November 22, 2023 • 32 mins
Picture the journey of a financial auditor evolving into a leader in the hedge funds, private equity, and corporate financial solutions realm. Osazele Ebinda walks us through her impressive career trajectory, fuelled by ambition, resilience, and her mother's unwavering belief in her abilities. In a world that's constantly on fast-forward, Osazele emphasizes the beauty of being present, mindful, and patient, especially in unusual circumstances. Her story is a testament to the power of hard work and continuous learning and will inspire you to push your boundaries.
This is an enlightening discussion that promises to enhance your leadership skills and help you embrace mindfulness and spiritual awareness and is full of wisdom and inspiration.
Thanks for listening!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome to the Leader Impact podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the world,dedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments or suggestions to makethis show even better, please
(00:28):
let us know.
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at LeaderImpact.
ca or on social media at LeaderImpact.
If you're listening fromoutside of Canada, check out our
website at LeaderImpact.
com.
I'm your host, Lisa Peters, andour guest today is Osaze Ebinda.
As the managing principal atAcclaim Advisory Incorporated
and the partner at ApajiSecurities and Wealth
(00:52):
Incorporated, Osaze leveragesher expertise in hedge funds,
private equity and corporatefinancial solutions to help her
clients achieve their financialgoals and optimize their
business performance.
Osaze has a strong backgroundin oil and gas, having served as
the executive director atSaxaby for years.
She also holds a certificate inmanaging digital enterprises
(01:13):
from North Carolina State andhas completed advanced degrees
in executive education programsat IESI and Lagos business
schools.
She is passionate aboutapplying digital and financial
innovations to drive businessgrowth and sustainability in
various sectors and markets.
On a personal note, Osaze hasfounded a non-profit that helped
(01:33):
women deal withpregnancy-related complications
in West Africa.
Over 4,000 women were helped bythe organization during her
involvement, before rolling theproject over to M1, an
association of medical women inNigeria.
Welcome to the podcast, Osaze.
It is nice to finally meet you.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Same here, Lisa, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
So we sort of have this little bit of a program
that we go through.
But I'm first going to commenton.
I feel like when I read yourbackground, like you have a very
varied background from oil andglass or oil and gas to
financial.
So I want you to talk a littlebit about your professional
story and how you got there andany of those pivotal moments
(02:18):
that along your journey got youto where you are.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Yeah, I know it's quite a scope of stuff, right,
yeah.
But so I began as an accountant.
My first degree is in financeand accounting and I went on and
became a childhood accountantright, so that pretty much makes
(02:45):
one.
You know, you get spread acrossthe industry, right?
Especially when you work in anaudit role as a financial
auditor, you audit all kinds ofcompanies across the spectrum.
So I went to business schooland I found out that, wow, I
didn't like accounting as muchas I thought, right, because
(03:08):
finance was so much more.
It gave you the opportunity tobe looking forward into and
designing the financialsituation of corporations,
rather than looking back andchecking what they did with what
money came in and why they arenot doing well, right.
(03:28):
So, and that was so much moreexciting Well, when I got out of
business school, I joined thecaptive private equity of an oil
and gas group.
So that's how I got into oil andgas.
But I joined initially in afinancial capacity right, so I
(03:49):
was building financial modelsand analyzing acquisitions,
acquisition projects and all ofthat in that space.
So it just gave me the insightinto the oil and gas industry,
which happens to be the primaryindustry in my home country
(04:14):
Nigeria.
So it was exciting Then.
But having that background infinance, you know hedge funds
and investments were always likea compelling thing for me, so I
guess it was inevitable that Iwould go into hedge funds and
(04:41):
investments as well.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, it seems inevitable to you.
I'm listening and I'm like, wow, because I think I think
sometimes would people, wouldyou know?
We go to school, you get adegree and sometimes you think I
am an accountant.
Where was that point where youwent?
I'm going to go to businessschool?
What was in you, what were youthinking at the time to go?
(05:04):
I want something else.
I want more Like what was that?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Well, I guess I was young, and when you're young you
want to do things right and itjust wasn't sufficient to be an
accountant staring into rulesupon rules of ledgers, endlessly
right and well.
And business school just wouldbe well in the world I was in,
(05:33):
it just was the next logicalthing to do.
You know, when you get yourprofessional certification as a
CA, you know the next thing youdo is, well, you got to go to
the next level, right?
Business school.
And yeah, so that was it.
And yeah, and at some pointafter business school, I went
(05:54):
and I got the certification inmanaging digital enterprises
from the North Carolina StateUniversity.
You know that further exposedto me that, oh my God, the world
is changing.
You know the world is goingdigital and it began to further
(06:14):
pull and push my attention intothe application of digital
solutions.
You know, across the processesthat I was involved in, yeah,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
So did you ever have anyone in your corner?
Was there someone in the back?
Was there a parent?
Was there a teacher, aprofessor?
Was there someone that was likeyou can do more, Osaze?
Or I mean, it could have beenyou, but I'm just asking the
question.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Oh yeah.
So my mom, you know, I kind ofthink that my mom is a super
achiever, and not because shehas built some huge, gigantic
business, but because you knowshe's just.
She would say you know, I'mfirst among six kids, you know.
And she would say, oh, the guys, the people who are doing so,
(06:59):
and so did you notice that theyhave one heads, they are not two
headed.
