April 21, 2025 • 28 mins
In this episode of the We Are PoWEr Podcast, we sit down with Calvin Eden, founder and brand director of Loud Speaker, an organisation dedicated to empowering young people through confidence-building workshops.
Calvin shares how Loud Speaker grew from an idea during lockdown to reaching over 200,000 students, creating life-changing opportunities along the way. He opens up about his personal journey, including the tragic loss of a friend to knife crime at just 15 years old, and how that experience fuels his mission to inspire and uplift the next generation.
We also explore Loud Speaker’s international growth, collaborations, and Calvin’s vision for the future of education—plus, what he would change if he had a magic wand.
If you’re looking for motivation, a fresh perspective on leadership, or a reminder that speaking up can change lives, this episode is for you. 🎙✨
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
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the podcast for you, your careerand your life.
We release an episode everysingle Monday with listeners in
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insight from amazing role models.
(00:21):
As we Are Power is the umbrellabrand to Northern Power Women
Awards, which celebrateshundreds of female role models
and advocates every year.
This is where you can hearstories from all of our awards
alumni and stay up to date witheverything MPW Awards and we Are
Power.
Well, this week we're in forquite the ride.
(00:49):
I think I am delighted to bejoined by Calvin Eden A Couture,
the founder and brand directorof Loud Speaker, which you
founded back in 2019 with yourbuddy.
Yeah, who's not here?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
He's not here, yeah, but here in spirit, right,
exactly.
He's not here.
He's not here, yeah, but herein spirit, right, exactly.
He's with us, he sends his loveWelcome.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Thank you so much for joining us on the we Are Power
Couch Now.
What you do is absolutely epic.
It feels like it's something Iwant to do every day.
You go to work with unicorns.
You amplify voices.
You give people uh, our younggeneration the opportunity to
(01:29):
have their voice heard.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Tell us about loudspeaker firstly, thank you
for having me, like you know,I've got like this is this is a,
this is great, um, and it's ablessing to be here because,
truthfully, uh, you know it's.
You don't really understand howgreat what you do is until
you're actually doing it andsomeone actually says it.
So to do something like thisfor me is like oh, wow, like
someone sees the great work thatwe try and do, going to work
(01:53):
with unicorns and cardboardcutouts of David Attenborough
and the Rock I heard and the.
Rock, the Rock.
The Rock's been, he's been.
You know, we've had to let himgo, actually.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Oh no.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
He's too big to fit in our car, but he's great.
I guess Loudspeaker is theorganisation that goes all
around the country into yourschool, into your institution
and we basically give your youngpeople hope.
We try and raise aspirationthrough building confidence,
(02:26):
through communication skills,resilience, teaching them
entrepreneurship, telling themour stories and hearing their
stories.
We just give them a voice, wegive them the platform to be
able to do that and they engagewith us through these workshops
that are crazy and I'm talkinglike I'm talking like crazy.
You walk in a room.
There's tunes on, it's goingoff, there's confetti cannons
(02:49):
popping for no reason.
Someone is leaving with a bigbox of cocoa pops for no reason,
but like they go, wow, I justI'm.
You know, it just makes you sograteful to be there.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
It's amazing is it like bongo bingo?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
for Truth be told, hopefully Johnny doesn't send me
a fine here.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh yeah, you know what?
We're not having another lawthing, no.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
No, Johnny's a good guy.
I know Johnny, I've met him.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
A good few times in my life.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
He's a good guy and this is funny because I actually
saw him like six months ago onEgbuff High Street and I forgot
to tell him.
He is actually the reason whywe were inspired to do things
the way we do it, becauseobviously he works in the field
that he works in.
His market's untouchable.
But for us it's engaging youngpeople, and we want to give
every kid a voice.
But you need to engage withthese young people in a way
(03:36):
that's going to make them wantto be here.
They're young at the end of theday, right, the attention span
is quite short, so you needsomething to keep their mind
going, and that thing that worksis always prizes.
It's that music, it's thatenergy.
So we take that concept ofenergy, vibes and so on and so
forth from Johnny's thing and weput it into education without
(03:57):
playing bingo, just by teachingyoung people stuff, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
It's amazing.
And you say you bring, you arethe big C, and you bring the
energy.
And that energy is so important, isn't it?
It's contagious, right.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, and energy is most important thing, right, you
got to it's, it's how someonemakes you feel, that's what you
want them to remember, right?
So the energy that they latchonto is the thing that's going
to make them stay.
Like I, I vibe with, like youknow, to give you some
categories, back in the daythey'd call it the nerds.
But like, I vibe with the nerdsCause, like I realized that
they're just called nerds causeI can't read.
So they're like.
(04:29):
And then I got like the emokids who, like, got 25 piercings
.
They're like, like, and theywere like mates by the end in
life, so much so that theynicknamed me Big C.
There is a background story tothat as well.
(04:49):
I do have a friend I'm going toshout her out Lauren Zoe Carter.
She's an artist.
We was on holiday one time andI was walking past and she
literally went man, big C, howyou doing today?
Man, I was like, oh my God,that's coming home with me.
And then I started telling theyoung people it.
And obviously you work with somany young people now.
I see them in like the barbersand I'll be in like Asda.
(05:10):
They'll be with their mum andthey'll be like Big C.
What are you saying?
And their mums are looking atme like who is this man that
knows my child?
But then they tell him and it'samazing, man.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
It's amazing that name has really flourished and
it is.
You talk about it being one bigidea 2 000 workshops, thousands
and thousands, or hundreds ofthousands of learners.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, you must be super proud oh man, I like I sit
in here today, like five yearsinto this thing.
I look back and I'm like howlike you, you don't you.
When you start something, youdon't ever think it's going to
be what it's going to be, andyou start to get a bit of belief
.
I mean, I don't want to take uptoo much time, but like if we
(05:52):
take it back to the beginninglet's do it all right.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Let's go two days.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
We're going left, all right let's go left, let's go
back.
Like we're talking lockdown,we're talking me and Oba, my
co-founder, who you'll never seeon video.
Uh, we're like living together,like, and my friend uh owns
this big airbnb that sleeps like16 people and obviously he's
not busy.
So we were like, if we're gonnado our lockdown, let's get out
(06:18):
of my house and let's go andmove into a big house.
So we moved into this big housenot joking, we bought uh, green
screen cameras, tripods, and webasically tried to replicate
what our producers got.
Now, um, the budget version.
We basically started.
We started like making contentfor people to show the kids,
(06:39):
because the kids were at homeand they hadn't.
They were struggling to learnbecause they're listening to a
teacher, but they're not reallyengaged.
