The Newcomers Podcast 🎙️

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Daniel Bernhard, the CEO of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC).Anti-immigration sentiment in Canada is at a 30-year high and growing. Some of the recent takes on immigrants and the problems they bring with them make for an interesting read. But, let’s pause for a bit…are we misdiagnosing the Canadian immigration problem? Are we addressing the right issues? Or in a hurry to sound right and get a word in, we've simplified a complex and nuanced conversation into a good vs. bad debate.Daniel believes we can have a better conversation about Canadian immigration. One that's much broader, accommodates all the nuances, and, most importantly, considers everyone affected —Canadians and immigrants.In this conversation, we explore the two sides of the international student debate. We also chat about:* Why we MUST view immigration from an outcome-based lenses* Why The Leaky Bucket Report 2024 and Talent to win study are part of a bigger story* Why the student route should be the best immigration pathway for Canada, and more.This conversation validated a lot of thoughts that I have about immigration. My biggest takeaway as an immigrant: We need to address everyone’s interest. It’s a Canada conversation. If all I consider is my immigrant POV, nothing moves forward. Shoutout to George Carothers and his team for the amazing work they’ve done with the Leaky Bucket report and the Talent to Win study. Read them here 👇🏽* The Leaky Bucket Report 2024* Talent to win StudyOfficial Links👋🏽 Follow Daniel on LinkedIn👌🏽 Learn more about the Institute for Canadian Citizenship🔗 Learn more about the Canoo app This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Kris Granger, who immigrated from Trinidad to Sweden four years ago. The immigrant experience can be stressful, so stressful that Kris ended up with Stage 4 cancer. His story is amazing. Inspiring. Humbling. Kris moved to Sweden with his girlfriend at the time to further her music career. He was going to be a digital nomad and service his marketing strategy clients from Sweden. She would move ahead with her music career. "I thought I could do anything," he says. Boy, was he wrong? A couple of months later, Kris was running thrice as fast to keep up with all life was throwing at him. He was losing his clients back home, he hadn't been able to get a job in Sweden, and things were getting desperate. He ended up getting a maternity cover role at an agency after volunteering with the European Union. But he had to make ends meet, so he still hustled hard for clients back home. He also accepted a guest lecturing position at the University of Gothenburg. This continued for a while. By the time he got his dream job at Volvo, after applying over 50 times, Kris's life was falling apart. His marriage was falling apart. His body was falling apart.In this conversation, we chat about surviving Stage 4 cancer and finding family and community at his Volvo workplace. We also talked about: * The power of volunteering as an immigrant* Why making a decision to fall in love with his city was the first step to falling in love with his new life* The checklist life of an immigrant and how it can lead to dreadful outcomes* The importance of breaking into the existing friendship circles because these are often the work circles, and more.This was some episode. My biggest takeaway: if you move in your 30s, seek community. Seek stability. We trivialize all we walked away from in our former life.Our family. Our friends. Our colleagues. Or the cultural cachets that make it easy for us to approach every day as if it’s nothing. Moving to a new country resets you. The stress of trying to settle in, get a job, while also being a good parent and partner can literally kill you. Here’s Kris’s approach to finding his community:1. Seek out spaces where you feel alive. Look for groups or classes that truly interest you – those are the places where real connections form.2. Give first, without asking. When people feel your genuine willingness to help, trust follows.3. Say yes to small, unexpected opportunities. It’s often the smallest steps that open the biggest doors.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Kris on LinkedIn🫁 Learn more about Grounding—a free, 7-day meditation experienceDid you read this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Yawa Degboe, who moved to Paris, France as a 4yo. Years later, she moved across the Atlantic to Boston, United States. So, a second-generation immigrant during her time in France. And now a first-generation immigrant in the United States. One would be forgiven to think she would be more French than Togolese. Because I did. think so.Nothing could be further from the truth. Yawa is all about embracing her French and Togolese identities. And I agree. Very often, you hear immigrants talk about discarding who they used to be so they can assimilate into the new culture. You aren't doing yourself any favors if you march down that road. The advantage of being an immigrant is the unique individual you become when you merge your old self and the new self. You create something so beautiful, so different, so special.But back to Yawa. In this conversation, we chat about her journey as a first-generation immigrant to the United States. We also explored:* Dealing with survival mentality* The various identities we immigrants carry with us* The advantages of being an immigrant* How she’s using the lessons she’s learned from her Mom to create a new future for the next