July 25, 2022 • 24 mins
In this special series we are highlighting some of our Greenwood Members. Starting off with Samuel Sentongo. He is a cyber security professional whose life's work revolves around and is a reflection of his investments and support for founders, teams and communities. Over the past 10-years, he has worked to solve difficult problems for the community and taken on challenges that have been historically ignored or considered as uninteresting categories.
Host IG:@itstanyatime
Guest Linkedin: Sentongo
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, money Movers, Welcome back to Money Moves, the daily
podcast determined to give you the keys to the kingdom
of financial stability, wealth and abundance. Hey, money Movers, Welcome
back to Money Moves, the daily podcast determined to give
(00:22):
you the keys to the kingdom of financial stability, wealth
and abundance. I'm your host, Tanya sam and today's guests
is the senior security engineer at Atlasian. He has experienced
in business and research development and is a highly accomplished
executive in Intel, telecom, financial and professional services industry. Money Movers,
(00:42):
please welcome Samuel San Togo. Hi Samuel, how are you? Thanks? Ye,
happy to be here and happy to speak on this podcast.
Thank you. I'm so excited to have you here. Um So, Samuel.
First of all, I need to know where are you called?
Where are you right now? We're are you located Christion?
I'm calling from send me seveney, Australia here and based
(01:06):
at about seven years now seven years okay. I think
this is the furthest podcast guest we've had Sydney, Australia,
literally down under the other side of the world. So welcome.
I love a good first thank you and having and
talking more about what I've been doing and how based
(01:27):
I can support money moves and agreement. Yes, well I
want to start off and if you could just tell
our audience a little bit more about you. You have
a long history and cybersecurity and tech and you know,
oftentimes people listen to this podcast and you know my experiences.
I was a nurse and I'm sort of transitioned into technology.
How did you get into tech? Yes, that's a great
(01:49):
story to start. So studying from I've been here at
steven years in Sydney, Australia, but originally I'm from Uganda,
so I'm grabbing Uganda. That's Africa. M I come from
my family of students, so we have and that was
my mantoring detect. So wow, Yeah, I described by electron
(02:13):
needs and being founded by all sorts of computer magazines.
And does my father actually introducing to He was, oh,
I love this. Yeah, such a such a good story.
You know my dad who grew up in Ghana, West Africa,
And again I was oh, he was a doctor, so
he came to Canada in a scholarship to go to
med school. So I was always surrounded by doctors and
(02:35):
so it was like a very natural path for me
to go into medicine. So it feels like the same
is for you. You were surrounded by all these engineers, um,
you know, with obviously a lot of discipline to get
through school and stuff. So this was a natural progression
for you. So you studied in Uganda or did you?
Is that when you moved to Australia the mat place?
(02:55):
I wave, it's studying Uganda from my high school and
then I moved to Malaysia to study electronics engineering. So
as a backstory to that, I want to do some
time of security and do hacking because of this person
of a movie called Hackers. But I loved that movie.
Yeah yeah, but as you said that, this mean they
(03:16):
said no, yeah, and you're going to do engineering because
it's what you see that as what and everyone is
doing well. So I went to study in Malaysia. Wow, okay,
so that's you know, quite a journey. You went from
Uganda to Malaysia, You studied engineering, did your degree there,
and you know, there's it's funny when you talk about
hackers in that movie because I loved it too. I
(03:37):
was really influenced by it. But I actually didn't know
anyone who was a hacker at that time. I wish
I did. I might have been driven into technology earlier.
But it's kind of like there's good hackers, bad hackers,
and so you've sort of positioned yourself. You're on the
on the white hat side. You are a cybersecurity as
you like to protect networks and enterprise. Um, tell us
what really you know? Tell us about your journey into check,
(03:58):
your first jobs, and you know what really drew you
to the enterprise level. So while as it was at university,
I was I was studying engineering and to be understand,
really wasn't enjoying it. But it's just going to the emotions.
And one of the course that I took electives was
computers a networking. The lecturer was actually moonlighting as a
standard security consultant for this deeferent organization. So he was
(04:22):
teaking one day and saying, Hey, by the way, do
you know that I get to do this and I
get paid set and set. So I was like, oh, what,
we actually get paid because the only hard as I
knew were from the movies and they were bad guys
and they don't Yes, I need more as of our
illegal activity. So yeah, he pretty much took me under
(04:43):
his wing and said, yes, if you come and do this,
work for me and take this and these certifications. So
coming up in the game, one of the chief calls
they give dem der certifications because that gives you so
as just doing certifications. So these certifications that you were doing, Samuel,
let me interrupt you. These so you're you had an
(05:05):
engine engineering degree already and you were also doing additional
certifications to sort of buffer your resume and really understand
the industry. Because I think that's really important because you know,
sometimes people think, Okay, I'm gonna go to school, I'm
going to get a degree, um, and then that's it.
