Double Dose of Awesome

Funny how time slips away! In February, you all read from a distinguished lady, this time around, I'm serving you something quite fascinating. I love the quote: it's double the giggles and double the grins and double the trouble if you're blessed with Twins. Oh well, this month, you'd be learning a whole lot from two unique individuals. Aside from all you'd learn, there's a lot of information on what it feels like to be a twin. Their comportment is laudable and I'm pretty sure you'd be glad you clicked on this link. Now, shift your focus from the COVID-19 "Livescores" and read this! I guarantee you'd be enlightened.

I feel elated to have the #1905 Twins on My Inner Awesomeness. You guys are unique, I must say. I wonder how both of you still have this true bond considering the fact that you are of different sexes. I'm pretty sure you have your dissimilarities. Well, we’d find out much later. Before then, I'd like you to introduce yourselves and tell us what you do?

Taye: You really don't want to know how dissimilar we are. Thank you so much for having us, it's indeed an honour. My name is Grace Taye Odeyemi. I'm a graduate of Education and Economics from the Great Obafemi Awolowo University. I run a makeup and skincare business, Charisar Makeovers, I sit on the board of a couple of organisations.

Kenny: My name is Emmanuel Kehinde Odeyemi, I'm a Humanitarian and a professional Digital Marketer. I studied Electronic & Electrical Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

It’s quite fascinating to know that both of you are entrepreneurs. What does it feel like controlling your own business?

Taye: Running your own business comes with myriads of feelings. Some days you're happy that you're doing well, some days you're not doing so great and that comes with its own feeling but it truly feels good to have conceived something and see it spring to life and that's all the encouragement I need.

Kenny: It feels great, this is the life I've always trusted God for, you know? Being able to create jobs for people, employ them and help them earn a living; a life where I can be independent, it feels great.

At some point in life, everyone must discover their essence. Briefly, share with us how you uncovered the real you. How did it feel like?

Taye: I really think that uncovering the real you is a lifelong process but for this point of my life, growing up, I knew I'd always been stylish. Just looking through a fashion magazine would make my day and that was what inspired Charisar. I've also been a lover of beautiful black skin and a staunch advocate of "black is beautiful and you can be confident in your skin", I mean your skin is one thing that would be with you all your life, you don't want to harm it or neglect it so that inspired me into helping people with that. The need to meet needs and of course make some money while at it. I won't even mention that feeling that comes with making people see how beautiful they really are. It's such pure bliss.

Kenny: I will say it was sudden, this happened in my 5th year in the University (2017). What prompted me to start a business was the need to secure a future for myself regardless of school education. I mean, this was me ensuring I didn't put all my eggs in one basket. Of course, I started, and in 34 months, unimaginable things have been achieved with more to come.

I'd like you to take us down memory lane. What was it like growing up? Did you have low self-esteem? If yes, how did you overcome it?

Taye: I could write a book on this. For a long time I didn't think I was beautiful. I have two fair-skinned, long-haired, cute-nosed elder sisters who do not have bulgy eyes (you can already guess how I look, Yeah? ??) so I just didn't think I was beautiful. Oh! What a fool I was. That kind of affected my self esteem. I also had a hard time facing a crowd. Well, all of that changed as I grew up. I realised I had the most beautiful eyes and that it's golden to be different (thinking of it now, I was just being a child who was doing a lot of comparison as I'm not so dark) and that my skin was beautiful. I joined the press club in SS2 and I had to stand to read the news to over 2000 people and a lot of people commented on how good I was at it. I also sang in the choir in my church at university. All that kind of helped.

Kenny: While growing up, low self-esteem was something I never had issues with. I have always been fine and unbothered. Growing up, there was hardly any time I wasn't occupying a strategic position, I was mostly a person of interest and I believe this has to do with my choleric temperament.

Mention one thing that annoys you about your twin brother/sister.

Taye: He's choleric and I'm phlegmatic. That should say a lot (LOL).

Kenny: She doesn't let things slide easily. I mean, she must make her point with all the energy left in her being.

What inspired you to start The Echo Care Foundation?

Kenny: It's simply a desire to help people; being able to comfort people in their discomforts irrespective of my own comfort. TECF Africa will be 2 years in less than 2 weeks (10th June) and if I say it has been easy, I would be lying. I mean, as a person, I've had my down times and there's no way you can be down and you want to help someone climb up, but with God's help, those times are behind already.

You'd agree with me that we all had a fair share of youthful exuberance. Kindly share with us the story of your challenges while growing. How did you overcome them?

Taye: I've always been an old soul. I learned contentment early in life and with the kind of mother I have, I think I was a well behaved kid and even though I'd always been a church girl, I had a huge encounter with Jesus in SS3 and I was really on fire (I still am o). I didn't have a boyfriend until university. I think I was 20. So, you can imagine.

