In this episode of the Deciding to Win podcast, host Reginald Nsowah interviews Mike Beckham, the CEO of Simple Modern. They discuss Mike's background, his journey as an entrepreneur, and the importance of culture and vision in building a successful company. Mike shares valuable insights on entrepreneurship, failure, leadership, and the impact of social media. He emphasizes the importance of having a clear purpose, being a lifelong learner, and practicing generosity. Mike also provides advice for young professionals starting their careers and highlights the significance of working with the right people. Keywords entrepreneurship, culture, vision, failure, leadership, social media, purpose, learning, generosity, career Takeaways Entrepreneurship is about using experiments to test theories and learning from the results. Failure is a necessary ingredient for success and should be embraced as a learning opportunity. Leadership involves casting a clear vision and creating a culture that motivates and inspires others. Building a strong culture requires defining it early, communicating it effectively, and encouraging everyone to take ownership. In organizations with a negative culture, focus on creating a healthy subculture within your immediate team. Having a clear purpose, being a lifelong learner, and practicing generosity are key to personal and professional growth. Maximize learning and growth opportunities early in your career, and choose to work with people who align with your values. The internet provides endless opportunities for learning and connecting with others. Success in business and life comes from serving customers and providing value. Having a strong foundation, such as a solid marriage, can contribute to personal and professional success. The Power of Purpose, Learning, and Generosity Creating a Subculture of Positivity and Growth "Entrepreneurship is not specific to business. We do entrepreneurial activities in all aspects of our life." "Having a bias to action means that when in doubt, you do something rather than doing nothing." "Failure is a necessary ingredient for success. It's like a cake that you cannot bake if you don't have this ingredient." Important Links Mike's Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm/ Scaling for Good Podcast https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikebeckhamsm/ If you want to sponsor or advertise on the show send me an email [email protected]

In this episode, Reggie interviews Chris Tran, a career coach in the gaming industry, about his career journey and insights. Chris shares his background as a child of Vietnamese refugees and how it shaped his mindset of appreciating what he has and maximizing opportunities. He discusses the importance of hard work, developing keystone skills, and leveraging emerging technologies like AI. Chris also provides advice on career planning, navigating career changes, and developing leadership skills. He emphasizes the need to take responsibility for one's career success and the importance of work ethic in achieving goals. In this conversation, Chris Tran discusses the changing landscape of employment and labor, the lessons he learned from building the esports industry in Vietnam, the importance of career coaching, key messages for the young generation and young professionals, and his plans and projects. Takeaways: Appreciate what you have and maximize the opportunities available to you. Hard work and effort can compensate for a lack of talent and advantage. Find a keystone skill that you enjoy developing and become excellent at it. Embrace emerging technologies like AI and learn how to leverage them in your work. Take ownership of your career and have proactive conversations with your manager about your goals and progress. Develop leadership skills by focusing on one-on-ones, feedback, and delegation. Prepare for career changes and layoffs by continuously learning and adapting to the changing job market. Employment and labor are cyclical, and there will always be times of high and low employment. The relationship between employers and employees is changing, and it is important to demonstrate value and showcase a varied and impactful body of work. When faced with skepticism or doubt, challenge it and prove that you can achieve what others say is impossible. Coaching is essential for personal and professional growth, and having a coach can provide support, guidance, and accountability. Developing a skill, building a portfolio, and establishing a network are key to career success. Chris Tran is working on a book and continues to provide valuable career advice and insights on LinkedIn.