I'm going to find a job and I'm just gonna
work in it. But it's to be in tech is
and to be on the technical side, right, um. And
(05:26):
I want to say this because there's a lot of
different ways people can get into tech. You know, you're
you know, you've had a long set of career, but
you are really interesting to me because you are highly technical,
but you are constantly honing and learning your skills. Because
when you actually look at how tech evolves, the hackers
on the other side of the pond wherever they are,
(05:47):
they're constantly learning how to better hack and how to
hack into network. So it's like the fight. The fight
never stops. Yeah, like you stay or even up to
not to continue planning like given to the bond from
around and I'm just trying to update by by speaking
at conferences as well. But like you said, trying to
show that Harry about up at this level. And also
(06:10):
you can also participate in compenses and have like um
their competitions where it can show if you're still and
do that. So that's one of the things I did
as well, was speaking to recruiters. So I was called
calling company. It's called emailing if you need they need
to have a vacancy, as just emailing people and saying, hey,
I'm available, like if they've done opportune that come up
(06:31):
and yeah, And that's how I got my first plot.
Someone say, when did you come up and see what
you have to do? And that's yeah, that's pretty much
how I started, you know, And it's it's it's honestly
these tiny little secrets, tips and tricks, because you know,
people think, Okay, I'm gonna go to school and the
job is just gonna land in my lap, but you
have to do the work. You've got it. You were
actively out there emailing people, You're looking up jobs. Um,
(06:55):
how was it? Now? Are you in Malaysia at this time?
Are you able to go out and network to find
these jobs? Are you using the internet and just looking
for jobs globally? Yes, a lot of primarily using the
internet globally. So give your monster as well. My skill
style at that time was living and working in Canada.
She said something to me at that time that hid me.
(07:17):
She stayed a one in a million just to get
a role. Then I started to email one million times,
so that's what I did, So I was pretty bad.
I was pretty much working up every day, stroll into
the through the internet, find famvactivity roles or finding professional establishment,
from finding telecommunications, from looking to emailing the HR. And
(07:38):
this was didn't pre LinkedIn, so you didn't even have
this social network, so it was all about emails. Yeah,
some people replied, some didn't. Some effect some challenges because
I didn't have like working rights in those countries and
wanted to be in UM as an anecdote to that,
applied to my company in Australia and they're like, hey,
we actually like what you're doing, and we actually have
(08:01):
You're sitting up in Malaysia. So where did you come?
And work for a couple in Malaysia more like a
branch and see what you can't do for you? And
that's how it started. So I pretty much went and
worked for them in Malaysia and then when that time
was right, that's when I moved to Australia. Australia, and
I just love this because you know, everyone thinks, oh,
first job, I just meet the right person and I
(08:23):
get it. But sometimes it takes hundreds of emails, hundreds
of outreach and and this is the thing you can't get.
You can't get disturbed discouraged. You've got to just keep
moving and keep your sister was right when she said, hey,
if you think it's gonna take if you have a
one in a million chance, like, well, then that's how
many emails you're gonna have to send? All right? So
now you've got this job, you're in Malaysia, it's an Australian,
(08:45):
it's an Australian company. Um, what what's come next? Because
you've kind of evolved your career. You've worked in enterprise,
you've worked in a lot of corporations. How have you
been able to really move up the ladder throughout the years, Yes,
a third sort time me And that's something I've I've
been landing myself and growing and speaking different people. So
(09:06):
and I don't have poll in my experience is that
as you move back the ladder, the opportunities you're looking for,
opportunities you want, you might have to create these opportunities
for yourself. And what I mean by this is if
there's a role you're looking for in your organization, you
might have even defined properself or even make up business
case um and neceside. The role it might be looking
(09:28):
for might missile not be a linked team, but it
might be through friends through your network. So it's got
to say that as you go hand here the network game,
you come stronger and you have to work on Yes,
you definitely have to work on creating the way you're
looking for rather than just trolling through LinkedIn of stick.
And Yeah, the other thing that I'm super proud of
(09:49):
your journey is too, is just the global outlook that
you have. And obviously you're born in Uganda, um you
know you were, you traveled abroad for school and stuff.
But I also want a lot of our listeners here
the Greenwood audience, the Money Moves audience, now the gathering
spot in the Valence audience to understand that opportunity sometimes
isn't in your back door, it's everywhere, and that is
(10:10):
what it's so beautiful. I think COVID has taught us
that we can work from home, we can work from globally.
You know a lot of people are allowing us to
work remote, but seeking opportunities that are outside of the
US UM is probably been really incredible for you. And
I'm glad to share that story because I think it
just gives people the courage to look outside of, you know,
(10:31):
their backyard. Yeah, definitely. And I can't see that we
COVID a lot of the programs and some of the
opportunity to get to a move more batuos setting. So
I can't give up Deaf Color and the Bonds program.
So when the Deaf Color programs within the city, so
you have to be part of the major cities, UM
deficult as an organization for black souper engineers, so they
(10:54):
have to be using that two major cities like New York,
San Francisco. But once they opened the top and became
more global, and that that gave me the putting it
to become a part of this and give me access
and net organizations through that as well. I worked with
a couple of UM visits as well in Africa, and yes,
just pretty much a global our feature. I would say,
I really appreciate that. Okay, So tell us a little
(11:16):
bit about your role right now as a security engineer
at at at lastian UM just I I like to
ask people like what do you do in your day job?
