S1 E6: Growing Through Spreadsheets To Spice: Culture, Business & Community (ft. Tokie O’Tona)

If "balance” feels like a moving target, you’re in the right place. Sitting with Tokie, who wears many hats - a finance leader, event planner, grocer, mother, sister etc - and makes a compelling case for a different compass: community, clarity, and culture-first choices.

We dig into the origin story of Nuola Events and why weddings work best when expectations are set early, the client stays centred, and the couples' parents meet firm boundaries delivered with deep respect. From there, we follow the winding path of Arinka, an Afro-Caribbean grocery brand that pivoted from restaurant delivery to Canada-wide online grocery store. You will hear how sustainability shows up beyond buzzwords—through inventory discipline, reduced waste, and careful curation—and why “sold out” sometimes protects quality and keeps the lights on.

We talk about the 'Spice Dinner Series', where food takes centre stage in an intimate dinner series where chefs tell personal histories through a single ingredient. It’s a love letter to culinary arts and a reminder that plating, flavour, and story are worthy of investment. We go honest on funding—the years to profitability, the value of a stable paycheque, and the blind spots investors have around non-traditional capital. Along the way, we talk diaspora parenting, reviving family compound parties and aso-ebi, and showing up unapologetically so our kids inherit both recipes and cultural rituals.

Tokie shares theme of this current season of her life -  acceptance: capacity changes with new babies, mornings come early, and identities can coexist—spreadsheets and spice, strategy and soul. If you’re juggling a career and a calling, you’ll leave this episode with practical tools (e.g.) advice to write everything down, name your priorities, build your village and a renewed urge to gather your people.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s building something meaningful, and leave a review to help more listeners find us.

Chapters

• 0:00 Warm Welcome, Comfort TV, And Banter
• 3:00 Dancing, Friendship, And Career Pivots
• 7:50 Type A Truths And Life At Home
• 12:00 Food, Family, And Three Homelands
• 16:40 The Birth Of Nuola Events
• 20:35 Boundaries With Nigerian Parents
• 26:00 Arinka’s Origin, Pause, And Pivot
• 31:10 Canada-Wide Groceries And Stock Realities
• 36:30 Sustainability, Inventory, And New Products
• 41:30 Funding, Risk, And The Day Job
• 47:20 Multiple Hustles And Cultural Context
• 53:00 Culture, Sustainability, And Strategy Intertwined
• 58:50 Keeping Gatherings Alive And Taking Up Space
• 1:04:20 The Future Of Afro-Caribbean Brands In Canada
• 1:09:30 The Spice Dinner Series
• 1:16:10 Chefs As Artists And Event Economics
• 1:21:00 Tickets, Venue, And Dates

Transcript

SPEAKER_03: 0:00

One thing that I've heard from a lot of people, like a number of people you've planned your weddings, one of the biggest testimonies that they all appreciate is how you can handle Nigerian parents. Nigerian parents listen to this girl, guys. They will just respect it. What are you?

SPEAKER_02: 0:20

What I need to understand the stuff you're using. Let me cut it for you. Um that is funny.

SPEAKER_03: 0:37

Hello guys, welcome back to Going Through the Madness. My name is Abby and I have the lovely Toki here today. Oh how are you doing today? I am good, good, tired but good. So, like, how's your week going? What have you done this week? What are you watching these days?

SPEAKER_01: 0:58

Are you watching anything? I'm not watching anything new. I am doing a lot of comfort watching. So I'm watching Scrubs. Do you know Scrubs?

SPEAKER_03: 1:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 1:08

It's super, super old. It's very, very old. It's a hospital show. Yes, it is. So I'm doing a lot of comfort watching because I need comfort, I need familiarity. I can't stand any new things that will shake me.

SPEAKER_04: 1:20

Like, I don't want to.

SPEAKER_03: 1:21

I'm just a girl. I'm just a girl.

SPEAKER_01: 1:24

I'm just a girl. I can't be stressing.

SPEAKER_03: 1:27

But we have a special guest of honor here today.

SPEAKER_01: 1:32

Hey. Say hi. This is Timmy Dyer.

SPEAKER_03: 1:34

Hi, Timmy Dyer. Welcome to Going Through the Madness. No, you you're not going through Madness.

SPEAKER_01: 1:41

In Jesus' name.

SPEAKER_03: 1:42

In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. But yeah, I um I don't know why. I'm a bit scared of, I don't know if it's a fear. I don't like hospital shows.

SPEAKER_02: 1:52

Really? Why?

SPEAKER_03: 1:53

I don't like hospitals. That's why.

SPEAKER_02: 1:56

Valid.

SPEAKER_03: 1:58

I think I've spent the first days of my life in I went, I was in the hospital a lot as a kid.

SPEAKER_01: 2:04

Oh no. Maybe that's why. Maybe that's why.

SPEAKER_03: 2:05

I really don't like hospitals. I don't like the smell.

SPEAKER_01: 2:09

It does have a nasty smell. Oh there we go. Yay, we got a burp. That's why she spat that out. Yeah, that's good. But Scrubs is Scrubs is is a comedy. So I mean, interestingly enough, a lot of there's a lot of life issues that they talk about. It's not just straight comedy, but it's primarily a comedy. So I think you'll be fine if you were to watch Scrubs.

SPEAKER_03: 2:32

Where do you watch it?

SPEAKER_01: 2:34

Disney.

SPEAKER_03: 2:34

Oh yeah, I have Disney.

SPEAKER_01: 2:36

Yeah, Disney.

SPEAKER_03: 2:38

Oh Disney. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 2:40

Get somebody's password.

SPEAKER_03: 2:41

Yeah, I think I would do that. I think I have to do that.

SPEAKER_01: 2:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 2:44

So so we I know we met in Calgary when I lived here. And my vivid mem memory of you is like when we would go out. I'm talking about dance. I was just looking at this girl like, wow. I can't really dance like that. It was you and Yemessy would get on the dance floor.

SPEAKER_01: 3:03

I was like, ah yes, I love to dance. I love music. I love to party.

SPEAKER_03: 3:08

And you see, what song would get you to start dancing?

SPEAKER_01: 3:11

It really depends. I I I love soccer. I love alphabetes. That one is guaranteed. I mean, you heard it in the car. That Fuji vibes has been on repeat since it first dropped.

SPEAKER_03: 3:21

Oh, I love that.

SPEAKER_01: 3:21

I love that. I love that song a lot.

SPEAKER_03: 3:23

Okay. I love it. And and I don't remember. I really don't remember how we met. I can't remember. Do you remember?

SPEAKER_01: 3:31

No, I do not. It would I feel like it would have been maybe through Chisum.

SPEAKER_03: 3:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 3:35

Or Abyssella. I I don't remember how, when, where.

SPEAKER_03: 3:39

Me too. I just know that I moved here.

SPEAKER_01: 3:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 3:42

I met a bunch of Chisholm and Abby's friends. And next thing I was coming out. That's all I remember.

SPEAKER_01: 3:50

You were automatically part of the crew, like that, come with us.

SPEAKER_03: 3:53

Yeah, oh, we're going here. Okay, cool. And another core memory is so I don't think okay, I don't think you know this, but when I was trying to transition from tax to FPNA, I'd applied to so many places. And nobody will call me back. And I saw that role, and like I hesitated. And I reached out to Abby and we talked about she's like, oh, just talk to Toki. And I reached out to you, and you referred me to the role, and you coached me, and you don't even understand that that actually opened a different part for me that I was looking to go into, and nobody was giving me a chance. So, like that was so thank you. That actually means a lot, that still means a lot to me, and I remember that.

SPEAKER_02: 4:40

You're welcome.

SPEAKER_03: 4:41

And let me tell you another thing you don't know. Oh, when Toki was training me for this job, oh, I was afraid. I said, I cannot even mess up. She was very strict and serious. I was like, Jesus. I couldn't have said, hey, I better know what I'm doing.

SPEAKER_02: 5:04

Oh wow. That's good.

SPEAKER_01: 5:06

Do you remember? I do remember that. I did not know that part of it. Me, I was looking for somebody to take the job from my hands. Yeah. Because I don't know if you know that. I was, that was when I took time off to work on Arica.

SPEAKER_03: 5:17

Yes. Yes. You told me.

SPEAKER_01: 5:19

Yes, yes. So I was just, I needed somebody to just take that job so that I couldn't go on my merry way and build my business. So yeah. Um, I did not, I didn't realize that you would. Well, I knew you were working with in like in an accounting and audit at the time, right? So I did know that, but I didn't realize that you you were actively like trying to get into the finance space and you weren't really getting like a chance. So that is fantastic to know. I'm glad to hear that it has all worked out so fabulously.

