April 7, (THEWILL)- Dr Omotola Bamigbaiye, an author and the Nigeria Marketing Director (Sub-Saharan Africa) of Pladis Global, a much sought after facilitator for customer service, consumer behaviour, marketing, brand management courses, soft and emotional skills for multinational organisations, tells IVORY UKONU why her book, entitled ‘Imperfectly Awesome,’ is essential, especially for those who want to reinvent themselves personally or in the workplace, in this interview. Excerpts:
Why did you decide that authorship was the next hurdle to scale?
Well, because I was under severe pressure to share my story and experiences. I get asked a lot of questions concerning my work life and personal experiences and so I decided to make it easier by writing my memoir. The book, titled ‘Imperfectly Awesome’ captures the power of resilience and hope.
Written in an honest and relatable tone, I shared my stories of becoming to help you love yourself, reinvent, and bloom, just the way you were designed to. There is no perfect life. Just when you think you have mapped out a perfect plan to shine and take over the world, there comes reality, smacking you really hard and letting you know that pitfalls exist and we’re all a little flawed and need more help than we sometimes admit. From career expectations to motherhood, relationships, and the nagging whispers of imposter syndrome, there is always something to grapple with in life. However, you can do so with razor-sharp wisdom and large doses of humour. The world may only play off-tune beats, but you can create your rhythm and dance to it gracefully or however else you please.
With so many books about personal life and experiences in the corporate world, why do you think anyone should be interested in yours?
Because everyone has a story in them, but not everyone gets to write it. We are all diverse and unique passing through different experiences in life. The challenge is not always that there will not be issues along the way, but how we react to it differs. The book is about building your own ladder, one rung at a time, with laughter, tears, and maybe a little lipstick smeared on the way. It’s embracing the unexpected and realising that you are good enough even when the circumstances surrounding your life say otherwise, and balance is a tricky act you get better at every day. It’s about learning to love yourself, flaws and all, and embracing the messy, beautiful chaos that is life.
You described your book as a tool to help one bloom, reinvent oneself in just the way one is designed. What do you think are some of the reasons one gets stuck in a rut, personally, socially and in the workplace?
I have also learned that there is no manual to teach you how to navigate the world of work or life in general. Most of us had to learn many things the hard way. However, I have observed that life is easier when you learn from other people’s experiences. You gain wisdom, avoid pitfalls, become unapologetic about your existence, own your mistakes and become equipped to run your life’s course better. That’s why I’ve written this book. Throughout its pages, I have woven diverse stories on different phases of my life: career, relationships, transitions, self-love and boundaries, and other numerous and often hilarious happenings. Each chapter ends with thought-provoking questions to make your reading more engaging and actionable.
What are the signs that suggest one is in a rut?
Life will throw curveballs, trust me. You’ll stumble, you’ll doubt, you might even trip on your shoelaces. But here’s the secret, every stumble is a lesson, every doubt a chance to dig deeper, and every shoelace mishap a hilarious story to tell later. So, my friend, pick up your tools, grab your shoes, on to the field of life, and start building your masterpiece. Don’t wait for someone to invite you to the table – build your table!
Name at least five takeaways from the book which you think will come handy for anyone venturing into the corporate world
The first is building your resilience table. This is the most important thing. It should always be, ‘Your Table, Your guests!’ Do what works for you and do away with anything that no longer serves you unapologetically.
Secondly, there will always be lemons and more lemons – remember to add a bit of garnishing while making your lemonade.
Thirdly, never stop being curious. I always wanted to try new things and I was no longer scared of making mistakes. So, even when I messed up, I saw it as a learning opportunity.
Fourthly, someone else’s opinion shouldn’t matter. They were not going to determine my destiny and whatever doubts they had, were their problems not mine.
Finally, I learned to wear my disappointments like badges of honour. For me, it was proof that I was strong enough to keep going.
Are you going to be publishing a volume 2, after all, there are still more experiences yet to be garnered?