Because I think it inspires other people. You remember watching
hackers and you're like that's so cool, and there's people
listening today, but who'll be like, Okay, well what does
Sam do all day? Okay, you know what I might
want to do that. Thanks for that, Daniel. Know, I
(11:39):
described my law to everyone. UM. I call it marriage
counseling between developers and security engineers. So there's always this
kind of narrative that we had security people come in
and say no, no, no, and then developer as weays
trying to build out these new features and do all
these sorts of ATU things. So I come in as
(12:01):
as a sort of wish to come and say that hey,
this is not we have more enabler of business UM
the way I described my role at partner with engineer
at day to day. So they are rolling out new
features that coming up with all these ideas and we
give them the environment. How can you do this in
a safe, secure manner for the organization risk as well.
So we are Yeah, it's more like a risk mitigator.
(12:24):
But not only that, but I also do get techniqualuse
that and help out work. I love that. That's great. Okay,
next question, I want to talk about network because network
has been really interesting and you know you're on this
podcast because you're part of our family, the Greenwood family,
the Money Moves Family, UM, the gathering spot and now Valence.
(12:47):
Tell us how you got connected with Valence. Yeah, so
I got connected with Valance around the outside of um
as as as part of death Co organization. Some put
a call out and say, hey, this organized this organization
trying to set something up for black executives. And I
felt that that was the gap I was as not
(13:08):
having like that sense of community and sense of people
speak to you on the day, have this sense of
of gathering, and that's how I heard about them. Now
I wished out to I reished out to trade at
that time and paying hey and being part of Australia.
But I really life gets opportunity and and expanded my
network and it has been a blessing ever singing really
helpful and had made so many interesting people as well. Um.
(13:32):
One anecdote I can give is that the couple that
the founder who was in America was looking for support
for their startup and I actually through my contact in Australia,
I managed to get them funding for that for their
startup as well. So that's a success story. Yes, that's
amaze the st story because I levered some of my
(13:53):
content in Africa as well to give them that necessary
funding they needed to move to the next level. Wow, Sam,
that is a really great success story. UM. Okay, there's
so many bladies I want to go that. I love
loving this conversation. But one thing I want to talk about,
especially because both of both of you and I have
(14:13):
like an African heritage and on money moves. You know,
one of our goals is to talk about how we
can sort of shift and change the financial outlook for
our community growing up in Uganda. Talk about you know,
the conversations you had at home with your parents in
terms of financial independence, Um, what it meant to you know,
(14:36):
create generational wealth? Like was this something that you guys
talked about in your home or is it, you know,
just an assumed conversation. Yeah, yeah, I let to talk
about that definitely. Um coming up in my family doesn't
something we talked about. Um, I never had these discussions
of my friends about money, So happy and have more
(15:00):
prank and open discussions with them, the one always leading
for example, So my dad actually what happened was he
was in Uganda and then started his own business. So
he's running his own business and after my sift and
brother now work for him. So he has his own company,
is an entrepreneur in his own right and he has
this is a business that has paid for school, Pie's
(15:21):
paid for weddings, that paid for everything. So when I
look at it from that length, match as he didn't
talk about generational world, he was to his actually than
what he has done. He has definitely set up for
the future. And that's what I'm looking forward to be honest.
For me right now, it's about I've come to tigger
than me, So setting up things for the future for
my family and also my family right now and those
(15:43):
people after me. So as I keep on telling what
it's like, legacy, legacy, legacy, So oh I love that.
And you know, legacy is something that I think it's
so important to all of us and the older we get.
You know, when you're young, it's like you're young and
fancy free, but you get to this point when you
start thinking differently in the shift to being like, okay,
well what does legacy mean to me? Um? You know,
(16:04):
and it sort of goes both ways. Um. For me,
it's it's about also, you know, making my parents proud, um,
but also you know, the generation to come for you.
And so I really appreciate I really appreciate you sharing
that in your thoughts on that, Um okay, as we
sort of end up, tell me what's next, Like how
do you plan out the next pieces of your career
(16:26):
and sort of use the tools that you have, whether
it's again your network or valence, Like, as you look
at legacy, what does it look like in twenty years
from now? Thanks to that question of time. So I
look at legacy and I've looked through through that names
or it's sort of thinking like what taking Yeah, I
start to think of, um, how can I make these investments,
(16:47):
whether it mightself, all these different pieces I want to
walk in that can either outlast meet or just set
me up for the future. So some of the things
I think about is like, UM, investing and that's through investments,
whether that's through stocks, that's to real estate. UM, some
things we don't talk about as coming from African heritage
is estate estate planning. So it's not like life insurance,
(17:10):
what happens when someone dies and how split that up?
And just I really want to bring in the sculture
of financial interesting just within my generation. So speaking about
money openly and to be honest. When I I got
an example, I try and get along for the first time,
I didn't have been on speak to and I just
had to like you just go or split my friends.
(17:30):
But I would like to change that narrative and actually
have other people thing about is like not only that,
but investing in myself as well. So that's where that
through going through exerctly taking care of myself eating well, UM,
you have to programs like so you have like gathering spots.
So right now view myself in terms of my own exportation,
(17:52):
like the sky is the limit so I'm investing in
myself as well. So I love that the sky is
the limit. That that means a lot, because you know,
I think we just to have that outlook propels us forward,
not just step by step, but it just helps us
to think like the sky is a limit, you know,
and no matter where you come from, no matter where
(18:12):
you are, this beautiful world and the global networks, networks
that we are forming, the sky is the limit. Um. Yeah, absolutely.
