Give Change, Be Open to Change, and Receive. Lessons and Blessings my Father left me.

Growing up my father would constantly say, "freely you're given, so freely you must give." My father Samuel Patrick Kofi Yao, later known in life as Samuel Patrick Kofi Yawson, and then later again as Rev Samuel Patrick Kofi Yawson, was a CEO of 2 government organizations in Ghana, Gihoc footwear and Gihoc Fibre. He was also one of the founding members of the Hindu Monastery of Africa in Ghana, in the late 70's. He held the position of branch President/ Leader of that spiritual organization for many years, then he "returned" into "christianity" and became a Preacher/Teacher shortly before departing 13 years ago. He was the first leader and the best one I ever knew growing up. I wanted to grow up and be just like him.

I grew up in a Religious/Spiritual home. I deem that foundation a solid and privileged one, the basis for my moral campass. When I was a young boy, before I came to the United States, my promised land, my love, about 2 decades ago, as an international student/immigrant- at the age of about 9 years old, I read the book, Autobiography of a Yogi. This was before I ever knew about Steve Jobs, before I found out how Autobiography of a Yogi changed his life profoundly. That it was a treasure he insisted in his will to be given as a gift at his funeral. Ok, so I kind of read that book, ....I don't think I was "smart" enough to have really read it fully and completely, but the little I could grasp, also changed my life. I knew after "reading" the book intuitively, at 9 years old that one day I would come to the United States and do similar service/work as the author Paramahansa Yogananda.

Prior to "coming to america", I had little to no links or connections to the United States. My father left Ghana for England at about 16 years and returned to Ghana in his late 30's. He had to return to England again "humbled" in year 2000 when life served him with a great challenge and change in reality. He had to make big sacrifice for us his children. From a CEO in his own country then back to Great Britain to become a security officer. That is life and that is the strength and love of a man who was willing to let pride go for love. CEO-OM- REV Samuel Patrick Kofi Yao.....my father whom I loved so much, set me on the path of CHANGE, way before I came to fall in love with Organization Development/Change management as a course and career interest to pursue in grad school.

As a young man my father felt the need to change his last name from (YAO) his original family name, to YAWSON. As a teenager and international student/Immigrant himself in England back in the 60's, he must have felt the pressure to change to fit in. Here was an African immigrant with a Chinese last name in England. Must have made a lot of sense for him to anglicize his last name. He got creative, being the son of his father YAO, and added SON to YAO. Hence YAWSON, a name that could be traced to his motherland, Ghana. I have come to terms with the realities of life lately, that I am my own individual person and that collectively I am also by extension a part of everyone and everything in the grand display and function of life. As a result I have proudly gone back to using my original family name. This change is unofficial at the moment, but I will make that official sooner or later. I am changing back to the original and updating what my father undid.

What is the significance with this change and return to the original family name ? To me it is bigger than merely a name change. It's about completely accepting who I am and my background and also knowing that difference or being different, doesn't mean division or disgrace. It is rather a good inclusion and perhaps solution and conclusion for great CHANGE. As a spiritual person my father would share the teachings of christ and would tell me over and over , "freely we are given so freely we must give back to mankind". I got so drawn and hooked up to that phrase, what a powerful, beautiful, and selfless philosophy ! I just wanted to be successful so much so that I could give for free and "make it rain" on others. I have always had a strong compulsion for generosity, the need to provide service and deliver acts of selflessness and kindness to others. Performing such service would bring tremendous joy to me, as I would witness people enjoy somewhat the blessings I'm humbled and honored to serve them.

When my father lost his big position as CEO and had to forfeit his end of service benefits, that caused a shift and big change inside me as a young boy. Times got very tough for us growing up. We were taught to adjust and learn to deal with it, my mother was instrumental and great in doing that. Being used to the luxuries of a higher life and having to CHANGE that mindset to adjust to reality and humility was tough for me as a child. At the same time providence knew best and gave me an opportunity to adjust and understand the realities of life and the ultimate blessings in change and changing. But I vowed at the age of about 15 years or so that as much as I would love and walk a similar path as my father, I would never want to be in the position he found himself in. Working for the government or somebody else so to speak, was not going to be JoJo's story forever. I wanted to be in control of my own destiny. I wanted to build my own organization which would ultimately provide service or a great product that would make a major difference in other people's lives.

I didn't care at all about making MONEY for a long time, after all, I would hear my father's voice in my head reminding me and saying, "freely you are given, freely you must give. Even after attending business school and being as driven and ambitious as I have been always- I was still hooked up to that altruistic philosophy, SERVICE FOR FREE. I had to come down to earth and into reality, that if I am to make as big a splash of change to better humanity, it will take money and other people's help and support to do that. I have had to fight myself for years and accept the fact that accepting money for my service in business and in life was ok and normal. That I'm going to need to be realistic to make my dream of becoming a humanitarian full-time a reality. I have been blessed in the past 5 years to have met some amazing people with great experience, life and professional, and great achievements, to team up with in building 3 organization's from ground up. We are still in the start up phase at the moment but I know undoubtedly that the world will sooner or later see the FACE of greatness in all 3 organizations. I have always wanted to help provide Jobs to people, generate a lot of income and money for them and also help fulfill their dreams ......... like STEVE JOBS.

We will be launching our Ultra cool rebuilt professional Website and supporting App called (7happ) in a few weeks, for recruiting and staffing purposes. Coming soon for 777 consulting Group ! It is being built by a great developer in CANADA, yes, shame on me, only if I knew some folks here at home in the United States. I believe our great service and product will make that difference I envisioned, and will bring joy, career opportunities, happiness, and great income to families. I also believe that my dear father would be very proud of me today, considering how rough and tough it has been and how far I have come to such a humble and successful path to "prosperity". I believe my father would confirm that it is OK in business to receive as long as you don't deceive, after you have given something selfless and great.

There is one thing I would also never again depart from, that is embracing my own "ministry and mission" as a servant of Change and Inspiration. From here on, I am balancing a great change of responsibility between spirituality and reality, between making honey, as in doing what I genuinely love to do, which I would do even without being paid (SERVICE), and accepting the returns, as revenue, to further change things for others and maybe just a little bit for myself and my family. I love to inspire ..... I can't help that I am so inspired all the time ......that I would give for free ........ with no fees.