SPEAKER_03: 5:48

Thank you. And thank God. And also there are things that I learned from that role. So some of the things you taught me were like the importance of keeping your files very organized, how to like trans, like when you look at a complex file, you can transfer formulas in a certain ways and learn. I actually learned some things, some of those things I have carried them on. I actually learned from that. I was like, Oh, okay, okay, okay, okay. And it made my life easier even there. Oh, nice. This is good, this is something I like. So, like, yeah, and we've just talked about a lot about work you to bag. It's just like strict turkey.

SPEAKER_01: 6:35

You know, I would never have thought of it that way, but yes, there is the I feel like, well, in a lot of the things I do, I'm always very like intense and I'm very particular. You know, things have to be done in a specific way. It's just the way my mind works. Even like it's not just our work, honestly. In my personal life, I'm very like everything has to be done in a certain way, it's organized this way. You know, I like things folded a certain way. So yeah, it carries through. It's definitely not like strictly for work.

SPEAKER_03: 7:06

So that's you're a very type A person then.

SPEAKER_01: 7:09

I would never self-identify, but others have told me that I'm very type.

SPEAKER_03: 7:15

Let's tell you. So, like, okay, outside of that, what you're off duty, like I know that it carries through, but it's still like a fun side of you. What you're off, like when you're just chilling, relaxing with your friends.

SPEAKER_01: 7:32

Oh yes, yes. I think what a lot of people don't realize, because especially because most people see me in the social setting when I'm when I'm on. When I'm at home, I don't don't talk to me. I don't like I I like alone time. And by alone time, I really mean alone, like leave me upstairs in the room by myself, quiet. I like that a lot. Yeah, but there's not much separation in terms of my personality because especially as I've gotten older, yeah, because I have less capacity to censor myself. So I am me. Yeah. To not to the full degree, but I am still me at work. Maybe earlier in my career I was definitely different, but now it's just kind of like I am what I am. This is what it is, isn't it? It is what it is. It is what it is. If you don't like it, then that works for me. I can find somewhere else. Yeah. So yeah, but but but I'm definitely at home. I I like I like quiet, I like being alone, I like being with my family. Yeah, I I mean, you know that I'm always with them. Yeah, so so that I guess that's obvious to me. Anything to do with family, food, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 8:37

Like into do you like cooking?

SPEAKER_01: 8:39

I love cooking.

SPEAKER_03: 8:40

Oh, I didn't know that. What's your favorite thing to cook?

SPEAKER_01: 8:42

I cook a lot of things. I don't have a favorite, to be very honest. I cook a lot of things.

SPEAKER_03: 8:46

Okay, wait. If we were to do a competition right now, what do you think you would cook and you would win? Or people who say you would win. Like, I even say people who say you would win.

SPEAKER_01: 8:55

There it it's plenty.

SPEAKER_03: 8:57

It's plenty.

SPEAKER_01: 8:58

Like, I I my son actually cooks as well. Like we're like we cook together all the time. I I love to cook, and I really do cook a lot of different things. I I don't just cook Nigerian food, I don't just cook Dominican food. I like recipes and then I'll try out a recipe and then I'll add the things that I like to it and tweak it and change it. Yeah, so my Saturdays we make pancakes. We make pancakes almost every Saturday morning. We make pancakes together. I think the things that I would say, my family, that it's like a banger. I do yam pottage, but they love that. Every time I would go home to Dominica, my dad would have like a basket of yam waiting for me. Like, okay. Oh when you're unpacked, you've showered, you're ready to go. There's some yam. Please make some pottage for us. Thank you. Beans, my husband loves when I make a wagoi. He loves those loves that. Obono. I make that a lot.

SPEAKER_03: 9:54

I don't know how to make a bono.

SPEAKER_01: 9:55

It's very simple.

SPEAKER_03: 9:56

That's what I've heard. It's very simple.

SPEAKER_01: 9:58

Like it's it's it's very simple. It's literally seed oil stock. Yeah, it's very, very simple.

SPEAKER_03: 10:06

So maybe I'll try it. Yeah, do it. I'll try it one day. And Dominican, because I remember now that you grew up, you had a little bit of your childhood in Nigeria, some parts of your childhood in the Dominican, and some parts of your childhood in Canada, in Calgary, right? So like you are like, I guess when I think about you, I think about you from three different continents. And I love that.

SPEAKER_01: 10:32

Yes, that is correct. So it's Dominica, not the Dominican Republic. Yes, I love when people realize that what? Yes, they're two different people. I'm so sorry. No, no, no, that's okay. Most people don't know.

SPEAKER_03: 10:44

I think it was the Dominican.

SPEAKER_01: 10:45

Yeah, because Dominica is super tiny. So there's the there's the Dominican Republic, then there's Dominica, which is like in the it's in the Lesser Antilles. So if you know the chain of islands, well, St. Lucia, Antigua. Yes. So Dominica is one of those tiny islands.

SPEAKER_03: 11:00

Oh, I always, you know, I always thought you were from the Dominican Republic. Okay. No, not the I say Dominica. Dominica, Dominica, okay. And Daddy, that's where your Caribbean vibe comes from. Yes.

SPEAKER_01: 11:13

I was born there. I grew up there. I first lived there. Then we moved to Nigeria because they wanted us to have the Nigerian experience. So I went to high school there. I finished primary school. I went to high school. And then I went back to Dominica, did college, then I moved to Texas.

SPEAKER_03: 11:29

Oh, and you know you lived in America.

SPEAKER_01: 11:31

Yeah, a girl, I I I don't talk about that part.

SPEAKER_03: 11:34

It doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_02: 11:35

You don't like it. You're like, no.

SPEAKER_01: 11:37

I mean, I made a lot of good friends there, but I didn't, I didn't I didn't have a good time in Texas. So I moved to Canada, so my adulthood has been in Canada, more or less.

SPEAKER_03: 11:46

Yeah. And throughout all these years, you've actually built a very dynamic life. You have two businesses, you have a full-time job, you have your MBA, your mom, your wife, your friend, your sister. Yes. You are wearing so the thing is so many. How are you doing it? You like the spreadsheets are there, you're praying. What are you doing? All of the above, my dear.

SPEAKER_02: 12:10

All of the above. I live in spreadsheets.

SPEAKER_01: 12:12

I live in prayer. I live in everything. I love it.

SPEAKER_03: 12:16

So like very balanced.

SPEAKER_01: 12:19

It's not balanced, no. It's not balanced. It's not balanced. It's if if it's an illusion, if you think it's balanced, is the highlights real you're seeing on social media? It's it's not balanced. It's not balanced at all. I don't think I I think Michelle Obama has has actually said it that I don't this idea of everything being perfectly in tune. I I don't know that it's something realistic. Like there's always going to be something that's going to be taking precedence at any given time, right? Or maybe that is the balance where something is a higher priority right now versus the other things. Maybe that is the balance as opposed to everything is evenly distributed, right? So there is no balance. Like when I started my MBA, for example, I started that when I was on math leave, my first mad leave, and I wasn't really doing much with the businesses because I I couldn't. I was doing MBA and I was a first-time mom, and that was also COVID. That's a lot. It's a lot, it is a lot. So I would say perhaps what has kept me grounded, maybe, rather than finding balance, is my family. Like everything always comes out to my family. My family is my everything. Like everything that I do it's around them. Yeah, so it's just my family. How everybody chips in, you know, my sister would do nights, my mother-in-law would do nights, the siblings would come, take shifts so that I can sleep, study, go to class.

SPEAKER_03: 13:48

You know what that thing they say about first of all, it takes a village. It does. And I I 110% agree. Secondly, we do need a community, we do need people. I don't really buy that idea. I don't know if you've been seeing it on the social on the socials where people are like, oh, I can do it by myself. You don't need anybody, nobody owes you anything. I'm like, no. Like, what are you guys talking about?

SPEAKER_01: 14:12

I feel like it's the young people who are saying that, perhaps the people in their 20s who are, you know, they're just been released into the adulthood world and they're like, oh yeah, I don't need that, I don't need you need people. You need people, you need people.

SPEAKER_03: 14:25

Or like people grumble, oh my god, they want this, they're feeling entitled. I'm like, are they are they feeling are they really feeling entitled or you don't want to be there?

SPEAKER_01: 14:32

No, you don't want to be there. And I it it's it's hmm. I cannot overstate the importance of having a village and having people in your corner. And when I talk about my family, I'm also talking about my friends. My friends are everything. Like, yeah, you need you need people around you. And each person has like they can meet you at different points in time to fill that specific need in that moment, right? Likewise, you can also do the same for them. Yes, it's not just you know, getting, getting, getting, you are also being that for them. It's a village, and a lot of times people don't realize until it's too late the advantages of building that village, and it takes work.

SPEAKER_03: 15:14

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01: 15:14

It's work, it's a lot of work, it takes time to build it, but yeah, it you can't do it alone.

SPEAKER_03: 15:19

And it's also like when you're trying to build a village or when you're when you're quote unquote in a village, you have to realize that their expectations of you as well.

