Growing Through The Madness

S1 E8: Growing Through Resumes: I thought PwC on my resume was a Golden Ticket

• Abi Tobi • Season 1 • Episode 8

Share episode

Send us a text

A prestigious logo on your resume isn’t a golden ticket—Uche learned that the hard way after moving to Canada. We dive straight into the hiring reality many newcomers face: applicant tracking systems, fierce competition in Toronto and Calgary, and why tailoring your resume to the job beats relying on brand names. From there, we open up about the mindset shift that turns rejection into data and the small, consistent actions that build momentum when no one is calling back.

Our conversation spans the seasons of a career: surviving a rigorous masters program, moving from accounting to insight-driven finance, and learning to communicate with executives when the answers aren’t obvious. Uche’s background in strategy consulting and Big Four advisory forged a bias for clarity and action, but he’s candid about the cost and the growth—high expectations, mental health tradeoffs, and the value of surrounding yourself with peers who raise your bar. We also get practical about compensation: how to talk ranges with trusted friends, how to benchmark your worth, and how one honest conversation can change your trajectory.

The story turns human and hopeful. Uche took transition roles, studied between customers, and stayed ready for the next door to open. Today he balances a finance career with a real estate side business, choosing tangible assets, client service, and market literacy as a form of resilience. 

As a new dad, he shares how intentional time, faith, volunteering, and strong friendships keep life centred. It’s a candid look at ambition that doesn’t forget compassion (even towards yourself) your family, and the people coming up behind you.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s navigating a career reset, and leave a rating so more listeners can find these conversations. Your support helps this community grow.

Support the show

SPEAKER_08:

Like HR recruiters would read through the resumes, like even if they're a lot, but they'll be able to at least see, okay, where did where did this person work?

SPEAKER_00:

Sorry, in Nigeria. Okay.

SPEAKER_08:

Where did this person work, the course skills and everything? I came here and I was like, I'll just send out my resume. You should see PWC there, you should call me. And I'm like, no one is calling me. And then I went through some on I went through an unlearning process and I understood that hey, you have to tailor your resume to the role. I'm like, but didn't they see PWC? So that was the thing, right? So that was for me one of the culture shocks. I had to understand that things have evolved. There's a like some of these things are automated, the system reviews like resumes, and then before like a human being looks at it. So I had to take into consideration that. So that was really for me the major culture shock. And uh at least that's that's the main one I would just want to highlight today. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's true. There's that thing about, oh, are you really interested in job? Are you taking time to like and just because you worked for an amazing company that they don't feel doesn't mean you'll just be given given a chance.

SPEAKER_08:

And that's true. Now I I understand it because I've been in situations where I had to review resumes for roles, and I'm just like, did this person read through the job description?

SPEAKER_01:

Hi guys, welcome back to Going Through the Madness. My name is Abby, and I'm your host. It's been a while since we spoke, but I'm happy to be back. Today I have a friend with me, Uche. Hi. So how are you doing?

SPEAKER_08:

Amazing. Yeah, it's it's a good day, so yeah. Thankful and happy.

SPEAKER_01:

What happened? Did you do you're happy, that's good. You're not just okay.

SPEAKER_08:

You know, the weekends are I don't want to call the country's name, but they are always short, you know, they are made in Dash, but anyway, yeah, they're always short. My point is anytime I have the weekend, I'm able to rest, and I'm just grateful for yeah, the week that has passed, and then looking forward to the new week.

SPEAKER_01:

That's good. Did anything exciting happen during this week? Are you watching anything interesting, listening to anybody?

SPEAKER_08:

No, I think maybe time gets I don't really have the time I used to have, but I actually watched the movie. I'm trying to remember the name on Prime yesterday. But beyond that, I think my weekends these days just try to rest, catch up, and it's been a very busy couple of weeks, so yeah, I was able to rest all through yesterday and then I played tennis on Friday.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh yeah, you played are you yeah, you play tennis. You're still doing that. I still do.

SPEAKER_08:

I still do, yeah. I still do.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, that's good. We haven't spoken in a minute, but I remember the last time we spoke, you were in Barcelona, you're traveling the world, doing your thing.

SPEAKER_08:

Oh, I think I've made all those money. I'm still waiting, I'm still hoping. But yes, I I had I went to Barcelona and Lisbon. I attended a conference in Barcelona and I decided to just take some time, and yeah. That was good. My first time in both cities, and yeah, I enjoyed both of them.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel like Barcelona is literally one of my favorite cities in the world. It was one of my most enjoyed solo travel. But this was pre-pandemic, okay?

SPEAKER_08:

Okay, yeah. I actually have a friend who had been inviting me uh to come to Barcelona. And this, as I said, the conference worked out, I was able to visit. I enjoyed the city, but if you ask me, I wouldn't go to Barcelona again in the summer.

SPEAKER_03:

Oh wow.

SPEAKER_08:

I went in like July, it was very hot. Okay. So honestly, yeah, I don't know whether the Canadian in me is speaking. It was hot. Like it was crazy hot, but it it was an amazing city. Lots of historical spots. The sightseeing, I love sightseeing, so I enjoyed, I enjoyed that. I definitely would love to go back maybe in the fall or in the spring.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

Because it's always warm there compared to here. But yeah, it'd be nice to see how the city is when it's not like almost 40 degrees Celsius.

SPEAKER_01:

You know what? It's very hot in Barcelona in the summer. Yeah. So that's true. But I do like the I like the people, I like the food. I like how fresh the food is.

SPEAKER_04:

I agree. I agree.

SPEAKER_01:

And it's just better quality control versus North America.

SPEAKER_07:

No comments.

SPEAKER_01:

No, nothing.

SPEAKER_07:

We're throwing Canada under the bus now.

SPEAKER_01:

North American food quality needs to be checked, please.

SPEAKER_07:

Okay, no comments.

SPEAKER_01:

But we can move on. We can move on. Have you gone anywhere else?

SPEAKER_08:

No, since then, no. I think most of my travels now have either been like, as I said, if I have a conference, work stuff, but I haven't traveled as much as you used to back in the day. Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, like this is this is adulting.

SPEAKER_08:

Like honestly, yeah, responsibilities, life generally. And then I think as you as you said, as you you grow older, you also when you make those decisions, you look at your bank account, you're like, you need smiling.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, you have to like, yeah, you have to be a bit more responsible with those things. And also you're in your dad, so that also that also plays into all of this as well.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, it does. And funny thing is, I was just talking about it with a couple of friends and my wife today. And like I had this family friends we were visiting and talking about oh changes, and I would say that's one thing as well. I love traveling, I haven't had the opportunity to travel as much, but it's not just about oh, I can't afford to travel, but it's more of being intentional because of the changes, life changes. If I'm traveling, I'm thinking about wifey, my little girl, and the whole logistics that comes with that. And then, yeah, we're yet to do a trip altogether. That's the one I'm looking forward to.

SPEAKER_01:

Is she ready? Is your daughter ready?

SPEAKER_08:

I think she she's she's ready.

SPEAKER_01:

She has to be.