You know, you thought we can dothat too, right, you know, she
would prod, gently and willingly.
So my mom, at the time I wasliving the university with my
bachelor's, my mother had, onlyat that point, a college degree,
(07:25):
right, just a step above highschool diploma.
Right, so she went and she gotherself.
I had graduated.
She got herself a universitydegree, she got herself a
master's degree.
She went and got herself a PhD.
She went and joined a faculty,a university faculty, and began
(07:48):
to publish and travel the world,you know, and sharing and
teaching about Africanliterature, you know.
And so she did all of these wayafter 50, you know, and she's
just been such a compellingexample and a strong source of
(08:09):
motivation, like just provingconsistent with that.
Well, there's nothing.
It's never too late to pursuewhat's in your heart to get done
.
And yeah, that's the kind ofbackground, that well, domestic
background, that I have rightNow.
In the course of my journeythere's, of course, there's been
times where there've beenchallenges like how do you even
(08:36):
begin to form?
You know the when you begin toreach for bigger goals and
broader visions, you knowcapital tends to become a
constraint right, especiallywhen you are building businesses
, because I have built and rundifferent businesses at
different points.
You know so what is the capitalformation process?
(08:59):
How do you raise that capital?
You know that you require to do.
You know the things that youare reaching out to do.
You know, and, yeah, well, I'lllet you ask the questions and
not just slip ahead and be intothat.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
No, I'm just like, you know, I'm like, but we
really, we really talk aboutsurrounding ourselves with
people, and I mean you know,from your mother to all the
people we surround ourselvesthat are part of our success.
So I appreciate you answeringthe questions.
So our second question is aboutour best principle of success.
I'm wondering if you have abest principle of success and a
(09:37):
story that might illustrate thisthat you could share with us.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yeah, well, for me, I find that what I have found to
be the best principle of successfor me is helping all the
people.
You know.
It's kind of funny, but everytime I need to get you know I'm
thinking well, I need to tapinto another level.
(10:03):
It's really the time for me tolook around and find who I can
help.
Now, I particularly rememberwhen the founding of the
nonprofit right that focused onwomen we call it oops.
I'm pregnant, dan, right, and Idid that just after I had a
(10:27):
very negative experience, youknow, in the birth of my second
daughter, right, so we said Ihad her.
I suffered a late postpartum,postpartum eclampsia, right, and
it was by the grace of God thatI survived, you know, and lived
(10:49):
, you know.
But in through that experience,I just found out, oh my God,
there are lots of people who gothrough all kinds of negative
experiences in the course ofgiving, bringing another life
into the world, you know, and Idid not know, you know.
(11:10):
So, going through thatexperience, I thought I am going
to do my little bit, you know,to help as many women as I can
in the sphere in which I was atthat time to experience a change
of story, you know, regardingtheir pregnancy experiences.
So I founded this nonprofit.
I got together a team of 18doctors, you know, who agreed
(11:36):
and allowed me to pay themstipends, you know, and we would
get.
We would go out into villages,you know, with a mobile clinic
and a store of medical suppliesand just go and sit in that
(11:58):
village for days and just beginto help.
You know, whoever wanted to seea doctor, you know we would
walk with some faith basedorganizations, because faith
based organizations are veryinfluential, you know, back in
Africa.
So we would walk with them, say, listen, we need your women to
(12:19):
come out, we need the men tocome out.
You know we want to help themwith whatever.
And in the course of doing that, you know, across different
places we were to reach andaffect, you know, over 4,000
women directly.
You know that we're havingserious issues.
We walked with hospitals andall it was very inspiring.
(12:42):
Here's why I'm sharing thisexperience Now, while I was
doing all of this myself and myfamily you know my husband was
very supportive in the course ofall of this.
We spent money, right, buthere's what happened when I got
(13:03):
out, in a period of about twoyears, it was as though God was
saying to me your payday hascome.
You did this, I'm going to payyou, you know, because what
happened then was someone youknow who well, a couple of
doctors who'd been helpful inthe process of gathering
(13:28):
together the team of doctorsthat would volunteer.
You know, they were much olderand more senior, you know.
They came to me.
They were like you know what?
We just want to enthrost youwith a portfolio of real estate
that we have.
You know, at that time, thevaluation of the real estate was
(13:48):
$5 million, you know, and USdollars, you know.
And I was like what would I dowith it?
They were like we don't know,maybe there's a business you
want to start, maybe there'ssomething you want to do.
You know, we want you to knowthat, we want to support you,
you know, let us know what youwant to do.
(14:10):
And that is how, you know, Iwas able to start.
At that point, you know, Ididn't think.
You know, at that point I justthink to myself oh, thank you so
much.
You know, I'll look at that andall.
But in the process of that, Iwas able to build a refined
product trading company.
(14:31):
That was that shipped cargoesof refined products, diesel ag
across Africa to oil and gassites, oil and gas fields,
offshore and onshore, you know,to support their energy
requirements, you know.
So that's been just a funnyexperience, but I find that
(14:53):
every time that you know I needto get into a new level or
generate a new dimension ofsuccess, that the way to do it
very counterintuitive, but theway to do it is to find
something that is totallydesperately in need of someone
(15:17):
and I go be that someone, pourmyself into it and pay the cost
divinely.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, I think someone listening I mean, I know myself
just hearing that story someoneis resonating with that and
going I can do this, you know,if they're struggling and they
can help others first and youknow, step out and oh, that was
a great story, that was great.
