LifeWork by Blazers & Baby

• A conversation with  the interesting and authentic Ojuola Asuquo,  Ojuola has had a very interesting career experience. from working in corporate to working in a family business, taking a career break and returning to a senior role in corporate after years away...and now, She is a full time student(MBA) at the university of southern California in Los Angeles and has an experience in marketing communication across several industries (Jumia, MTN). She is also married with two amazing boys

In this episode we speak about :

• Her unique mothering journey
• Caring and Teaching a toddler with special needs
• Her career transitions to various jobs
• Re-awakening ambition after a break
• The importance of surrounding yourself with an affirming community
• Going back to school with two kids

Some powerful quotes from this episode:

• “ The time to acknowledge your milestones “
• “ As you take action, the clarity becomes “
• What ever you are doing, if it is worth doing, it won't be easy
• "It will be tough -so Jump in with the support you need"
• “ I will not be the one to tell myself NO, let them tell me NO“
• "You better put your priorities in perspective - Career breaks give you guts"

This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Dami Ajibade, an international tax account, who’s also the founder of crownbury. She’s married with two beautiful children.

In this episode we speak about :

• Dami’s career journey
• Transitioning from working in the UK to working in Canada
• Managing being a Nigerian that schooled in the UK currently living in Canada
• Managing relocation with children
• The importance of a support system
• Navigation/organisation of her time as an employee, founder, wife and mum

Some powerful quotes from this episode:

“You are enough, don’t ever let anyone make you feel less than”

This week we had the pleasure of chatting with Tomie Balogun, a financial educator, tech entrepreneur(Fintech) who’s also an investor extraordinaire and author. She is married to her cheer leader with 3 children.

In this episode we speak about :

• Tomi's career journey
  
• Her career transition from a regular employee to a founder
  
• Her Mothering Journey
  
• Managing her pregnancy during her MBA
  
• Having a baby in a Pandemic
  
• Parenting support as an employee vs as an employer
  
• Leadership as a founder
  
• Managing Ambition/Finances as a couple
  

Some powerful quotes from this episode:

• “ If you set your mind to do something, you can do it "
  
• “Adversity makes you stronger “
  
• “ What happens inside of you, determines what happens outside of you “
  

Pamela is a wife and mother to two beautiful daughters. She is passionate about empowering people and advocating for social justice. This passion is what informed her career choice as a Social work practitioner working with children and young people in the UK. 

At the start of 2020, Pamela started a parenting/lifestyle blog in a bid to be more intentional about the relationship She builds with her children. Musing Pam showcases a lot  of Pamela’s life experiences as a mum and life in general which she shares in her blog 

https://musingpam.com/can-i-call-you-later/

Affirmations to remind you of your responsibility to yourself

Words by Isioma Asiodu-Otughwor

Voice over by Ummi Umaru

Affirmations to remind you of what is in your control

Words by Isioma Asiodu-Otughwor

Voice over by Ummi Umaru

Short affirmations to remind you or what you are and can do.

Words by Isioma Asiodu-Otughwor

Voice - Ummi Umaru

This week on Lifework Conversations we speak with

Blessing Adesiyan is a mother of three, a career professional and  the Founder & CEO

of Villo, a startup tackling the burnout epidemic through a personalized household

management benefit, and the Founder of Mother Honestly, a platform that is

reimagining how women thrive in motherhood, work and life.  Blessing is a trusted

expert in work-life solutions for working parents and has helped transform the role

of mothers in the workplace and home, engaging over 300,000 ambitious women

through her platform, podcast and conferences. Her passion to call women to their

truest and limitless potential in motherhood, addressing challenges and crafting

sustainable solutions, while combining work and life helps women, their family and their

employers achieve long-term success.  Blessing obtained her BSc. In Chemical

Engineering from the University of Florida, an MSc. in Energy Management from the

New York Institute of Technology and an MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business

School.

What to listen out for:

3:55 “ The mothering Journey”

12:39 “Making it work with your spouse"

16:43 “Career Planning” "Family Planning"

24:00 “ Negotiating "

27:44 “The case for Gender equity"

Quotes:

“You only have one life to live, if you want more kids, if that is who you are, then go for

it, but plan well enough"

"You aren’t winging it at work so do not wing the most important aspect of your life "

Key Takeaways:

● Build resiliency so it helps you in your work and home

● Understand your capacity so that you do not overwhelm yourself

You can transfer systems and behaviours that work at work to manage your home.

The LifeWork Podcast is brought to you by Blazers and Baby and hosted by Isioma

Asiodu-Otugwhor. Blazers and Baby (@blazersandbaby www.blazersandbaby.com) is a community for the growing population of young

women in Africa. This community provides them with practical resources to consciously

thrive in their family life as well as their chosen career path. Most importantly, helping

them achieve the goals that matter to them. #blazersandbaby #motherhood

#motherhonestly #selfcare #buildingresilience #lifeworkinsight #lifeworkbalance

#Managingthehome #Family #Career #parents

The Life Work Podcast is available on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google

Podcasts and YouTube.

Podcast Producer : Dooshima Dapo-Oyewole

Podcast Artwork : Abiyewa Illustrations

Podcast Admin Officer: Nia Peter-Thomas

1 min positive affirmations to boost your energy for the day.

Text by Isioma Asiodu-Otughwor

Voice by Ummi Umaru

In Part Two, Hilda talks to us about her life at home, building up her support system,

resolving conflict, discipline, trying to manage everything that happens in the home, her

life with husband and her son plus she also gives out tips for the mothers pertaining to

work and home as well.