If I may add one thing. First time, when I
got my first checking tack, I was like, oh my god,
this is the biggest thing ever. Then I got my
specking chick and oh my god, like I don't think
I've ever and and then you get your start chick
(18:34):
and you're like, oh my, Like it keeps on good.
And I'm like and before when I started getting that,
I had that kind of surviving mentality that I might
might get the check again. But now he did not
talk to like now, so I'm like, yes, the sky
is the limit. And there's more so just when I
think of him the city, there's another city to go through.
So it's it has changed my lass definitely when I
(18:56):
think of that. Oh isn't that so true. I will
never forget, you know, after graduating from school. I started
off in school, I did two degrees and then I
got my first like real paycheck um as a registered nurse.
And here I don't know if this is the same
is true, but in our household in Ghana, you would
have to give your first check back to your parents
to say as a thank you. And so my dad
(19:17):
always used to tell me this. And then when I
graduated and I got my first paycheck, he came and
he had his hand out. I said, no, wait, are
you serious. I thought it was just a joke. This
was one of those old, these old tales that you tell,
you know, and he was like, come on, And I
actually had to give it to him. But I remember
trying to part with it, being like, oh my gosh,
(19:37):
this money, this money, and it was so great. But
you know, it propelled you to just be like, I
can do this again and again. And this is the
thing about scale, because I think one of the things
in our community as well is people look at their
jobs as just limiting, right, and so this is the
amount of money I can make every day if I
punched into this job. But I think because I unpack
(20:01):
what you're saying is you're like, I'm looking at this
from I have my job, but I can better myself
and that will increase my earning potential. I can make investments.
I'm learning about stocks and being able to multiply that.
And this is what I think as we start to
look at how we can create generational wealth, it's not
just about the job that you clock into. You know,
we have to educate ourselves to find other ways to
(20:23):
diversify our incomes. And it doesn't necessarily mean that you're,
you know, an entrepreneur and you're running all these businesses.
But there's a lot of ways that you can do it,
whether you're in a corporation, um, you know, as an engineer, etcetera.
So I I really applaud you for sharing that because
I think, again, you know, I'm going back to the
words of you said about your dad, right, your dad
(20:44):
lead by example. You're leading by example and sharing those stories.
I think at a certain age of social media, you
compare ourselves whether I like or not someone, well, why
can't I be like this pattern? And this pattern has
multiple streams of income or white and I step up
a business and do this, and you start getting your head.
But I actually realized that only on you can be
(21:07):
the best version of you. So okay, my last question
as we take us out, can you share how it
is you know, Um, the African American experience is very
different from probably growing up in Uganda Malaysia, but you've
taken these leaps and you've traveled the world as a
black man, you know, getting educated in Malaysia, you're now
working in Australia. Can you talk a little bit about
(21:29):
that experience because I think from what you said it
sounded very pause. I'm not gonna put words in your mouth.
It's it sounded very positive. You've been able to expand
your network, but I'm sure it hasn't been easy. But
I think this is a story that I would like
others to hear to give them the courage to maybe
take the leaps that you've that you've taken, um, and
the journeys that you've you've traveled down. Thanks for that
(21:51):
different It hasn't been easy, um, Like as as you
move from country to country, that different outstay cultural differences
and different to come across the stambling box I've had.
Given some of my earlier road I've had situations where
I was challenged just just on the basis of my
skin color. But um, I won't go into those details.
(22:13):
But it's safe say that you come from a history
and a long line of cotroners and people have done
this before. So even when you think that you're facing
these obstacles, would suggest that you push through, just push
through and keep it moving and and and believe me,
when you keep people see that strength and they keep
on saying there's that great strength and privilege in just
(22:35):
being you, and um, yeah, just keep it pushing. I
don't know if I said that question, that's perfect. I mean,
that's the truth. It's just keep it What what I
love that you said is like, keep it pushing. If
it were easy, everybody would do it. But people see
the strength in pushing through. And I think that's what
makes people gravitate to be wanting to help you, wanting
(22:56):
to you know, see you succeed. People see the strength
and wishing through. Yeah. Absolutely, And when you like when
you have that president on that law about yourself, everyone
gravity takes to because they want they stay at someone
who's keeping pushing. Thank yourself. You take time to to
rest and recoperate and mental illness. But yeah, definitely if
(23:16):
you keep it pushing and keep on keep at it
that different everything will fall into place. Um. And and
that's what I can say about my experience, Sam, I
love that. And that's a whole another podcast episode. Balancing
mental health and rest and being able to you know,
balance drive and on the pursuit of excellence with being
able to find you know, some sort of rest and
(23:36):
respect that. Sam, It's been great having you on the
podcast today. This has been a great conversation. Before we go, Samuel,
can you please share where folks can follow you on
social media, UM, so they can stay in touch with
your journey. Yeah, absolutely so, um can find me on
linked team names that Tamul Pentango and if you're looking
for men as well, emails so at the Pentango at
(23:58):
semid dot com. Thank you so much. This was truly
a journey and I am also very excited by our
first Australian call and we are global now folks, um
And if we have helped you to make your money move,
please make sure to let us know by sending us
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(24:20):
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from
Hey, money Movers, Welcome back to Money Moves, the daily
podcast determined to give you the keys to the kingdom
of financial stability, wealth and abundance. Hey, money Movers, Welcome
back to Money Moves, the daily podcast determined to give
(00:22):
you the keys to the kingdom of financial stability, wealth
and abundance. I'm your host, Tanya sam and today's guests
is the senior security engineer at Atlasian. He has experienced
in business and research development and is a highly accomplished
executive in Intel, telecom, financial and professional services industry. Money Movers,
(00:42):
please welcome Samuel San Togo. Hi Samuel, how are you? Thanks? Ye,
happy to be here and happy to speak on this podcast.