So the organization that wewere working with at the time,
which is called NCS, theNational Citizen Service, which
is no longer a thing, sadly theywere contacting us like hey,
can you do some stuff digitally?
We were coming on this.
Imagine being on a screen.
(06:59):
There's some guy talking to you.
He's like OK, guys, what isgoing on?
We're going to do an icebreaker.
You're gonna run to your toiletand get toilet paper and bring
it back.
The first person gets the prizeand we'll send them the prize
in the post.
And then we do some workshops,we do confident stuff, and then,
of course, lockdown ends rightand then we're like what are we
gonna do now?
and you gotta move out theairbnb, right, we have to move
(07:21):
out the airbnb, because we'regonna pay some serious numbers
right, and at this point there'snot much income coming in.
But what does happen is we getout and all these people start
going what you did for them kidsonline.
I've never seen them engagelike that before and like they
don't want to come to school.
But now they want to come toschool.
Can you do it face to face?
At the time we had no idea whatwe were doing.
(07:43):
I was like, yeah, I think forthe first six months imagine
we're doing it with visors on.
You know, because of covid, theface masks, the all, all of
that stuff.
You know this.
You got social distance andthen you'd get.
And then we had the ping erawhere it was like, oh my god,
people gotta go home.
So you'd have to shut downprograms.
But we found the way.
We found the way and, of course, hundred, a hundred young
(08:07):
people becomes five thousand,five thousand becomes twenty
thousand and today it sits atlike two hundred and something
thousand young people across thenation who have engaged with
what we do and we're like it'sfive years, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
you were talking about the moment that, the
anniversary of the, the firstlockdown, but also the impact,
the impact that it had on ourfuture generation, the impact
that it's still having on nowthose that were either in
college or uni or in school.
The impact is is going to beongoing, but but let's look at
the positive.
I don't know whether this isleft or right.
Whichever we're going we'regoing forward central but you
(08:39):
must be so proud of the impactthat you made on those young
people that you interact withright yeah, so proud like I will
.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Sometimes I sit there and I get.
I get emotional because I'mlike I'll get a message like on
Instagram at like 6 pm, 7 pm.
Then I at first it was prettynormal.
Then we started getting likethousands of messages from these
kids.
That was the best day of mylife.
Mentally I didn't feel myself,but you've made me feel like I
(09:13):
can be myself and I want to tellmy story and if I ever become
successful one day in life,always remember that it was
because of what you've justgiven me.
And of course, you're lookingat messages like that.
I'm like tearing up, thinkingto myself that's some random kid
called Ben, from 300 miles away, has just gone out of his way.
At the young age 16 or soespecially, they don't
(09:36):
necessarily like to communicatewith society.
Big up, the 16 year olds,though.
I love them, but they don'tnecessarily really like to
engage with things.
So when they are engaging withyou, it's because they genuinely
care.
And to get those messages likeit made me feel like you're
doing the right thing.
And now I start my workshops.
(09:57):
I don't start a workshopwithout telling people three
things.
Number one, why it's a greatday to be alive.
You know, just because we arealive.
Number two, that I support manUnited, but we don't have to go
there, oh, dear Calvin S live.
Number two, that I support manunited, but we don't have to go
there, oh dear calvin, so soon.
And then number three is thefact that, like every day, I
wake up and I get out of bed,and the reason why I work so
hard is because I get to seethem and I don't know who I'm
(10:19):
gonna meet or who's gonna tellme something or what they're
gonna enjoy about the sessionwith me.
But whatever they get from itis make it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I'm grateful for it people the best things in the
world.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah, the best.
And do you know who's reallyproud?
My mum, she's so funny.
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
What is she most proud of?
Is she like Calvin?
What and where did this?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Your mum's from the Ivory Coast, right yeah, my
mum's from the Ivory Coast manLike I'm one of like on my dad's
side.
I'm like one of like seven orsomething On my mum's side.
I'm one of three, right, and mymum is so funny because I know
for a fact I'm her favouritechild and I know this is naughty
, but I know for a fact.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Be siblings out there .
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I'm telling you now siblings, I'm sorry, I am where
she's like.
You know I've got children, butsee my little son, that guy's
good, that guy is builtdifferent.
He like talks to kids.
Sometimes she shows peoplephotos, news articles.
She's like my son is the man.
But you know it's so funnybecause she was like the typical
(11:21):
parent.
That was like to me.
You know, oh, my son, you haveto be a doctor or a lawyer, my
son.
And if you are nothing else,then what have you done?
And I'll never forget the day Iconvinced my mum that it was
sustainable.
I took her on a oh man, I'mabout to reveal the truth here.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I took her on.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
This is so bad.
I was like mum, pack your bags.
I've made loads of money, I'vedone really well, but, more
importantly, I've done greatwork and I'm going to reward you
for it.
I'm taking you to France, packyour bags.
We're going to Toulouse.
I'll pay for everything.
Do you know how much thatflight cost me?
£35 return.
But it was done with love.
Right, it was done with love,and I never told her this.
(12:02):
But that holiday was cheap, man, and we had a nice time.
She was eating her muscles.
She was like wow, son, youreally must be doing well.
I was like so good.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
The most expensive mule treat you will have ever
had.
D'accord, yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
I was out there like wee, wee Sorry, mum, but yeah,
like she's proud of everythingthat we do and my mum's a big
believer in religion and hersort of way of being able to
stay connected to me and give meback.
As she always says I pray foryou or I've prayed for you, so
that's enough for me, man.
And as long as she's and youknow she's able to not work now
(12:39):
and stuff and and I'm, I loveher man, I love her, she's great
has she always been like a bigrole model for you like, yeah, a
guiding light, right?
you know, I don't know if it's athing like, but I don't know
like in our culture, like mumsare a big thing, like West
African culture, mums are like,you know, like I could never,
for example, there was a thingthat she taught me growing up
(13:01):
with people's parents like Icould never talk to anyone's
parents in a rude way.
I like, I, I just have thisthing for parents where I
respect them so much.
I make sure when I go to myfriend's house I call their mom,
auntie, their dad's uncle, like, like it's just that thing,
right so, because obviously forher she was a single mom, like
you know, she did every jobunder the sun just so she could
(13:21):
maintain, you know us, a healthylifestyle.
Like I never felt as a kid thatI went without.
I only realized that how poorwe were and how rough the
neighborhood was from when I wasa teenager.
But when I was a kid, until thatpoint, I was just like, mate,
I'm living the dream, mate, Iget anything I want, I can.
You know, today I get a mealand today I get, and it was like
the little things.
So, watching her sort ofstruggle and then seeing you
(13:45):
know some of the things that shewent through, I said like I was
never gonna stop until I wasable to do something for her.