Summary In this episode, Sherry, a self-taught machine learning software engineer and entrepreneur, shares her journey and insights. She discusses her decision to go into coding, the challenges she faced as a self-taught engineer, and the opportunities in software engineering and machine learning. Sherry emphasizes the importance of data science and analytics as a foundation for machine learning. She also talks about her entrepreneurial journey and the goals of her startup. Sherry provides advice for young people and shares her experiences as a content creator. She looks up to successful founders and aims to inspire others to pursue their passions in tech. Takeaways Self-teaching programming is a viable path to a career in tech, and there are many opportunities in software engineering and machine learning. Data science and analytics are crucial skills for aspiring machine learning engineers, as understanding and working with data is a fundamental part of the field. Taking risks, changing your mindset, and pursuing your passion are key to success in the tech industry. Content creation can be a powerful way to inspire and educate others, and it's important to focus on providing value and engaging with your audience. Having role models and mentors can provide guidance and inspiration on your journey. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:04 Decision to Go into Coding 08:08 Overcoming Challenges as a Self-Taught Software Engineer 13:15 Transitioning into Machine Learning 16:11 Opportunities in Software Engineering and Machine Learning 18:02 Importance of Data Science and Analytics 20:03 Starting the Coding Journey 22:16 Getting Started with Data Science and Analytics 24:08 Entrepreneurship and Startup Journey 27:03 Progress and Challenges in the Startup 30:54 Advice for Young People 34:16 Content Creation and Influencing 38:02 Role Models and Inspirations 40:47 Future Goals and Impact 41:25 Where to Find Sherry's Content We would love to hear from you email: [email protected] Follow Sheary https://www.instagram.com/codersheary_coding/

In the financial world, while skills and strategies are essential, the real game-changer is often one’s mindset. The power of a cultivated mindset can mean the difference between mediocrity and monumental success. Join me on this amazing conversation with KP Akom , a brother, a friend, an successful entrepreneur, author and mindset coach. KP shares his amazing journey from Ghana to the US as teenager, developing leadership skills from serving in the US army into venturing into the world of entrepreneurship. He is also the author of the amazon best seller Unshackled. Follow KP on medium : https://kpakom.medium.com/about

The CEO of Norhart, Mike Kaeding joins us on this special episode. Mike is leading Norhart's vision of transforming the way apartments are built and managed by incorporating technologies and efficiencies that have revolutionized other industries and led to high-quality, cost effective projects. Mike’s parents started their family business. But just a few years after joining the business,Mike’s father unexpectedly passed away. Suddenly, Mike had what felt like the weight of the world on his shoulders. He had to lead this business with no preconceived notion of "the way things are done" in this industry. He was struggling to the point where the city briefly shut him down. This shattered his world. Norhart just naively started to solve problems after that incident. And that led to magic. Norhart began changing the way construction is done. Starting with an attractive culture unique to the construction industry they hired the best talent. Together Norhart solved chronic construction inefficiencies, applied techniques from manufacturing, and integrated traditionally unaffiliated trades. This resulted in higher quality and lower cost projects. Norhart’s mission is to solve America’s housing shortage by transforming the way apartments are built and managed. And in doing so we will improve the way we all live.

Our guest today is Sara Rauchwerger, Founder TechLAB Innovation Center in Silicon Valley. Sara is the Founder and Managing Director at TechLAB Innovation Center, where her mission is clear: nurturing company growth and fostering innovation. But that's not all—she's also the driving force behind CCICE, a global entrepreneur connection platform, and the visionary mind behind BG Strategy, a leading global market entry services company. With a rich background in Business Development, Business Strategy, and Investment, Sara has left an indelible mark across industries such as Telecommunication, Aerospace, and Information Technology. Her leadership has ignited cross-border business growth, helping private enterprises, SMEs, and publicly listed corporations thrive internationally. Sara's forte lies in IT markets, where she offers end-to-end market entry services. Her sharp insight and evaluation skills make her a trusted partner for the investment community, consistently identifying impactful opportunities. Having shaped countless business plans, marketing strategies, financial analyses, and more, Sara's expertise has propelled ventures to success, optimizing value for owners and shareholders. Join us in this episode as we tap into the brilliance of Sara Rauchwerger, a sought-after speaker and lecturer, and uncover the journey of an extraordinary entrepreneur. On this episode, Sara shares deep insights on how to scale and grow your startup. Sara shares insights on fundraising, including conveying a compelling vision to investors. Importance of seeking initial support from friends, family, and customers. Exploring funding sources such as angel investors, government grants, and corporate investment. Emphasis on networking, strategy, and differentiation in fundraising efforts. Factors influencing scalability include the nature of the product, target audience, and cost of customer acquisition. Understanding the multiplier effect during transitions between customer levels. Considerations for scalability differ for technology-based solutions and user-oriented products. The need to adapt business models to accommodate growth and profitability. Sara emphasizes the importance of validating information from various sources. Extracting valuable insights and aligning them with business goals. Sara advocates for third-party validation to refine messaging and strategy.