SPEAKER_04: 15:30

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 15:31

I don't like the mindset of oh, they're just gonna do XYZ for me, and then you don't think about when you can be there. And the tricky thing is when you're being there for people or people that you love, you're not doing it because they're going to be there for you. You're just doing it because you're just doing it. You see a need, you're there. Remember when we were growing up, our parents' friends will take on things, yes, they'll show up, and I hope we keep that. I think I have that in a way, but I hope sometimes I think about the generation and things I see and things I hear. I'm just like I don't know what you guys are talking about.

SPEAKER_01: 16:10

I feel like I feel like people, the younger generations, like our generation and younger, I don't know that they fully realize that we are the adults now. We are it's up to us. Like I see sometimes on social media where people are like, oh, people don't gather anymore. Do you know how you used to have parties with our family friends? Like, yeah, that's because you are the person, you are the adult, you are the one who has to be doing these get-togethers, right? Um, so I don't think like sometimes it's wild to me to think that I'm an adult. Yeah, and I'm responsible for children. But we are, we are, so it's up to us to create those memories, to create those opportunities to gather, to reach out to people and understand that needs fluctuate, right? Like you you hear a lot about people say, Oh, this person hasn't spoken to me in two weeks, so I'm not really checking in on them either. We're not friends anymore. You don't know what that person is going through. Maybe sometimes you're the one pulling that friendship for that period of time, and that's okay. The next season, maybe they're the ones pulling the it as long as you know the person, obviously. Yeah, and that person is worth keeping in your life.

SPEAKER_03: 17:13

Yes, and they love you. And they love you. I think that's the thing I always check. I'm like, maybe somebody's myself, like, but deep down, I can't say they don't love me.

SPEAKER_01: 17:20

Exactly.

SPEAKER_03: 17:21

Or they can't say I don't love them. So we'll figure it out. We'll figure it out.

SPEAKER_01: 17:24

It's a season, it's a season, it's a season, you know. I don't have to talk to you every day. Maybe this friendship doesn't require us speaking every day to maintain it. Maybe that one does require us speaking very frequently to maintain it, right? It's just understanding what each individual relationship needs and fulfilling it.

SPEAKER_03: 17:42

And this is why before we started, I told you that I wanted to do, I want to bring back Christmas parties, you see. We are the adults. I want to do it. It's also talking about events, talking about Christmas parties. I wanted to talk a little bit about no alla events. Yeah, tell me something, right?

SPEAKER_01: 18:00

You are it's from Adewano La, my name.

SPEAKER_03: 18:02

Oh, your name is Wano.

SPEAKER_01: 18:04

Yes, that's my first name.

SPEAKER_03: 18:08

I love it. It's always like a money, no way, yes.

SPEAKER_01: 18:12

My first name is Adiwanuala.

SPEAKER_03: 18:13

Now we think your first name was talking about.

SPEAKER_01: 18:15

No, it's my third name. Third? Yes, and all three are my birth certificates and passports.

SPEAKER_03: 18:20

I have like so many names as a Yoruba girl.

SPEAKER_01: 18:24

As as a Yoruba girl.

SPEAKER_03: 18:25

My dad won't let him, they only put one on my passport.

SPEAKER_01: 18:29

They put all three and they insist that they must spell it out fully.

SPEAKER_03: 18:33

I love it. That's what my kids, they're not they're not ready.

SPEAKER_01: 18:36

Ah, the names are strong.

SPEAKER_03: 18:38

I'm going to put all their full Europa names on your passports. Maybe I'll give them one English name. I'm not sure. So, like, what birthed the idea for Nola? Tell us a little bit about Nola Events, how it came about. What do you guys do?

SPEAKER_01: 18:53

Yes, yes. So Nola Events, it's an experiential company. So we work in events. And in addition to this, it's something that I'm now moving more into. So it started out with social events, you know, weddings, birthdays, parties, which is actually how the business itself even started. But now I'm moving more into that space where it's also of cultural expression and building community and being very design forward and what what that means to plan an event with intention and not just with following what's the latest trend on social media, right? So that's what Noala Events is. How did it start? So I I like organizing things, I like I mean, I like parties. Yeah, I like a theme, I like a good detailed themed event. So my sister actually I planned her wedding for her in Nigeria. That was the first official event.

SPEAKER_03: 19:54

Like I thought when you said panel wedding, I was like, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 19:56

Oh no, no, in Nigeria. Yes, and this was back before this current age where it's easy. You have Instagram and social media and all of that. So yeah, I planned her wedding in Nigeria, and that's kind of how it got started. But then shout out to Noe, she got engaged, and then she was like, you know, if you actually make this a business, that you can plan my wedding. And I was like, say less. So that's really what started it. It was Noe's wedding that officially had me incorporate the business, start the brand name, and yeah, it's been gangbusters since then.

SPEAKER_03: 20:28

So you get your friend, get yourself people that see the line. Yes, yes, because now she saw that line. Yes, yes. And one thing that I've heard from a lot of people, like a number of people you've planned your weddings. One of the biggest testimonies that they all appreciate is how you can handle Nigerian parents. Nigerian parents, listen to this girl, guys. Don't just respect it. What are you?

SPEAKER_02: 20:57

Uh uh what I need to understand the stuff you're using. Let me cut it for you. Um that is funny.

SPEAKER_01: 21:05

I think it also goes back to that whole just kind of I got a review that said that, you know, she's stern but approachable. I'm like, you know what, I like it. Yes, yes, it's it's very much me. I think, I think I I set the expectations from the beginning. So from the very first meeting with the client, I let them know that you are my client, it's not your family, it's not your mother. Even if they are decision makers and they are the ones paying for it, that's between you and them. I will only be speaking directly with you. So I set that expectation from the beginning, and I also let them know that because you're my client, it's what you want that I'm going to do. So whoever comes on the day of and says something else, you're not doing it. I'm not doing it. I'm not doing it. And I think because, especially if it's like I can turn on my Nigerian very, very strongly. And Nigerian parents, they like that, you know, when they see like an or they feel like you are Canadian, they might not really respect you as much. But I turn on the Nigerian ness, you know, ah yes, ma, no ma. And I'm very, very Nigerian level of polite. So by the time I lay down that boundary and I'm looking at them, they kind of okay.

SPEAKER_03: 22:15

Yeah, oh, that's what you do.

SPEAKER_01: 22:17

They're kind of like, okay, you know what? This person is not being disrespectful. You know how Nigerians like disrespect only culture. Only culture. Only culture, only wa. Ah, only wa. You know, I'll see them out. Ah, Carol, kneel down. How are you, ma? Do you need water? Let me help you get your bag, blah, blah, blah. Okay, you brought two friends. We don't have space for the friends, we don't have any extra tables. So, and then I like, let's sit in the uncomfortable silence and go from there. If you want to vacate your seat, okay, but um I'm not going to go out. No, the client is your son or your daughter, and this is what they have told me to do. So, that is what I will do.

SPEAKER_03: 22:55

That's like honestly, that's amazing. Okay, that makes sense. If you you can kind of have to play with their egos, yes, respect them, understand the way they understand the way they think, understand the way they operate, and let them know that I also am not a child.

SPEAKER_01: 23:09

You can't you can't walk on. You can't walk.

SPEAKER_03: 23:11

I think the parents respect that.

SPEAKER_01: 23:12

Yes, they have no choice but to they wherever they see, like uh it's kind of like when the sharks see blood in the water. Yeah, once they see blood, they go for it. So you have to show no weakness, stand strong.

SPEAKER_03: 23:23

Yeah, a day here, you can't care, and then yeah, so that's something that I mean, you're I think that's something that I heard from everybody that I know that you organize your weddings. And sometimes when that testimony is given to somebody else, the other person is like encouraging, like, okay, let me book her. I love to hear it. Book me, guys.

SPEAKER_01: 23:47

I got you.

SPEAKER_03: 23:48

Honestly, she got here. She she's we are not playing here. We are not playing here, and then you started Anrika.

SPEAKER_01: 23:55

Yes, Arika.

SPEAKER_03: 23:56

Anika.

SPEAKER_01: 23:57

Yes, Anikan Jabata.

SPEAKER_03: 23:59

Oh, what does that mean? Oh my god. I know I'm I've heard it before, but I don't know what Arika Jabata means. Anyways, I don't know what jabbatta means. Jabata means cut like cut the shoe.

SPEAKER_01: 24:10

Basically, so Arika, the literal translation, Arika, like someone who walks around. So when you walk around so much, your your shoes cut.

SPEAKER_02: 24:20

Oh my god, I was so uh you're close, you got the butter. I said cut the shoe, but I don't know what oh Arika.

SPEAKER_01: 24:27

So Arika is like Rikakiri.

SPEAKER_03: 24:34

So don't walk around, just go on the grow on online.