Um, and I'm still in thatmentality now.
It's not over, you know she's.
She's at that point now whereshe's like, oh, maybe I should
move back to Ivory Coast becauseyou know you're old now, you're
gonna have a family one daysoon and that and yeah.
So so, yeah, everything I doshe for the young people you
(14:07):
know, for for my partner and forher as well, so it's nice.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
And when you were growing up, obviously your mum
wanted you to be a doctor, rightyeah, what did you want to be?
Did you know?
Because the kids that you'recoming across now and the young
people that you're coming across, like 78% of our young folk,
don't know what they want to do.
I mean, I'm still working outwhat I want to be when I grow up
.
Calvin, maybe you can help mewith the unicorn.
Yeah, me and you can do a jointventure together.
(14:34):
Let's do it.
Come on, kick it off now.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
I think you'd be sick .
I did.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I wanted to play football and I know that's like
Me too, but I wanted to play forEverton, right, I know, don't
fall out with me right now, comeon now come on.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I like Everton.
No joint venture anymore.
That gone.
No, we can still do it.
We're still about.
We still got the no.
Actually I'm gonna have toreconsider that one, I don't
know come on, you know, you know, I, I love Everton.
I actually worked at Everton.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
It's a therapy session for me too, right, okay?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
why did you do it?
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I'm joking grown up near a football ground.
No, go on, it's over to you.
Go on.
So you wanted to play football,yeah, I did because I was
actually really good.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I was so good at football.
I was big, you know I was.
I was scary, like if you saw merunning towards you you were
going to move out the way youknow, um, but um, it was one of
them.
It's make or break right,because you're yeah, you have to
either make it really quicklyor not at all.
And and I did quite well, youknow, I played at academy level.
I played first team football atdecent level, but the truth is
(15:34):
I wasn't dedicated enough.
I wish I was as dedicated as Iam to developing the young
people, as I was in football,because right now I'll be in
Saudi at Al-Hilal with Ronaldoor Al-Nasir doing millions.
But I think I was put on earthto talk to the kids, man.
I think I was put on earth togive them some reality.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
That's your gift right.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
That's my gift, it's your superpower, it is the art
of making someone else feel goodis my skill.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
And have you always been this confident?
I think sometimes confident wecan overuse, but have you always
been so passionate,enthusiastic, motivated?
You aren't enthusiastic me.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yes, I think so.
Like I think if you asked anyof my friends from my old school
life, I guess they would saythat I was pretty like out there
and I've always tried to be thelife.
You know my mum's always said,like you know, whenever you go
places, people like feel likereally happy and great.
And you know, I just want toshow love.
I'm like in a world wherethings can feel so dull
(16:35):
sometimes.
Why would you not just showlove?
Like?
You know, I don't know what yougo through in a day to day basis
.
You know how many people I goup to on a rant on the day and
just go up to them and be likeyou look or you dress amazing or
mate, that hairstyle is givinglike, or I love them trainers or
just like, just anything,because I don't know what
they're going through.
(16:55):
And I, you know, sometimes withthe kids when I'm I don't start
a workshop if there's 200people in the room.
I need to talk to 200 peoplebefore I start.
I go to every single one ofthem and Oba gets angry.
He's like mate, you're delayingthe time of the content.
That's not how he talks, butwe're going to.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
He's like stop delaying.
No, if he was here, he coulddefend himself right Over come
on.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
He's like hurry up.
He's like deliver the content,like that's what they pay for.
But no, no, I go up to themsometimes and I'll shake their
hands.
I'll be like look, I don't.
If they look a bit nervous, I'dbe like I don't know what
you're going through, butwhatever it is, you're going to
be fine.
If you need anything, just letme know.
And that kid will be like thankyou.
I don't know if that kid'sgoing to go home that day and be
(17:36):
like someone asked me how I amtoday.
I didn't even say anything.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
They asked me how I am, and that kid will.
I whispered, but shhh, don'ttell him we're still thinking
about the price of flights,right it's true, though right
it's you had.
It was a real challenge whenyou were growing up 15 year old.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
You lost a friend right yeah, crazy, man, crazy,
you know.
You know what's crazy aboutthat.
Right is like people, you know,I don't really talk about this
bit too often Like there's awhole bit of that that I miss
out.
Right, and there's my friendwho obviously passed away, 15
(18:16):
years old, brutally murdered byknife.
Good kid, like proper nice kid.
There's a weird anxiety in mewhen I tell that story because I
like I think about, like youknow, I know that we're kind of
in some ways doing great stuffand people are watching.
I always get anxious to talkabout it because, um, everyone
(18:40):
has their opinions on you, rightand how you felt, but we all
deal with things differently.
But where I kind of pieced ittogether is I understood that no
one really taught me how tomourn and actually the way I
deal with it is the way I dealwith it and like talking about
it helps, because actually I cantell the story of a great man
who probably had everything infront of him, but maybe a slight
(19:04):
change in decision might havemade life a little bit easier.
Might still be here today.
You, he was stabbed, um, and itwasn't really scary at the time
.
Like when I say scary at thetime, I mean it was so
normalized because growing up inlike Edmonton Enfield it was,
people were stabbed, like peoplewere shot, like it's, it's real
(19:28):
.
And you know, it frustrates mebecause I go to some areas, you
know, maybe some rural areas,and people watch youtube and
they talk about all this stuff,like, oh, shank this, da da, da.
And I'm thinking to myself,mate, like here's me actually
dealing with it, like you know,and you don't know what you're
saying and how it's affecting me, but it does affect me, like
it's been.
I've been in the workplace andpeople talk about stuff and they
(19:50):
I've been telling my story andpeople laugh, but I know it's
not because they're, I know it'snot because they're mean, just
because they don't really knowhow to deal with it, you know.
But I remember back then at thetime, it was, like you know,
the question that people ask youthe most is you all right?
Like are you okay?
And no, I'm not we talk about.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
We're not taught how to mourn, are we not taught how
to have those conversations?
So what helped you through that?
Was there a one person?
Was it?
Was it your mom?
Was it your siblings?
What was it that helped you?
Was it just time?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
you know what?
What?
My mum was too busy being mymum so we didn't actually really
get to talk about it like that.
She was so focused on makingsure that I was okay and I kept
out of trouble.
You know that it was like a itwasn't brushed, but it was like
(20:46):
we didn't really get to talkabout it the way.
I guess I would have liked tospoken about it and I don't
blame her for that Like she'sjust doing what she the best for
me.
That's all she's ever done.
My dad and his dad were closefriends too, so we got to talk
about it more, but not enough tokind of give me a bit of an up.
You know, I guess the personwho really saved me was a
(21:10):
teacher.