On this episode, i had an amazing conversation with my best friend Victor Owusu.Victor is a software engineer at Paradigm. Victor has had over 13 years experience in tech, working for multinational companies and consulting on projects. Victor on this podcast breaks down the simple keys to thrive in technology roles in any tech organization. Victor's journey is inspiring for any young Africa who wants to have a successful career in Tech. His work ethic, design is for all to emulate. Follow Victor on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-james-owusu/

On this episode we speak with Daniel Kwaku Merki, the founder of Boxplay Ventures in Accra. Boxplay is an African venture builder that co-creates transformational startups tackling the continent's most common and challenging problems. Daniel, has a strong background in investment banking, management consulting and entrepreneurship. His passion is enable African entrepreneurs to create solutions to Africa's most challenging problems and to promote the general purpose technologies of the 21st century on the continent. He grew up in Switzerland and moved to Ghana to pursue his passion and dreams. Daniel provides key insights about entrepreneurship and venture building in the African setting. Connect with Daniel on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielmerki/

Welcome to an extraordinary episode of our podcast, where we have the privilege of welcoming back the remarkable Otema Yirenkyi to the show. Currently serving as the Area Vice President at Salesforce in the UK, Otema brings with her an illustrious career spanning over 25 years in the technology and telecommunication industry. Her expertise shines through as she shares invaluable insights on cultivating a 'no limits' mindset. Throughout the episode, Otema emphasizes the immense value of finding belonging within a tribe, harnessing the power of coaches and mentors, and directing our focus towards our unique strengths. Her wealth of experience from senior roles at IBM, Microsoft, PMI, and Vodafone adds weight to her words, making her guidance all the more compelling. But Otema's contributions extend beyond her professional achievements. She is a true inspiration with a deep passion for supporting the younger generation. Her dedication to helping the youth reach their full potential is nothing short of inspiring, as she shares her experiences and imparts wisdom that will undoubtedly resonate with listeners of all ages. Beyond her professional endeavors, Otema is also a talented poet, accomplished author, and a fierce advocate for eco-sustainability. Her multifaceted interests and commitment to making a positive impact on the world make her an exceptional guest, captivating both the mind and the heart. Tune in to this episode and prepare to be enthralled as Otema Yirenkyi graces us with her profound insights, empowering listeners to adopt a 'no limits' mindset and encouraging them to embark on a transformative journey towards personal growth and success. Useful links Follow Otema on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/otema-yirenkyi-22b4841/ Watch her Interview on Techforce show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVyACDnTMpQ Follow Me on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/

On this episode of the Deciding To Win Podcast, we had the privilege of having Veronica Safoa Owusu widely known as the V-Power Coach. The 'V-Power coach' is a signature online course creation business specialist, instructional designer, mindset coach for leaders, public speaker and the President of EduCom. She is also an entrepreneur, content creator and consultant. Veronica has helped many people develop their mindset and unleash their potentials to create the life they want to live. On this episode, we go more into her background story, the challenges she faced in building her business in a new country with literally no money. V-Power's relentless passion and desire to grow, learn and help others has launched her into an amazing journey in her life. There is a lot to learn from her and i know you will be inspired. Follow her on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronica-safoa-owusu/