SPEAKER_01: 24:37

Just go online, just go online, we'll do it for you. Okay.

SPEAKER_03: 24:41

I actually didn't know that was what that I was always wondering, I was like, I thought it was a name, I just thought it was somebody's name.

SPEAKER_01: 24:46

Well, like put together, it's from Arankandra bata. Because my sister used to call me that. I used to walk about, yes, she's because I used to travel a lot and I would travel for food. So she would call me Arika. So when we got the idea for Arika, because it originally started as like a skip the dishes type model. Did you know that? Yeah, I didn't know that. You did not know that? Okay, so let me give you the origin story of Arika.

SPEAKER_03: 25:14

How did Arika get started?

SPEAKER_01: 25:17

So one day I was in church and I was praying to God to win the lottery. Like legit. I was praying to God like I like I need to win the lottery. Give me, give me something. And then that after the service, I was thinking that oh god, I needed to cook, but I did not want to, I did not feel like I needed to eat, but I did not want to cook. And I was like, I just wish somebody would just deliver the food to me. Like, I I don't want to have school and go to the store, and then I'll now start sleeping, and then I'll now cook. Then I'll not eat, but then I won't enjoy the food because I'm tired. So that was really how I'm like, how about if I just make that a business where I deliver food for people? So that was really what started it. So I spoke to my sister about it, and my sister was like, that is a great idea, and if I do do it, that she will be the co-founder. So we did it together, and our model at the time followed the popular meal delivery services that you just partner with restaurants. People place orders on the platform, who will go pick it up and deliver it to their home. So that was the model that we started with.

SPEAKER_03: 26:27

So yours was more grocery store though, which was it was food.

SPEAKER_01: 26:30

We just pivoted to grocery store in the past two or three years. So it was always food. Yeah, it was always food like that. That wasn't Nigerian food. Yes. Okay. So we were Nigerian Caribbean food. Yes, so we were um working with African and Caribbean restaurants here in Calgary. But at the time, they were very like this was again pre-COVID, right? They were very resistant to to change. They were like, ah, but people are already calling us, they can come pick it up. Like they they were very slow to adopt. So at that time, that was when my sister had her kids, and then I moved to Lloyd. So to Lloydminster, so I was like, okay, let's just pause everything for now. I lived in Lloydminster for a year.

SPEAKER_03: 27:12

Oh, okay. I was like, no, you live in Calgary.

SPEAKER_01: 27:14

No, I live in Lloydminster. Love carried me there. It's okay. The love is sustained. The love is uh the love has sustained me. Thank God it was not a waste. I mean, but yeah, I it stopped after that. Then when we got back to Calgary, then we now started reviewing what model would actually be more sustainable because we found that again, because at the time they they were very slow to adopt, there were a lot of roadblocks and barriers that we could not surmount, and it would be a reflection on our brand as opposed to you know the rest of us. So we're like, what would we have more control over? What can we pivot to? And that's when we started, we changed to a grocery store, and that was relaunched in 2023.

SPEAKER_03: 28:04

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01: 28:05

So we relaunched as a grocery store, and that's what we're currently operating as.

SPEAKER_03: 28:10

Because you know, I always knew of Aaron Rika, but in my head, it was always a grocery store. Like I'd seen it before 2023 for sure on Insta. Yeah, but I always thought it was a grocery store, and I don't know why I always thought it was a grocery store. There must have been something in my head that registered those things.

SPEAKER_01: 28:27

Maybe the space was already telling you that.

SPEAKER_03: 28:29

Maybe, but I'm just trying to think back to what I because for everything I think about, I knew it was food, Afro-Caribbean food. I just thought it was a grocery store.

SPEAKER_01: 28:39

Yeah, it wasn't a grocery store till 2023.

SPEAKER_03: 28:42

How is that going?

SPEAKER_01: 28:43

It's going really well. It's it's a lot of work. It's food, it's food, it's food, it's a lot of work, especially when a lot of our market is Nigerian. And Nigerians are a very uh special audience to serve. We are we are a special audience, a very, very special audience to serve, but it's going well. Um, we thank God we it's it just have to remind ourselves it's about consistency more than anything else, and progress, even if it's slow, it's still progress.

SPEAKER_03: 29:15

Yeah, so yeah, it's going well. So people just go on your website, order what they want. Do you deliver all over Canada?

SPEAKER_01: 29:22

Yes, we do, we do. So we originally started with delivery to Calgary and then we slowly expanded to surrounding areas, then Edmonton, then Alberta, then Canada wide.

SPEAKER_04: 29:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 29:34

Yeah, so you just visit our website and you can order. We offer sing day delivery within Calgary, surrounding areas and Edmonton, and then express to everywhere across Canada.

SPEAKER_03: 29:47

What's express?

SPEAKER_01: 29:48

Express. So we have like whatever the quickest option is available with the courier. Okay. So let's say it's a Fort Mac, there might be a next day option or two to three days for like a Montreal. Or Quebec or what's the furthest we've delivered to? Yeah, we've delivered to Quebec. I think we've delivered to Newfoundland. Yeah, it's all over Canada.

SPEAKER_03: 30:10

I think there's something I always wanted to get. There's something that you use. I can't remember what it was. Is it a pepper thing? I think it's a pepper thing.

SPEAKER_01: 30:18

Is it uh like a like an oil?

SPEAKER_03: 30:20

Yeah, I think so. Yes, rude oil.

SPEAKER_01: 30:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 30:24

It's always sold out. What was going on?

SPEAKER_01: 30:25

So Rudol oil, yes, it was always sold out, but the brand they are also no longer making it. Why? I know it's it it makes me sad. So they they're actually based in in the states in Texas. The brand they originally were named All I Do is Cook, and then they turned to they rebranded to Adol, and they made the most delicious Rude oil and Rudeau crisps. But this year they announced that they were no longer producing the oil and the crisps. We wait to see what next they'll be doing. But there are other I know there's um one that I just tested out by Toadon's Kitchen. She does so free promo for you girl. What is it called? I think it's called I don't remember what the brand is called, like the brand name, but she just she just gave me some to try out. It's so good. Okay. This one is very hot. So she's just working through her commercialization. Well, once that is ready, we'll be happy to carry her on Ariga.

SPEAKER_03: 31:29

Okay. So watch out for that. I think I think sometimes I think some of the things I wanted from the store, every time I'll go to be sold out.

SPEAKER_02: 31:36

Sold out, yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 31:37

My little cousin, my cousin worked with you for a little bit. She'll love that because you hooked out with that. And then I'll be like, check. She's like, if you don't want that, it's gone. I was like, okay. So do you think that because I know you have a finance. What did you study in school?

SPEAKER_01: 31:52

Business admin. So my specialization was finance for my bachelor's.

SPEAKER_03: 31:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 31:57

And then my MBA was global energy management and sustainability.

SPEAKER_03: 32:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 32:02

Yeah, but finance, basically.

SPEAKER_03: 32:04

Finance, finance business. Is that helping you with running your two businesses?

SPEAKER_01: 32:09

100%. Yes. 100% yes. And not just in the technical way that you would think of like spreadsheets. Yes, it does help with that, numbers, but it's also that mindset of running a business, all of the facets of it, right? I think about the marketing part of it because for Arika, for example, my sister manages the ops and I manage the growth, which includes marketing. My background has helped immensely with that because you know you understand like psychology and segmentation, all that fun stuff. Strategy, like okay, we're looking forward. This is what we want to do, this is our goal, this is how we build up into that goal. So it's it's it's absolutely helping 100%. Even sustainability. For example, you mentioned that things are always sold out.

SPEAKER_03: 32:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 33:00

Fair enough. Because we try to limit the amount of stock we have because of quality control, right? Like we don't want to end up keeping so much stock that it expires, and then that is we're losing money because we can't sell expired goods, right? So we try to do like just in time to manage like what the demand is while maintaining that quality control of making sure you know things aren't expiring, we're not wasting things unnecessarily because so much stock has to be thrown out because it's not being sold. So it's a fine balance for certain, but that's part of how my business background helps with that, and also like also the cost of storage, too.

SPEAKER_03: 33:39

If you have so many, then you have to store this stuff somewhere as well. And when I was looking at, I actually looked at crept on your link to be honest. But then you had some you talked about how um sustainability was super important to you. Yes. So it actually makes sense that you're like, no, we're just gonna, we're just gonna limit it. We're gonna like it is just the amount we have. I've random numbers, it makes sense for me to profitable. Yes, it is what it is. It is what it is. If you don't order a quick, is it lost?

SPEAKER_01: 34:13

We like I I I I look at it from both the consumer side and then from the business owner side, right? So what we do now, for example, which my sister really is that's her, what she works on, like managing that website. We have you can subscribe, you can subscribe, you can get alerts when it's back in stock. So if there's a product that is not available and you really want it, you can just um click, get be notified when it's available, and then once we've reached like X number of notification, like X number of signups, then we place another order so that you know as soon as it comes in, you can go ahead and place an order. I know, like for example, when Jolof now, Atari Foods, Jolof now and Atasu, that was flying off.