(15:46):
Thank you for sharing that.
So next question is justtalking about our failures and
mistakes, and I think we allknow that we learn more from our
failures and mistakes than ourown successes.
So would you be able to shareone of your greatest failures or
mistakes and what you havelearned from it?
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Yeah, agree, right, our failures are really assets,
you know.
But I guess the challenge withfailure is that if you are
someone who really giveseverything, failure can really
be a terrible experience to gothrough, right?
(16:25):
Well, I find that my greatestfailure is not recognizing the
moment.
Sometimes I just don'trecognize the moment, you know,
like I mean, I just shared astory about the couple who came
with that property right To me.
Now, there was a time I wasgoing to totally like say no,
(16:54):
this is uncalled for, why wouldyou do this?
You know, I was going tototally stop them, like, hey,
what is this about?
You know I've.
However, I was patient enoughand respectful enough of their
gesture to just politely acceptit, not knowing all what I was
(17:14):
going to do with it, right, butI was polite and I accepted your
gesture, you know, in goodwill,and then I saw, oh, this is
what this could be for, you know, and every one of us benefited
in the process of that.
Now I find continually that notbeing attentive in the moment,
(17:41):
you know, can be a source offailure, because every time,
especially when you're in thepresence of someone or something
unusual is happening in yourlife, you know, even if it's
contrary to your expectation,just pause, you know, think
(18:03):
about it.
Don't react, you know, as younormally would, because
something unusual is happening,you know.
So pause, reflect, pray,meditate, whatever it is you do,
and always respond with thefirst level being respectfully.
(18:23):
You know, and it's in thosesituations that I have found,
when I didn't do that, that'swhen I have felt the most
failure.
When I did those is when I havefelt, you know, some of my most
powerful moments as well.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
That is such a great answer.
The moment I was at aconference with a girlfriend of
mine and there was a keynotespeaker and he was a world class
like author and she's textingand we are in the presence of
someone pretty awesome, we're ata conference, and I just leaned
over and I put my arms aroundher and I said don't miss the
(19:01):
moment, that person on yourphone can wait this.
And she just I know, and soanyway, I wasn't sure if I was
offending her.
I just felt called to say don'tmiss this, stop stop texting.
And we had coffee a couple daysago and she thanked me and she
just in tears, almost, you know,just recognize that moment.
(19:23):
Yeah, I can see that I think Ithink I've, you know, I've
missed some moments because myhead was down.
I may be, you know, head wasfull, whatever, so that, was a
great answer.
So you are involved in leaderimpacts, so you know that we
want people to grow personally,professionally and spiritually
(19:44):
for increasing impact.
Would you be willing to sharean example of how the spiritual
makes a practical difference inyour life as a leader?
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yes, I, honestly, it would appear that the spiritual
is where it's like the controlroom, you know, and and I kind
of feel that that I mean, likeI'll talk specifically about
what it's been for me, you know.
The question, however, bringsto mind realization that
(20:19):
everybody, you know, whetherthey be Christians or totally
agnostics, they know that thereis something higher, there's a
higher power.
Right, and in different ways,people are chasing after contact
with this higher power, right,and because they kind of know
(20:43):
that this higher power has thecapacity to confer benefits,
right, and this higher power hasthe capacity to create
experiences that are beyond whatwe individually can assemble or
(21:05):
cause to happen, you know, andfor me, having a spiritual
awareness, you know, has helpedme to be deliberate and about
contacting and contracting withthis personality that people
(21:26):
refer to or regard as theuniverse, the higher power, and
you know.
So it has brought me into anawareness and the knowledge that
this is not some energyfloating out there that you can
accidentally have a brush with,is actually a personality that
(21:49):
you can pursue and have intimatemoments with, you know, and
that pursuit is, is, is isfundamental in my life, you know
, and the way I pursue it is.
You know, I find points in myday to to pray, you know, to
(22:13):
just reflect, you know.
Even so, I'm going to mentionthe Bible, even reflect on the
book of Proverbs in the Bible.
It's loaded with practicalwisdom, ecclesiastical, it's all
the book of Psalms.
(22:34):
I was listening the other day toopera Winfrey.
She was in an interview at theHarvard Business School with
another guy.
They were talking about a bookthat they just released.
I am sorry that I do notremember the name of the book,
but you know, and she, she, shereferred to her experience in
(22:56):
Hawaii, you know, with the firesand all of that in that
recently happened, and she wastalking about how that she felt
some backlash and she mentioned,almost casually, how she dealt
with that, how she went, openedthe book of Psalm, chapter 91,
and that she read it andmeditated on it and she found
(23:22):
peace.
And I was just so, I mean, likeI felt a connection.
I'm like that's what I do, youknow, when the world gets too
hard, when things that are Icannot comprehend, or when the
world threatens to break me, youknow, I just find a moment and
(23:48):
you know what, I don't wait forit to be that bad, even when
everything is good my kids aredoing great in their sports and
chasing down the academics andthings are great I find a moment
to just go be grateful, youknow, and when things are really
terrible, I just find a momentto go pray for someone, because
(24:08):
maybe my situation is just tooum the funnel into my mind.