SPEAKER_08:

But definitely we'll do we'll do one. But I'm looking forward to that. And it's it's gonna be different. So I'm actually looking forward to the stress, the logistics, parking for that. It's I'm just trying to envisage that experience, and yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and so for me, I was listening, I I have been obsessed with Money for Couples, which Ramita's a hit. I think that's how you say his last name. It's a podcast, yeah. And it also ties back to what you're saying because like when you're in a couple, when you're starting a family, you have to really, really be intentional and think about things a little bit more differently.

SPEAKER_08:

True.

SPEAKER_01:

Right?

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, it's it's definitely one thing I definitely agree. And and and as you said, like adulting is interesting because there are different stages. And I'm at a stage where I'm not just making those decisions for myself. I'm thinking about how it impacts the next person, in this case, like my immediate family. And yeah, but it's it's interesting, like navigating it step by step. You don't you don't get to see the whole picture or like see everything before you make that move. You just like like test the waters. Okay, this one works.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, let's try this one and put your feet a little bit. Just like just check the temperature, yeah. But I hope you we figure it out. I think we will. I think we've been trying. Like just generally in life, so I'm we I have faith in all of us that we're working the we'll make it, we'll make it.

SPEAKER_07:

Amen.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh God, please, the God of money. Lock on our doors, yeah, and all that. Do you remember how we met?

SPEAKER_08:

I actually do. It's it's five plus years now.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, it's been five years. Oh, yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_08:

Now, do I remember the exact day? No, because I know I met you through a Mutual friend Ufumi.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes.

SPEAKER_08:

And we became myself, you, Ufumi, and Diana. We became everyone else forming the WhatsApp group where we became classmates.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah. So uh for everyone, yes, we did our masters together. And it was interesting because I think in our set, we had it was just four of us as Nigerians.

SPEAKER_01:

There was another one person, but we are not talking about that person.

SPEAKER_08:

Okay, okay. Okay, that okay, okay, true from the same.

SPEAKER_01:

There was another person we were not talking about.

SPEAKER_08:

I I remember. But I think we we just jive, and then Diana was also a former, or like she's a former colleague of mine. So it was interesting that we were connected after how many years, and then you and Ofumi friends, and and then myself, and it was just interesting how we would basically crack courses together, think about that. And in all this, we I think we were also intentional about having fun and really enjoying like life in the sense that it was busy. We're all working full-time and studying. That was crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

That was crazy. That was crazy. I wasn't.

SPEAKER_06:

So that was how did we do it?

SPEAKER_01:

I don't know. Because I I don't I remember not sleeping. I remember waking up at three, like work would be super busy.

SPEAKER_04:

Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

And waking up super early, like in the middle of the night to just do assignments. Do assignments, and it was crazy. Catch up on work.

SPEAKER_08:

I think another thing that made us born, we're all like finance, we had finance backgrounds, we're all CPA.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, yeah, we're all CPAs.

SPEAKER_08:

And then we decided to explore analytics and data and management and and and that's bringing back memories. Yeah. And then the trips, I remember us when we took the we went on the when we went to Kingston. Yes. In was it January or February? Before the pandemic. Oh, before everywhere shut down.

SPEAKER_01:

It was nice like that.

SPEAKER_08:

And then I remember us having, I think it was Ufumi's birthday. That was one of the last outings we did before everything shut down. And yeah, interesting times. So to answer your question, I remember how we met.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, and then you just walked me through our master's program. And that was like we uh we we had a good time, and we and we worked hard and we supported each other.

SPEAKER_08:

Honestly, we did, and and yeah, it wasn't easy, but we we made it work.

SPEAKER_01:

But do you think that that program impacted your career in any way?

SPEAKER_08:

Because finance, analytics, so I I would say yes, yes, but to an extent. COVID changed a lot of things, and one of the major things I wanted to get out of the program was building my relationships and networks, and it helped. I wish I was able to do more because we ended up spending almost nine months out of the one year online. Successfully? Yes. I really wish that didn't happen and I would have gained more. But beyond that, yeah, people I I knew, yourself, including others that I I I built relationships with, we still maintained those relationships. And I would say, yes, for me that worked. Knowledge angle, I learned a lot of things. Am I applying everything? I know we we ended up using R or Python. I'm like, okay. And I I knew from day one, I was not called out to do like all the conch analytics and and be a coder and everything, but I was able to pick that and apply it to finance because as you would agree, funny enough, we do almost similar things in our career space. Finance has evolved. Finance and accounting are have both evolved from number crunching to more insight-driven. So now when I'm doing my when I'm like thinking about my client, my internal clients and preparing reports and doing some analysis, my the knowledge has helped me in that. I may not necessarily be coding with R or Python, but asking myself, how do I translate this data and tell the story to the users of the information? So for me that helped. As I still say that it would have been more impactful if the bulk of it wasn't forcefully online. But yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I feel I feel the same way. I remember when they told us we were switching. I I was so upset. I think I was probably one of the most upset people in the class. I was unhappy because I know at a programmer, I don't have that background. And I was learning a lot in class when people will be coding and the teacher will walk around or the path.

SPEAKER_04:

That helped.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, and then they'll throw something. Oh, this person is using this method. No, we lost all of that in the pandemic, but we still had like I think we the four of us had a good way of networking with our classmates, and we've been able to form those relationships.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, I think we were just intentional about it. We knew, you know how people say, Okay, your parents sent you to school. If you don't do well, okay, you don't understand. But when you're the one paying we we all knew how we had to struggle to pay our fees. It was expensive. No study. So no one was begging us to study. We had to, and as you rightly said, you would you knew you wouldn't, you shouldn't slack at work. So you'd have to put in more hours at we are just to get assignments done and still push through. I don't know how we survived, but we did.

SPEAKER_01:

We did, we did. We came out in flying colors.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, we did. We did well.

SPEAKER_01:

Clapping for those fees. Oh, and you was a class president. I just remember that. Yes, you're the class president.

SPEAKER_08:

And that was interesting because when I realized I wanted to, I wanted to serve, I wanted to serve as a president, and then we had just gone online. I was like, how am I gonna be impactful or how am I even gonna campaign? But that was nice. We were able to campaign virtually, uh, and it was nice. And and then I also got uh the leadership award at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, you did. You did. Did they give you guys money?

SPEAKER_06:

No, yeah, you don't know yet.

SPEAKER_01:

No, some schools do. I don't know. Some schools, some schools will give you a little bit, even if it's like small.

SPEAKER_06:

Maybe they give me a not stay. They did not give me no one gave me money though.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's true. You did win the leadership award. Yes, yes. Oh, that was good, and um, I think for me, I think the program was really impactful. I wasn't sure if I was going to use the analytics portion of things, but I was very curious. Yeah, when we started to do the coding, and I started to understand how engineers and programmers were thinking. I was like, I'm not, I don't want to be coding for the rest of my life. I realized that I really like business and I really like finance, I like more the strategy part of things, but I appreciated that I understood what to ask for and how to move them to solve the business problem versus just create fancy models. And the second thing I learned was communication by communication within where I worked, maybe how I'll write my slides, I will communicate with senior leaders really, really improved. If there's something that I took out of that program, I'll say is my networking and my communication. Like I think it really I think there was a way they coached us that I took from that. So those are two things that I I'm grateful that I paid that money for. So that was that was really nice. Um have you always worked in finance?

