https://www.heavychef.com/emmanuel-gamor-business-in-africaBusiness, arts & culture and everything in-between

With the recent announcement by @Jack, CEO of Twitter, to have the tech giant’s HQ Africa operations setup in Ghana (and the many re-ignited “Jollof wars” inspired by Ghanaians, Nigerians, Senegalese and not-so-unbiased commentary on social media), this week has been off to a flying start. For an “ecosystem builder” such as myself, it is welcome news that validates our individual and collective efforts on the African Continent.

Image credit: Heavy Chef, free trial to my recipe on Business in Africa click here

In our continuing pursuit of empowering economic opportunities within our communities, I have been impressed with the COLE (Council of Locale Experts) initiative, started by David Coleman (a self-professed passionate pan-African working and living in the Netherlands).

The COLE initiative has opened up applications from founders of early-stage African startups seeking feedback, advice, and investment for pitch practice at our Business Experts Roundtable on Clubhouse. Link here. As experts-in-residence, we are excited to usher the new wave of shared learning experiences for African-growth-led companies that become global.

Similarly, Homecoming Revolution’s Insights by Experts (InbyEx) program goes into full operational drive, after piloting one-on-one digitally-enabled consulting engagement on business advice with global companies and partners with the African ecosystem here. The on-demand business advice from African experts across a range of disciplines value proposition is an intriguing opportunity that I look forward to sharing more with our Unpacking Africa community in subsequent podcasts.

Book my slots on 4th Industrial Revolution & Digital by clicking here

My everyday passion for Africa’s Creative Economy has turned into a love-offering, Eliu Gift hub in Accra, Ghana, and beyond. This month’s flavoring of collaborative opportunities has me engaging with phenomenal communities in the fashion and beauty tech space this week.

On the incredibly popular social-audio application Club House, L’Oreal’s Odile Roujol, The Colors community Haweya Mohamed, Shea Yeleen’s Rahama Wright, and Glory Skincare’s Alisia M. Ford and I shall be having a conversation on FAB and Colors: a conversation with black founders here. With the opportunity to catch up on the conversation even after the CH broadcast on Fashion and Beauty Tech community here.

Yes, there are many business enterprises in light of the African Continent Free Trade Agreement and together we can collaboratively unpack opportunities for collaborative success.

My prayer is that this edition resonates in my own different enterprise journey from business and advisory, innovation to create fashion and beauty as the world churns itself slowly, but surely back to economic-activity-life.

#ShamelessPlug check out our Eliu Gift Hub community here and here.

www.EliuGift.com

“You don’t have to choose between being either wholehearted, loving, kind, and soulful, or winning. You can do both, but the bridge you must cross is vulnerability.” Dr. Pippa Grange

Be well, be safe, be loved.

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on April 15, 2021.

One of the impactful lessons I picked up during my time teaching Entrepreneurial Leadership at ALU in Mauritius, was the constant need to foster a growth mindset. The intentional ability to keep dreaming and the consistent effort in bringing these dreams to life!

You could briefly join me in today’s exercise on exploring your own moment of having a growth mindset. If you may kindly take a quick moment to close your eyes, take a deep breath, and allow your mind to settle. Then, respond privately or aloud to this prompt:

In the absence of all that is happening and all my responsibilities, and limitless resources, what is the one thing I can dream up and create, today? Something audaciously impactful, and rewardingly personal.

You should write your answer down and refer to it often, creating little achievable tasks to achieve your and let’s reconvene on your progress. I’ll be happy to be your accountability buddy.

My dreams are most often times dipped in culture, expressed in melodies, colored in curated experiences, and only tempered by the need to wake up, eventually. This year, I have the privilege of joining Andani.Africa and the University of Johannesburg to exploring “Futures & Beyond” 2-day summit Where Creatives and 4IR meet on the 16th & 17th of March. I am giddy to share on Culture, Creative Arts, Connectivity & Commerce with further details here.

Andani.Africa x UJ Arts & Culture (FADA)

If the intersection of re-imagine Africa’s contributions to digital and the appreciation of our cultural heritage through the digital arts is your jam as much as mine, then it would be an honor to have you join us!

“Connecting the dots: Culture, Creative Arts, Connectivity & Commerce.” E. A. Gamor

Besides the Unpacking Africa lens, I shall be engaging our audience on the untapped, underexploited economic and innovation opportunity that exists in our creative manufacturing and artisanal spaces; while sharing the relevance of Africa’s poignant contributions that have recently taken space on digital entertainment consumption during the pandemic with Beyonce’s Black is King, Apple’s Prince G iPhone photography campaign, Netflix’s Bridgerton, Afrobeats, and provocative colorful design.