Yeah, her name was Kathy.
She didn't even teach me, shewould just encourage me to come
to the clubs after school.
You know what's funny?
Yeah, she told me to move toLiverpool there you go.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
I'm becoming man United fan.
I'm just going to throw that inthere.
Seems a bit wrong but, why isthat?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
She came to uni here and she said to me why don't you
just start fresh?
Start again Move somewhere elseand, like I went to Liverpool
and like the kids there, they'relike people would like you,
your personality would fit invery well and you know,
sometimes you don't, you don'trealize these little things that
we say to people how much theytake Cause I took that and I did
(21:53):
what she said and I've nevermoved back.
It's been 11 years since I'velived here.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
I can hear that Scouse accent just coming
through now.
Calvin, Sometimes it comesthrough, you know, oh my life,
oh my life.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
You know, production man, don't edit this, mate.
I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
But yeah, man, she was a rockfor me.
She actually made me feel likeheard, you know, and she taught
me little things that helped mein my personal life.
And, you know, she made me feellike I had a chance at life and
(22:32):
I didn't have to be that nextperson because for a long time I
did feel like I was that nextperson.
To be honest with you, sometimesI felt like it's probably, you
know, you're, I'm stuck in thisbubble, I'm probably gonna be
the next person to get stabbed,or I'm, because you're just
stuck in this environment of andyou know, sad reality is I lost
(22:53):
touch with most people and Iblamed myself for years like I
thought, did I just?
Did I turn on them, like youknow, like, why should I feel
like a victim here, like, orwhat you know?
Like so many thoughts runningthrough my mind and, um, yeah, I
wish I could have aconversation with them.
But you know, life, life got inthe way.
But I tell you one thing uh,everything I do do that's
(23:16):
positive for the community.
I always remember my friend andI always shout him out and I
know he'd be proud of me if hewas here.
He'd be like you know this guy,he done all right, like, and he
actually made a difference tohundreds of thousands of lives.
And that's what keeps me up,keeps me going every day.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
And I think that's it's really important, because
often when someone has got theyou know, the energy and the
passion and the light that youbring into any room, Everyone
thinks you're okay, you know,and it's important to check in
on the checkers, those peoplewho are checking on all 200 kids
in the room.
It's important, isn't it?
It's important to reach out.
Not everyone's all over it.
(23:52):
Sometimes we have a store right.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Sometimes it's hard.
Like you know, I always saythis to people.
I'm like you know, I always saythis people, I'm like you know,
when you're trying to be thelife all the time, like some,
it's so easy for us to knowyou're not okay.
Yeah, because the minute you'resilent, people go you're not
okay, and sometimes you mightjust want a bit of brain space
because you've been goingthrough a lot like I'm feeling
like that nowadays at the moment.
I'm like god, I can't always bethe person who brings the end.
(24:16):
Like sometimes I just needsomeone to be like yo are you,
are you actually all right?
Like do you want to?
Like you know, and I guessoba's that person for me.
You know, we, we have hearts tohearts and we have.
I guess it's great when yourbest friend's, your business
partner, we have like reallyemotional chats sometimes and
we're just like you know, andsometimes you just have to open
up and just let it out and youknow I can't say life is.
(24:37):
You know there's things thatyou're always working on and but
but we're trying and you know,like I said, I got this great
support system at home as welland, and you know, my partner's
part of what we do and part ofthe business, and it's like we
just got to.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
But it's amazing, this business is now
international right.
You're taking theseconversations not the unicorns
overseas I understand and weknow the Rock is retired, but
you know this is, it's amazing.
This is now a global business.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Yeah, like, let's get into that.
How does how do two black boys,one from Edmonton, one from
Warsaw, take excuse me, takesomething like that and turn it
into an international thing?
Do you know the truth?
This is so funny.
We co-founded it with a coupleof other guys and we met them
(25:28):
because they're in a similarspace to what we do in the UK
and we were kind of like youknow, we're in the same business
.
It's like should we becompetitors?
And we'd see them atconferences.
And I know it was a little bitlike oh, we're in the same
business.
It's like, should we becompetitors?
And we'd see them atconferences.
And I know it was a little bitlike, oh, we're like, oh my God,
there's those guys.
And we'd be like there's thoseguys.
And one day we sat down inBirmingham and we're like I
(25:50):
don't want no trouble, man, weshould join forces.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
And we did and we realize, like, well, we don't
need to.
You know you, your thing isyour thing, our thing is our
thing.
We don't have to approach eachother's clients.
We could work together if youwant it's.
It is what it is, but the mainthing here is we're trying to
empower young people, so let'sdo something together.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
100 the purpose is there?
The passion is there?
The intention is there?
Crack on, play nice right.
One last question if you had amagic wand yeah, you know you've
.
You've gone in during covid,during lockdown, during the, the
new world of, of, of thebusiness, you're changing kids
lives what would you do withthat magic wand?
Speaker 2 (26:30):
I would wow, that is a good question.
Okay, I've got the answer.
I would.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Well, I'm glad yeah, got to do your job, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Therapy's almost over .
I would get two things.
Personal development would be amandatory in every single
school, college, institution,any education around the world.
Everyone they have to dopersonal development, whether
(27:03):
it's working with us or the guysat Unlock or any guys like
yourself.
Any organization that is doinganything to empower people needs
to be front and center, becausethe truth is we're teaching a
curriculum that's been taughtthe same way for the last
hundreds and hundreds of years.
Shake it up, yes, shake it up.
Change it, put some freshenergy in there and let's start
(27:25):
looking at life skills andpersonal development, because
these young people today are farmore likely to become
successful entrepreneurs bystarting a little company in
their local area that doesreally well, rather than
becoming a mathematician.
Stop playing it to the systemand let's play it to our
strengths.
And secondly this is the bigthing corporate companies.
Put your hand in your pockets,mate, like there are thousands
(27:48):
of kids out there who need atthat little bit of corporate
social responsibility that youhave, that little 50 grand you
have left, give it toorganizations like us and
organizations who are doingsimilar things to go into
schools and do some workshopsand help upskill, because if all
the corporate companies didthat, we'd be fine, we'd be okay
(28:09):
.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Because guess what?
Your experience, your energy,your expertise, not free.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
It's not free Exactly we need to you know.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Calvin Eden Akotua, you are a legend.
Can't wait for our jointventure, even though you know
I'll, I'm not changing to be myunited I'm sorry about that but,
calvin, thank you so much forjoining us.
Your mom will be super proud,um, as would your friend and I.
Thank you so much for openingup to us today.
I look forward to our adventurethanks for having me do do, do,
(28:39):
do, ha, ha, ha ha.