SPEAKER_08:

Yes and no. In the sense I started out my officially started my career with one of the big fours. So I started out in strategy consulting, but I always knew I loved finance. So even in that, would for every strategy engagement, either business plans or strategy development, feasibility studies or things, this were the or market entry strategy. Those are the kind of things we did back with PWC in Nigeria. We would always have the financial modeling component. And I showed that interest, and I had this awesome manager, then her name is Lucia. She was still in touch, an amazing woman, and she really pushed me. And then the partner also on the job, Mary, also was amazing. So really gave me the opportunity to shine to take on financial modeling tasks. And then afterwards, I did some trainings. And then so when I was doing that, I was like, okay, that's nice. So I was telling myself that if I remained with PWC, maybe I would switch from strategy consulting to actually corporate finance and where we do deals and things. So that's what I was aiming for. Um by the time I was leaving, I became more like this. If you wanted in the whole of strategy and consulting generally, if you wanted a financial model, you'd go to Uchi. So I wanted I kind of cut out that niche for myself. So that was really how I went into finance. I started taking my professional exams. And when I moved to Canada, I also worked with one of the other big fours and went into transactional advisory. So it was always gonna be uh I started out in consulting and advisory type of things, doing finance and other kinds of projects, but it always centered around Excel and some analysis. So when it was time to leave professional services to the industry, it was gonna be finance. So thankfully I had opportunities that lined up and kind of aligned in in that area. And if you ask me now, would I rather do anything else besides finance? I don't think I don't think so.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay.

SPEAKER_08:

It has to come back to finance and analysis and telling that story. Because at the end of the day, as we said, you you're also someone who enjoys business. Yes, there's a strategy part of business, but it boils down to the money, especially if you're if it's for profit. So and it's not just about accounting, it's like the forward thinking. How do we where we're going to? What is our plan? And then finance business partner, and when you're doing your various analysis and you're like, okay, what's the driver behind this? Like, anyone who tells me that's not interesting, this is they're not they are not money inclined.

SPEAKER_01:

We like money too much, that's why that's okay. That's why we both like money, but like, is that what you studied in school? Actually, you don't know what you studied in school.

SPEAKER_08:

Oh, so can I guess you know what I studied for my master's? Okay, but please guess first degree.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, first degree. Okay, I have a few things. I'm thinking statistics. I don't know why. I'm thinking economics, I don't know why. Yeah, those are the two things. I'm sure I'm wrong.

SPEAKER_08:

You're not wrong.

unknown:

Oh.

SPEAKER_08:

My first degree was in statistics and economics. So maybe I was gonna say I would have thought you would have known, but also the other thing is, you know, our first the first course we took in our master's program was statistics. And I guess I was always, I must have shown the interest and talked about it. And sometimes you just see it kind of shows. So I that's what I did, and then I now while working with PwC, I was able to like start my professional exams in accounting, and then kind of veer into like gradually veer into the whole finance and accounting space. But my first degree was account. Actually study social economics.

SPEAKER_01:

Because you know what? You're probably right. Maybe my brain pr probably registered that you were really good at stats.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And I was because I honestly in my heart I wasn't sure. I was like, what did he study? And I didn't I didn't check. I was like, oh, we'll f we'll find out together.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, because and the truth about it is that sometimes, like, is there any need? Because I'm like, okay, what does it change? He's a finance and accounting guy. Like, do I now I'm I feel bad, but thinking about it, I'm not sure. Did you read accounting first degree or not? I'm like, I don't I know she's a finance person.

SPEAKER_04:

Me?

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, I'm just thinking about it myself. If I if uh if someone were to ask me what did Abby study for her first degree, I don't think I would be confident enough to say this is it. I would guess maybe accounting, maybe something, but I know obviously you you have your CPA, and then I know you obviously did management analytics and your master's, but am I sure for certain? So I I can understand if you didn't know. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I have an accounting degree. Okay. Very like I will at six years old, I was like, I want to I want to work with money. No, for real. And it's kind of and it's it's it's not I always say it's not such an interesting story because everybody else I know, I don't know a lot of people who wanted to be something as a kid, and that's it. And that was me. Like I was just like You're one of the lucky few then. I like numbers, I like money, I like the way the women dress. I literally wanted to work in fine in the corporate sector because I like the way the women looked. I was like, these women are beautiful, they look fine every day.

SPEAKER_08:

Now people work from home, you're like, just wake up from bed.

SPEAKER_01:

No, I don't I don't do that. I get ready. But that's true. I get ready.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, but even at that, most organizations are even hybrid these days or back to the office.

SPEAKER_01:

So yeah, but yeah, I did accounting. So wait, was that always did you when you were growing up, was there a thing where your family or your parents created a path for you that okay, this is where you're gonna be. Did you have a dream of oh, this is what I'm gonna be when I'm a when I'm an adult? Was there anything like that for you?

SPEAKER_08:

No, so no one kind of aligned and said you'd do that. My dad was an engineer. My mom, my mom read foreign languages, she read um French and my dad in German. Yes. And German. Yes, and and then she worked with a company and she did a lot of things and retired as a housing manager. So growing up, especially in junior secondary school, there was this aura that came with being an engineer. And then I would tell people, oh, what do you want to be? I want to be an engineer. Then the family was like, Oh, just like your dad. I'm like, okay, and my dad had just passed before I started, I'm like, I left primary school. So it was just that, oh, I wanted to be an engineer just like your dad. Honestly, I it it didn't just work from my senior secondary, and that's basically grade nine. Or no, 10, 11, grade 10, actually. I just knew that it wasn't I I I would study, I would pass. I had did well in I knew maths was like like math was my baby. But when it came to physics and chemistry, I would be able to just like get by, especially chemistry. I struggled with that. But but when it came to economics and maths, I didn't have to push myself. I would do the barest minimum and I would come out so well. Like economics, I was at the point I was like the best in my in my in my set in school. And I didn't have to study hard. It was just, and I noticed even in economics, looking back, the part of economics that kind of appealed to me was more of the stats part, so more of the numbers part. So when it came to that, I'm like, okay. So I think I knew what I didn't want to do, but I didn't, it wasn't clear that, oh, I'll read accounting or anything. But by the time I was done and I was going into university, I had narrowed it down to I would do something within the finance space. But I also didn't want to confine myself. So I said, okay, I will read economics. And then I would have options to either go into finance, accounting. I don't know how I thought about that, but that worked. And then for the first choice, I didn't get economics, but then I got something better, which was combined statistics and economics, and then yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Because stats was quite challenging, like I think it was one of the more challenging um programs to be in. Because that's like a what do you call them? Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

A turist?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah. Is that what you call them? Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

I think that built on stats, but and and honestly, I because I had my first degree in Nigeria at the University of Nigeria and Soka. If you looked at when we had the economics lectures, like it was so like lots of people. And then statistics, we were just like maybe in the 50s or so, and we had more, more than double in the economics class. So we had less people reading statistics, and that was understandable now. But I really if anyone who tells me to share my story about my first degree, I would always say I'm grateful that I read statistics as my major because it was we had one of the had not one of, but most of the lecturers in my statistics department were really tough. And I'm happy because that prepared me for the challenges ahead.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

So do I regret no, but it's interesting. I didn't like, unlike you, I didn't have I don't know if anyone thought about like when we're growing up statistics and but yeah, it just happened. And then I'm here now.