I'm like, okay, I can't dealwith this, let me just find
someone to pray for.
So I just pray for someone andI release my own issues to this
force.
Who am I?
Who I know is God Right?
(24:29):
So what does a very long answerto a simple question?
Oh great.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You have great answers.
So I have to ask a personalquestion, because you talked
about when you are, when you arestruggling, and then you're
like I'm going to pray forsomeone else, okay, so has he,
have you ever been strugglingand and actually called your
friend, your mom, someone, andsaid can you pray for me?
That's a good question.
(24:58):
I was struggling one day and Iknow Bobby's listening to this
now and I was just I in my likeI'm, I can feel it, I should
call Bobby and ask him to prayfor me because I'm, I'm going to
lose my mind right now.
And I didn't.
And then I told him after andhe and he's like Lisa, that
(25:18):
that's, that's our role and Iprobably like, oh, I think I
left the room because I didn'twant to see him, I didn't want
him to see me cry.
He's listening now, so.
So I ask you, because sometimesI don't think we ask we will
pray for everyone else, but whenit's it's you or I that are
struggling, do you ask?
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Yes, I, I, it's, you know.
So that's a very good question,right, and you've just made a
great point, right, and so it'snot.
I would not instinctively ask,you know, but I should ask more,
because God's Word does saywhere, where two or three agree
(25:59):
concerning a matter that theypray about, that he will answer
them.
So you kind of increase thepower when you agree with
someone who prays for you orprays with you.
I don't do that as well as Ishould, but, yes, there have
been times when it really feelslike, wow, this is just too much
(26:22):
.
I reach out, I call my mother,I call my husband and I'm like,
wow, I think I am breaking uphere.
I need you to agree with me,pray for me.
I have done that, not as muchas I should.
And that reminds me aboutanother story.
(26:45):
If I have the moment to sharethat, please do Not my direct
story, but it just has been socompelling to me.
It's a lady who was sharing itduring COVID, how that her
husband was so ill, he was onlife support in hospital, and so
she began to call up everybodyshe knew to pray with her for
(27:09):
him, for him to recover and comehome, which was a big, big, big
ask in the face of all that wasbreaking down and going bad in
her world.
So she said at some point thedoctors called her and they said
listen, we just need you togive us your consent.
We need to unplug this guy.
She said she was perplexed.
(27:30):
She's like, why would youunplug him?
People are praying.
So that was some kind oflogical premise for which the
doctors should know.
But what it did for me when shesaid it is that the way she
could relate so strongly to theimpact of people praying with
(27:54):
her kind of like you orderedpizza from Domino's and the
delivery guys on his way and thekids are saying let's get out
of the house and you're like,why would we leave the house?
The pizza is on his way.
That's how she made it soundPeople are praying, help is
coming.
And the guy made a fullrecovery and he went home to her
(28:17):
.
So, yeah, definitely pray.
I should ask for prayers more.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
It's a good reminder, thank you.
So, leader Impact is dedicatingto making lasting impact.
So, as you continue to movethrough your own journey in life
, have you considered what youwant your faith legacy to be
when you leave this world?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
That's a great question.
Good question, yeah, honestly.
I would like to be rememberedas someone who always give a
hand.
You know I love to see peoplewin.
You know when people win, whenthey talk about their wins, it's
like I want to jump out of mybody.
(29:02):
I want to jump out of my skin,you know, with the thrill of
their experience.
So, yeah, I would like to beremembered as somebody who
hustled for the wins of others.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Hustled for the wins of others.
I love that, and my lastquestion for you is what brings
you the greatest joy?
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I like to burn marathons oh right, no marathons
, half marathons and I thinkI've experienced some of my
biggest thrills, you know, atthe point of being engaged in a
run and finishing it you know,at least use it as a metaphor
(29:50):
for other areas in my life I'mlike wow, if I could finish that
21.1 K run.
You know, I totally am going tojust dig down and learn to
enjoy this experience, you know.
So I find that, yeah, thegreatest joy is in setting a
goal and accomplishing it.
Right it's, it's a big thrillBecause a half marathon or a
(30:14):
marathon, it can break you.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I've done it, you have.
I'm not a marathon.
Can I sit down now?
Yeah, it was tough At the end.
You mean, you set the goal, youfinish the goal.
It's a good, it does bring yougreat joy.
Oh yeah, great joy for sure.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Well, Zazie, I want to thank you for joining us for
this last half hour.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
You are an absolute joy, it is.
I have been waiting to meet youand I just want to thank you
for joining us today and sharinga little part of your story
with all of us.
You are just an absolute joy.
Just thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Well, Lisa, thank you so much for having me.
You are such a greatinterviewer.
You pull out the stories.
You just pulled them out.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Thank you.
So if listeners want to engagewith you for any you know they
want to find about oil and gasor hedge funds, I don't know how
can people engage with you.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Where can they find you?
Please connect with me onLinkedIn, I'll be delighted,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
All right, that is a great place to be.
So again, thank you, and to allour listeners, I hope you
enjoyed the last half hour.
All right, so this is theending.
If you're part of Leader Impact, you can always discuss or
share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you are not yet part ofLeader Impact and would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
(31:46):
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You will also find on ourwebpage chapter one of Braden
Douglas's book Becoming a Leaderof Impact.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
LeaderImpactca or, if you'relistening from anywhere else in
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(32:06):
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Thank you for engaging with usand remember Impact starts with
you.