Subscribe on YouTube, apple,amazon, music, spotify or
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We are power underscore net onInsta, tiktok and Twitter, or we
are power on LinkedIn, facebookand we are underscore power on
YouTube.
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is
the podcast for you, your careerand your life.
We release an episode everysingle Monday with listeners in
over 60 countries worldwide,where you'll hear personal life
stories, top-notch industryadvice and key leadership
insight from amazing role models.
(00:21):
As we Are Power is the umbrellabrand to Northern Power Women
Awards, which celebrateshundreds of female role models
and advocates every year.
This is where you can hearstories from all of our awards
alumni and stay up to date witheverything MPW Awards and we Are
Power.
Well, this week we're in forquite the ride.
(00:49):
I think I am delighted to bejoined by Calvin Eden A Couture,
the founder and brand directorof Loud Speaker, which you
founded back in 2019 with yourbuddy.
Yeah, who's not here?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
He's not here, yeah, but here in spirit, right,
exactly.
He's not here.
He's not here, yeah, but herein spirit, right, exactly.
He's with us, he sends his loveWelcome.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Thank you so much for joining us on the we Are Power
Couch Now.
What you do is absolutely epic.
It feels like it's something Iwant to do every day.
You go to work with unicorns.
You amplify voices.
You give people uh, our younggeneration the opportunity to
(01:29):
have their voice heard.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Tell us about loudspeaker firstly, thank you
for having me, like you know,I've got like this is this is a,
this is great, um, and it's ablessing to be here because,
truthfully, uh, you know it's.
You don't really understand howgreat what you do is until
you're actually doing it andsomeone actually says it.
So to do something like thisfor me is like oh, wow, like
someone sees the great work thatwe try and do, going to work
(01:53):
with unicorns and cardboardcutouts of David Attenborough
and the Rock I heard and the.
Rock, the Rock.
The Rock's been, he's been.
You know, we've had to let himgo, actually.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Oh no.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
He's too big to fit in our car, but he's great.
I guess Loudspeaker is theorganisation that goes all
around the country into yourschool, into your institution
and we basically give your youngpeople hope.
We try and raise aspirationthrough building confidence,
(02:26):
through communication skills,resilience, teaching them
entrepreneurship, telling themour stories and hearing their
stories.
We just give them a voice, wegive them the platform to be
able to do that and they engagewith us through these workshops
that are crazy and I'm talkinglike I'm talking like crazy.
You walk in a room.
There's tunes on, it's goingoff, there's confetti cannons
(02:49):
popping for no reason.
Someone is leaving with a bigbox of cocoa pops for no reason,
but like they go, wow, I justI'm.
You know, it just makes you sograteful to be there.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
It's amazing is it like bongo bingo?
Speaker 2 (03:03):
for Truth be told, hopefully Johnny doesn't send me
a fine here.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Oh yeah, you know what?
We're not having another lawthing, no.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
No, Johnny's a good guy.
I know Johnny, I've met him.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
A good few times in my life.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
He's a good guy and this is funny because I actually
saw him like six months ago onEgbuff High Street and I forgot
to tell him.
He is actually the reason whywe were inspired to do things
the way we do it, becauseobviously he works in the field
that he works in.
His market's untouchable.
But for us it's engaging youngpeople, and we want to give
every kid a voice.
But you need to engage withthese young people in a way
(03:36):
that's going to make them wantto be here.
They're young at the end of theday, right, the attention span
is quite short, so you needsomething to keep their mind
going, and that thing that worksis always prizes.
It's that music, it's thatenergy.
So we take that concept ofenergy, vibes and so on and so
forth from Johnny's thing and weput it into education without
(03:57):
playing bingo, just by teachingyoung people stuff, you know.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
It's amazing.
And you say you bring, you arethe big C, and you bring the
energy.
And that energy is so important, isn't it?
It's contagious, right.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, and energy is most important thing, right, you
got to it's, it's how someonemakes you feel, that's what you
want them to remember, right?
So the energy that they latchonto is the thing that's going
to make them stay.
Like I, I vibe with, like youknow, to give you some
categories, back in the daythey'd call it the nerds.
But like, I vibe with the nerdsCause, like I realized that
they're just called nerds causeI can't read.
So they're like.
(04:29):
And then I got like the emokids who, like, got 25 piercings
.
They're like, like, and theywere like mates by the end in
life, so much so that theynicknamed me Big C.
There is a background story tothat as well.
(04:49):
I do have a friend I'm going toshout her out Lauren Zoe Carter.
She's an artist.
We was on holiday one time andI was walking past and she
literally went man, big C, howyou doing today?
Man, I was like, oh my God,that's coming home with me.
And then I started telling theyoung people it.
And obviously you work with somany young people now.
I see them in like the barbersand I'll be in like Asda.
(05:10):
They'll be with their mum andthey'll be like Big C.
What are you saying?
And their mums are looking atme like who is this man that
knows my child?
But then they tell him and it'samazing, man.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
It's amazing that name has really flourished and
it is.
You talk about it being one bigidea 2 000 workshops, thousands
and thousands, or hundreds ofthousands of learners.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
Yeah, you must be super proud oh man, I like I sit
in here today, like five yearsinto this thing.
I look back and I'm like howlike you, you don't you.
When you start something, youdon't ever think it's going to
be what it's going to be, andyou start to get a bit of belief
.
I mean, I don't want to take uptoo much time, but like if we
(05:52):
take it back to the beginninglet's do it all right.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Let's go two days.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
We're going left, all right let's go left, let's go
back.
Like we're talking lockdown,we're talking me and Oba, my
co-founder, who you'll never seeon video.
Uh, we're like living together,like, and my friend uh owns
this big airbnb that sleeps like16 people and obviously he's
not busy.
So we were like, if we're gonnado our lockdown, let's get out
(06:18):
of my house and let's go andmove into a big house.
So we moved into this big housenot joking, we bought uh, green
screen cameras, tripods, and webasically tried to replicate
what our producers got.
Now, um, the budget version.
We basically started.
We started like making contentfor people to show the kids,
(06:39):
because the kids were at homeand they hadn't.
They were struggling to learnbecause they're listening to a
teacher, but they're not reallyengaged.
So the organization that wewere working with at the time,
which is called NCS, theNational Citizen Service, which
is no longer a thing, sadly theywere contacting us like hey,
can you do some stuff digitally?
We were coming on this.
Imagine being on a screen.
(06:59):
There's some guy talking to you.
He's like OK, guys, what isgoing on?
We're going to do an icebreaker.
You're gonna run to your toiletand get toilet paper and bring
it back.
The first person gets the prizeand we'll send them the prize
in the post.