I am on my way to conquer another chapter. This time, maybe I’ll learn to dance, or write a symphony, or climb a real mountain. The possibilities, as they say, are endless. My story is just beginning, from the girl who learned to build her own ladder, and wear lipstick while doing it. This isn’t the end of the story, just a pause between chapters. There are still mountains to climb, lessons to learn, and maybe even a dance step or two to be mastered. Stay tuned, the adventure continues!
You are so many things – a mother first and foremost, a lecturer, an entrepreneur, an expert in consumer marketing and now an author. How do you find time to handle your different roles without one of them suffering?
Even in the storm, I discovered something amazing: I wasn’t alone. I experienced the warmth of a mother who was passionately committed to seeing me conquer life’s toughest battles and bask in the realm of fulfilled dreams. I also learned to love myself more and choose me.
Would you consider yourself a fulfilled woman?
I have learned not to push the pause button on happiness, even as I try to excel in other areas of life. Time is life’s most precious resource. The world will never stand still for you to catch up. So, each day, I am learning to savour every moment I encounter, to smell my roses even as I climb the mountains. It’s embracing the unexpected and realising that you are ‘good enough’ even when the circumstances surrounding your life say otherwise, and ‘balance’ is a tricky act you get better at every day. It’s about learning to love yourself, flaws and all, and embracing the messy, beautiful chaos that is life.
It has obviously not all been rosy. What are the greatest challenges you have had and how were you able to overcome them?
This book encapsulates some of my current experiences, but I learned to navigate boardrooms with a baby strapped to my back, mastered the art of the ‘work-mom ponytail,’ though it was a chaotic one at first and discovered that sometimes, the best career advice comes from the least expected persons in the most unlikely situations.
I wrestled with imposter syndrome and juggled work and motherhood. Then came the more horrible stuff. The job loss, career switches, unstable relationship experiences that toyed with my emotions. I learned the hard way but I learned anyway that work friends aren’t always your besties although you laugh, play, and seemingly share similar dreams. I’ve had to battle the feeling of inferiority complex just because I was the youngest in the room – or a woman – and my supposed colleagues didn’t think I deserved the role. But through it all, I discovered a secret weapon: ‘Resilience.’ You know that magical inner power that lets you bounce back from a face plant with a ‘hold my bag’ and keep climbing.
What would you consider to have significantly shaped you to be who you are today?
This is my journey from a wide-eyed dreamer to well, still a dreamer, but one wearing sensible shoes and carrying a backpack. But this time a backpack overflowing with lessons learned not out of guilt, shame, or feelings of inadequacy.
What is your singular greatest regret in life and what would you have done differently in hindsight?
I have none. I have learnt to own my mistakes, which has in turn empowered me. This is my story, and I am the protagonist. I am not waiting for someone to hand me a script or feature in my story. I have owned it, laughed at it, learned from it, and, most importantly, I never, ever stop dreaming big.
What is your career trajectory?
Currently in my next phase of career seating as Advisory Board to a couple of quoted companies in the financial sector.
And your educational background?
I have a first degree in Insurance from the University of Lagos; my second degree, Msc in Marketing is also from the University of Lagos and my PHD from the International School of Management, Paris.
If you weren’t a leader in the marketing world (corporate sector) what other career do you think you would have excelled in?
Teaching, as I am currently an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Lagos Business School, Rome Business School, Orange Academy, Financial Institutions Training Centre, Mac Tay Consulting and Nigerian Interbank Settlement Scheme
What are some of life’s lessons that you live by?
Life is not all sunshine and rainbows. So, yeah, there will be chapters filled with tears and tantrums, but there will also be chapters overflowing with laughter, love, and confidence. Embrace them all and live it to the fullest.
What do you value most in life?
kindness is one of my core values. Every day, I try to embody that attribute. And if I’m kind to people, then I know I’m living according to my value of kindness.
How do you let off steam when you aren’t working?
I dance like no one is watching.
Ivory Ukonu is a versatile journalist with many years of experience, with entertainment and society reporting as her area of core competence.