SPEAKER_03: 34:53

Like as soon as we restock, I think so.

SPEAKER_01: 34:56

Yes, it's very, very quickly, very, very quickly. So it's just things like that that ultimately we have to manage that stock, the inventory with demand, and also making sure that ultimately our bottom line is not really affected.

SPEAKER_03: 35:09

So you mentioned earlier that you like to cook, you like to experiment, you like to do this thing. Can we expect you to experiment and flavors for us and sell it to us?

SPEAKER_01: 35:24

Yes, you can.

SPEAKER_04: 35:29

I love that. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01: 35:31

Yes, yes, you can. Yes, you can. It's something that we're working on. Oh yes, we're currently working on it. My my uh team of my husband and my sister and I. But yes, it is something that we're working on. Me being who I am, I just want to make sure that it's done properly, done well, you know, got through my testing and my licensing and whatnot. So that's where we're working on this.

SPEAKER_03: 35:57

Oh my god, I'm actually excited. That's an exclusive. I know. You already hear a friend. Oh, like okay. Because I don't know what I thought about that. But if you like cooking grocery, like food.

SPEAKER_02: 36:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03: 36:12

Food-related food as well. What would you say is one thing that you wish somebody had warned you about with entrepreneurship? Like a lot of things because there's a list on the textbook.

SPEAKER_01: 36:25

There's a list, and I feel like there's there are certain answers that people give that's like, okay, you know, the hours and the amount of work. No, that's NBS.

SPEAKER_03: 36:35

That's not it. Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 36:36

The never-ending quest for funding. That is the real that's it. That's it. That's what they don't talk enough about.

SPEAKER_03: 36:45

Because you need you need to invest in a business. Yes, it costs money.

SPEAKER_01: 36:47

Yes, it costs money. It takes years for a business to be profitable. Like all these people that talk about, oh yeah, the business is right. Uh-uh. It takes years for a business to be profitable. Before it's profitable, you have to put that money in. Like you have to, you're consistently pumping money in, and it's kind of like uh I I I can't think of a the correct analogy for it right now, but you have to be consistent for your business to be to get there for it to be successful. But before then, how are you going to keep things going? You have to pay workers, you have to pay for space, you have to maintain your licenses and your permits and and all of that. So funding.

SPEAKER_03: 37:30

And then you may you may not be making anything.

SPEAKER_01: 37:33

You may not be making anything, but if you want the business to succeed, you have to continue, right? So is is the funding, and there are so many, which is why I when I think about like sustainability in general, like I feel like there is such a focus on environmental, but there's so many other things that also build into it that that that that go into it, or even thinking about DEI, or what they call it now. DEI there's another um diversity, equity, and inclusion. Yeah, and yeah, like even thinking about that. If as a founder you're trying to get funding, or maybe you're trying to get investors, investors have particular things that they are looking at to evaluate whether they want to invest in your business. If you're looking to traditional methods of in traditional forms of investing, they want to see that, oh, where did you get your funding from and your term sheets and blah blah blah blah blah. But when you're a small business, particularly a business of like a founder of color, your funding may not necessarily be from traditional, like from a bank or something, right? It's family members. They don't necessarily rate those things as viable sources of income. So then your hoops, how are you going to invest in me? Yeah, it's it's that's like a a gross simplification of it for the purpose of this discussion. But that is something that really grinds my gears. I remember at my previous company we were looking at some businesses who had applied to us for funding because the company I work for provides funding to businesses. I'm trying not to mention names. So I remember it was something that that you know how you can't necessarily have the same the like I understand the need for standardization, but there does need to be some flexibility to allow for the nuances of the cultural backgrounds that you know we may not have as much access to loans and credit cards like other businesses may have. So that does need to factor into your decision making when you're evaluating how they were were getting their funding, right? And to decide whether or not to give them that additional funding. But I digress. My point is, yeah, funding. No, no, you're not digressing.

SPEAKER_03: 39:49

This is actually very this is in this is something that I didn't even know. Yeah, um, I know that people ask for funding. I know that I have a business background, so I understand that at the end of the day, you want to be making money, even if it's a not-for-profit, you need money for it to be alive, whatever it is, you you do need the money. So it's I think it's true. People need to think about when the dollar can can you afford to do this, yeah. Basically, I think that's the word, and then you have a full-time job. Yes. How are you managing that? Do you feel like so? My question is in two parts. Do you feel like a full-time job is taken away from the energy you could put into your businesses, or do you feel like a full-time job is like helping you to continue to invest in your in the bigger picture?

SPEAKER_01: 40:47

Both.

SPEAKER_03: 40:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_01: 40:48

Both. It's which is why I quit at a point to build Arika to a certain level before I started working again. It does take away energy, especially when you now have a family that also needs your energy. Yeah, it does take away from it. There is no discounting that. That is why I would recommend if there's any young single person who is thinking about a business, do it now.

SPEAKER_03: 41:12

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 41:13

Get it started now before you have kids, before you get married, because your priorities will shift. They have to shift.

SPEAKER_03: 41:18

They must, yeah, they must shift.

SPEAKER_01: 41:20

Right? So while you have that capacity, do it, run for it, go hard, do everything you can right now. Because if your intention is to get married and have kids and do all those traditional markers of adulthood, your priorities will shift and you'll no longer have that energy. Even gone, like your body, as you get older, your body cannot do late nights and early mornings anymore.

SPEAKER_03: 41:42

Every time I'm like, oh, we're going to have a good night. Trust me, that's Sunday morning, or that's it. I'm like, I'm gonna be in bed till like 12. Nobody should talk to me. Ah, but back in the day, I'm back in the day at 8 in church.

SPEAKER_01: 41:55

Look, Friday, I'm leaving, I'm leaving school, I'm going to work, I'm finishing work, I'm changing to go to the party. Saturday, we're going for brunch. Saturday afternoon, we're looking for something else to do. Saturday nights we're in a party. Sunday, we're in church. Like, I could do that. Like, I'll wake up everyone.

SPEAKER_03: 42:11

You're not like if I go out on a Saturday, I'm not going to church the next year.

SPEAKER_01: 42:14

Look, nobody's seen me for a week. Minimum. Minimum. So yeah, I will say that having a job, like having a full-time job alongside running businesses, it definitely does take away from your energy. But it is necessary because, again, funding, businesses are very uncertain. Because you started a business does not mean that that business will last and it will continue, right? You need stability, you need security. And not everybody, I fully acknowledge the privilege in me being able to say, I'm quitting my job. You know, I had savings, I had backup of Bank of Daddy. If things really fall through, Bank of Daddy, that's what we used to call him, uh central bank of daddy. So I fully acknowledge that not everybody can do those things. So, yes, you do need the security, you do need the stability of having a full-time job, and it does allow you to take some risks with your business because you know that ultimately I shall know that this paycheck is coming in, yeah, right. But it is difficult, it's very difficult. I don't think it's for everybody. I know everybody is like, you know, work for yourself, build your own dreams.

SPEAKER_03: 43:24

It's not for everyone, it's not, and it's not for everyone sometimes. Like there's also a part of you that may enjoy the corporate lives, like some the parts of the corporate life that may be enjoyable.

SPEAKER_01: 43:34

If you want to be a 95 girly, be that you will make it. You'll make it. It's fine. There is nothing wrong with just being 90. It's not even a just being. There's nothing wrong with corporates.

SPEAKER_03: 43:44

There's nothing wrong. I don't think there's anything wrong with it.

SPEAKER_01: 43:46

Some people like to vilify it.

SPEAKER_03: 43:48

No, you know, like in Nigerian culture, they are haven't you had sure they had parents' generation or like aunties and uncles and stuff? They say things like, ah, you cannot make it so. If you're in this country, if you don't have your own thing, you can never really make it. And I'm like, I know people that did, I mean, they have other streams of income. They don't have they may not have any activism, they have other streams of income. Yeah, but then 95 give them that liberty to have those other streams of maybe they have investment, they have real estate, they have all of these things, and I see these people, and I'm listening to these people, I'm like, guys, why don't argue with them? You know, sometimes you just let people you know what if you think that's what it is, that's what it's like.

SPEAKER_01: 44:30

That's what it is. I think that, in my opinion, I think that it's kind of like the way Nigerian society is, is what I mean, society is what breeds culture, right? But I in my opinion, I feel like this idea of multiple hustles, it's born out of necessity and has now become a Nigerian thing. And when I say necessity, I mean like it's it's difficult to to live in Nigeria if you, you know, are not earning X income or if you're not a politician.

SPEAKER_03: 45:04

Yes, or even if you're not, even if you're not a politician, like if you're not working for like some of the major companies.

