Nothing is wasted

How pleasant might it be if we began work on Tuesdays, making it four working days but do we even fully maximize one working day??

The musings

One thing I decided to do differently in this year 2022 is volunteering. The previous year was a trying moment for me regarding my emotional and mental state, but I conquered, garnering many lessons. Therefore, for the act of service I decided to give back to my community, I chose to work with a newly formed mental and emotional health group (spiritual-based) called ROOM 707

I made this decision towards the ending of 2021, and the management in charge of ROOM 707 placed me in a position to work with the creatives which comprised of the social media, marketing, and the awareness team. I found this verdict quite ridiculous as I had positioned myself majorly as a scientist and a researcher.

Today makes it two weeks since I made this commitment alongside the required "creative" actions. Due to my habit of self deliberation, I stumbled upon an interesting fact. I realized the position the management had put me in as a creative was the RIGHT choice! I wasn't the novice I thought I was, and I owe it all to the seemingly mundane work experience I accumulated in 2021.

Thanks to my alma mater (Covenant University), I stumbled upon a non-profit organization focused on equipping SMEs in the underrepresented markets in Africa and the USA with the tools (including personnel) they need to thrive in today's global economy. This organization is called BAYI Foundation, and they were on the hunt for "fellows" to work with specific SMEs, and the qualifications for a "junior fellow" suited me well. The program ran a course of 6 months (February- July), and after that, the various companies would be confident that they are INVESTMENT-READY.

A striking observation to note is the objective of this fellowship-SMEs program and how I personified it. "Working with a start-up is the fertile, watered ground for me to sow and grow my business skills as a seed and make a lasting, positive influence".?

The defining process

BAYI foundation conducted interviews, and due to my scientific and research background, I got matched to an agricultural-related tech company, Farmz2U. That was my first time encountering that name, so this led me to thoroughly check out their website and follow their growth story at that time. After reading the vision statement of the CEO, Aisha Raheem, I was sure I was in the right place. I became even more assured upon noticing my other junior fellow was Temitope Olukanmi, who happened to share my alma mater.

In the first month, Aisha Raheem introduced me to the company's essential work culture and business flow (majorly remote). I considered the first month my "study month", equipping me with an avid knowledge of agriculture and rudiments to attracting investors and partnerships.?

Aisha identified and allowed me to explore my embedded creative and social side by placing me in the marketing department (after doing deliberate assignments and tasks). I worked with Evelyn Karoka, I and Temi Olukanmi's BAYI-assigned mentor (Senior Fellow) and the marketing lead at that time, Precious Ehiwario.?

"Marketing is more than it meets the eye"- that's the best explanation I can use to describe the working experience- "especially from the standpoint of a scientist."

I worked as an intern in this marketing department for some time, after which I took on significant roles and responsibilities. This added service enabled me to meet other members of the other department (my fave were the Tech guys ??) in person and build a stable network connection. I got to experience a glimpse of "the life of a farmer" as the company went on road trips to various farms and agriculturally-inclined locations.

After completing the fellowship program, I got to work with another company called Hugo Technologies Limited as a data annotator, which exposed me to sustainable and exciting use and advantage of data technology concerning artificial intelligence (AI). You can be on the lookout for more updates on my AI adventure. ??

My takeaways

1. Culture- Times are changing indeed! The work environment in these two organizations was novel to me, and this relied heavily on both organizations' ability to harness technology and social media. I learned to be independently dependent, understanding the importance of cohesion amidst various business workflows.
2. Consistent desire and room to grow- I loved how I learned the use of various learning platforms. There were bi-weekly sessions where the Farmz2U staff had to present something new, accommodating a stimulating and healthy learning environment.
3. Work ethic- Working in the lab is different from working in the business world! Because this novel experience was remote and relied most on online communication (tentative partners being external; ergo, geographical hindrances and time zones), I learned accountability and the importance of result-expressive actions. Deliberate and careful organization and planning are vital at working at Hugo, and this was a helpful work ethic that I curated.
4. Value and vision- I have long been a firm believer in firstly delivering quality value and securing reputation whilst solving problems OVER making wealth and money. Working in Farmz2U solidified this belief, as customer obsession was a core value.
5. Business etiquette- I have read many posts on being intentional about the choice of words, dressing, posture (and the likes) regarding the corporate business world. It became even more natural with the ball in my court ??! Connecting with various social media figures and other top-tier companies and organizations made me "comport" myself. Farmz2U didn't suppress my social, ever-goofy nature but instead helped me harness and control it, positively applying it to these "business know-how".

Conclusion

Working with the BAYI foundation, Farmz2U and Hugo was a real eye-opener, and I am grateful to have served under these six months (and more) tenure. I achieved many of the goals I had set out for the program and the others; I had to adjust along the way arbitrarily. Marketing is an area that I think all employees should explore and experience, marketer or not.?

You determine what to learn from these points of mine. As much as there is the wise decision not to be a jack of all trades and not a master of none, I firmly believe that no knowledge is wasted. The waste is evident if the knowledge or experience gained is not put to strategic use in one's career or life plan.

Everything is connected! We have to find how to tie all that knowledge together. There is always something to learn from that experience.?

Behold! My journey to becoming a flexible and versatile Biotechnologist with an avid inclination to use biochemical and molecular biology research to solve seemingly mundane problems in Africa. ??!