SPEAKER_01:

Status very interesting. I like status, like even in our master's program or even in university. No, there was it was um what was that math? You know the one I'm talking about. It's math, it's not math, but it's math. You had to take it in first year. Some people had I I took it in first year.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_01:

And I loved it. It's like it's not Father Math. You know how you call Father Math in the future, but it's not Father. Like that's I can't remember.

SPEAKER_08:

I know I did like maths in my first and second semesters for my first year.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, um it's called something else, not I can't remember what it's called. And that's by the way, but yeah. But is there do you think that because what people if most of you don't know Uche, but Uche is super ambitious as well, and that's one of the reasons we all connected. I for some reason the four of us, yeah, I don't know, I don't know where we are driving to, but we are driven.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, we're we're driven.

SPEAKER_01:

We are driven, and that that still connects us. Do you think there's any part of your childhood that's parked that um the ambition? I don't even know. I think you have you have older sisters.

SPEAKER_08:

No, I have older brothers. So I don't have a sister.

SPEAKER_01:

You don't have a sister?

SPEAKER_08:

Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

So I have two other people. I don't even know this friend of mine. I'm so sorry. If we are doing friendship tests, I failed.

SPEAKER_08:

No, it's okay. I have two older brothers and then I have a younger one. My older brothers are a set of twins. And then I have a younger brother. So to answer your question, I'll say two things. And one is, and I just mentioned, I lost my dad very early. I was just past my 11th birthday, a few months after my 11th birthday when my dad passed. So yeah, so for me, and and then so that's one thing that's kind of but that incident could have played both ways. Because I've seen people who decided that, oh, I would not achieve anything because my dad passed. But I remember having a conversation with a family friend of mine, and and at a point I would say he was a mentor as well. And I was about, that was after my secondary school, after my high school, I was about taking back in Nigeria after my the the matriculation exam, I had to now take like the exam for the university. So I went to meet him before going to school, and he said something that I think pushed me, and he said, Your father died, yes. And this person, for context, was and is a pastor. So he said, Your father died, yes. That didn't take God unawares, God knew that would happen. It then means that that's not an excuse to fail. So I think till tomorrow I remember this conversation like it was yesterday, and this is over how many years ago, and I still remember it. So what it told me was I have no excuse. Yes, life might not have dealt with me fairly. I might have good reasons not to make it, but instead I'll use those as a push. So, like I didn't have anything to fall back to. I I didn't have it would have been nice if I had everything to care of. My dad was doing very well. If my dad didn't pass when he passed, I would have been one of these uh no, like all those, as we would say, a jay.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

See, that is the thing.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, I don't know that side of you.

SPEAKER_08:

We don't look like where we've come from. But truth, the truth here is that. So that's for me, that's something that spoiled me. And that's that's that's to answer your question. That's just it. So that pushed me, and I said, I'm not gonna fail, I'm gonna make it. And anytime I'm faced with something, I'm like, nope, people have had it worse than myself. I'm gonna push myself. Sometimes it feels like I'm being hard on myself, but I think it has helped me.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's very interesting. So that the pastor was kind of a mentor who whispered something, like a key message to your life. It's almost like he spoke life to you.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, and and I and I agree because and and I and not to sound like spiritual or anything, but at the end of the day, he doesn't or he I called him a couple of years later. Like as as recent as let's say six years ago, I called him to thank him. I had done this before and I thanked him again, just saying, and I don't think he even recalls that conversation, but he he left a mark in my heart with what he said. And and that's why I feel at the end of the day, you and I, everyone, we go through life with we should go through life with that notion that sometimes it might be just a word we say to people that would kind of spur them to to act or push them to to stand firm. So he did that without knowing, and I'm glad we had that conversation and that really helped. Yeah, that's really that's really and then maybe on the other side too, seeing my mom struggle to raise four boys, that's the second thing that would say was a driver, like, hey, need to put a smile on this woman's face and make her happy.

SPEAKER_01:

So I feel like sometimes our parents, I know they are the parents and they they try to make sure we have a good life, but I think for some for me to some of the reasons why I want to do better is like I want to give my parents such an amazing life.

SPEAKER_08:

True.

SPEAKER_01:

So like that drives me sometimes.

SPEAKER_08:

That's why we need that money.

SPEAKER_01:

God of please, yeah, yeah. This is a good time. The God of dollars, yeah, no money, any currency, just not any currency, you'll please specify the currency pounds, dollars, the highest ones. That's on currency that we're not calling currency, we're not calling out any country, but hey, we're not picking on nobody at all, but like honestly, they they they they they drive me because you look back and you see, and kudos to your mom, though. That's not easy, like four boys, or just four children, but but yeah, I don't know if you are doing well in your own right, and that's amazing. Yeah, like I'm sorry, I was thinking about it again, yeah. But so you you mentioned before you worked for one of the big fours in Lagos, Nigeria. Yeah, I do like where you know I've said it before. I think I said it on another episode that people that worked there, they it's like a few places that I've seen people thrive, yeah, coming from Lagos, and where you worked was one of those places. I always look watch out for them. I don't know why. I think it's you guys and some other people that I've met and seen. I'm like, oh, pretty good. But how do you think that experience, what was that experience like? What was the culture like? Is it like a small team thing compared to where you worked here? Because you work for another big four here.

SPEAKER_08:

Yes.

SPEAKER_01:

In Calgary, I think.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, so Calgary and Toronto. So I started out my uh I worked with PWC, and for me, if there's anything I've achieved or that has that I've done, I I wouldn't it wouldn't be complete. The story wouldn't be complete without mentioning PWC.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

That is that's the truth. And and I'm grateful. I'm grateful to God and grateful for that experience. Was it easy? No, it was it was challenging. As with most people who have worked in professional services, it's not just the big four, multiple projects ongoing at the same time, doing things, and as you you you you you grow in the firm, your responsibilities increase as well. But that prepared me for for life, right? Like put me anywhere. Be you a CEO, be you board chairman, be you anything. And I've uh gradually interacted because of my my current um role and past roles. I've interacted with, I've worked closely with the C-suite and and and people like that. But that is how I was able to grow, right? And and honestly, that it was challenging, but it's it pushed me beyond my limits. If you felt this was your limit, it would push, and then you're like, okay, I can do more. And and then I'm really grateful for the people I worked with. PWC was at that time, would always say we're the best and brightest.

SPEAKER_01:

So I don't I don't think the lie continues.

SPEAKER_08:

I'm happy you agree with me. And I came to EY here, I'm calling names now, but I came to Ernst and Young in Canada, and also I worked with the best and brightest people. Now, they're still best and brightest people in other firms and other companies, but I was just opportune to work with these people and it it really helped me. So even when I was preparing for my professional exams, it was nice because I had people who were all doing the same thing, we're working together, and we're now preparing for exams together, so we'll study and help ourselves and challenge ourselves. So I I think that's something maybe if I had I had worked in a different organization that was more laid back and just calmer, maybe I wouldn't have been as driven as I am now. So I think I know that I think I know working with the firm helped spore me and push me.