SPEAKER_01: 45:09

Yes, you're not working for the big companies. It's difficult. So it it is it is not even like, oh, I'm pursuing a passion. It is a necessity to have multiple streams of income because you don't know where this one is going to end. You need to be able to make ends meet. You know, perhaps you're a student and your parents are just like struggling to get you through school. You need to have maybe you know how to do hair, you know how to sew clothes so that that one can bring in money. So, gentlemen, like I feel like that's why I feel like it's it's a necessity that has now become like a Nigerian thing, that it's almost the norm for any person to have one, two, three things that they are doing simultaneously. Yeah, that's my opinion.

SPEAKER_03: 45:48

I was gonna say that when you're saying that if you're a student, you need to know how to make it. I can't make it. You know how to support. I can't support. I was just like so. So which one I can't do anything. What do you have to fall back on? My cooking stuff, we get as it isn't like I was like, damn, girl. Oh Lord, how would I have done? I had no fallback.

SPEAKER_01: 46:10

Um uh thank god we never we'll never know. Yeah, thank you. Thank God for the last video.

SPEAKER_03: 46:16

Like so you talked about on your LinkedIn. I'm just gonna read, you describe your work as living at the intersection between culture, sustainability, and strategy. So I want you to explain those words. Like, I want you to unpack it. How does that show up? Because you also said that sustainability is culture, culture is sustainability. Like, I'm just like, okay, I want you to help us help us unpack that unpack everything, yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 46:46

So I say I live at the intersection of culture because culture is rooted in everything that I do. So in my day-to-day, there there is culture is a the very essence of what I do. So, culture in the sense that say, for example, the names of my businesses, they all have deep meaning and they are in my language, right? So that is what I mean by culture. I live at the intersectionality of culture, sustainability, and strategy. Whenever, even with Nola events, the events that I am now putting on, they're about keeping culture alive and building community and having that impact, which is particularly important to me as a woman in Canada raising children as Nigerian Dominican children in Canada. Yeah, they don't have the they don't have what we have where we grew up there, so we have we lived there for a period, right? But so how then do we keep the culture alive? What are the things that we do, right? So so all of these various ventures that I'm doing in one way or the other are about keeping culture alive. So, same thing with sustainability, whereas sustainability again to me goes beyond environmental impacts and like you know, managing waste and green space. Yes, that is important, whether it's in naming something as simple as naming my businesses to the actual events that we're putting on, the type of services we offer, it's about really keeping that culture alive. Then sustainability similar, where we are thinking about so like when I do, like we mentioned earlier, in terms of like managing inventory, right? Ensuring that there's little to know as little waste as possible. That's also how we're contributing to sustainability, and it's those things that really tie together, it's tied together by strategy. So I spend a lot of time reading and writing, like my notes. I have I I think I have like over like thousands of notes in there. Just as thoughts come to me, I put them down. I'm a big fan of writing, and then I have these ideas, and then I try to make sure they connect so that there's that seamless approach, which is the overall strategy that is now applied to the businesses. So that is how I approach any of my ventures. I think about the cultural aspects of it, how I can honor the culture, how we can keep it sustainable both environmentally and culturally, and then what strategy is it that I'm putting in place to keep all of those seamlessly working together.

unknown: 49:39

Wow.

SPEAKER_03: 49:40

I'm just thinking, like I was taking a minute to think about everything you you're you were sharing. Um I'm excited about you, like I'm excited about the things you're going to do.

SPEAKER_01: 49:51

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03: 49:52

Thank you and how your businesses will grow. Thank you. Thank you. Amen. I believe in it. Thank you. And you know, you said something about how keeping I just remembered that growing up, I remember growing up, my dad and his friends, they would during Christmas time, they will all get together. The kids would be into somebody's house.

SPEAKER_00: 50:24

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 50:25

They're in the compound. There's alcohol, there's beer, there's Yoruba music. Outside there, they are all gisting, laughing. All the kids were in the living room. We are playing, we are watching TV, we are gisting. And when I think about some fun memories, that's what I remember. And I think maybe that's why low key in my head. I just I guess sad sometimes that those things are phasing out. I guess sad that it doesn't have to. We we don't even spray anymore.

SPEAKER_01: 50:54

It doesn't have to spray money anymore. We don't, like, and that's the thing, it doesn't, it doesn't have to. Yeah. So it it's it's something like in my family, like with my dad, Daddy, he loves to entertain. So what you described, daddy always, we always did it. Like Christmas was always my favorite time of the year because we would go home to Dominica and like everybody would go, and then we would all just gather, we would all be in the backyard. Daddy always had things for entertaining, he had tents, chairs, tables, the tents, speakers outside for the yard. So he he was always entertaining. So part of what we're doing, for example, this year for his remembrance, we had a backyard party, so it was just like what he would like, you know. All of his favorite things was what we did. We his favorite foods, pictures, really to keep his memory alive. But we're saying that we're gonna do that every year now, like it doesn't even necessarily have to be tied to remembering him, but again, these family gatherings, these are how memories are made. This is how even our kids build their own village because they have built in, you know, play cousins, yes, uh, Auntie Chiso and you know, Auntie Noe and Auntie Addy, these are all do you understand these this is how we build the village, and this is how they also build those connections that keep them anchored to home and keep them rooted in their culture, right? So, yeah, it doesn't it it doesn't have to go away, like it's up to us.

SPEAKER_03: 52:26

Yeah, I agree with you, and this is why, see, going back to the fact that you guys should be seeing me doing over and bed.

SPEAKER_01: 52:33

Yes, so ah in Toronto, I was only where I am. Look, we're we're in there, we're in there. I was able to say that I'm going to start wearing ghilly now. Like I'm uh yes, so I'm fully entering my Yoruba.

SPEAKER_03: 52:45

Do you know why I came to Alberta? Why? There's a 15th birthday in Edmonton's, and do you know what I did? I saw the Ashra Beaver and I'm tying the ghillies. Look, I've got my Yoruba anti-can. Enter it, enter it fully. Own it, own it. I like it. Actually, I'm enjoying it.

SPEAKER_01: 53:03

Me too. Loki, I just like you know oh, this is not even Loki's hikey. This feels good. It does. Like I went to I went to the NCAC gala on Saturday this past weekend, and I was telling my sister how I don't have the word to fully describe, but I was just so happy. All of these people, women, men, particularly the women, because I was looking at them in their 40s, 50s, 60s, dressed to the nines, and I'm not even just talking about Iran, Bhuba. There were people in like jumpsuits, very tasteful, age-appropriate, but they all looked so good in their different inter-contemporary interpretations of Ashware. It was beautiful. Like, I I just and I love to see it. And and to me, again, that's part of sustainability. We're keeping our culture alive, even though we're not in the country anymore. So, yes, absolutely, absolutely. More of it, more of it.

SPEAKER_03: 53:56

More of it over, like honestly, and okay, so this is this is another question that I have for you. When you picture the future of like African and Caribbean businesses in Canada, what do you imagine? Because I can think of what you imagine, because I think you're thinking about a space where we're comfortable enough to express ourselves and to own the businesses that we have and to market it in the most respectful ways for our own cultures and being true to ourselves through it. But what do you what do you really imagine? That's what I think you imagine.

SPEAKER_01: 54:36

That's exactly it. That's exactly it. I I I imagine authentic, vibrant businesses, not just businesses, brands. I no longer want to just think about it as the business or it's like a transaction, like a brand, an entity. I because I do feel like, especially in the earlier days of immigrating here, you know, we may have felt that we needed to conform. We'd be seeing the Johnson and Johnson company, you know, the Roger. Now you have brands who are in their native language and they are teaching you how to speak it in their language. Think of Lamaran, for example. That's the um FT's food brand.

SPEAKER_04: 55:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 55:20

And that is his that is his his hometown, his I think his father's hometown or so, where we're owning our heritage, we're naming our brands as such, and we're marketing our brands as such. That makes me very, very happy. And I I am happy to see us moving more confidently in that direction, where we're owning, where we come from, we're owning who we are, and we are sharing it with the world, and the world is accepting it.

SPEAKER_03: 55:49

Yes, I think I think it's accepted. I think I think I'm also surprised by that. Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, I think that maybe because growing up or when you moved to Canada too, I I I believe it'll have been the same, where our culture wasn't so accepted, even in school, even black kids or black people they don't want to really associate with you if you're too African. I remember when I moved to Canada, I moved you at 18, and some of the people in my school, I'm cool with everybody now. But let me tell you, it wasn't always so he wasn't always so. People were they didn't want to associate with you immediately. Yeah, I feel like they were all and some people are Africans, so I feel like they were not proud to be Africans. That's why I'm saying that I'm actually surprised because I don't know what made it turn, but it turned. Now everybody's like, oh, the Nigerian culture, the African culture.