And then we do some workshops,we do confident stuff, and then,
of course, lockdown ends rightand then we're like what are we
gonna do now?
and you gotta move out theairbnb, right, we have to move
(07:21):
out the airbnb, because we'regonna pay some serious numbers
right, and at this point there'snot much income coming in.
But what does happen is we getout and all these people start
going what you did for them kidsonline.
I've never seen them engagelike that before and like they
don't want to come to school.
But now they want to come toschool.
Can you do it face to face?
At the time we had no idea whatwe were doing.
(07:43):
I was like, yeah, I think forthe first six months imagine
we're doing it with visors on.
You know, because of covid, theface masks, the all, all of
that stuff.
You know this.
You got social distance andthen you'd get.
And then we had the ping erawhere it was like, oh my god,
people gotta go home.
So you'd have to shut downprograms.
But we found the way.
We found the way and, of course, hundred, a hundred young
(08:07):
people becomes five thousand,five thousand becomes twenty
thousand and today it sits atlike two hundred and something
thousand young people across thenation who have engaged with
what we do and we're like it'sfive years, isn't it?
Speaker 1 (08:17):
you were talking about the moment that, the
anniversary of the, the firstlockdown, but also the impact,
the impact that it had on ourfuture generation, the impact
that it's still having on nowthose that were either in
college or uni or in school.
The impact is is going to beongoing, but but let's look at
the positive.
I don't know whether this isleft or right.
Whichever we're going we'regoing forward central but you
(08:39):
must be so proud of the impactthat you made on those young
people that you interact withright yeah, so proud like I will
.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Sometimes I sit there and I get.
I get emotional because I'mlike I'll get a message like on
Instagram at like 6 pm, 7 pm.
Then I at first it was prettynormal.
Then we started getting likethousands of messages from these
kids.
That was the best day of mylife.
Mentally I didn't feel myself,but you've made me feel like I
(09:13):
can be myself and I want to tellmy story and if I ever become
successful one day in life,always remember that it was
because of what you've justgiven me.
And of course, you're lookingat messages like that.
I'm like tearing up, thinkingto myself that's some random kid
called Ben, from 300 miles away, has just gone out of his way.
At the young age 16 or soespecially, they don't
(09:36):
necessarily like to communicatewith society.
Big up, the 16 year olds,though.
I love them, but they don'tnecessarily really like to
engage with things.
So when they are engaging withyou, it's because they genuinely
care.
And to get those messages likeit made me feel like you're
doing the right thing.
And now I start my workshops.
(09:57):
I don't start a workshopwithout telling people three
things.
Number one, why it's a greatday to be alive.
You know, just because we arealive.
Number two, that I support manUnited, but we don't have to go
there, oh, dear Calvin S live.
Number two, that I support manunited, but we don't have to go
there, oh dear calvin, so soon.
And then number three is thefact that, like every day, I
wake up and I get out of bed,and the reason why I work so
hard is because I get to seethem and I don't know who I'm
(10:19):
gonna meet or who's gonna tellme something or what they're
gonna enjoy about the sessionwith me.
But whatever they get from itis make it.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I'm grateful for it people the best things in the
world.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Yeah, the best.
And do you know who's reallyproud?
My mum, she's so funny.
I'm sorry.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
What is she most proud of?
Is she like Calvin?
What and where did this?
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Your mum's from the Ivory Coast, right yeah, my
mum's from the Ivory Coast manLike I'm one of like on my dad's
side.
I'm like one of like seven orsomething On my mum's side.
I'm one of three, right, and mymum is so funny because I know
for a fact I'm her favouritechild and I know this is naughty
, but I know for a fact.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Be siblings out there .
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I'm telling you now siblings, I'm sorry, I am where
she's like.
You know I've got children, butsee my little son, that guy's
good, that guy is builtdifferent.
He like talks to kids.
Sometimes she shows peoplephotos, news articles.
She's like my son is the man.
But you know it's so funnybecause she was like the typical
(11:21):
parent.
That was like to me.
You know, oh, my son, you haveto be a doctor or a lawyer, my
son.
And if you are nothing else,then what have you done?
And I'll never forget the day Iconvinced my mum that it was
sustainable.
I took her on a oh man, I'mabout to reveal the truth here.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I took her on.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
This is so bad.
I was like mum, pack your bags.
I've made loads of money, I'vedone really well, but, more
importantly, I've done greatwork and I'm going to reward you
for it.
I'm taking you to France, packyour bags.
We're going to Toulouse.
I'll pay for everything.
Do you know how much thatflight cost me?
£35 return.
But it was done with love.
Right, it was done with love,and I never told her this.
(12:02):
But that holiday was cheap, man, and we had a nice time.
She was eating her muscles.
She was like wow, son, youreally must be doing well.
I was like so good.
Speaker 1 (12:11):
The most expensive mule treat you will have ever
had.
D'accord, yeah exactly.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
I was out there like wee, wee Sorry, mum, but yeah,
like she's proud of everythingthat we do and my mum's a big
believer in religion and hersort of way of being able to
stay connected to me and give meback.
As she always says I pray foryou or I've prayed for you, so
that's enough for me, man.
And as long as she's and youknow she's able to not work now
(12:39):
and stuff and and I'm, I loveher man, I love her, she's great
has she always been like a bigrole model for you like, yeah, a
guiding light, right?
you know, I don't know if it's athing like, but I don't know
like in our culture, like mumsare a big thing, like West
African culture, mums are like,you know, like I could never,
for example, there was a thingthat she taught me growing up
(13:01):
with people's parents like Icould never talk to anyone's
parents in a rude way.
I like, I, I just have thisthing for parents where I
respect them so much.
I make sure when I go to myfriend's house I call their mom,
auntie, their dad's uncle, like, like it's just that thing,
right so, because obviously forher she was a single mom, like
you know, she did every jobunder the sun just so she could
(13:21):
maintain, you know us, a healthylifestyle.
Like I never felt as a kid thatI went without.
I only realized that how poorwe were and how rough the
neighborhood was from when I wasa teenager.
But when I was a kid, until thatpoint, I was just like, mate,
I'm living the dream, mate, Iget anything I want, I can.
You know, today I get a mealand today I get, and it was like
the little things.
So, watching her sort ofstruggle and then seeing you
(13:45):
know some of the things that shewent through, I said like I was
never gonna stop until I wasable to do something for her.
Um, and I'm still in thatmentality now.
It's not over, you know she's.
She's at that point now whereshe's like, oh, maybe I should
move back to Ivory Coast becauseyou know you're old now, you're
gonna have a family one daysoon and that and yeah.