SPEAKER_01:

I think that when we work with or when you surround yourself with people who want more in a good way, it it pushes you too because you're not like ah, I don't want to be the last on the list. I even remember in our during our when we were doing our masters, there were times that I'll just be so tired because there was a lot going on for me as well. And when I would look at the three of you, I'm like, ah god, I can't be the one that will carry last year. I can't be this one slacking. Then it used to motivate me to do better. Like I'm like, okay, you know what, Abby, you can do it too. They are doing it, they don't have two heads. So I think it's very important. And also the firms, it feels like they would just throw young people inside the deep blue sea. They're like, swim.

SPEAKER_08:

You would survive, you swim.

SPEAKER_01:

You will not, and you won't drive.

SPEAKER_08:

True.

SPEAKER_01:

Actually, you can do it, yeah. And then you're like, oh, I did that. Yeah, it's it's it's it's amazing.

SPEAKER_08:

And and and and to kind of buttress that point, sometimes I've seen people argue that, oh, I I read something on LinkedIn recently, the person was advocating for, oh, you mustn't work with a big four. But I think it came from a point of a place of hate. That's my view.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, what was his point?

SPEAKER_08:

Like, he was like, go for a smaller firm, they would spoil. And I'm like, that is fine, but you shouldn't negate. You can two things can be right, but I think the the the post was kind of saying no to one and yes to the other. And I don't think that's true because I've seen people who didn't even work with any of the big four firms, but they've done well for themselves. So you mustn't, but at the same time, I'll say yes. And then I've also seen people who have argued that these firms kind of put too much on people and it can also have its side effects. And I agree, yes. That's true. Especially now we understand better about mental health and how people react differently to things. I think firms and organizations generally have also become more considerate of that and and are acting accordingly. But looking back at myself, I guess it worked out and or maybe I was already built to withstand things like that. But yeah, awesome experience, I would say.

SPEAKER_01:

I think it's I think those years are sometimes just foundational years.

SPEAKER_04:

True.

SPEAKER_01:

I agree that sometimes they put too much. At the same time, I don't want to say it's it's not always needed, but sometimes maybe it is. I don't know. I for me, the results I have seen from people who everywhere anywhere, whether it's any of the big fours or any of the big consulting as well, is just the results I've seen after from most people. Okay, and I may be talking from a bubble too. It's like they end up being very driven wherever they are, they end up delivering because there's the there's a work ethic that's already in them.

SPEAKER_07:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Me, I didn't work for any of the big fours. And every I didn't start my career that way, and my career started in a different way. We're not talking about me today, though. But I'm just saying that yes, I agree with you. You don't have to work for the big four, but there's benefits, there's doors that can be opened for you. There is there, there are there's work that you do that you're like, oh, you know, like I'm getting exposure into XYZ. So I I don't know what that guy was talking about. So I really don't know. So you went to Jim to you moved to Canada, I think, when 2016?

SPEAKER_08:

17.

SPEAKER_01:

17.

SPEAKER_08:

So going on eight years now.

SPEAKER_01:

Wow. Time flies, though.

SPEAKER_08:

It sure does. Sometimes in my oh eight years, yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Did you have any cult it's been a while, but I wanted to ask when it comes to just generally or even career-wise, or work culture, did you have any culture shock? Anything that happened, you're like, ah, why why why do they do things like this here?

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, so I think working with Big Four in a way prepared me for the work culture because it was I didn't see any, there was nothing different. We were already on first name basis, they're as simple as that, and then here. And uh like culturally, we had a very good, uh, like a professional culture working with PWC in Nigeria. So that prepared me. But I would say, in a way, my own experience, the cultural with the hiring process. Now, let me give you some context. Uh, back in Nigeria, at that time, if you were be applying for a job, like HR recruiters would read through the resumes, like even if they're a lot, but they'll be able to at least see okay, where did where did this person work?

SPEAKER_00:

Sorry, in Nigeria. Okay.

SPEAKER_08:

Where did this person work, the cost skills and everything? I came here and I was like, I'll just send out my resume. You should see PwC there, you should call me. And I'm like, no one is calling me. What happened? And then I went through some on I went through. An unlearning process, and I understood that hey, you have to tailor your resume to the role. I'm like, but didn't they see PWC? So that was the thing, right? So that was for me one of the culture shocks. I had to understand that things have evolved. There's a like some of these things are automated, the system reviews like resumes, and then before like a human being looks at it. So I had to take into consideration that. So that was really for me the major culture shock. And uh at least that's that's the main one I would just want to highlight today. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's true. There's that thing about, oh, are you really interested in job? Are you taking time to like and just because you worked for an amazing company that they don't feel doesn't mean you'll just be given given a chance.

SPEAKER_08:

And that's true. Now I I understand it because I've been in situations where I had to review resumes for roles, and I'm just like, did this person read through the job description? Because in your own right, yes, nice you have a good but for instance, I'm looking for a financial analyst, and then I'm seeing everything you're saying is about insurance. Or like in what in that in a perfect, in a different job posting, that resume would be perfect. But for this one, it doesn't make sense. So I've seen that I'm like, okay, which is this is how your resume was. So even if, for the sake of this, a human being was even reviewing my resume when I moved at that time. Looking back now, I don't think the human being would have given me a chance.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah. So we learn every day, but that was for me one of the main um shocks I had.

SPEAKER_01:

And you know what? It's also a very, very competitive culture with career, especially in Toronto, even Kagrey to some extent. Because you're not the you will find out that you're not the only one that has worked for a mega company.

SPEAKER_08:

You'll find out you think you have the experience. Oh, there are a lot of people. Somebody else.

SPEAKER_01:

You think you've done pro some people, maybe some people don't even work the project you're doing personally, yeah, surpassed whatever experience or whatever intelligence you think you have. So it's always important to come with your A game and not think, oh, because I've done this, they're going to come. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_04:

True.

SPEAKER_01:

In this country, they want you to sweat a little bit.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

And that's like I yeah, so that's that's really interesting. So when you moved here, what were some what was your first job when you moved to Canada? Did you have to do any what do I call transition jobs?

