design is for all to emulate.
Follow Victor on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-james-owusu/
On this episode we speak with Daniel Kwaku Merki, the founder of Boxplay Ventures in Accra. Boxplay is an African venture builder that co-creates transformational startups tackling the continent's most common and challenging problems. Daniel, has a strong background in investment banking, management consulting and entrepreneurship. His passion is enable African entrepreneurs to create solutions to Africa's most challenging problems and to promote the general purpose technologies of the 21st century on the continent. He grew up in Switzerland and moved to Ghana to pursue his passion and dreams.
Daniel provides key insights about entrepreneurship and venture building in the African setting.
Connect with Daniel on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmerki/
Welcome to an extraordinary episode of our podcast, where we have the privilege of welcoming back the remarkable Otema Yirenkyi to the show. Currently serving as the Area Vice President at Salesforce in the UK, Otema brings with her an illustrious career spanning over 25 years in the technology and telecommunication industry. Her expertise shines through as she shares invaluable insights on cultivating a 'no limits' mindset.
Throughout the episode, Otema emphasizes the immense value of finding belonging within a tribe, harnessing the power of coaches and mentors, and directing our focus towards our unique strengths. Her wealth of experience from senior roles at IBM, Microsoft, PMI, and Vodafone adds weight to her words, making her guidance all the more compelling.
But Otema's contributions extend beyond her professional achievements. She is a true inspiration with a deep passion for supporting the younger generation. Her dedication to helping the youth reach their full potential is nothing short of inspiring, as she shares her experiences and imparts wisdom that will undoubtedly resonate with listeners of all ages.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Otema is also a talented poet, accomplished author, and a fierce advocate for eco-sustainability. Her multifaceted interests and commitment to making a positive impact on the world make her an exceptional guest, captivating both the mind and the heart.
Tune in to this episode and prepare to be enthralled as Otema Yirenkyi graces us with her profound insights, empowering listeners to adopt a 'no limits' mindset and encouraging them to embark on a transformative journey towards personal growth and success.
Useful links
Follow Otema on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/otema-yirenkyi-22b4841/
Watch her Interview on Techforce show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVyACDnTMpQ
Follow Me on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/
On this episode of the Deciding To Win Podcast, we had the privilege of having Veronica Safoa Owusu widely known as the V-Power Coach. The 'V-Power coach' is a signature online course creation business specialist, instructional designer, mindset coach for leaders, public speaker and the President of EduCom.
She is also an entrepreneur, content creator and consultant.
Veronica has helped many people develop their mindset and unleash their potentials to create the life they want to live. On this episode, we go more into her background story, the challenges she faced in building her business in a new country with literally no money.
V-Power's relentless passion and desire to grow, learn and help others has launched her into an amazing journey in her life.
There is a lot to learn from her and i know you will be inspired.
Follow her on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-safoa-owusu/
In this episode of the Deciding to Win podcast, we sat down with Shelli Brunswick, the COO of Space Foundation. Shelli shared her inspiring journey from her distinguished career as a space acquisition leader to overseeing Space Foundation's primary divisions. She advocates for diversity and inclusion and was named the 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Officer and Role Model of the Year Award by WomenTech Network.
We learned about Space Foundation's mission to promote space and STEM education worldwide, with a particular focus on Africa. Shelli discussed the importance of space technology in solving global challenges and the role of education in preparing the next generation.
Shelli's leadership extends beyond the Space Foundation, where she plays an active role in various organizations, including the United Nations Space4Women and the World Business Angels Investment Forum.
Tune in to this episode to be inspired by Shelli's leadership journey, her passion for space technology, and her advocacy for diversity and inclusion.
In this episode of "Deciding to Win," we had the pleasure of speaking with Valerie Labi, an innovative C-Level leader who is making waves in the African mobility space. Valerie is the CEO and Co-Founder of Mana Mobility, a German-Ghanaian enterprise that is creating an ecosystem for e-mobility solutions in Africa, with the core of operations in Ghana.
During our conversation, Valerie shared her inspiring story of how she started her career in the corporate world, but her passion for sustainable social enterprise growth and impactful business transformation strategies led her to co-found Mana Mobility. She is driven by the vision of making affordable, reliable, and connected electric vehicles tailored for and manufactured in Africa.
As Valerie explained, the challenges of implementing electric mobility in Africa are significant, from the lack of proper infrastructure to the limited access to affordable financing. However, she is undaunted and believes that these challenges present an opportunity to create innovative solutions that cater to the unique needs of the African market.
Mana Mobility is already making strides towards achieving its vision. They have developed an open e-mobility platform that connects drivers, passengers, and goods in an easily accessible, inclusive, transparent, country-wide, and multi-model manner. The company also produces electric vehicles that are affordable, safe, reliable, functional, and Ghanaian-designed, engineered, and manufactured.
Valerie's leadership and Mana Mobility's commitment to sustainability and social impact are what Africa needs to overcome its mobility challenges. The African mobility space is ripe for disruption, and Mana Mobility is at the forefront of this change.
On this episode, we speak to an amazing young woman changing STE(A)M education in Africa and beyond. She shares her inspiring story of how she started organizing volunteers to rural communities to teach technology to the children in these communities.
The organization has reached 8000+ learners across Africa, through products like Lab and Library on Wheels systems – portable solar powered computer laboratories, Ananse e-learning suite – first African story-based STE(A)M app and Train the Trainer engagements – educational support services.
The research she has done through her organization has gained international interest and support evidenced by research grants and partnerships with University College London (UCL), Royal Academy of Engineers and Jacobs Foundation.