Thank you. I'm so excited to have you here. Um So, Samuel.
First of all, I need to know where are you called?
Where are you right now? We're are you located Christion?
I'm calling from send me seveney, Australia here and based
(01:06):
at about seven years now seven years okay. I think
this is the furthest podcast guest we've had Sydney, Australia,
literally down under the other side of the world. So welcome.
I love a good first thank you and having and
talking more about what I've been doing and how based
(01:27):
I can support money moves and agreement. Yes, well I
want to start off and if you could just tell
our audience a little bit more about you. You have
a long history and cybersecurity and tech and you know,
oftentimes people listen to this podcast and you know my experiences.
I was a nurse and I'm sort of transitioned into technology.
How did you get into tech? Yes, that's a great
(01:49):
story to start. So studying from I've been here at
steven years in Sydney, Australia, but originally I'm from Uganda,
so I'm grabbing Uganda. That's Africa. M I come from
my family of students, so we have and that was
my mantoring detect. So wow, Yeah, I described by electron
(02:13):
needs and being founded by all sorts of computer magazines.
And does my father actually introducing to He was, oh,
I love this. Yeah, such a such a good story.
You know my dad who grew up in Ghana, West Africa,
And again I was oh, he was a doctor, so
he came to Canada in a scholarship to go to
med school. So I was always surrounded by doctors and
(02:35):
so it was like a very natural path for me
to go into medicine. So it feels like the same
is for you. You were surrounded by all these engineers, um,
you know, with obviously a lot of discipline to get
through school and stuff. So this was a natural progression
for you. So you studied in Uganda or did you?
Is that when you moved to Australia the mat place?
(02:55):
I wave, it's studying Uganda from my high school and
then I moved to Malaysia to study electronics engineering. So
as a backstory to that, I want to do some
time of security and do hacking because of this person
of a movie called Hackers. But I loved that movie.
Yeah yeah, but as you said that, this mean they
(03:16):
said no, yeah, and you're going to do engineering because
it's what you see that as what and everyone is
doing well. So I went to study in Malaysia. Wow, okay,
so that's you know, quite a journey. You went from
Uganda to Malaysia, You studied engineering, did your degree there,
and you know, there's it's funny when you talk about
hackers in that movie because I loved it too. I
(03:37):
was really influenced by it. But I actually didn't know
anyone who was a hacker at that time. I wish
I did. I might have been driven into technology earlier.
But it's kind of like there's good hackers, bad hackers,
and so you've sort of positioned yourself. You're on the
on the white hat side. You are a cybersecurity as
you like to protect networks and enterprise. Um, tell us
what really you know? Tell us about your journey into check,
(03:58):
your first jobs, and you know what really drew you
to the enterprise level. So while as it was at university,
I was I was studying engineering and to be understand,
really wasn't enjoying it. But it's just going to the emotions.
And one of the course that I took electives was
computers a networking. The lecturer was actually moonlighting as a
standard security consultant for this deeferent organization. So he was
(04:22):
teaking one day and saying, Hey, by the way, do
you know that I get to do this and I
get paid set and set. So I was like, oh, what,
we actually get paid because the only hard as I
knew were from the movies and they were bad guys
and they don't Yes, I need more as of our
illegal activity. So yeah, he pretty much took me under
(04:43):
his wing and said, yes, if you come and do this,
work for me and take this and these certifications. So
coming up in the game, one of the chief calls
they give dem der certifications because that gives you so
as just doing certifications. So these certifications that you were doing, Samuel,
let me interrupt you. These so you're you had an
(05:05):
engine engineering degree already and you were also doing additional
certifications to sort of buffer your resume and really understand
the industry. Because I think that's really important because you know,
sometimes people think, Okay, I'm gonna go to school, I'm
going to get a degree, um, and then that's it.
I'm going to find a job and I'm just gonna
work in it. But it's to be in tech is
and to be on the technical side, right, um. And
(05:26):
I want to say this because there's a lot of
different ways people can get into tech. You know, you're
you know, you've had a long set of career, but
you are really interesting to me because you are highly technical,
but you are constantly honing and learning your skills. Because
when you actually look at how tech evolves, the hackers
on the other side of the pond wherever they are,
(05:47):
they're constantly learning how to better hack and how to
hack into network. So it's like the fight. The fight
never stops. Yeah, like you stay or even up to
not to continue planning like given to the bond from
around and I'm just trying to update by by speaking
at conferences as well. But like you said, trying to
show that Harry about up at this level. And also
(06:10):
you can also participate in compenses and have like um
their competitions where it can show if you're still and
do that. So that's one of the things I did
as well, was speaking to recruiters. So I was called
calling company. It's called emailing if you need they need
to have a vacancy, as just emailing people and saying, hey,
I'm available, like if they've done opportune that come up
(06:31):
and yeah, And that's how I got my first plot.