generation* Tips for French immigrants looking to move to an English-speaking country, and more beautiful stuff.Integrate folks. Don’t assimilate. Official Links👋🏽 Follow Yawa on LinkedInDid you read this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Mujidah Sakibu, product manager, job search coach, and 3X immigrant.The job market is brutal, and it doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon. This can be discouraging for new immigrants to Canada or those looking to move. I mean, the bills don’t wait. Plus, they can quickly rack up, especially if you’ve got a family or dependents. So, in a bid to make sure you get over this hump as fast as possible, most new immigrants go into an application frenzy. Is this good or bad? The experts say you should get in as many applications as possible. Mujidah has a slight tweak to this process. Remember folks, jobs might have the same title but different organizational needs. And then you also have the fact that we all have what we are really good at. However, desperation to get that first offer means we forget this. And that’s okay, honestly. But what if you could approach job hunting 5X better? In this conversation, we explore her job-hunting process that enabled her to get a six-figure job within seven weeks of landing in Canada. We also chat about:* Her two failed attempts to immigrate* Mistakes immigrants make when looking for their first job* And how settling into Canada was a bit easier because of her experience in Belgium.I know the job market is tough folks. Sending you love and light. You’ve got this!Official Links👋🏽 Follow Mujidah on LinkedIn📆 Book a career callDid you watch this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Romu Gaboriau, who moved to the United States 15 years ago after spending a significant part of his childhood wondering if everything was bigger in the U.S.A.The American mythology is a fascinating study. As a kid born in 1980s Nigeria, the United States was the ultimate dream. I wanted to go live there. I wanted to see if all I read about in the colorful magazines my Dad brought back home from work was real.So heck, was I surprised to hear Romu say it was same for him in France. America is such a cultural force.In this conversation, we chat about what it’s like to move from France to the United States. We also talked about:* The differences between France and America; food, making friends, and doing business* Struggling with the English Language* Raising kids with dual identities* Tips for settling into a new country if you don’t speak the native language. This was a good one. Enjoy. Here’s my takeaway for you: Forget about learning the accent. Learn to communicate first. As immigrants, we often trip ourselves up because we want to learn how to speak with the accent. Yes, it probably makes you blend in better. But…Learn how to pass your message as clearly as possible before worrying about an accent. It might come in the end. Or you might never have one. And that’s okay.As long as everyone understands you, you’ll be FINE!Official Links👋🏽 Follow Romu on LinkedInDid you read this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Eyitayo Ogunmola, founder of Utiva, a technology talent development startup. For some people, and I would say for me to an extent, immigrating meant just leaving Nigeria with no clear idea if we would ever go back. Not for Eyitayo.Eyitayo moved to the United States as an Atlas Corps fellow in 2015. While doing research on tech talent development, discovered there was a need to build a talent development edtech business that could export or outsource African engineers, developers, and similar, globally.And so Utiva was born in 2018. But as he says on LinkedIn, "I thought this was first a joke. I made so many terrible startup mistakes. Please don't try this at home."Utiva has gone on to upskill 110K people from 19 African countries and helped over 500 companies source African tech talent.Eyitayo joined me to talk about the concept of reverse immigration and seeing immigrating as a chance to learn and then bring that knowledge back home. He also shared:* His go-to playbook for settling into a new country* Getting intimidated by the accent at his first conference* The power and beauty of sharing the African perspective * Adjusting to life in the United States after moving, and more. Here’s my takeaway for you: You don’t immigrate with cash. You immigrate with a skill. I agree that I am stripping away some nuance there as cash-flow is an advantage in many ways. But this probably applies more to young folks looking to immigrate. Official Links👋🏽 Follow Eyitayo on LinkedIn🔗 Learn more about UtivaDid you read this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Gwen Lafage, whom I would call a serial immigrant. She's lived in the UK, the United States, Sweden, and then back to the United States. And in her words, "Every move changes you." However, I think one of the most important point she makes in this episode are the tradeoffs you have to make when you move to a new country. Family relationships become fragile. Friendships collapse. You find it hard to make new friends. Especially if you're someone like Gwen who's always on the move. Being an immigrant can be lonely journey.In this conversation, Gwen and I chat about her time at Sweden. We also explored:* How culture influences our everyday life* The concept of identity as an immigrant* The concept of home * The tradeoffs we have to make as immigrants* Who she becomes when she gets to France, and more. This episode was therapy for I and Gwen. And I hope it is for you too.