SPEAKER_08:

Okay, so I I I first worked with I I worked as a customer service representative. It wasn't uh we were basically an organization that was and even before I was in Calgary, where my what my team was tasked with uh calling homeowners in Toronto, and they were they were trying to make their homes smart and more energy saving uh efficient. So we're trying to book replacements of thermostats. So I basically call so I ended up knowing different cities in Ontario without leaving there. So that was my first job. I did that for a month plus, and then I from there I I moved to a paint manufacturing company where I worked as an assistant manager in one of the locations. And it's now it sounds fancy over system manager, but I was in I was doing everything from customer service to sales to the financial bit of it, ensuring the store was profitable, but also inventory management. So then I didn't even have to go to the gym because I would basically be carrying everything paints and everything, and then I knew how to do like colors and how to taint paint from like straight up white to the different colors, and it was an amazing experience. And then from there, after a few months, I I was I got into P into Ernst and Young.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's interesting because the way you're talking about it, some people may have taken that as a setback, but you you're taking it, I can see in your eyes, I can see you're like, oh, I learned about colors.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, and like I learned a lot. And and it also because when uh people here now, or when an interview asks about like Canadian experience, it's not even about it in the same field. It's really have you been able to work in Canada where you've interacted with uh your your colleagues and how have you have you handled that? So I learned that. I learned how to I learned how to work with people. I already knew how to do that, but it was good building that Canadian work culture. And what I also liked about it was there were seasons where I'll be very busy and I'll be very quiet. So there are times I'll be in the store and there will be no customer, I'll just have to maybe make some calls, meet my targets, and that was but but beyond that, I would be I'll be and I would not be so busy. But what I ended up doing was I was also studying for my last two exams for my professional designation. So what I was doing during those times, I'll have my book with me. So once I'm done, like I'm still on the clock, but I'm done making all the calls I need to make, like hitting that and just waiting for the next customer, attending to customers. I'll just scan through my books and study. And so I I I use that time as well to develop myself. So and and that's what I tell people. You may be faced with a situation where you may not be where you want to be at that time, but what you do with that stage also matters because time would would come by and would come and pass you by. But what you do with that, and for me, I I try to utilize that period of my life. So and it worked. I got the I got I did my last exams, the week I got my results was also coincidentally the week I got UI's offer.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, that's so good. And it's like you're just like, okay, it's not here now, but I'm gonna stay prepared until what I need to comes.

SPEAKER_08:

That was what and that's what I did. Just stayed prepared and just because I didn't know when that would happen. I kept on applying, but I was like, oh, at least I had a job I I could afford to take care of myself. I still like it and I was I was okay. It wasn't when I think about how much I was earning that I'm like, okay, how did I survive? But yes, I did.

SPEAKER_01:

But you're like, well, I have a job. Yeah, I did.

SPEAKER_08:

I had a job. I would wake up, I would like I could afford my rent, and and like the car was driving, and I I was okay, I could eat, and but I was enjoying it. And looking back now, like it's part of the story. I think it's part of the story.

SPEAKER_01:

I really like that actually. And there's also something I always say, and I really believe it's time. Everybody's journey and everybody's experience is different.

SPEAKER_04:

True.

SPEAKER_01:

And again, you to be talking, you talked about not to sound spiritual. I'm gonna bring God back into this because I believe in the God factor as well. But now God puts us in a situation or you're in a phase in life, and instead of just like, okay, what are the things that I can do this and I can do it well, and I can respect the values that I have for myself and for whoever I'm working with, and show up as my best here while I'm waiting and while I'm working towards what I want, versus just not doing anything because oh, why should I be doing this? So attitude also matters. And sometimes God twists us through those things for a reason. I don't know, sometimes I don't know the reason, but yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

But thank you for sharing that. Like attitude matters, and it it also happens with like your transitioning, maybe you have like two weeks left on this job to the next job, even to the last day, because sometimes you may do your best, and the last week you're now basically all shabby and messing up on task, and that's what people will remember. So the attitude matters, and as you rightly said, you are at a particular spot. You may not know it, but for a reason. So what are you doing at that time? And then just my one of my first partners on like my time at PWC would say, trust the process. And yeah, just trust it. It's is it always gonna be rosy? Nope, far from it. You there were time there were times when you would like, why am I why am I here? And it's most it is the same for most immigrants. Yeah that's like it's it's sad, but that's the story for most immigrants. You you move from where you're uh doing well in your career, everything is working, and then you come to a place where people are not willing to give you a chance. But uh when you get that chance, it may not be what you want or where you think you're meant to be, or wherever you find yourself. Just like just shine, yeah, and then in that little space, you don't know, it just basically pushes you. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, definitely. I agree with you. So I wanted to, I don't know. I feel like you just answered the question I wanted to ask now, because I was gonna say, what advice will you give to yourself when you just moved here? Like, what advice? But you just said trust the process. Yeah, that's one advice. But if they have other advice, you can give you.

SPEAKER_08:

I said trust the process, but beyond trusting the process, I would say looking back now, I should have done more. And I tried in my little way. I asked questions, I asked people who had been here to know, but I think I should have connected with people in my field or people who were not just in my field, but people who were doing what I would have loved to do back then, and ask questions about even as simple as how do I prepare my resume. I don't want to read my first resume I had. Because I'm like, first of all, I like my name, and you know how like back in Nigeria, you write your resume would be last name, comma, your first name, and then and the first full name. And I'm like, yeah, I understand, but everyone knows me as Uche. That's so I was like, okay, how you present it matters. So it was as simple as that. I would have, and that would have maybe pushed me faster through the like settling down process if I had a clearer picture of things and if I was able to act on that. So I think that's just one thing I'll tell my if I had to be advising myself, trust the process, but as you're trusting the process, sometimes you ended up you're you're staying somewhere longer than you're meant to because you haven't learned lesson. And how do I learn the lesson fast? That's what I that's that's what I'd have done. Like ask those questions before coming to Canada and speak to people, and then even when I I and I did that, I joined some organizations. I was meant mentored by people and cryac in like Calgary Immigrant Services, and that those those helped a lot. But uh yeah, so it'd be nice to do more of that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, more like net knowing the right networks to tap into and listening to those advice and taking what you need from it. Yeah, I want to ask your senses. I think it's a bit sensitive. Talking about pay, basically, because we've talked about pay, and it made I think you've told me about pay before that made me wake up. I've told you about pay before that made you wake up.

SPEAKER_08:

So, like Yeah, it's it's interesting because pay here in Canada is like hush hush.

SPEAKER_01:

It's harsh, though.

SPEAKER_08:

We may be doing the same thing and we're earning different things, and I can't go to Hater and say, ah, Abby's, you're being Abby X amount, you're paying me X minus two amount, why? I can't do that. But I think it comes with trust and and friendship, right? And it's for instance, I've I remember once I wanted to interview for a role, and I just asked someone who had done that role before. And I was just like, oh, can you give me a range, right? And that's and honestly, everyone has to ask at certain times, ask questions because you're going in for an interview, you want to, or you're trying to apply for a role, you want to have an idea what the pay is, even if not the exact amount. And I've also told people as well, okay, this is and it's easier, I mean when you've left the role, oh like I've had I've had to ask people, oh, your former role, and then it's easier because if it's my current role, it's it's like, oh, why don't I tell you about what I'm earning now? But that's how I I approach that. And but if it's someone I've built relationships with, like for instance, if you're having a conversation now, I would not be saying, hey, Abby, what's your salary? But hey, Abby, what is kind of role? What range should I be looking at? And when you're having an honest conversation with people who care about you, who are your friends, they're like, okay, they're willing to, like, okay, this is it. And it's always dicey, but that's how I approach it. And at least that, and it helped me because I know when I was with one of my the my previous organization, and I was, okay, the money wasn't as great, but it was better than my former one. I was fine. And then I was having a conversation with like two of my two of my like at that time were colleagues, and we're just talking, and then we're just we're like, Uchi, this, I know you're loyal, but it's nice, but you should be at least okay, just check out what you're worth out there. And we just from that conversation, I'm like, okay, and I just applied to somewhere, and like when I saw the offer, I was like, okay. So I'm actually worth more than this. So sometimes those conversations that you say would just spur you into like realizing your worth.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, and I think it's good also going into it with from a place of honesty, yes, and not a place of competition.

