Speaking Into Existence: Bounded to Boundless

Through this newsletter series, I want to break down the barriers that so many individuals put up, that block them from their next opportunity. Not many of my current followers were around for my small beginnings and therefore convince themselves that I started my journey with 12,000 followers and all these experiences. It's not true. We all have small beginnings. Here's mine:

I was a quiet child...not the usual type of quiet. I was born in Nigeria, spent the majority of my childhood in Germany (German being my first language) until I moved to Scotland to start primary school. 3 completely different countries, 2 languages, all during the first 6 years of my life. Can you imagine how confused I was? After I moved to Scotland, I became "the quiet girl". I felt bounded by my atypical background, so I gave myself permission to be mute. I became #boundedblessing.

I never saw myself as a "speaker" and as you've just read, I didn't really dream of becoming a speaker. Turns out, it was my atypical background that broke ground..

I want to break down why I have been able to speak life into individuals around the world as well as how I am able to do that as a college student. I only talk out of experience, so I'm going to illustrate how I was able to speak into existence.

January 2018 - Creating the opportunity to speak

Host | Power of LinkedIn workshop | Drexel University

Detail: A workshop dedicated to sharing the opportunity that students can find and create on LinkedIn. This consisted of words of advice from people like Tim Salau and Quentin Allums (via a video message) and Drexel alumni who talked about their experiences on the platform. Oh, and my college sponsored everything because I asked and expressed the value it would bring to the student community.

How the opportunity came about: I had only been actively using LinkedIn for ~2 months before I decided to create this workshop. Initially I was thinking, "who am I to talk about a professional platform? I'm not an expert". Again, my excuse became an exception. I had 2 months experience over my audience. That was my exception. Ultimately, I wanted another experience of building a vision from the ground up. It was an exhilarating experience.

Skills Refined: Event Planning, Ability to Work Under Pressure, Leadership, Time-management, Teamwork, Task delegation

Takeaway: As a student, you don't always have to be an expert to build or create something that you're passionate about. I hope by now you see a recurring theme...I create opportunities that don't just benefit me. (What's the fun in that?!)

March 2018 - Being invited to speak

Technical Interview Talk (Virtual) | University of Waterloo | Canada

Detail: A virtual talk on the topics of technical interviews, peer mentorship and student groups. This included a Q&A session in which I critiqued the student's answers to common technical interview questions.

How the opportunity came about: The woman who reached out to me, had connected with me a month before the opportunity came. I assume she also saw my content about internships, etc. and thought I was a reasonable person to speak on this topic. (At that point, I had never had a technical interview). I started researching, both online and asking people who have had technical interviews, what their experience was. This is how I framed my speaking engagement.

Skills Refined: Research, Creativity, Technical Communication, Active Listening, Responsibility

Takeaway: Have you heard the complaint "You need experience to get a job and a job to get experience"? If you just sit and wait to get that experience, you won't get experience and you won't get a job. Grab hold of an experience - no matter how it's packaged. I wasn't necessarily the most qualified for this opportunity, but I did what I had to do to get it. I like to call it the art of finesse.

April 2018 - Volunteering to speak

Woman Guest Panelist | Diversity in Computing Summit | University of Maryland

Detail: I talked on a women's panel about the importance of community in computing. I talked about how there's a sense of belonging that humans crave, which is the catalyst that connects us to the various relationships we develop. Community groups have a vital role when it comes to recruiting and retaining underrepresented groups in computing. More detail here.

How the opportunity came about: Funnily enough, I was part of a community group on Facebook for Women in IT - The moderator of the group shared the opportunity for a member to sit on a panel at this summit and I raise my hand. I took the Friday off school and headed down to Maryland.

Skills Refined: Public Speaking, Volunteerism, Drive, Proactivity, Storytelling

Takeaway: Sometimes you just have to be the one to raise your hand and go for it. Not every opportunity will come in the form of a direct invitation. If it's on the table, grab it.

Bonus (The Genesis)

• In December 2017, I was invited by the Dean of my College, to speak at a luncheon, to an audience of alumni, donors, etc. I was asked to speak on behalf of the Women in Computing initiative. I was honoured, excited, but then the anxiety kicked in. Who was I to speak on this topic? I was just a sophomore and the program I initiated had only just kicked off. (Second appearance of a fixed mindset). The two excuses I just mentioned, were the exceptions that made me qualified for this. Long story, not so long: After much hesitancy, I went to the luncheon and I spoke about my experience. It was at that luncheon, that I met Angela Harris, a Drexel alumni. We had similar stories/passions, which was the perfect foundation for our connection. Fast forward, she became my mentor and I became a two-time recipient of the scholarship that she created. Click here to donate to her scholarship for African American students!

This was the ultimate genesis of my speaking journey. There were a lot of things to learn from this experience, but I'll focus on 2.

1. If you're being asked/invited, there's a reason for it. Instead of turning back in fear, step forward in anticipation for how your story/experience can turn heads. "They" asked you for a reason. I was not an expert, I had not been recognized by Forbes, I had not spoken in front of thousands, but I had started something, and that was really all it took to get the ball rolling.
2. This experience paved the way to so many more opportunities. Let's play the if game! If I didn't go to this luncheon, I wouldn't have met Angela and have received a total of $10,000 to fund my education. If I didn't think and act on the idea of creating a program for female students in Tech, I wouldn't have been invited to the luncheon that gave me the opportunity to meet Angela. I could go on...

None of what you see in my life today happened because of magic, luck or happenstance. All of it is the fruit of purpose, cultivation and time. - T.D. Jakes

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I hope this made you think differently about what you can do and the impact that starting can have on your life. Lean forward, take the step.

Yours truly, #BoundlessBlessing