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Gwen on LinkedInDid you read this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Tobi Oluwole, former Shopify sales manager, employability coach, and a great human.If there’s one person that exemplifies living life on your terms no matter what the world throws at you, it’s Tobi Oluwole.Tobi immigrated to Canada against his will. As the first-born in a Nigerian home, he had to grow up quickly. This meant moving on after his dream of being a footballer didn’t work out. Yes, Tobi the employability and communications coach once went on trials at Chelsea Football Club and West Ham United FC.This meant quickly figuring out a way to live the life he’s always wanted to live.And oh, I think he’s figured it all out. In this conversation, we explored his move to Canada. We also chatted about:* Why he’s relocated to France* How to break out of societal conditioning* Trying out as a footballer in London. I also share a crazy football trials story of mine I rarely talk about.* His secret for hitting the ground running when he moves to a new country.Here’s my biggest takeaway from this episode with Tobi: In life you get unlimited tries. As an immigrant, this is an important heuristic to adopt. Keep going my friend, you’ve got this.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Tobi on LinkedIn💌 Subscribe to the Life on Your Terms newsletter🖊️ Apply for The Founder’s BlueprintDid you watch this? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking to Maryam Atoyebi, who moved from Nigeria to Canada in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown.The COVID-19 pandemic was a strange time. Loved ones falling sick. Then passing away. The lockdowns. The terror from not knowing who had the virus and who didn't. The social isolation. And the subsequent breakdown of the first layer of trust that guides how a society behaves in public. For immigrants like Maryam, this meant settling down into a new society was hard. 2X harder than it should normally be. I moved in 2021, so I didn't fully experience what it felt like as everyone tried to navigate the new rules for societal interaction. But the little I experienced was emotionally tasking. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like for Maryam and others who moved to a new country about that time.In this conversation, we chat about all the feels while trying to settle down during the pandemic. We also chatted about: * Her biggest mistakes * How to use informational interviews to build your confidence when job hunting and interviewing* Handling the loss of identity that comes with being put into a box when you move to a new society* And intersectionality as a skill set.I’ll leave you with this great piece of advice from Maryam: Understand that every piece of advice you get from other immigrants is contextual. It’s often coming from a good place, but its colored by their experience, their bias, and their perspective or view of the world. Your job is to apply your context to what you hear. Official Links👋🏽 Follow Maryam on LinkedIn📝 Learn more about makingTheMoveDid you read it?Two months ago, Nelly Kawira shared a hilarious thread on Twitter about all she’s learned and achieved since moving to London two years ago.Well, she’s published an updated version on The Newcomers, with some great images to boot. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.In this episode, I’m speaking with Matt Adolphe, author of the seminal book on the Canadian workplace culture, Mastering the Unspoken Rules.What is the Canadian workplace culture? How do we immigrants adjust to the unspoken expectations of our colleagues and bosses in an indirect culture?I’ve made my fair share of mistakes. Thankfully, they haven’t been so costly yet. I hope. So, this conversation with Matt was God-sent.Born in Calgary, Canada, Matt moved to Asia after university and lived there for years. After moving back to Canada with his family, he found it hard to re-integrate into the Canadian workplace. In his words, "It wasn't an easy transition."This experience, plus listening to the stories of immigrants and others who were struggling to understand the Canadian workplace culture inspired him to write THE BOOK on mastering the unspoken rules of the Canadian workplace.I think his book is a seminal piece of work. A must-read for anyone who’s looking to work in Canada. Immigrant or not. In this conversation, we chat about his book and its impact. We also chatted about:* Why the Canadian work culture won’t change dramatically despite immigration* The differences between the Canadian and American workplace culture* Steps to take to help you adjust to your Canadian workplace* How to have hard conversations in Canada* Why being culturally adaptable is a superpower* And the concept of bringing our whole self to work. This was such a good good episode. Jeez. I’ll leave you with this: You don’t lose your sense of identity when you adopt a new culture. You become a much better and rounded individual.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Matt on LinkedIn📚 Get a copy of THE BOOK: Canadian Workplace Culture: Mastering the Unspoken Rules📚 Explore his second book: Would You Hire You?Did you read it?Two months ago, Nelly Kawira shared a hilarious thread on Twitter about all she’s learned and achieved since moving to London two years ago. Well, she’s published an updated version on The Newcomers, with some great images to boot. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com