Kenny: I'm an extrovert but this has it's levels for me. I'm not really the party type, but if I find myself in one (owambe), I will be all over the place. The major issue I had while growing up was problem with depression (2 episodes, 6 years apart). I overcame them by finding the problem, dealing with it, talking to people, getting more knowledge and going spiritual. I noticed afterwards that people have gone through the same problems as me, but they weren't depressed, I wasn't the first. So, I learnt to take care of problems when they come rather than being moody and having regrets.

What’s the weirdest question you've ever been asked as a Twin?

Taye: I think that would be do you fall sick together? and do you perform telepathy?

Kenny: I really can't recall being asked weird questions except being asked, where is your wife (referring to my twin)?

Some people don’t like to plan, hence, they make decisions recklessly. What’s your take on setting goals?

Taye: Although, goals can be altered, we must set them. Failing to plan is tantamount to planning to fail. You must plan your work and work your plan. As young people, we cannot afford to be impulsive about life. The mid-life and late-life are brutally unforgiving.

Kenny: When you set goals, you must write them down. The goal you didn't write down is just a mirage. As an individual, learn to write visions down. Get a journal, to write your plans. Also, learn to plan your day with a To-Do List.

Tell us about your biggest misunderstanding as siblings.

Taye: There are so many of them (LOL). I think we get antagonistic of each other and then of course, the other person gets defensive even when they need not be. That can get ugly sometimes. Also, there was a time I felt he should have stood with me against someone (which he really should have) and he didn't. He realised his mistake later sha and tried to apologise in the weirdest way, he gave me a bracelet. ??

Kenny: Hahahahaha! My twin believes we are equal and I don't have issues with that. She also believes I should go into the kitchen, I mean, I don't have issues with that too. But then again, I also believe she should be able to wash the car and switch on the generator, which I don't think she has agreed to come to terms with. I think this became an issue because we were born the same day. And solving this is just the understanding that we both have different roles to play as we are gifted and energized for it. I'm good at heavy duty chores or errands around the house while she's good at light duty chores.

What important lesson have you learnt from this isolation period and what do you wish to do differently when things return to normal?

Taye: This period has taught many lessons. The most profound is that I need to be more appreciative of the seemingly normal things like going out, sneezing without prejudice, I mean, prior to this period, you get 'Bless Yous' when you sneeze. Also, the world has changed. As a business owner, you must too. Your work must be such that you can work from home. There's got to be a way.

Kenny: It's not as though I learnt, I have always known this. Any serious business owner must take his or her business digital. Those that weren't positioned for it before the pandemic suffered initially for it until some of them immediately harnessed the power of social media in marketing. My organisations have made the highest profits ever during this pandemic.

The world has changed, it can never remain the same again. You can see the effect on the way we now live, taking extra health precautions, reduced social gatherings, schools on lockdown, etc. People need to think and figure out how they can be profitable from the comfort of their homes. That's the basis on which my organisations were built.

What does My Inner Awesomeness mean to you?

Taye: My Inner Awesomeness, hmmm... As a human being, you're a masterpiece, a tour de force! It doesn't matter if I don't look anything like it now but there's something in me that the world needs. In every person, there's that thing. It's just how God made us. My Inner Awesomeness is all the deposits of God in me to be who he has called me to be. It's what would make the work easier. It's there, you just have to look for it everyday.

Kenny: I believe this simply means the beauty in one's heart.

Twin girls or boys, which do you prefer?

Taye: Hahaha ??. I really don't know. I've trained my mind over time not to be particular about gender. But if I had to, I KNOW girls are cute.

Kenny: Twin Girls definitely.

What is the most unique aspect of being a Twin?

Taye: Being a twin is not something everyone gets to be even though almost everyone wishes for it. That in itself tells that you're special. And somehow, you just know that you're not alone. You've never been.

Kenny: The rare privilege and feeling that those that were not born as twins can't experience or feel.

How do you maintain self-motivation when you experience a setback?

Taye: When there's a set back, I remind myself that it's definitely part of the process. The greatest of men had terrible setbacks. I've learned to dance in the hallway until the next door opens, to rejoice in the midst of the storm while I go back to my work table.

Kenny: I keep my eyes on the end goal and the celebrations coming with it. Let me borrow this key statement from the Holy Bible:

The suffering of this present time cannot be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. - Romans 8:17

Any word of advice for young minds out there?

Taye: To young minds out there, I would say, don't stop investing in yourself. Don't stop learning. It will always pay off. Be numb to criticisms and praises from people. This means that sometimes, they are just words and shouldn't define you, the society is fixed in it's ways, do not conform. Live. Love. Thrive!

Kenny: You can be anything you want to be, just start that dream and keep going, keep being consistent at it and keep hoping. Failure isn't a crime, no great man today at any point in his life didn't go through hard times. Consistency in whatever you do should be your value. All the best, See you at the top!

Thanks for your time.