Welcome to the Leader Impact podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the world,dedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments or suggestions to makethis show even better, please
(00:28):
let us know.
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
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If you're listening fromoutside of Canada, check out our
website at LeaderImpact.
com.
I'm your host, Lisa Peters, andour guest today is Osaze Ebinda.
As the managing principal atAcclaim Advisory Incorporated
and the partner at ApajiSecurities and Wealth
(00:52):
Incorporated, Osaze leveragesher expertise in hedge funds,
private equity and corporatefinancial solutions to help her
clients achieve their financialgoals and optimize their
business performance.
Osaze has a strong backgroundin oil and gas, having served as
the executive director atSaxaby for years.
She also holds a certificate inmanaging digital enterprises
(01:13):
from North Carolina State andhas completed advanced degrees
in executive education programsat IESI and Lagos business
schools.
She is passionate aboutapplying digital and financial
innovations to drive businessgrowth and sustainability in
various sectors and markets.
On a personal note, Osaze hasfounded a non-profit that helped
(01:33):
women deal withpregnancy-related complications
in West Africa.
Over 4,000 women were helped bythe organization during her
involvement, before rolling theproject over to M1, an
association of medical women inNigeria.
Welcome to the podcast, Osaze.
It is nice to finally meet you.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Same here, Lisa, thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
So we sort of have this little bit of a program
that we go through.
But I'm first going to commenton.
I feel like when I read yourbackground, like you have a very
varied background from oil andglass or oil and gas to
financial.
So I want you to talk a littlebit about your professional
story and how you got there andany of those pivotal moments
(02:18):
that along your journey got youto where you are.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Yeah, I know it's quite a scope of stuff, right,
yeah.
But so I began as an accountant.
My first degree is in financeand accounting and I went on and
became a childhood accountantright, so that pretty much makes
(02:45):
one.
You know, you get spread acrossthe industry, right?
Especially when you work in anaudit role as a financial
auditor, you audit all kinds ofcompanies across the spectrum.
So I went to business schooland I found out that, wow, I
didn't like accounting as muchas I thought, right, because
(03:08):
finance was so much more.
It gave you the opportunity tobe looking forward into and
designing the financialsituation of corporations,
rather than looking back andchecking what they did with what
money came in and why they arenot doing well, right.
(03:28):
So, and that was so much moreexciting Well, when I got out of
business school, I joined thecaptive private equity of an oil
and gas group.
So that's how I got into oil andgas.
But I joined initially in afinancial capacity right, so I
(03:49):
was building financial modelsand analyzing acquisitions,
acquisition projects and all ofthat in that space.
So it just gave me the insightinto the oil and gas industry,
which happens to be the primaryindustry in my home country
(04:14):
Nigeria.
So it was exciting Then.
But having that background infinance, you know hedge funds
and investments were always likea compelling thing for me, so I
guess it was inevitable that Iwould go into hedge funds and
(04:41):
investments as well.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, it seems inevitable to you.
I'm listening and I'm like, wow, because I think I think
sometimes would people, wouldyou know?
We go to school, you get adegree and sometimes you think I
am an accountant.
Where was that point where youwent?
I'm going to go to businessschool?
What was in you, what were youthinking at the time to go?
(05:04):
I want something else.
I want more Like what was that?
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Well, I guess I was young, and when you're young you
want to do things right and itjust wasn't sufficient to be an
accountant staring into rulesupon rules of ledgers, endlessly
right and well.
And business school just wouldbe well in the world I was in,
(05:33):
it just was the next logicalthing to do.
You know, when you get yourprofessional certification as a
CA, you know the next thing youdo is, well, you got to go to
the next level, right?
Business school.
And yeah, so that was it.
And yeah, and at some pointafter business school, I went
(05:54):
and I got the certification inmanaging digital enterprises
from the North Carolina StateUniversity.
You know that further exposedto me that, oh my God, the world
is changing.
You know the world is goingdigital and it began to further
(06:14):
pull and push my attention intothe application of digital
solutions.
You know, across the processesthat I was involved in, yeah,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
So did you ever have anyone in your corner?
Was there someone in the back?
Was there a parent?
Was there a teacher, aprofessor?
Was there someone that was likeyou can do more, Osaze?
Or I mean, it could have beenyou, but I'm just asking the
question.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Oh yeah.
So my mom, you know, I kind ofthink that my mom is a super
achiever, and not because shehas built some huge, gigantic
business, but because you knowshe's just.
She would say you know, I'mfirst among six kids, you know.
And she would say, oh, the guys, the people who are doing so,
(06:59):
and so did you notice that theyhave one heads, they are not two
headed.
You know, you thought we can dothat too, right, you know, she
would prod, gently and willingly.
So my mom, at the time I wasliving the university with my
bachelor's, my mother had, onlyat that point, a college degree,
(07:25):
right, just a step above highschool diploma.
Right, so she went and she gotherself.
I had graduated.
She got herself a universitydegree, she got herself a
master's degree.
She went and got herself a PhD.
She went and joined a faculty,a university faculty, and began
(07:48):
to publish and travel the world,you know, and sharing and
teaching about Africanliterature, you know.
