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 Rebecca Johnson, Investment & Operations Associate at BKR Capital, a VC firm that invests in promising black-led tech companies.For an immigrant startup founder, fundraising is probably one of the hardest nuts to crack.They lack the usual social capital they had back home, which means they can't access the life-saving Family, Friends, and Fools round, fondly called FFF. And I do think they mean Fools in a good way because of what it takes to back an unproven idea.The sad thing about being in this position is the FFF round is absolutely important. It gives the founder time to test out the idea, hopefully get some revenue going and take the first steps towards product-market fit. So what to do?In this conversation, we chat about how we can kick-start the FFF rounds for immigrant startups. We also talked about:* Why immigrant founders need to learn storytelling* The beautiful things she’s seeing happening in the immigrant founder ecosystem* Why we immigrants need to build things* The differences she’s seen between the Nigerian tech ecosystem and the Canadian tech ecosystem, and more. Folks, we need to build things. Real things. Economic power is everything. It’s one of the best ways to get a foothold in the society. P.S. I think Rebecca’s episode is a good follow-up on my interview with Eric Agyemang of Maple Bridge VC earlier this year:Official Links👋🏽 Follow Rebecca on LinkedInDid you read it? If you got this email in error or no longer wish to receive emails from The Newcomers Podcast, Substack has a sweet and easy way to unsubscribe. 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 Nosa Ayanru, an amazing MC, finance fella, and community builder.Nigerians who immigrate often move to the United Kingdom, the United States, or Canada in recent times. Nosa Ayanru has moved to two of those countries. And he thinks Canada is a much better place to live as a Nigerian immigrant. He moved to Manchester, UK with £278 in his wallet to study, and after 6+ years, moved to Canada with his family. And a larger purse this time around.In this conversation, we chat about: * His biggest cultural shocks* Why he never liked living in the UK* Why you don’t immigrate with money, but a skillset* Culture as a way of understanding a people* Building the Nigerian brand in Canada via arts and culture, and more. Official Links👋🏽 Follow Nosa on LinkedInDid you read it?If you got this email in error or no longer wish to receive emails from The Newcomers Podcast, Substack has a sweet and easy way to unsubscribe. 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 Shilan Zade, who's running to be the next Conservative candidate for Burnaby North - Seymour.There are a many reasons why we immigrants pack up our bags and move to Canada. But the biggest reason is probably a better life for our kid(s). That's if you have kids. So, if you are looking to move to a country where you believe your child is going to have a better future, isn't that enough reason to get involved in building that future? Because the bright future isn't going to magically appear. It has to be built. Brick by brick. This is why Shilan thinks we all should get involved in building Canada's future.In this conversation, Shilan and I chat about:* Managing cultural misunderstandings as an immigrant* Why she’s running for office* The impact of language barriers * The power of our voices* Settling into Canada 20 years ago, and more. People, there is no perfect moment to get involved in building the Canadian society of our dreams. Start now!Official Links👋🏽 Follow Shilan on LinkedIn👌🏽 Support Shilan’s campaignDid you read it? 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 Aakansha Jain, Indian, Nigerian, and now Australian.Fellow Nigerians, Aakansha speaks pidgin. She said, “Oya,” and it was perfect. Aakansha moved to Nigeria from India as a teeny weeny kid. She remembers her father telling her she struggled to settle in and cried a lot because everyone looked different. But over time, Nigeria became home. Then, she had to move back to India, and it was tough. "I had to prove how Indian I am every day," she says. She moved to Australia four years ago and can't believe how easy it was for her to settle into the Australian culture. She posits that it's probably because a considerable proportion of the population are immigrants, and they understand what it means to feel like one. In this conversation, we chat about her immigrant journey. We also explored:* The beauty of the Nigerian culture* Nature vs. nurture* Settling back into India as a kid who grew up in Nigeria* Why feeling in-between cultures is a strength, not a weakness* How her heritage has changed, and more. Enjoy. This was a fun one. Official Links👋🏽 Follow Aakansha on LinkedInDo you live in Calgary?Join CRIEC for their annual THRIVE Calgary Conference for a day full of engaging sessions, expert speakers, and networking opportunities focused on how “One Yes” can affect a person, a company, a policy, and more!Use the Promo Code for THRIVE75 for 75% off ticket prices. Early bird ticket sales are now on sale. Secure your spot today and take advantage of special early bird pricing. 📅Date: September 26, 2024📍 Location: Hotel Arts, 119 12 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB T2R 0G8🎫 Early Bird Pricing: $100Register HERE!If you got this email in error or no longer wish to receive emails from The Newcomers Podcast, Substack has a sweet and easy way to unsubscribe. 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 Nwachukwu Edgar Onyeagba, the man who saw the future.How do you deal with the fear of the unknown when immigrating? What does it feel like to be right about where Nigeria was headed? After his daughter was born, he took one look at everything that was going on with Nigeria and decided to leave. In his words, “things were looking like they weren’t going to get any better.”Sadly, he was right. In this conversation, Edgar and I chat about what it’s been like living in Canada for the past eight years. We discussed:* The mental exhaustion of code switching* Dealing with the fear of the unknown* Dealing with Canadian experience* He also shares the two questions your resume must answerEdgar works in Human Resources, so if you want to get the gist about resumes, you can find that from 28:00. Official Links👋🏽 Follow Edgar on LinkedInSurvival mode can be a strengthThe following is based on a recent episode with Kaveri Srivastava As an immigrant, it's easy to feel stuck in survival mode. You need to focus on immediate needs, and it's hard to do that while identifying and pursuing longer-term growth opportunities.What if your greatest asset was survival mode?Here's Kaveri Srivastava's view of survival mode after 13 years as an immigrant:* Embrace the blank slate. You've got nothing to lose. Take risks. Sensibly.* Pay your future self first. Save 20-30% before spending, or find your number and save that first.