What To Listen Out For In Part Two:

1:18 “Partnering At Home”

2:56 “Money And The Home”

5:57 “ Conflict Resolution In The Home”

7:57 “Managing A Family With Two Different Cultures”

9:58 “ Recruiting People Into Your Support System”

13:15 “Disciplining Your Children”

17:26 “Go To Resources On Work Life and Parenting”

19:53 “Quick Tips For Mums trying to Negotiate Flexible Work Hours”

22:26 “Advocating For A Raise Or Promotion”

Quotes:

“Parenting means doing the best for your child and also for you because your mental

health is important”

“When you give birth it starts of an evolution in you”

“Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness”

“Always remember who your teammate is’

● Become reliable to your ecosystem at work so you will have the leverage to

converse with your manager about flexible work hours.

For more information on Hilda follow her IG Blog @modernafricanmother

The LifeWork Podcast is brought to you by Blazers and Baby and hosted by Isioma

Asiodu-Otughwor. Blazers and Baby is a community for the growing population of young

women in Africa. This community provides them with practical resources to consciously

thrive in their family life as well as their chosen career path. Most importantly, helping

them achieve the goals that matter to them. #blazersandbaby #motherhood

#modernAfricanMother #selfcare #lifeworkinsight #parents #lifeworkbalance

#crossculturalmarriage #LWPodcast

The Life Work Podcast is available on Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google

Podcasts and YouTube.

Podcast Producer : Dooshima Dapo-Oyewole

Podcast Artwork : Abiyewa Illustrations

Podcast Support: Nia Peter-Thomas

Hilda Kabushenga Kragha is a Ugandan married to a wonderful Nigerian Man and they are parents to a beautiful two year old son. Hilda also the owner of the blog “The modern African mother" She navigates between being a C-Suite Executive, a Wife and a Mother. 

At the time of publishing this episode, The Board of Directors of Ringier One Africa Media (ROAM), has announced her appointment as its new Managing Director. ROAM, whose purpose is to connect Africans to opportunities is the parent company of Jobberman. 

In Part One of this week's episode Hilda discusses with us about her life in the office and how she’s coped with the struggles of motherhood and her journey to becoming and as a CEO, How much effort she put into wanting to be in her son’s life and the sacrifices she had to make for the possibility. We also learn how being a CEO has helped her manage her home and family.

What To Listen Out For In Part One:

1:11 “Self 

7:00 “After The Maternity Leave”

12:31 “Landing The Job As CEO Of Jobberman”

18:36 “Negotiation when getting a Job”

20:37 “The Life Of A CEO”

23:48 “ Motherhood Skills That Have Helped Life As A CEO”

25:32 “Delegating In The Workplace And Home”

26:24 “The Support System”

27:52 “Gender Equity(Supporting Women In The Workplace)”

30:20 “Expressing Emotions At Work”

33:15 “Powering Down At Home After Work”

What do mother’s go through when the unexpected happens? According to the World

Health Organisation each year, some 15 million babies in the world, are born too early,

that is one in every 10 babies. Some of these babies survive and many do suffer

physical, neurological and educational challenges often at a great cost to their families.

In this episode of the Life Work podcast we speak to Mrs. Wendelyn Chijoke-Ibekwe

Wendelyn is a wife, mother, lawyer and feminist who believes a woman reserves the

right to determine who she is…and in what order ;). She works in the corporate social

responsibility space and runs a blog.

Wendy is also mom to a delightful two year old son who decided to arrive in the world

11 weeks early. She discusses his 3 month hospital stay and explains how she

navigated that challenging phase of her life balancing motherhood, career and

marriage. She emphasises the importance of believing in your own ‘sauce’ and having

open and honest conversations at work and home on every topic from money to

performance.

For more on Wendelyn’s musings on life check out her blog and Instagram page by

following these links Oh Wendelyn Blog Oh Wendelyn Instagram

For resources for loved ones who may have a experienced a preterm birth follow these

links :

Caring for a PreTerm Baby at Home

Love, Hope and Support for NICU families of Colour

#PremBabies #Motherhood #WorkingMother #parenting #Children #Change #Love

#balance #LWPodcast

Adeyosoye (or Deyo, as he is popularly known) is a branding and advertising expert.

Deyo believes that people should inspire action and self-empowerment by first doing the things

they ask others to do.

He is a son, a father to one pet, a brother to two sisters, an uncle to one nephew,

He cares about  education and well-being of people of lower socioeconomic class,

women’s equality, volunteering for the Kingdom of God.

Follow Deyo on Twitter: @Ad340soye

Founder @13th RevolverHq, integrated marketing communications services

Director @ Workmen&Talents, manpower & outsourcing agency

Coverart by @abypurpleheart on instagram

episode produced by @doosh_do

Sharing snippets from our 1st conversation with Osemhen Okenyi, Founder of Blazers & Baby, Creative Writer,Polymath, Wife and Mother of 2 sons under 4. Talented Professional Engineer and Rising Leader in Multinational Energy Company. Oxford MBA 21

The Life Work by Blazers&Baby Podcast features conversation with individuals that are living that life with an aim to unearth the relatable details and practical actions and context to support our listeners in their daily lives.

The practical tips and insights on navigating career and parenting with a focus on the vital intersections. We believe that it  still takes a village to succeed in building a thriving family life and career. 

Launching in July hosted by Isioma Asiodu-Otughwor - A curious human consciously exploring norms of human life, culture and today's workplace.