SPEAKER_01: 56:53

Now the love is this who wants to marry Nigerians, so they can have a Nigerian wedding.

SPEAKER_03: 56:57

Yeah, be oh, I really want to go to a Nigerian wedding. I want to dress anyways.

SPEAKER_01: 57:04

Yeah, it's I think it's probably I I think it's the numbers. Like there's just too many of us to ignore now. Yes. There's just Nigerians are everywhere.

SPEAKER_03: 57:13

And we're allowed people, and we're allowed. Yeah, we're allowed. Maybe it's really more of you guys, it's more of us. There's more of a particular set of people. They have just allowed us. Yeah, they don't care. You know, like Nigerian people don't care.

SPEAKER_01: 57:25

Especially the ones who just arrived. At least the rest, the people who came in earlier, they will still they've adopted more Canadian sensibilities and oh wait, you know, let's measure ourselves. The ones who just came, they don't care.

SPEAKER_03: 57:37

Yeah, they don't care. In Calibrator, oh my god.

SPEAKER_01: 57:40

Oh they don't care, they don't care, they're unapologetic, and I love it. Like we deserve to take up space. Yeah, let's take up space, be unapologetic, be vibrant. If that's you, be you. Yes, and I appreciate Canada for that because I do feel like Canada does allow us that opportunity. Yes, it may have changed from when I lived in Texas, but it's I I I feel like I I felt at home in Canada, I feel at home in Canada versus living in Texas. I was always kind of out of place, you know. The Dominican and Nigerian spaces, the Nigerian and Dominican spaces, it was always very awkward, but Canada kind of allowed me to be all of me at once and just be who I am, right?

SPEAKER_03: 58:32

Yeah, and this is where we're going to pretend you never lived in Texas.

SPEAKER_01: 58:36

Look, Texas did not happen. Like what that was a black hole. No, no, no. No, it didn't happen.

SPEAKER_03: 58:41

So can you tell me one time that something happened that you're experiencing something through everything that you do, and you were like, Yes, this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

SPEAKER_01: 58:55

The spice in a series.

SPEAKER_03: 58:57

The what?

SPEAKER_01: 58:57

The spice dinner series. So spiced in a series, yeah. So it's the that's the event that I had last year. So for con for podcast purposes, okay. So the spice in a series is a cleaner experience that I started last year. I had been thinking about it for years, and I just never took the leap because really they were self-imposed barriers, to be very honest. I was the one who imposed, oh, maybe I shouldn't, and do I really want to? People won't like it, blah blah blah. Anyway, so what it is, it is it's an intimate dinner series, and it's usually right now. We we have like a chef who comes in and curates a menu that is highlighted, that is um centered around a culturally significant ingredient. So last year, for example, was plantain. Plantain, it is significant in African cultures, in Caribbean cultures, Brazilian cultures, all cultures of color, really. So the intent of it is to for the chef to tell the the their story of their culture and how that ingredient impacts them through food and drink.

SPEAKER_03: 1:00:06

Why do you think you won't want to experience that?

SPEAKER_01: 1:00:09

I don't know. Like I said, self-imposed barriers, you you throw up these things in your head of why it won't work. It's fair. It's fair, really. It's fair. But yeah, I I had thinking about it for years and then last year at the top of the year, I was like, let's do it. So I started working on it and then of course everything that happened last year happened. But then I was like I'm just gonna continue with it. Like I'm gonna push through you know we'd spoken about it extensively so I was like yeah I do that wanted me to do it let's go ahead and do it. So yeah we did it and I was I was so proud of myself I was so proud of myself my family my friends like every like people rallied around me and it was it was incredible. It it it was such a a light in a horrific year for me. So yeah very proud that I did it I'm proud that I'm doing it again. Yes it's coming up November 1st buy tickets buy your ticket when is it exclusive exclusive it's I it actually just became available today so I'm very very proud of it it's it's I am I'm proud of myself really for doing it for pushing through frankly it's not making me any money yeah it's like breaking you're breaking I'm not breaking you no I'm not because like bringing in a chef wherever they are chefs are expensive chefs are expensive good chefs are expensive yeah I didn't ex I I didn't even doubt that it would be good like no because like really there's a difference in a chef and a cook let's be real no yeah yeah right but to get someone who would actually build a beautiful not just build like curate a thoughtful menu it does cost them money and and this is this is me getting out of my soapbox I feel like especially in food because because food is something we cook every day we eat daily I feel like people don't rate food as the art it is there is art in cooking there is art in placing there is art in looking at an item and transforming it into something else I think chefs are artists and they should be compensated accordingly and recognized accordingly and I hope it's my hope that with this series it's another way for us to really appreciate the art that is cooking that is the culinary art so anyway so yeah it it does cost money and then I also infuse myself into it in the design and how it looks the aesthetic just the overall vibe that is being created the intentionality it all frankly cost a lot of money it's not it's not it's not cheap because like I think I tested things out when I tried to do my when I did my 35th I was more intentional about it but I had no idea what things cost I did not like I had no idea I wanted a private space I wanted this and it was still nice but then I was like damn true and I really like the food thing too like I my friend sent me I can't remember the chef is in Toronto is it FT I think it is it is FTF Lamarin yes he has an event coming up and she sent it to me and I was like ah I'm tempted I don't know if I'll be in town but I'm tempted because he has them regularly okay so maybe I'll go for the next one because like I was like oh this is so nice because she sent she's been looking at she bookmarked him yes and then she sent it to me a few days ago like oh this guy is having another event I'm like girl I'm tempted I would highly recommend it he is an incredible chef an incredible person he's doing so many good things in like the food scene like the food space and one of the things I like about him is he also I've learned about so many other chefs from him like he's constantly sharing them like the chef who is doing this November 1 event she worked with him on last year's event okay so that's how I met her and now we're working together on this one right so he's just one of many people in that space but obviously he's very dear to my heart because he was the first chef for my first event that I'm so proud of but yeah congrats on that though thank you if I was here I would have gone but don't worry we will bring it to you you know yes going nationwide next yeah please come to Toronto and Toronto there's a crowd for that yes there is a crowd for that everything there is a crowd for that yeah honestly you're outside people for real for real I'm trying to get Calgary on that level slowly well you know you have new we have new black immigrants yes there's a market for it there is there's a there's a there's an appetite there's an appetite like people especially people who are coming from Toronto or people even just coming from Nigeria Nigeria is constantly happening there's always something to do right so coming to Calgary there is that I want to keep that movement going that spirit going so where can you buy tickets? I almost forgot oh you can go to my website it's noolaevents.com slash events and then you can buy you can get your link to get tickets from that and when is the event again Saturday November 1st okay it is at the Garrett Loft downtown it is an intimate event so there's limited tickets it's not like um open.

SPEAKER_03: 1:05:27

Okay yeah so if you're getting in get in early okay get in early so what did you think when you were a kid was this what you imagined you would be doing or what did you think you would be as an adult what was your dream job I wanted to be a professor of microbiology and immunology never yes because that's what my dad was on I can't I can't see it like I don't know wait I'm so so confused yes I grew up wanting to be a professor of microbiology and immunology then in like what's immunology like um the study of the immune system how the body reacts to diseases and vectors and whatnot yeah okay I wanted to do that and then briefly in like SS1 SS2 I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer okay then I went back to wanting to do microbiology and immunology and then I wanted to so I was doing that biology and chemistry and then I shifted to epidemiology I wanted to be an epidemiologist which is basically the study of the spread of diseases in the community and then I had a come to Jesus moment with my dad and it was like I feel like business is where you need to be you're you're very entrepreneur I'm like I am I fought it but then eventually I moved and yeah it was smooth like that I'm actually surprised because I always thought you were maybe you would say I don't know that you wanted to have like five businesses no it was never something that I actively thought about like that it like in my mind I wanted to be a professor of microbiology I wanted to be a professor just like my daddy oh you just wanted to be like I just wanted to be like my dad so that was I wanted to be a professor professor professor I'm still gonna be a professor I haven't ruled that out I'm still going to do a PhD just to have that title but it won't be microbiology it'll be something else yeah micro what like maybe food studies food studies yes that actually that's the closest thing I can link to like the sciences like food studies make sense food science makes sense sustainability and growth yes sustainability in food space or even generally as a science makes sense yeah yeah but inside inside the inside inside the core biology ah ah like I love doing labs but the write up after the lab ha yeah that was the ha la for me I like practicals yeah I like practicals with them quite visual as well but I didn't like theory I didn't like the theory I think it was just more that curiosity like I was just curious about it and again this is what daddy does I'm gonna do it too oh that's okay you such a daddy's girl you're such a daddy's girl I am too sure I kind of remember but see I even like in my notes for a year I was like did you imagine that you have like different businesses like I'm going to have this I'm gonna do this and the funny thing is which is why I ended up what doing what I'm doing because my dad had always said that whatever we do he wants us to be able to do it on our own like have a business of our own so he was like if I want to if I'm determined to do sciences that maybe I should consider pharmacy because I can just have a pharmacy like a pharmacy of my own and it's my own business I'm not relying on anybody so he was always the one that was kind of but daddy was never the person to say you should do this you must do this he would just kind of offer something to you maybe nudge you closer but he would just let you make your own decisions and whatever you want to do he'll support you as well seems like you had such an impactful father like yes yes it was very impactful. Yes I know I remember I know like you were very close to him too yes what would you want to advise anybody that's trying to pivot in your career or trying to juggle or that are presently or trying to juggle different things write everything down everything every single thing.