* Use your cultural strengths as an advantage. Were you raised to focus on education? Turn that into a passion for learning. Anything can be a competitive advantage.You've got this.Do you live in Calgary? Join CRIEC for their annual THRIVE Calgary Conference for a day full of engaging sessions, expert speakers, and networking opportunities focused on how “One Yes” can affect a person, a company, a policy and more!Use the Promo Code for THRIVE75 for 75% off ticket prices. Early bird ticket sales are now on sale. Secure your spot today and take advantage of special early bird pricing. 📅Date: September 26, 2024📍 Location: Hotel Arts, 119 12 Avenue Southwest, Calgary, AB T2R 0G8🎫 Early Bird Pricing: $100Register HERE!If you got this email in error or no longer wish to receive emails from The Newcomers Podcast, Substack has a sweet and easy way to unsubscribe. 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 Kaveri Srivastava, Snr. Marketing Director at World Financial Group.I’ve come to realize that the best way to hit the ground running as an immigrant in a new country isn’t necessarily the usual things people talk about—finding a job to keep you going while applying to 500 roles weekly and the like. The most impactful things you’ll need to do when settling down are mindset-related. Keep an open mind. Be adaptable. Drop any sense of entitlement. And be willing to reset and start from the beginning. One caveat, though: don’t lose your identity in the process. After 12+ years in Canada, Kaveri Srivastava is well-placed to speak about this mindset shift. In this conversation, we chat about:* Her hit-the-ground running playbook* Dealing with survival mentality as an immigrant* Balancing the need to experience new things while saving for the future* Her Indian heritage, and more. My biggest takeaway: While it’s cool to experience new things, you should form the habit of paying your future self first. Did you find this interesting? Please share with someone else who might find it helpful.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Kaveri on LinkedIn 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 Chris Ogunlowo, poet, adman, philosopher, and immigrant. If you ask anyone planning to emigrate from Nigeria what country or city they plan to settle in as their new home, you would hear Canada, England, Australia, the United States, and even Germany. But you would rarely hear someone say, Glasgow, Scotland.But Chris is built differently. This xenophile decided to study in Glasgow because he was fascinated by its culture.In this conversation, we chat about:* Expectations vs. reality* The need to make your new country work because you aren’t a tourist, and so you have no return ticket.* Spotting opportunities as an immigrant* Cultural integration and the work we need to do as immigrants to integrate, and more.My biggest takeaway is that integration is a two-way street, with both the host nation and the immigrant responsible for fostering an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect.Did you find this interesting? Please share with someone else who might find it helpful.Official Links👌🏽 Follow Chris on Instagram👋🏽 Read Chris’s SubstackDid you read it? 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 Komal Faiz, a UX researcher par excellence and founder of Wanderlite, the gear rental marketplace. Komal moved to Canada as a student more than nine years ago.Once school was over, people told her it would be stupid to leave Canada after her MSc program, so she stayed back. And in her words, her immigration journey has been like fine wine. I do love a good wine analogy.In this conversation, Komal and I explore:* The advantages of immigrating as an international student, even though you are always broke* The Wanderlite origin story* The immigrant’s existential struggle for belonging and a sense of identity* Her biggest lessons, and more. This was a fun one. But the best part for me was when she said:“We set such high standards for ourselves. But give yourself some space. You are good. You are doing okay.” You can find that from 31:58. Did you find this interesting? Please share with someone else who might find it helpful.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Komal on LinkedIn🔗 Check out the Wanderlite websiteDid you read it?If you got this email in error or no longer wish to receive emails from The Newcomers Podcast, Substack has a sweet and easy way to unsubscribe. 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 Mu Okonkwo, former basketball player now immigrant entrepreneur.One random sunny day in Owerri, Nigeria, Mu’s friends convinced him to follow them to the basketball court. Their pitch? A scout was coming who would take promising prospects to the Ejike Ugboaja annual bootcamp — the biggest basketball camp in Nigeria.Now, Mu only had eyes for soccer, or football as we call it back in Nigeria. But a couple of months after that well-timed visit to the basketball court, Mu was actively scheming to move to the United States on a scholarship to play college basketball.In this conversation, we chat about:* Forging his Dad’s signature so the scout could formally keep working with him to secure his college scholarship* Getting to the United States and discovering that his little knowledge of basketball was useless* Going pro in 2019* Adjusting to the social nuances of the American culture, and more. Did you find this interesting? Please share with someone else who might find it helpful.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Mu on LinkedInDid you read it? 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 Ann Iyke-Osuji, one of the bravest immigrants I’ve met. After a pretty much shielded life during her undergraduate years, she decides she wants to run away from home to somewhere her parents have little or no influence (family).Now, you would think she would pick a country where she had some friends. I mean, everyone needs some support, especially someone who has never really left the comfort of their home and loved ones. But not Angel. She decided to move to Australia for her Master’s Degree. And the universe decides, you wanna be independent, right? I’m gonna help you get there fast!In this conversation, we explored:* Struggling to settle in* Learning how to make small talk and enjoy it* Not realizing how fat Australia was from Nigeria* Expecting to see more animals in Australia considering how the country is portrayed on social media, and more. This is a must-listen. And here’s a great tip from Angel on integrating into your new culture — Integration is a two-way street. While you’re thinking everything and everyone around you is new to you, also remember that for the individuals you interact with, you are also new to them. So remember to give them the same grace you expect them to give you.Official Links👋🏽 Follow Angel on LinkedIn🔆 Get Angel’s LinkedIn Profile Checklist and GuideDid you read it?If you got this email in error or no longer wish to receive emails from The Newcomers Podcast, Substack has a sweet and easy way to unsubscribe. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenewcomerspod.com