Someone say, when did you come up and see what
you have to do? And that's yeah, that's pretty much
how I started, you know, And it's it's it's honestly
these tiny little secrets, tips and tricks, because you know,
people think, Okay, I'm gonna go to school and the
job is just gonna land in my lap, but you
have to do the work. You've got it. You were
actively out there emailing people, You're looking up jobs. Um,
(06:55):
how was it? Now? Are you in Malaysia at this time?
Are you able to go out and network to find
these jobs? Are you using the internet and just looking
for jobs globally? Yes, a lot of primarily using the
internet globally. So give your monster as well. My skill
style at that time was living and working in Canada.
She said something to me at that time that hid me.
(07:17):
She stayed a one in a million just to get
a role. Then I started to email one million times,
so that's what I did, So I was pretty bad.
I was pretty much working up every day, stroll into
the through the internet, find famvactivity roles or finding professional establishment,
from finding telecommunications, from looking to emailing the HR. And
(07:38):
this was didn't pre LinkedIn, so you didn't even have
this social network, so it was all about emails. Yeah,
some people replied, some didn't. Some effect some challenges because
I didn't have like working rights in those countries and
wanted to be in UM as an anecdote to that,
applied to my company in Australia and they're like, hey,
we actually like what you're doing, and we actually have
(08:01):
You're sitting up in Malaysia. So where did you come?
And work for a couple in Malaysia more like a
branch and see what you can't do for you? And
that's how it started. So I pretty much went and
worked for them in Malaysia and then when that time
was right, that's when I moved to Australia. Australia, and
I just love this because you know, everyone thinks, oh,
first job, I just meet the right person and I
(08:23):
get it. But sometimes it takes hundreds of emails, hundreds
of outreach and and this is the thing you can't get.
You can't get disturbed discouraged. You've got to just keep
moving and keep your sister was right when she said, hey,
if you think it's gonna take if you have a
one in a million chance, like, well, then that's how
many emails you're gonna have to send? All right? So
now you've got this job, you're in Malaysia, it's an Australian,
(08:45):
it's an Australian company. Um, what what's come next? Because
you've kind of evolved your career. You've worked in enterprise,
you've worked in a lot of corporations. How have you
been able to really move up the ladder throughout the years, Yes,
a third sort time me And that's something I've I've
been landing myself and growing and speaking different people. So
(09:06):
and I don't have poll in my experience is that
as you move back the ladder, the opportunities you're looking for,
opportunities you want, you might have to create these opportunities
for yourself. And what I mean by this is if
there's a role you're looking for in your organization, you
might have even defined properself or even make up business
case um and neceside. The role it might be looking
(09:28):
for might missile not be a linked team, but it
might be through friends through your network. So it's got
to say that as you go hand here the network game,
you come stronger and you have to work on Yes,
you definitely have to work on creating the way you're
looking for rather than just trolling through LinkedIn of stick.
And Yeah, the other thing that I'm super proud of
(09:49):
your journey is too, is just the global outlook that
you have. And obviously you're born in Uganda, um you
know you were, you traveled abroad for school and stuff.
But I also want a lot of our listeners here
the Greenwood audience, the Money Moves audience, now the gathering
spot in the Valence audience to understand that opportunity sometimes
isn't in your back door, it's everywhere, and that is
(10:10):
what it's so beautiful. I think COVID has taught us
that we can work from home, we can work from globally.
You know a lot of people are allowing us to
work remote, but seeking opportunities that are outside of the
US UM is probably been really incredible for you. And
I'm glad to share that story because I think it
just gives people the courage to look outside of, you know,
(10:31):
their backyard. Yeah, definitely. And I can't see that we
COVID a lot of the programs and some of the
opportunity to get to a move more batuos setting. So
I can't give up Deaf Color and the Bonds program.
So when the Deaf Color programs within the city, so
you have to be part of the major cities, UM
deficult as an organization for black souper engineers, so they
(10:54):
have to be using that two major cities like New York,
San Francisco. But once they opened the top and became
more global, and that that gave me the putting it
to become a part of this and give me access
and net organizations through that as well. I worked with
a couple of UM visits as well in Africa, and yes,
just pretty much a global our feature. I would say,
I really appreciate that. Okay, So tell us a little
(11:16):
bit about your role right now as a security engineer
at at at lastian UM just I I like to
ask people like what do you do in your day job?
Because I think it inspires other people. You remember watching
hackers and you're like that's so cool, and there's people
listening today, but who'll be like, Okay, well what does
Sam do all day? Okay, you know what I might
want to do that. Thanks for that, Daniel. Know, I
(11:39):
described my law to everyone. UM. I call it marriage
counseling between developers and security engineers. So there's always this
kind of narrative that we had security people come in
and say no, no, no, and then developer as weays
trying to build out these new features and do all
these sorts of ATU things. So I come in as
(12:01):
as a sort of wish to come and say that hey,
this is not we have more enabler of business UM
the way I described my role at partner with engineer
at day to day. So they are rolling out new
features that coming up with all these ideas and we
give them the environment. How can you do this in
a safe, secure manner for the organization risk as well.