So so, yeah, everything I doshe for the young people you
(14:07):
know, for for my partner and forher as well, so it's nice.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
And when you were growing up, obviously your mum
wanted you to be a doctor, rightyeah, what did you want to be?
Did you know?
Because the kids that you'recoming across now and the young
people that you're coming across, like 78% of our young folk,
don't know what they want to do.
I mean, I'm still working outwhat I want to be when I grow up
.
Calvin, maybe you can help mewith the unicorn.
Yeah, me and you can do a jointventure together.
(14:34):
Let's do it.
Come on, kick it off now.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
I think you'd be sick .
I did.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
I wanted to play football and I know that's like
Me too, but I wanted to play forEverton, right, I know, don't
fall out with me right now, comeon now come on.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
I like Everton.
No joint venture anymore.
That gone.
No, we can still do it.
We're still about.
We still got the no.
Actually I'm gonna have toreconsider that one, I don't
know come on, you know, you know, I, I love Everton.
I actually worked at Everton.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
It's a therapy session for me too, right, okay?
Speaker 2 (15:02):
why did you do it?
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I'm joking grown up near a football ground.
No, go on, it's over to you.
Go on.
So you wanted to play football,yeah, I did because I was
actually really good.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
I was so good at football.
I was big, you know I was.
I was scary, like if you saw merunning towards you you were
going to move out the way youknow, um, but um, it was one of
them.
It's make or break right,because you're yeah, you have to
either make it really quicklyor not at all.
And and I did quite well, youknow, I played at academy level.
I played first team football atdecent level, but the truth is
(15:34):
I wasn't dedicated enough.
I wish I was as dedicated as Iam to developing the young
people, as I was in football,because right now I'll be in
Saudi at Al-Hilal with Ronaldoor Al-Nasir doing millions.
But I think I was put on earthto talk to the kids, man.
I think I was put on earth togive them some reality.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
That's your gift right.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
That's my gift, it's your superpower, it is the art
of making someone else feel goodis my skill.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
And have you always been this confident?
I think sometimes confident wecan overuse, but have you always
been so passionate,enthusiastic, motivated?
You aren't enthusiastic me.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
Yes, I think so.
Like I think if you asked anyof my friends from my old school
life, I guess they would saythat I was pretty like out there
and I've always tried to be thelife.
You know my mum's always said,like you know, whenever you go
places, people like feel likereally happy and great.
And you know, I just want toshow love.
I'm like in a world wherethings can feel so dull
(16:35):
sometimes.
Why would you not just showlove?
Like?
You know, I don't know what yougo through in a day to day basis
.
You know how many people I goup to on a rant on the day and
just go up to them and be likeyou look or you dress amazing or
mate, that hairstyle is givinglike, or I love them trainers or
just like, just anything,because I don't know what
they're going through.
(16:55):
And I, you know, sometimes withthe kids when I'm I don't start
a workshop if there's 200people in the room.
I need to talk to 200 peoplebefore I start.
I go to every single one ofthem and Oba gets angry.
He's like mate, you're delayingthe time of the content.
That's not how he talks, butwe're going to.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
He's like stop delaying.
No, if he was here, he coulddefend himself right Over come
on.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
He's like hurry up.
He's like deliver the content,like that's what they pay for.
But no, no, I go up to themsometimes and I'll shake their
hands.
I'll be like look, I don't.
If they look a bit nervous, I'dbe like I don't know what
you're going through, butwhatever it is, you're going to
be fine.
If you need anything, just letme know.
And that kid will be like thankyou.
I don't know if that kid'sgoing to go home that day and be
(17:36):
like someone asked me how I amtoday.
I didn't even say anything.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
They asked me how I am, and that kid will.
I whispered, but shhh, don'ttell him we're still thinking
about the price of flights,right it's true, though right
it's you had.
It was a real challenge whenyou were growing up 15 year old.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
You lost a friend right yeah, crazy, man, crazy,
you know.
You know what's crazy aboutthat.
Right is like people, you know,I don't really talk about this
bit too often Like there's awhole bit of that that I miss
out.
Right, and there's my friendwho obviously passed away, 15
(18:16):
years old, brutally murdered byknife.
Good kid, like proper nice kid.
There's a weird anxiety in mewhen I tell that story because I
like I think about, like youknow, I know that we're kind of
in some ways doing great stuffand people are watching.
I always get anxious to talkabout it because, um, everyone
(18:40):
has their opinions on you, rightand how you felt, but we all
deal with things differently.
But where I kind of pieced ittogether is I understood that no
one really taught me how tomourn and actually the way I
deal with it is the way I dealwith it and like talking about
it helps, because actually I cantell the story of a great man
who probably had everything infront of him, but maybe a slight
(19:04):
change in decision might havemade life a little bit easier.
Might still be here today.
You, he was stabbed, um, and itwasn't really scary at the time
.
Like when I say scary at thetime, I mean it was so
normalized because growing up inlike Edmonton Enfield it was,
people were stabbed, like peoplewere shot, like it's, it's real
(19:28):
.
And you know, it frustrates mebecause I go to some areas, you
know, maybe some rural areas,and people watch youtube and
they talk about all this stuff,like, oh, shank this, da da, da.
And I'm thinking to myself,mate, like here's me actually
dealing with it, like you know,and you don't know what you're
saying and how it's affecting me, but it does affect me, like
it's been.
I've been in the workplace andpeople talk about stuff and they
(19:50):
I've been telling my story andpeople laugh, but I know it's
not because they're, I know it'snot because they're mean, just
because they don't really knowhow to deal with it, you know.
But I remember back then at thetime, it was, like you know,
the question that people ask youthe most is you all right?
Like are you okay?
And no, I'm not we talk about.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
We're not taught how to mourn, are we not taught how
to have those conversations?
So what helped you through that?
Was there a one person?
Was it?
Was it your mom?
Was it your siblings?
What was it that helped you?
Was it just time?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
you know what?
What?
My mum was too busy being mymum so we didn't actually really
get to talk about it like that.
She was so focused on makingsure that I was okay and I kept
out of trouble.
You know that it was like a itwasn't brushed, but it was like
(20:46):
we didn't really get to talkabout it the way.
I guess I would have liked tospoken about it and I don't
blame her for that Like she'sjust doing what she the best for
me.
That's all she's ever done.
My dad and his dad were closefriends too, so we got to talk
about it more, but not enough tokind of give me a bit of an up.
You know, I guess the personwho really saved me was a
(21:10):
teacher.
Yeah, her name was Kathy.
She didn't even teach me, shewould just encourage me to come
to the clubs after school.
You know what's funny?
Yeah, she told me to move toLiverpool there you go.
Speaker 1 (21:27):
I'm becoming man United fan.