And so she did all of these wayafter 50, you know, and she's
just been such a compellingexample and a strong source of
(08:09):
motivation, like just provingconsistent with that.
Well, there's nothing.
It's never too late to pursuewhat's in your heart to get done
.
And yeah, that's the kind ofbackground, that well, domestic
background, that I have rightNow.
In the course of my journeythere's, of course, there's been
times where there've beenchallenges like how do you even
(08:36):
begin to form?
You know the when you begin toreach for bigger goals and
broader visions, you knowcapital tends to become a
constraint right, especiallywhen you are building businesses
, because I have built and rundifferent businesses at
different points.
You know so what is the capitalformation process?
(08:59):
How do you raise that capital?
You know that you require to do.
You know the things that youare reaching out to do.
You know, and, yeah, well, I'lllet you ask the questions and
not just slip ahead and be intothat.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
No, I'm just like, you know, I'm like, but we
really, we really talk aboutsurrounding ourselves with
people, and I mean you know,from your mother to all the
people we surround ourselvesthat are part of our success.
So I appreciate you answeringthe questions.
So our second question is aboutour best principle of success.
I'm wondering if you have abest principle of success and a
(09:37):
story that might illustrate thisthat you could share with us.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Yeah, well, for me, I find that what I have found to
be the best principle of successfor me is helping all the
people.
You know.
It's kind of funny, but everytime I need to get you know I'm
thinking well, I need to tapinto another level.
(10:03):
It's really the time for me tolook around and find who I can
help.
Now, I particularly rememberwhen the founding of the
nonprofit right that focused onwomen we call it oops.
I'm pregnant, dan, right, and Idid that just after I had a
(10:27):
very negative experience, youknow, in the birth of my second
daughter, right, so we said Ihad her.
I suffered a late postpartum,postpartum eclampsia, right, and
it was by the grace of God thatI survived, you know, and lived
(10:49):
, you know.
But in through that experience,I just found out, oh my God,
there are lots of people who gothrough all kinds of negative
experiences in the course ofgiving, bringing another life
into the world, you know, and Idid not know, you know.
(11:10):
So, going through thatexperience, I thought I am going
to do my little bit, you know,to help as many women as I can
in the sphere in which I was atthat time to experience a change
of story, you know, regardingtheir pregnancy experiences.
So I founded this nonprofit.
I got together a team of 18doctors, you know, who agreed
(11:36):
and allowed me to pay themstipends, you know, and we would
get.
We would go out into villages,you know, with a mobile clinic
and a store of medical suppliesand just go and sit in that
(11:58):
village for days and just beginto help.
You know, whoever wanted to seea doctor, you know we would
walk with some faith basedorganizations, because faith
based organizations are veryinfluential, you know, back in
Africa.
So we would walk with them, say, listen, we need your women to
(12:19):
come out, we need the men tocome out.
You know we want to help themwith whatever.
And in the course of doing that, you know, across different
places we were to reach andaffect, you know, over 4,000
women directly.
You know that we're havingserious issues.
We walked with hospitals andall it was very inspiring.
(12:42):
Here's why I'm sharing thisexperience Now, while I was
doing all of this myself and myfamily you know my husband was
very supportive in the course ofall of this.
We spent money, right, buthere's what happened when I got
(13:03):
out, in a period of about twoyears, it was as though God was
saying to me your payday hascome.
You did this, I'm going to payyou, you know, because what
happened then was someone youknow who well, a couple of
doctors who'd been helpful inthe process of gathering
(13:28):
together the team of doctorsthat would volunteer.
You know, they were much olderand more senior, you know.
They came to me.
They were like you know what?
We just want to enthrost youwith a portfolio of real estate
that we have.
You know, at that time, thevaluation of the real estate was
(13:48):
$5 million, you know, and USdollars, you know.
And I was like what would I dowith it?
They were like we don't know,maybe there's a business you
want to start, maybe there'ssomething you want to do.
You know, we want you to knowthat, we want to support you,
you know, let us know what youwant to do.
(14:10):
And that is how, you know, Iwas able to start.
At that point, you know, Ididn't think.
You know, at that point I justthink to myself oh, thank you so
much.
You know, I'll look at that andall.
But in the process of that, Iwas able to build a refined
product trading company.
(14:31):
That was that shipped cargoesof refined products, diesel ag
across Africa to oil and gassites, oil and gas fields,
offshore and onshore, you know,to support their energy
requirements, you know.
So that's been just a funnyexperience, but I find that
(14:53):
every time that you know I needto get into a new level or
generate a new dimension ofsuccess, that the way to do it
very counterintuitive, but theway to do it is to find
something that is totallydesperately in need of someone
(15:17):
and I go be that someone, pourmyself into it and pay the cost
divinely.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Yeah, I think someone listening I mean, I know myself
just hearing that story someoneis resonating with that and
going I can do this, you know,if they're struggling and they
can help others first and youknow, step out and oh, that was
a great story, that was great.
(15:46):
Thank you for sharing that.
So next question is justtalking about our failures and
mistakes, and I think we allknow that we learn more from our
failures and mistakes than ourown successes.
So would you be able to shareone of your greatest failures or
mistakes and what you havelearned from it?
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Yeah, agree, right, our failures are really assets,
you know.
But I guess the challenge withfailure is that if you are
someone who really giveseverything, failure can really
be a terrible experience to gothrough, right?