She was the first woman recipient of the “Engineering Excellence Award”, by the Ghana Institute of Engineers, a candidate for the 2020 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation Award , a Coor fellow and a Mandela Washington fellow.
Josephine is an engineer and assistant professor, in the FKSR (University of Alberta), advancing research on linkages between access to recreational spaces and well-being, through an environmental justice lens. Her research over the years, has focused on examining how exchanges among human and non-human actors shape built and virtual recreational environments, and inform access and its associated outcomes.
I had the opportunity to speak to the phenomenal Taaka Owori, the CEO of Busara Africa. Leadership has always been the main critical factor for Africa's development. Taaka presents strong and interesting ideas on redefining leadership in Africa. This is a conversation that so inspired me, her passion and energy for Africa is amazing.
Taaka s a Leadership Trainer, Certified Coach, Facilitator, Speaker, and Organisational Development Specialist with over 20 years of experience working with civil society, the private sector, and various Government Agencies in East, West, Southern Africa, Europe, and the U.S. She, therefore, combines an understanding of international best practice on leadership and organisational development with an appreciation of the diverse contexts in which these principles should be applied. Taaka has worked with a wide range of clients such as the Open Society Foundation, Care, Greenpeace International, MTN, Newmont Corporation, Bank of Africa and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.
Taaka has a Bachelors in Degree in Political Science from Harvard University, Boston MA, and a Juris Doctorate in Law from Columbia University, NY, New York. She also has a Certificate in Organisational Development from the Organisation Development Centre & the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland, the United States, and an Advanced Certificate in Coaching from the International Coaching Academy, Melbourne, Australia.
Email: t.awori@busara-africa.com
Phone: +233 244 310856
www.busara-africa.com
On this episode, i am joined by the amazing Christina Korp, the president of purpose entertainment, astronaut manager and producer. For ten years she managed Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and launched his education foundations – ShareSpace and the Aldrin Family Foundation. She produced the last five galas at Kennedy Space Center celebrating Apollo 11 and the Webby winning and Emmy nominated, “Cycling Pathways to Mars” VR experience. She is passionate about promoting ways space benefits the planet and people every day and promoting women’s issues. She spearheaded projects in 2020 to celebrate the Women’s Vote Centennial in the USA. She leads SPACE For a Better World producing events and experiences that raise money for partner charities. She currently works with Apollo 16 moon walker Charlie Duke and NASA astronaut and aquanaut Nicole Stott.
Christina has traveled the world as a singer, producer, tour manager and as an Astronaut Wrangler. She produces ground breaking, mass participation experiential artworks and event that focus on inspiring people and giving back to the planet.
This episode was produced by the amazing Justin Fiallo.
Photocredit : David Christopher Lee
“Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation.” - Nelson Mandela.
Nelly Cheboi, the CEO and founder of TechLit Africa joins me on this episode. Growing up in rural Kenya, Nelly experienced the full effects of poverty, seeing her parents struggle to meet their basic needs. Nelly nurtured in her heart to make an impact in her society. Through determination and hard work, she obtained a scholarship to study computer science in America which provided her a path to move closer to achieving her vision.
Today TechLit Africa, is using recycled computers to build computer labs in Kenya, providing much needed tech skills training for the youth launching them into tech careers remotely around the world.
Her amazing work has been recognized around the world by Forbes, CNN and other notable organization. She is a true leader dedicated to the success of Africa's youth.
On this episode i am joined by the amazing Susan Stil Kilrain, an American engineer, a former United States Navy officer, and a former NASA astronaut. A childhood dream to fly manifested into not just flying fighter jets for the US Navy but Space shuttles for Nasa. An accomplished aerospace engineer, distinguished naval aviator with over 3000 flight hours, flying 30 different aircrafts. She was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in 1985 and designated a Naval Aviator in 1987. Kilrain was selected to be a flight instructor in the TA-4J Skyhawk, and later flew EA-6A Electric Intruders for Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 33 (VAQ-33) in Key West, Florida. After completing U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, she reported to Fighter Squadron 101 (VF-101) in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for F-14 Tomcat training.
Kilrain reported to the Johnson Space Center as an Astronaut Candidate in March 1995. Following a year of training, she worked on technical issues for the Vehicle Systems and Operations Branch of the Astronaut Office. She also served as spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) in mission control during launch and entry for numerous missions. A veteran of two space flights, she logged nearly 472 hours in space. She flew as pilot on STS-83 (April 4 to 8, 1997) and STS-94 (July 1 to 17, 1997).
She now spends her time inspiring the next generation to believe in themselves.
Henry Ford said 'Those who believe they can do something and those who believe they can't are both right'. It is amazing what we can do if we are determined that we can. Our guest today is a shining example of that. Jesse Iwuji, US Navy officer, NASCAR driver and team owner, CEO,Esports company owner and many more. Born to immigrant parents from Nigeria, Jesse shares his journey in to greatness and the amazing work in creating opportunities for others.
You can sponsor this podcast and provide support for this program by connecting with me on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/
Please listen and share.
Follow Jesse on Linkedin
Deciding to Win is back bigger. On this episode, Dr Soyeon Yi, the first Korean female and only astronauts joins me. She shares her inspiring story with us in an a fun and exciting way. She was selected out of 36,000 contestants to go to space in 2006. She shares how it all happened from the earth and back to the earth. Dr Yi, is dedicated her life to help nurture young leaders in STEM. This is a conversation i really enjoyed and i hope it blesses you as well.
Our success is not complete until we help OTHERS succeed.
We would love to hear your feedback too!
deciding2win@gmail.com