So we are Yeah, it's more like a risk mitigator.
(12:24):
But not only that, but I also do get techniqualuse
that and help out work. I love that. That's great. Okay,
next question, I want to talk about network because network
has been really interesting and you know you're on this
podcast because you're part of our family, the Greenwood family,
the Money Moves Family, UM, the gathering spot and now Valence.
(12:47):
Tell us how you got connected with Valence. Yeah, so
I got connected with Valance around the outside of um
as as as part of death Co organization. Some put
a call out and say, hey, this organized this organization
trying to set something up for black executives. And I
felt that that was the gap I was as not
(13:08):
having like that sense of community and sense of people
speak to you on the day, have this sense of
of gathering, and that's how I heard about them. Now
I wished out to I reished out to trade at
that time and paying hey and being part of Australia.
But I really life gets opportunity and and expanded my
network and it has been a blessing ever singing really
helpful and had made so many interesting people as well. Um.
(13:32):
One anecdote I can give is that the couple that
the founder who was in America was looking for support
for their startup and I actually through my contact in Australia,
I managed to get them funding for that for their
startup as well. So that's a success story. Yes, that's
amaze the st story because I levered some of my
(13:53):
content in Africa as well to give them that necessary
funding they needed to move to the next level. Wow, Sam,
that is a really great success story. UM. Okay, there's
so many bladies I want to go that. I love
loving this conversation. But one thing I want to talk about,
especially because both of both of you and I have
(14:13):
like an African heritage and on money moves. You know,
one of our goals is to talk about how we
can sort of shift and change the financial outlook for
our community growing up in Uganda. Talk about you know,
the conversations you had at home with your parents in
terms of financial independence, Um, what it meant to you know,
(14:36):
create generational wealth? Like was this something that you guys
talked about in your home or is it, you know,
just an assumed conversation. Yeah, yeah, I let to talk
about that definitely. Um coming up in my family doesn't
something we talked about. Um, I never had these discussions
of my friends about money, So happy and have more
(15:00):
prank and open discussions with them, the one always leading
for example, So my dad actually what happened was he
was in Uganda and then started his own business. So
he's running his own business and after my sift and
brother now work for him. So he has his own company,
is an entrepreneur in his own right and he has
this is a business that has paid for school, Pie's
(15:21):
paid for weddings, that paid for everything. So when I
look at it from that length, match as he didn't
talk about generational world, he was to his actually than
what he has done. He has definitely set up for
the future. And that's what I'm looking forward to be honest.
For me right now, it's about I've come to tigger
than me, So setting up things for the future for
my family and also my family right now and those
(15:43):
people after me. So as I keep on telling what
it's like, legacy, legacy, legacy, So oh I love that.
And you know, legacy is something that I think it's
so important to all of us and the older we get.
You know, when you're young, it's like you're young and
fancy free, but you get to this point when you
start thinking differently in the shift to being like, okay,
well what does legacy mean to me? Um? You know,
(16:04):
and it sort of goes both ways. Um. For me,
it's it's about also, you know, making my parents proud, um,
but also you know, the generation to come for you.
And so I really appreciate I really appreciate you sharing
that in your thoughts on that, Um okay, as we
sort of end up, tell me what's next, Like how
do you plan out the next pieces of your career
(16:26):
and sort of use the tools that you have, whether
it's again your network or valence, Like, as you look
at legacy, what does it look like in twenty years
from now? Thanks to that question of time. So I
look at legacy and I've looked through through that names
or it's sort of thinking like what taking Yeah, I
start to think of, um, how can I make these investments,
(16:47):
whether it mightself, all these different pieces I want to
walk in that can either outlast meet or just set
me up for the future. So some of the things
I think about is like, UM, investing and that's through investments,
whether that's through stocks, that's to real estate. UM, some
things we don't talk about as coming from African heritage
is estate estate planning. So it's not like life insurance,
(17:10):
what happens when someone dies and how split that up?
And just I really want to bring in the sculture
of financial interesting just within my generation. So speaking about
money openly and to be honest. When I I got
an example, I try and get along for the first time,
I didn't have been on speak to and I just
had to like you just go or split my friends.
(17:30):
But I would like to change that narrative and actually
have other people thing about is like not only that,
but investing in myself as well. So that's where that
through going through exerctly taking care of myself eating well, UM,
you have to programs like so you have like gathering spots.
So right now view myself in terms of my own exportation,
(17:52):
like the sky is the limit so I'm investing in
myself as well. So I love that the sky is
the limit. That that means a lot, because you know,
I think we just to have that outlook propels us forward,
not just step by step, but it just helps us
to think like the sky is a limit, you know,
and no matter where you come from, no matter where
(18:12):
you are, this beautiful world and the global networks, networks
that we are forming, the sky is the limit. Um. Yeah, absolutely.
If I may add one thing. First time, when I
got my first checking tack, I was like, oh my god,
this is the biggest thing ever. Then I got my
specking chick and oh my god, like I don't think
I've ever and and then you get your start chick
(18:34):
and you're like, oh my, Like it keeps on good.