(16:25):
Well, I find that my greatestfailure is not recognizing the
moment.
Sometimes I just don'trecognize the moment, you know,
like I mean, I just shared astory about the couple who came
with that property right To me.
Now, there was a time I wasgoing to totally like say no,
(16:54):
this is uncalled for, why wouldyou do this?
You know, I was going tototally stop them, like, hey,
what is this about?
You know I've.
However, I was patient enoughand respectful enough of their
gesture to just politely acceptit, not knowing all what I was
(17:14):
going to do with it, right, butI was polite and I accepted your
gesture, you know, in goodwill,and then I saw, oh, this is
what this could be for, you know, and every one of us benefited
in the process of that.
Now I find continually that notbeing attentive in the moment,
(17:41):
you know, can be a source offailure, because every time,
especially when you're in thepresence of someone or something
unusual is happening in yourlife, you know, even if it's
contrary to your expectation,just pause, you know, think
(18:03):
about it.
Don't react, you know, as younormally would, because
something unusual is happening,you know.
So pause, reflect, pray,meditate, whatever it is you do,
and always respond with thefirst level being respectfully.
(18:23):
You know, and it's in thosesituations that I have found,
when I didn't do that, that'swhen I have felt the most
failure.
When I did those is when I havefelt, you know, some of my most
powerful moments as well.
Speaker 2 (18:38):
That is such a great answer.
The moment I was at aconference with a girlfriend of
mine and there was a keynotespeaker and he was a world class
like author and she's textingand we are in the presence of
someone pretty awesome, we're ata conference, and I just leaned
over and I put my arms aroundher and I said don't miss the
(19:01):
moment, that person on yourphone can wait this.
And she just I know, and soanyway, I wasn't sure if I was
offending her.
I just felt called to say don'tmiss this, stop stop texting.
And we had coffee a couple daysago and she thanked me and she
just in tears, almost, you know,just recognize that moment.
(19:23):
Yeah, I can see that I think Ithink I've, you know, I've
missed some moments because myhead was down.
I may be, you know, head wasfull, whatever, so that, was a
great answer.
So you are involved in leaderimpacts, so you know that we
want people to grow personally,professionally and spiritually
(19:44):
for increasing impact.
Would you be willing to sharean example of how the spiritual
makes a practical difference inyour life as a leader?
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yes, I, honestly, it would appear that the spiritual
is where it's like the controlroom, you know, and and I kind
of feel that that I mean, likeI'll talk specifically about
what it's been for me, you know.
The question, however, bringsto mind realization that
(20:19):
everybody, you know, whetherthey be Christians or totally
agnostics, they know that thereis something higher, there's a
higher power.
Right, and in different ways,people are chasing after contact
with this higher power, right,and because they kind of know
(20:43):
that this higher power has thecapacity to confer benefits,
right, and this higher power hasthe capacity to create
experiences that are beyond whatwe individually can assemble or
(21:05):
cause to happen, you know, andfor me, having a spiritual
awareness, you know, has helpedme to be deliberate and about
contacting and contracting withthis personality that people
(21:26):
refer to or regard as theuniverse, the higher power, and
you know.
So it has brought me into anawareness and the knowledge that
this is not some energyfloating out there that you can
accidentally have a brush with,is actually a personality that
(21:49):
you can pursue and have intimatemoments with, you know, and
that pursuit is, is, is isfundamental in my life, you know
, and the way I pursue it is.
You know, I find points in myday to to pray, you know, to
(22:13):
just reflect, you know.
Even so, I'm going to mentionthe Bible, even reflect on the
book of Proverbs in the Bible.
It's loaded with practicalwisdom, ecclesiastical, it's all
the book of Psalms.
(22:34):
I was listening the other day toopera Winfrey.
She was in an interview at theHarvard Business School with
another guy.
They were talking about a bookthat they just released.
I am sorry that I do notremember the name of the book,
but you know, and she, she, shereferred to her experience in
(22:56):
Hawaii, you know, with the firesand all of that in that
recently happened, and she wastalking about how that she felt
some backlash and she mentioned,almost casually, how she dealt
with that, how she went, openedthe book of Psalm, chapter 91,
and that she read it andmeditated on it and she found
(23:22):
peace.
And I was just so, I mean, likeI felt a connection.
I'm like that's what I do, youknow, when the world gets too
hard, when things that are Icannot comprehend, or when the
world threatens to break me, youknow, I just find a moment and
(23:48):
you know what, I don't wait forit to be that bad, even when
everything is good my kids aredoing great in their sports and
chasing down the academics andthings are great I find a moment
to just go be grateful, youknow, and when things are really
terrible, I just find a momentto go pray for someone, because
(24:08):
maybe my situation is just tooum the funnel into my mind.
I'm like, okay, I can't dealwith this, let me just find
someone to pray for.
So I just pray for someone andI release my own issues to this
force.
Who am I?
Who I know is God Right?
(24:29):
So what does a very long answerto a simple question?
Oh great.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
You have great answers.
So I have to ask a personalquestion, because you talked
about when you are, when you arestruggling, and then you're
like I'm going to pray forsomeone else, okay, so has he,
have you ever been strugglingand and actually called your
friend, your mom, someone, andsaid can you pray for me?
That's a good question.