SPEAKER_01: 1:09:34

So what are they writing down actually anything whatever thought you have whatever idea you have whatever consideration even if you see a a career a job description you like write it down keep it and the pieces will start to come together I think if I were to speak for myself I think a lot of times we try to wait for things to be completely perfect and all pretty it it it rarely if ever comes like that you kind of have to piece things together. So I would say write everything down write down what you like write down what you don't like write down what you've seen even like imagine what you don't see like I don't know that the path that I am on truthfully I don't have a clear picture of what it is but for me my faith like I I believe in God I'm Christian based faith so I believe that once I'm walking down that path it will be revealed to me right I just all I have to do is just take the steps right and to take those steps I write it down I write what I want I write down my dreams even if it seems outlandish I write I write down my big dreams whatever it is and then everything will start piecing together and like I mentioned earlier even the Bible says write down the vision make it plain that whoever sees it can run with it. It's easier for you to visualize something when you've written it down it makes it real to you it's the same thing like when they talk about affirmations right whatever it is you want to be write it out I am confident I can do difficult things I am the next Oprah whatever it is write it down it makes it more real to you and it sticks in your head and I found that when I write down my ideas and things that I want to do it helps me to recognize opportunities when they come up because I have written it down I read it regularly I'm refining it I'm adding I'm tweaking so when something comes up that could relate to that I'm easily able to tie it in and then I can jump on the opportunity right similarly I can say no because I've already written down I don't want this this is not what I want to do it's clear to me so if something comes up I know it's an immediate no right so yeah write it all down and also when you write it down it's almost like you're telling yourself that it's going to happen it becomes it may feel like it's not achievable but slowly in your head it feels like maybe I can do it.

SPEAKER_03: 1:12:10

Yes and it's also good to write it down because over the years when you go back you're like I wasn't crazy or look at how far I've come I remember how I felt when I wrote this because when I go back to my journal sometimes and read I remember like I remember the emotions I was feeling in that moment whether I was sad or happy or lost and I think it's it's it's also good for you. Yes it is also good for you.

SPEAKER_01: 1:12:40

It's great great practice exactly for those reasons you said you you can remember it can take you back there it can remind you maybe if you've gone off the path a little bit you're like actually this is where I want to be or maybe you know I do need to pivot I do need to modify the goals right so yeah write it down very important. I feel like I'm an open book so I don't know that there's anything anybody would be surprised to learn about me. Hey girl yeah she does woke up I don't know that yeah I I I really couldn't think of anything like I'm an open book there's nothing that's surprising and so she doesn't want it there we go okay I thought she was still sleeping she was very quiet very quiet baby and so nothing nothing nothing oh surprise you did I even write anything down I don't think I wrote anything down for that I am like yeah I literally have nothing so this season of your life now I think that your Matly right now your businesses are growing and you're figuring things out what would you call if you could name give a word to this season what would you call it tell why is that too personal no it isn't it isn't like I said I feel like it's our responsibility to share things to because you never know who it's helping right so that's fine I would say this season of my life is called acceptance acceptance and this is it it's it's in different like it applies to so many different things one is accepting that my capacity has changed my capability has changed my priorities have changed like even having one child versus now having two what I could do with one child I can't do like I would be mad to go and do an MBA right now with a newborn actually yeah without newborn yeah I I can't I can't do that so I did that with the one I can't do that with the second right so it's accepting that things have changed and capacity and that doesn't have to be a bad thing I just need to adjust myself accordingly accepting that my rhythms have changed so typically I'm I'm not a morning person I've never been a morning person I am forced to be a morning person now because getting kids ready for school this one wakes up blah blah blah accepting that and rolling with it modifying it right also I think the most critical application of this for me is accepting all the parts of me so for a very long time I always felt like I had to partition like there is Noala Toki there's Aaron Katoki there is finance girly took it that like I thought I had to separate all of these little pieces like I just updated my LinkedIn yeah like maybe like a month or two months ago to add all these good so I liked it like curtios I I took like I was agonizing like should I oh my god what if ah this one like I agonized over it for so long and for so long God had been leading me to like I my life is not an or like it's not a or b it is and and with like I am all of these things at the same time it they don't have to be separate right and it's it it sounds simple like it's not a big deal but for me it's massive for me to really finally accept that yes I am in finance and I do enjoy finance I'm good at it also I love sustainability also I really love food also I love hospitality also like it's okay you know I feel like society almost tells us that we have to be one thing you can only be defined in X way but really we are we can be so much more there's so much possibility I can be doing all of this and in five years I decided you know what actually I don't want to do this anymore I want to do something else and that's okay it's like giving yourself freedom giving myself freedom that's really what it is giving myself freedom yeah that's that's my season just accepting all of these things all of the things that I am all of the ways that I am like accepting that I'm not a morning person so don't expect me to do anything in the morning anymore. I don't want to and that's okay and that's okay accepting that accepting that actually if you don't present it to me in a list I don't want to see it yeah please give me a list please give me a list don't bombard you with give me a list so I can do check check check check check that's who I am I'm not going to try to twist myself into a pretzel to be something I'm not yeah so yeah acceptance I think I can relate with the part of accepting capabilities so for me on the other side I feel like I'm in a season where I'm accepting that my friends' lives are changing and that means our dynamics are all changing and I don't like it.

SPEAKER_03: 1:18:10

I actually don't like the change I struggle with it but just sitting with myself and understanding that it's necessary yes and it's okay.

SPEAKER_04: 1:18:20

Yes.

SPEAKER_03: 1:18:20

So I think that that's what all I could relate I'm on the other side where you can I have to like adjust people have kids now people have husbands or partners and you know you your the way you the time you have is also different because now you have to spread it between him your family his family his friends your friends so it's hard right but yeah this is adult it's adulting I don't like it it's adulting it's adulting it's okay yeah it's adulting yeah but I really really had a great time talking to you you were really you've been very open thank you I feel inspired by your journey like I said earlier I really believe in it I think some of the things that a lot of the things that you shared I didn't know so I'm finding out with the rest of the people listening but I feel really inspired you've always been like from the outside you've always been like someone who is very sure of herself very well grounded you can't mess with me I mean all of those things are true yes and that's no it's true you can mess with me and things like that but also there's that beauty in the determination I think it's very important to be sure of ourselves. Yes I um I think I wish I got to that earlier in my life I think it's something that I just walked into maybe a few years maybe two years ago or a year ago but it took me a while and then once I started to feel that I was like ah I'm sleeping better because like you're just less I don't know you're just lighter I guess. Yes so it's it's something but it's something I admire about you. Thank you thank you I mean I will say for you whenever you wake up is your morning don't let anybody stress you out on timeline if it's 40 that you realize that actually yes this is what I am it is what it is that's okay too I I I will I also want to credit my people it's not a thing that I do by myself yeah my dad has always been like a core foundation my sister which has I I I tell people that like my sister my husband are like the wings the the the wind beneath my wings they do help me be grounded and my friends my friends shout out to my girls they know themselves but so that's why I keep on talking about village like yes no that need a person I need a village don't let people lie to you guys you need good people because the older you get like even as a young person life does happen but I think maybe you have your parents very solid there so you don't really understand that as they age to yes they can't yes yes so you need other people it's one thing we don't we don't realize they age the age you have to parent your parents at a point yes you need friends you need friends you need friends you need people to lean on yes you need people to show you how to be a friend as well right and it's not always about what they can do for you you're also learning what you can do for them what you can do for other people you need friends yes and that's and be because when we're younger to our parents friends will show up for us but we didn't realize that they were showing up for their friends not for us but now all of the above they're all tired you need to go and create your own and because you know growing up you watch your mom or your dad or auntie take care of maybe the way they'll show up for their friend's parents in such an important way and I feel like it's our time is that it's we are there now and we shouldn't ignore that important we need to be those people now we do I think we do yes we do we're the we're the new adults we are the new adults we have to only to ah it's do that passy throw that passy I'm throwing it have that barbecue yes have the barbecue throw the passy but thank you so much to you I really enjoyed having you today thank you for having me yes thank you and thank you guys thank you for listening to us um again my name is Abby until next time bye bye oh don't forget to like and subscribe growing through the madness on youtube and instagram or groin ttm until next time my name is abby bye bye