In spite of the challenges we have all had to face this and last year, I have also allowed my dreams to permeate my reality, and have taken on earnest the opportunity to assist our creative manufacturing and hand-made products sector more intentionally with my skills, network, and resources. More on my theory of change with the Eliu Gift Hub here:

My dream and earnest hope are that with this love-offering of curating cultural communities that create bridges in dismantling challenges in commerce from Africa to the world, we are able to unearth even more talents that express the gift of giving.

In a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, a trans-generational icon and barrier-shattering-artist, Stevie Wonder matter-of-factly shared “I wanna see this nation smile again; and I want to see it before I move to Ghana because I’m going to do that.” urged on by Oprah he also shared “I don’t want to see my children’s children’s children have to say, ‘Oh please’, like me. ‘Please respect me, please know that I am important, please value me.’ What is that?” Link to the full interview for context here.

In my lived experience, my culture has always valued me, it has shielded me, it has protected me especially in spaces that have been contentious and unappreciative. And as I continue to future-cast the world I also want my children to thrive and succeed in; I cannot dream up of a better way than to connect our dots in cultural heritage as we negotiate our place in a more equitable world. Join us.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” Carl Gustav Jung

Be well, be safe, be loved.

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on March 03, 2021.

 New resolutions and the euphoria of a new year notwithstanding, 2021 has started off feeling like the B-side of a 2020-mixtape. 

The advent of a new strain of the COVID-19 virus, insurrection in the United States of America, and a continuing global economic crunch. And yet, there is hope. Hope when and finality to writing two thousand and twenty-one, that triggers a mental indication that we individually and collectively have the opportunity to turn a new leaf.

Amanda Gorman photo credit: USA Today

Of the press releases, news updates, and tweets during President Joe Biden & Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration, the quote that resonates with me was shared byThe Youngest Inaugural Poet in US History, Amanda Gorman: “There is always light if only we are brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.”

I’m walking into 2021 and I am claiming it, my eyes are wide open because my year is going to be lit!

By employing this energy as a personal mantra I am looking forward to framing the conversation I have with Heavy Chef’s January 2021 Event: The Futurists 2021 - What the Hell Just Happened? And What Now? with Bronwyn Williams & Dion Chang. Deets here.

As a moderator fostering this discussion, there are three buckets I am keen to share insights on, namely: health vulnerabilities - the Coronavirus pandemic; leadership disappointment: the global response to disseminating information, managing a shared crisis, and charting a clear, equitable vaccine distribution path moving forward; & economic challenges - the whittling down of opportunities and fractured world of work with millions of young people struggling to find jobs after years-investment of education/skills acquisition

Heavy Chef’s January 2021 Event: The Futurists 2021 — What the Hell Just Happened? And What Now?

Most critically, with Bronwyn and Dion, we shall explore our what now? moment. Personally, the emphasis is on community empowerment. Our communities are the foundations of our local industries as well as our national and international modes of commerce. During these challenging times with border closures to mitigate the virus; we need to ever more present, ever more community-focused, and up-lifting. After all, none of us can escape where we find ourselves at home; work, school, and other activities are all done from our homes, in our communities.

If there is a time to give, of our time, our talents and resources to those close to us (literally, in our communities), it is now. Eliu - God is here I interpret is unconditional love is here situates our actions, establishes our need for presence, and as I build on the idea of Eliu Gift Hub and practice. A rallying call for artisans, confectionary makers, and creatives to participate in the global economy, digitally and benefit from the ratification of the AfCFTA/continental trade agreement.

I’m excited to transition research, discussion, and empathetic listening into a real-life community-focused Africa to the world innovation process with the gift hub. Join here to participate.

Be well, be safe, be brave, be loved.

p.s. We are hiring! Research Assistant and Programs and Content Assistant - candidates should send their resumes to eagamor@4irAfrica.co

p.s.s. We (Google Podcast Creator’s program advisors) are purposefully building convergent opportunities, I am starting with the KukuZafest Podcasters Festival in 2021 to create alignment with a changing traditional to the digital broadcasting ecosystem. We hope that these efforts empower even more (sometimes marginalized) voices for positive impact.

Originally published to Unpacking Africa newsletter’s 15,000 + subscribers on Jan 26, 2021.