SPEAKER_04:

True, true.

SPEAKER_01:

And also when people are asking, understanding the response, because like if you ask me, the response I'll give you would be different. I'll be very honest, I've been honest with you before. True. Will be very different to some other people because you can discern sometimes like some people might even know, yeah. I don't know if this I should be opening up to this kind of person, so I may not give a very clear, direct answer versus some friends where I'm like, no, this this person not my guy. I can be honest. I know that there's no competition here, yeah, and we just want the best for each other and things like that. But that's really hard to sometimes talk to about. So, you know, the day you said, Oh guys, I'm now doing this. I was like, what is this guy talking about? Real assistance, when from where? Why did you go into that?

SPEAKER_08:

So uh it is a term that we use Nigeria, we know they carry last time. But my my for me it was more of beyond nine to five, what else can I do? And I wanted to build on my strength. I I know people say, oh, Uchi, you're like you could be a sales guy, you know.

SPEAKER_01:

Actually, yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

And I was like, oh, that's good. But I I I looked at the environment I found myself. I wanted to push myself to doing um something different. And then I said, okay, when it comes to investment, I'm also risk averse. And real estate is something that is tangible. I can see I bought that house, I can see that house. I'm not, it's not something arbitrary. So for me, that was one thing. And I said, okay, how I also was opportune to have conversations with people who had invested, but at the same time, people who also were licensed routers. So I was like, okay, I can do this. And the like the my team lead when I started the business, also someone who I admire a lot. And he's like, and he, and that's something you just even said. He didn't hold any information. He was like, oh yes, you can do it. Like this, what and he pointed me in the right direction, and I was like, okay, I can I can try. So that was what pushed me. And I initially I kept on procrastinating for almost more than a year. I was like, but I decided more like a new year resolution, which is unlike me because I I try not to wait till like January 1st to decide. But it was just coincidentally, it was beginning of the year. I said, okay, I would pay, I'll register, I registered. I knew once I was registered, I'm like, I wouldn't allow my money to waste. So I started. But coincidentally, while I was preparing for my first exam, and I was doing that while working, and it was now easier because I had done my master's while working. So this was just, I just gave myself targets. I would read every day I'll read an hour. I'll study an hour. So I was studying, and then sadly, around that time, I lost my job. That's when I was trying to, if you remember last year, I lost my job. And it was obviously the company had operational decisions and decided they wanted to reduce headcount by 25% and under 75%. But what that also taught me in North America here is the sad truth. As an employee, you're still a number.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, of course.

SPEAKER_08:

And even if there are awesome employers and they are awesome companies, but I just asked myself, okay, if that happened, what would I do? Is there anything to fall back to? And I also looked at it. I had weekends, um, I have my weekends to myself. After work, I have my evenings to myself. I can do something with it. So I know people who are like running podcasts, you're following a passion like this. And I was like, okay, I have a passion for real estate. I wish I had more money to buy more properties and invest and also do beyond just real estate. Sorry, my alarm.

SPEAKER_01:

That's okay.

SPEAKER_08:

Uh I just snooze for 10 minutes, sorry. Anyway, so but my point is, I thought about that and I said, okay, I would I would use my weekend, I would use my evening. So that was just it. It was a mixture of my passion because I love real estate. I love investing. I love talking to people, I love sharing knowledge. Because even when I didn't, because okay, I had bought my uh condo, and uh friends, uh friends who knew would ask me questions, or what's the process like? Oh, and I would point them to my uh either my route, or I would also answer some questions in my honest way.

SPEAKER_07:

And I was like, okay, I can actually do this.

SPEAKER_08:

So that was really what pushed, and it's going well. The the market is more like the cyclical with the way both the weather in Canada, but beyond that, also how uh Did you say the weather? Yes, because the weather affected yes, because sales and and transactions peak usually spring, summer, fall, and it comes back because most people don't want to move or buy houses in in the winter. That's understandable.

SPEAKER_01:

So because of the moving, yeah, how hard it is to move.

SPEAKER_08:

So not just that. So that one, but also like the condition as well. So like as you also see the trend, sales will just drop in the winter, and it's interesting, but that happens. But beyond that, the demand also affects, which makes sense. So when there is like Calgary, there was a time when Calgary's markets like was on the rise because Calgary was calling, people were moving from outside Canada, within Canada to Calgary. So that also automatically increased demand. Supply was also trying to catch up. That also increased um transaction sales and everything. So that's understandable. So at this point where like immigration is at its low and people are unsure what's happening. There's a government change that happened a couple of months ago, and then we're like, okay, what's gonna happen? People are unsure, so the market's a bit slow. But yeah, it's something that is a mix of passion and and and and and and business, and yeah, I'm I'm pushing it, and yeah, step by step. My first love is still finance, it's something I uh never gonna not do finance.

SPEAKER_01:

This is the finance world.

SPEAKER_08:

Yes. So it's it's yeah, it's still my main thing. And and I try to ensure that they and that's a good thing about owning something, so I'm able to like fix it within my schedule. Like I said, my weekends are like for for that, my evenings as well. And yeah, I just try to manage it. I know it's sometimes it's like a lot of things happening, but uh, when there is a will, there's a way.

SPEAKER_01:

Amen to that. No, but congratulations on the real estate journey. I would like to wish you. Great things. If I ever decide to invest in something in Calgary, if God opens that door and the dollars drop, I'll definitely want to because actually I'd I've thought about it for years where the Calgary market is something that my eyes is entering. Not because I want to live in Calgary.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

I just want to crash in.

SPEAKER_08:

Calgary is important. No, Calgary, I like Calgary. I know it's about dealing in Toronto, but let's that's a straight one that day.

SPEAKER_01:

I like Calgary. You know, I always defend Calgary. When we were all in Toronto, I always defended Calgary.

SPEAKER_08:

I know you must have gotten tired of hearing me talk about I miss Calgary.

SPEAKER_01:

No, no, no, no. Because I like Calgary too. I just don't know if I'll move.

SPEAKER_08:

I kept on saying that. I know I had chats with Ofumi initially because I obviously I knew you knew Ofumi first. And you asked, Oh, how are you? I just moved from Calgary to Toronto.

SPEAKER_01:

And I was like, What is this madness?

SPEAKER_08:

I'm like, like, first of all, the GST, like from 5% to is it 13%? Yeah. Then the how everything was expensive, accommodation. And I was always comparing. I was like, oh god. And then I ended up living for three years there.

SPEAKER_01:

But I but you had a good time. You were just hardly ever in town. After we finished school, Uche was always in one. You were always in one city or the other. And it was COVID. It was after COVID.

SPEAKER_07:

No, COVID still continued.

SPEAKER_01:

No, no, no, no, no, no. It was after school.