I'm just going to throw that inthere.
Seems a bit wrong but, why isthat?
Speaker 2 (21:33):
She came to uni here and she said to me why don't you
just start fresh?
Start again Move somewhere elseand, like I went to Liverpool
and like the kids there, they'relike people would like you,
your personality would fit invery well and you know,
sometimes you don't, you don'trealize these little things that
we say to people how much theytake Cause I took that and I did
(21:53):
what she said and I've nevermoved back.
It's been 11 years since I'velived here.
Speaker 1 (21:58):
I can hear that Scouse accent just coming
through now.
Calvin, Sometimes it comesthrough, you know, oh my life,
oh my life.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
You know, production man, don't edit this, mate.
I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
But yeah, man, she was a rockfor me.
She actually made me feel likeheard, you know, and she taught
me little things that helped mein my personal life.
And, you know, she made me feellike I had a chance at life and
(22:32):
I didn't have to be that nextperson because for a long time I
did feel like I was that nextperson.
To be honest with you, sometimesI felt like it's probably, you
know, you're, I'm stuck in thisbubble, I'm probably gonna be
the next person to get stabbed,or I'm, because you're just
stuck in this environment of andyou know, sad reality is I lost
(22:53):
touch with most people and Iblamed myself for years like I
thought, did I just?
Did I turn on them, like youknow, like, why should I feel
like a victim here, like, orwhat you know?
Like so many thoughts runningthrough my mind and, um, yeah, I
wish I could have aconversation with them.
But you know, life, life got inthe way.
But I tell you one thing uh,everything I do do that's
(23:16):
positive for the community.
I always remember my friend andI always shout him out and I
know he'd be proud of me if hewas here.
He'd be like you know this guy,he done all right, like, and he
actually made a difference tohundreds of thousands of lives.
And that's what keeps me up,keeps me going every day.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
And I think that's it's really important, because
often when someone has got theyou know, the energy and the
passion and the light that youbring into any room, Everyone
thinks you're okay, you know,and it's important to check in
on the checkers, those peoplewho are checking on all 200 kids
in the room.
It's important, isn't it?
It's important to reach out.
Not everyone's all over it.
(23:52):
Sometimes we have a store right.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Sometimes it's hard.
Like you know, I always saythis to people.
I'm like you know, I always saythis people, I'm like you know,
when you're trying to be thelife all the time, like some,
it's so easy for us to knowyou're not okay.
Yeah, because the minute you'resilent, people go you're not
okay, and sometimes you mightjust want a bit of brain space
because you've been goingthrough a lot like I'm feeling
like that nowadays at the moment.
I'm like god, I can't always bethe person who brings the end.
(24:16):
Like sometimes I just needsomeone to be like yo are you,
are you actually all right?
Like do you want to?
Like you know, and I guessoba's that person for me.
You know, we, we have hearts tohearts and we have.
I guess it's great when yourbest friend's, your business
partner, we have like reallyemotional chats sometimes and
we're just like you know, andsometimes you just have to open
up and just let it out and youknow I can't say life is.
(24:37):
You know there's things thatyou're always working on and but
but we're trying and you know,like I said, I got this great
support system at home as welland, and you know, my partner's
part of what we do and part ofthe business, and it's like we
just got to.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
But it's amazing, this business is now
international right.
You're taking theseconversations not the unicorns
overseas I understand and weknow the Rock is retired, but
you know this is, it's amazing.
This is now a global business.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
Yeah, like, let's get into that.
How does how do two black boys,one from Edmonton, one from
Warsaw, take excuse me, takesomething like that and turn it
into an international thing?
Do you know the truth?
This is so funny.
We co-founded it with a coupleof other guys and we met them
(25:28):
because they're in a similarspace to what we do in the UK
and we were kind of like youknow, we're in the same business
.
It's like should we becompetitors?
And we'd see them atconferences.
And I know it was a little bitlike oh, we're in the same
business.
It's like, should we becompetitors?
And we'd see them atconferences.
And I know it was a little bitlike, oh, we're like, oh my God,
there's those guys.
And we'd be like there's thoseguys.
And one day we sat down inBirmingham and we're like I
(25:50):
don't want no trouble, man, weshould join forces.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
For sure.
Speaker 2 (25:53):
And we did and we realize, like, well, we don't
need to.
You know you, your thing isyour thing, our thing is our
thing.
We don't have to approach eachother's clients.
We could work together if youwant it's.
It is what it is, but the mainthing here is we're trying to
empower young people, so let'sdo something together.
Speaker 1 (26:08):
100 the purpose is there?
The passion is there?
The intention is there?
Crack on, play nice right.
One last question if you had amagic wand yeah, you know you've
.
You've gone in during covid,during lockdown, during the, the
new world of, of, of thebusiness, you're changing kids
lives what would you do withthat magic wand?
Speaker 2 (26:30):
I would wow, that is a good question.
Okay, I've got the answer.
I would.
Speaker 1 (26:36):
Well, I'm glad yeah, got to do your job, you know.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Therapy's almost over .
I would get two things.
Personal development would be amandatory in every single
school, college, institution,any education around the world.
Everyone they have to dopersonal development, whether
(27:03):
it's working with us or the guysat Unlock or any guys like
yourself.
Any organization that is doinganything to empower people needs
to be front and center, becausethe truth is we're teaching a
curriculum that's been taughtthe same way for the last
hundreds and hundreds of years.
Shake it up, yes, shake it up.
Change it, put some freshenergy in there and let's start
(27:25):
looking at life skills andpersonal development, because
these young people today are farmore likely to become
successful entrepreneurs bystarting a little company in
their local area that doesreally well, rather than
becoming a mathematician.
Stop playing it to the systemand let's play it to our
strengths.
And secondly this is the bigthing corporate companies.
Put your hand in your pockets,mate, like there are thousands
(27:48):
of kids out there who need atthat little bit of corporate
social responsibility that youhave, that little 50 grand you
have left, give it toorganizations like us and
organizations who are doingsimilar things to go into
schools and do some workshopsand help upskill, because if all
the corporate companies didthat, we'd be fine, we'd be okay
(28:09):
.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
Because guess what?
Your experience, your energy,your expertise, not free.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
It's not free Exactly we need to you know.
Speaker 1 (28:17):
Calvin Eden Akotua, you are a legend.
Can't wait for our jointventure, even though you know
I'll, I'm not changing to be myunited I'm sorry about that but,
calvin, thank you so much forjoining us.
Your mom will be super proud,um, as would your friend and I.
Thank you so much for openingup to us today.
I look forward to our adventurethanks for having me do do, do,
(28:39):
do, ha, ha, ha ha.
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