(24:58):
I was struggling one day and Iknow Bobby's listening to this
now and I was just I in my likeI'm, I can feel it, I should
call Bobby and ask him to prayfor me because I'm, I'm going to
lose my mind right now.
And I didn't.
And then I told him after andhe and he's like Lisa, that
(25:18):
that's, that's our role and Iprobably like, oh, I think I
left the room because I didn'twant to see him, I didn't want
him to see me cry.
He's listening now, so.
So I ask you, because sometimesI don't think we ask we will
pray for everyone else, but whenit's it's you or I that are
struggling, do you ask?
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Yes, I, I, it's, you know.
So that's a very good question,right, and you've just made a
great point, right, and so it'snot.
I would not instinctively ask,you know, but I should ask more,
because God's Word does saywhere, where two or three agree
(25:59):
concerning a matter that theypray about, that he will answer
them.
So you kind of increase thepower when you agree with
someone who prays for you orprays with you.
I don't do that as well as Ishould, but, yes, there have
been times when it really feelslike, wow, this is just too much
(26:22):
.
I reach out, I call my mother,I call my husband and I'm like,
wow, I think I am breaking uphere.
I need you to agree with me,pray for me.
I have done that, not as muchas I should.
And that reminds me aboutanother story.
(26:45):
If I have the moment to sharethat, please do Not my direct
story, but it just has been socompelling to me.
It's a lady who was sharing itduring COVID, how that her
husband was so ill, he was onlife support in hospital, and so
she began to call up everybodyshe knew to pray with her for
(27:09):
him, for him to recover and comehome, which was a big, big, big
ask in the face of all that wasbreaking down and going bad in
her world.
So she said at some point thedoctors called her and they said
listen, we just need you togive us your consent.
We need to unplug this guy.
She said she was perplexed.
(27:30):
She's like, why would youunplug him?
People are praying.
So that was some kind oflogical premise for which the
doctors should know.
But what it did for me when shesaid it is that the way she
could relate so strongly to theimpact of people praying with
(27:54):
her kind of like you orderedpizza from Domino's and the
delivery guys on his way and thekids are saying let's get out
of the house and you're like,why would we leave the house?
The pizza is on his way.
That's how she made it soundPeople are praying, help is
coming.
And the guy made a fullrecovery and he went home to her
(28:17):
.
So, yeah, definitely pray.
I should ask for prayers more.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
It's a good reminder, thank you.
So, leader Impact is dedicatingto making lasting impact.
So, as you continue to movethrough your own journey in life
, have you considered what youwant your faith legacy to be
when you leave this world?
Speaker 1 (28:41):
That's a great question.
Good question, yeah, honestly.
I would like to be rememberedas someone who always give a
hand.
You know I love to see peoplewin.
You know when people win, whenthey talk about their wins, it's
like I want to jump out of mybody.
(29:02):
I want to jump out of my skin,you know, with the thrill of
their experience.
So, yeah, I would like to beremembered as somebody who
hustled for the wins of others.
Yeah, that's awesome.
Speaker 2 (29:17):
Hustled for the wins of others.
I love that, and my lastquestion for you is what brings
you the greatest joy?
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I like to burn marathons oh right, no marathons
, half marathons and I thinkI've experienced some of my
biggest thrills, you know, atthe point of being engaged in a
run and finishing it you know,at least use it as a metaphor
(29:50):
for other areas in my life I'mlike wow, if I could finish that
21.1 K run.
You know, I totally am going tojust dig down and learn to
enjoy this experience, you know.
So I find that, yeah, thegreatest joy is in setting a
goal and accomplishing it.
Right it's, it's a big thrillBecause a half marathon or a
(30:14):
marathon, it can break you.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I've done it, you have.
I'm not a marathon.
Can I sit down now?
Yeah, it was tough At the end.
You mean, you set the goal, youfinish the goal.
It's a good, it does bring yougreat joy.
Oh yeah, great joy for sure.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Well, Zazie, I want to thank you for joining us for
this last half hour.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
You are an absolute joy, it is.
I have been waiting to meet youand I just want to thank you
for joining us today and sharinga little part of your story
with all of us.
You are just an absolute joy.
Just thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
Well, Lisa, thank you so much for having me.
You are such a greatinterviewer.
You pull out the stories.
You just pulled them out.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Thank you.
So if listeners want to engagewith you for any you know they
want to find about oil and gasor hedge funds, I don't know how
can people engage with you.
Speaker 1 (31:20):
Where can they find you?
Please connect with me onLinkedIn, I'll be delighted,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
All right, that is a great place to be.
So again, thank you, and to allour listeners, I hope you
enjoyed the last half hour.
All right, so this is theending.
If you're part of Leader Impact, you can always discuss or
share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you are not yet part ofLeader Impact and would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
(31:46):
page on our website atLeaderImpactca and check out our
free leadership assessment.
You will also find on ourwebpage chapter one of Braden
Douglas's book Becoming a Leaderof Impact.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
LeaderImpactca or, if you'relistening from anywhere else in
the world, check outLeaderImpactcom or get in touch
with us by email.
(32:06):
Info at LeaderImpactca and wewill connect you.
And if you like this podcast,please leave us a comment, give
us a rating or review.
This will help other globalleaders find our podcast.
Thank you for engaging with usand remember Impact starts with
you.
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