SPEAKER_08:

We were working remote. We're all working remote. Okay, yeah. And I was working remote. I took it literally. I could be anywhere.

SPEAKER_01:

Guys. Uche was you don't know what time zone you will be on.

SPEAKER_08:

I know. It's like when we're trying to plan a hangout or something. Like, oche, where are you?

SPEAKER_01:

Like, oh, uh, I mean, I'm in Asia this month. I'm there this month.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah, true.

SPEAKER_01:

We just going around the world. I wish I did that, but I don't think I was able to carry my laptop anywhere. Because of where I worked at the time, too. So don't let me. So I know you're a new dad. Yes. So, and you have a demanding job, and you're also a router, and you're a brother, your son, your husband. There are plenty of things. How are you managing to balance life? Oh, sorry. And you're a friend as well. How are you managing to balance that? And you work in church too. You volunteer in church. You volunteer in church. Yeah, of course. I do. So, how are you managing to like, you know, balance things on? And also being a dad, being a new parent can be it's new. So in my head, I imagine that there are challenges that come with it, whether it's with the relationship dynamic with your partner or even you trying to understand that I'm responsible for this whole life now. So how is that? How are you, how are you transitioning? How are you balancing it out?

SPEAKER_08:

So it's not been easy. It's as you said, is it's new. And honestly, even if you know someone who has gone through it, it's a different experience. You don't have this all in one playbook that you just okay, this is what I should do at this time. No. So it's it's not been easy, but I I think I go with this mindset that it's fine. I I does it is it always nice that I have that positive outlook to things. I think it helps.

SPEAKER_03:

It's fine.

SPEAKER_08:

But yeah, that's what has helped me. So I think it's step by step. I I wouldn't figure everything out at once, but one step at a time. But I've also come to understand that you only live once, and I want to be able to enjoy the moment, right? So when I can, I'm able to travel, but now incorporating family to it. And as you rightly said, understanding the dynamics, because initially it was me single, then I got married, and then now with my kid. And I have a girl, I have a daughter. So that's also a different dynamic. Because now my wife is like, this girl is taking, is taking my place. Honestly, my my daughter and I, we just bond. Like when to give you a context, if she's eating, I have to leave. If someone else is feeding her, I have to step away. Because I'm a distraction. She wouldn't eat. She'll be like, she'll be looking, where am I if I if I speak, and it's literally, I'm coming downstairs or I'm coming in from work. My wife just says, Shh, she's eating, or something, or she's sleeping. Because once she hears my voice, so I'm I'm understanding that, I'm understanding that, but I have to now be intentional that oh, I still have my partner give that attention to her as well. I'm trying to balance that. But I still understand that this life, that she doesn't know anything. She's just dependent on myself, my wife, and like so it's is understanding that. But I also know that before that I was I was also uh a son, so I have my mom who now understands, because before my before I got married, and even when I got married, I'll talk to my mom almost every day.

SPEAKER_04:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08:

Like mama's boy, but hey, as I said, she we're all boys. So I she now understands. Sometimes two, three days we've not spoken, we will text. And I was like, ah, I hope she understands. And then my brothers too, but my older brothers have their families, my younger brother, he's still single, but we we still try to, we have a group chat, we try to, at least we know what everyone is doing. We're just intentional about it. I think it's just what has helped me, and I think how I function, even with my friends too, is just being intentional. And then my my wife is supportive because she I have a group of friends, like uh friends that we hang out from time to time. And she knows that. So basically, she would even tell me, I've not, when last did you see this, your friend? Have you gone to you've not hung out? So she reminds me that hey, you you still have your your your your friends and I want you to take that. And it's just been intentional, it's not easy, and as I said, with volunteering, but I also know that life is not just about me, me, me. So I've been at different times, for instance, there were times where the church growing up, the teenage church growing up was basically a support system for me. And for me, that's part of giving back. So I I volunteered with the church. I also at different times I've volunteered on on boards as well. And when you think about it, it's just like uh two hours a month, or sometimes three hours, two or three hours a quarter.

SPEAKER_01:

So that's not long, that's not a lot.

SPEAKER_08:

Yeah, that's not a lot. So I actually sit on on two boards. Um yeah, so uh one of them just as a member, the other one as as a as a treasurer and uh chair of the audit and finance committee.

SPEAKER_01:

So that's pretty interesting, but thank you. One of the things that I really like about Uche is you're one of the few men I know who is in touch with his emotions. That's why I thought you had sisters, actually. Okay, that's where it's coming from because Uche's genuine, he is blushing out, honorable, like he would be honest about this. Is what it is, this is how I'm feeling, and considerate as well. Just a generally nice stand-up guy.

SPEAKER_08:

Thank you. You should tell me this often.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, I'm sure I've told you. You have dude, you have because me too, I'm honest about things like that, and I appreciate that. I really appreciate that, and really thankful that I'm I'm happy I met you during our master's program. Meeting you guys, I had known all for me before that. Yeah, but doing the program with you guys made a big difference for me, and it made the program just more enjoyable, and it's nice to see everybody win. I like everybody winning because I just want everybody to be able to do the same, like you know, we can lift each other up, which is what I think we try to do when we can. We lift each other up. But I'm really happy you came on my podcast. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_08:

Thank you for having me. Thank you. I really appreciate it. Does nice share my story reminiscing on past? And I think what I I I I spending, I think we should have find a way to do it because now you were all three ladies and myself in the group. Now you you you three went on and formed your old ladies' hangout. And I'm like, these ladies are traveling, they are doing. I'm like, I know I was I I was but we were we were once a group. Uh we are still. I think we should we should do even if it's now like maybe widening the net, family friends, you should do something that brings everyone together, maybe a trip.

SPEAKER_01:

No, no, no, I definitely agree. Like, we should definitely do something together as a group. I thought about that too, but then it has to be like family because your wife got a car. Yeah, that's what I said.

SPEAKER_08:

Let's widen the group, let's bring and then maybe the little girl is running around.

SPEAKER_01:

So we'll we'll be fine, yeah. And and then we have other mature friends like Hakmad, Hakmad. Ahmad Hamad, sorry.

SPEAKER_08:

Ahmad, I was gonna call him. I told him I was coming to do this.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh, yeah, I actually saw him a few weeks ago. I don't know. I saw him a few weeks ago, so that would be really nice. We should, and also like even with you moving, we we barely see him. True, true, which is which is why both of us are like, okay, no, this is not good, yeah, and stuff. So, but it was really nice to have you come on my podcast. I am very, I think there's a lot of people that will learn and take a lot from your story. Thank you for being honest and being vulnerable. This was interesting, yeah. Like, I felt like I was also I knew I think I knew some of these things before, but I also felt like I was learning new things. I was like, oh, this is why this person is my friend, it makes sense.

SPEAKER_03:

Yeah, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, so where's your CPA? We have to do it here. Cheers, right? Cheers, thank you. So thank you so much, everyone, for listening. Don't forget to like, comment, follow, please support me. It's a new podcast. We are growing, we are learning, we are growing through this life's chaotic madness. We are growing in spite of everything that happens to us. Until next time, my name is Abby. Bye.

Head Shot

Abi Sanni

Host