And I'm like and before when I started getting that,
I had that kind of surviving mentality that I might
might get the check again. But now he did not
talk to like now, so I'm like, yes, the sky
is the limit. And there's more so just when I
think of him the city, there's another city to go through.
So it's it has changed my lass definitely when I
(18:56):
think of that. Oh isn't that so true. I will
never forget, you know, after graduating from school. I started
off in school, I did two degrees and then I
got my first like real paycheck um as a registered nurse.
And here I don't know if this is the same
is true, but in our household in Ghana, you would
have to give your first check back to your parents
to say as a thank you. And so my dad
(19:17):
always used to tell me this. And then when I
graduated and I got my first paycheck, he came and
he had his hand out. I said, no, wait, are
you serious. I thought it was just a joke. This
was one of those old, these old tales that you tell,
you know, and he was like, come on, And I
actually had to give it to him. But I remember
trying to part with it, being like, oh my gosh,
(19:37):
this money, this money, and it was so great. But
you know, it propelled you to just be like, I
can do this again and again. And this is the
thing about scale, because I think one of the things
in our community as well is people look at their
jobs as just limiting, right, and so this is the
amount of money I can make every day if I
punched into this job. But I think because I unpack
(20:01):
what you're saying is you're like, I'm looking at this
from I have my job, but I can better myself
and that will increase my earning potential. I can make investments.
I'm learning about stocks and being able to multiply that.
And this is what I think as we start to
look at how we can create generational wealth, it's not
just about the job that you clock into. You know,
we have to educate ourselves to find other ways to
(20:23):
diversify our incomes. And it doesn't necessarily mean that you're,
you know, an entrepreneur and you're running all these businesses.
But there's a lot of ways that you can do it,
whether you're in a corporation, um, you know, as an engineer, etcetera.
So I I really applaud you for sharing that because
I think, again, you know, I'm going back to the
words of you said about your dad, right, your dad
(20:44):
lead by example. You're leading by example and sharing those stories.
I think at a certain age of social media, you
compare ourselves whether I like or not someone, well, why
can't I be like this pattern? And this pattern has
multiple streams of income or white and I step up
a business and do this, and you start getting your head.
But I actually realized that only on you can be
(21:07):
the best version of you. So okay, my last question
as we take us out, can you share how it
is you know, Um, the African American experience is very
different from probably growing up in Uganda Malaysia, but you've
taken these leaps and you've traveled the world as a
black man, you know, getting educated in Malaysia, you're now
working in Australia. Can you talk a little bit about
(21:29):
that experience because I think from what you said it
sounded very pause. I'm not gonna put words in your mouth.
It's it sounded very positive. You've been able to expand
your network, but I'm sure it hasn't been easy. But
I think this is a story that I would like
others to hear to give them the courage to maybe
take the leaps that you've that you've taken, um, and
the journeys that you've you've traveled down. Thanks for that
(21:51):
different It hasn't been easy, um, Like as as you
move from country to country, that different outstay cultural differences
and different to come across the stambling box I've had.
Given some of my earlier road I've had situations where
I was challenged just just on the basis of my
skin color. But um, I won't go into those details.
(22:13):
But it's safe say that you come from a history
and a long line of cotroners and people have done
this before. So even when you think that you're facing
these obstacles, would suggest that you push through, just push
through and keep it moving and and and believe me,
when you keep people see that strength and they keep
on saying there's that great strength and privilege in just
(22:35):
being you, and um, yeah, just keep it pushing. I
don't know if I said that question, that's perfect. I mean,
that's the truth. It's just keep it What what I
love that you said is like, keep it pushing. If
it were easy, everybody would do it. But people see
the strength in pushing through. And I think that's what
makes people gravitate to be wanting to help you, wanting
(22:56):
to you know, see you succeed. People see the strength
and wishing through. Yeah. Absolutely, And when you like when
you have that president on that law about yourself, everyone
gravity takes to because they want they stay at someone
who's keeping pushing. Thank yourself. You take time to to
rest and recoperate and mental illness. But yeah, definitely if
(23:16):
you keep it pushing and keep on keep at it
that different everything will fall into place. Um. And and
that's what I can say about my experience, Sam, I
love that. And that's a whole another podcast episode. Balancing
mental health and rest and being able to you know,
balance drive and on the pursuit of excellence with being
able to find you know, some sort of rest and
(23:36):
respect that. Sam, It's been great having you on the
podcast today. This has been a great conversation. Before we go, Samuel,
can you please share where folks can follow you on
social media, UM, so they can stay in touch with
your journey. Yeah, absolutely so, um can find me on
linked team names that Tamul Pentango and if you're looking
for men as well, emails so at the Pentango at
(23:58):
semid dot com. Thank you so much. This was truly
a journey and I am also very excited by our
first Australian call and we are global now folks, um
And if we have helped you to make your money move,
please make sure to let us know by sending us
a like, sharing the knowledge and or leaving us a
review on Apple podcast and make sure to tune in
(24:20):
Monday through Friday and subscribe to the Money Moves Podcast
powered by Greenwood, so that you two can have the
keys to financial freedom you so rightly deserve. Thank you
so much for tuning in Money Moves audience. If you
want more or a recap of this episode, please go
to the bank Greenwood dot com and check out the
Money Moves podcast blog. Money Moves is an I heart
(24:46):
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