The Interview Series (Epissode 7)

Build Sustainability or Die Young…URIEL

Welcome to this week's episode of Chat With temidada, we are glad to have you our esteemed readers. 

Our guest this week is another multi talented individual who has crossed many obstacles just to make sure he is living his dreams. He is a keynote speaker and lead consultant, SavofNs. Please join me as I welcome Tomori Uriel.

     Tomori Uriel (Lead Consultant, SavofNs)

Starting this episode, can we meet you?

Uriel: My name is Tomori Uriel. I am a Lead Consultant, SavofNs, an organization committed to driving excellence in businesses and sustainability for humanity and a Growth Specialist on A Mission to Drive Business Forward. My Mantra for any business I work with is Build Sustainably or Die Young.

I have a healthy creative instinct, sustainable insight for innovations and a progressive problem-solving mindset. My passion for solving problems led me to volunteering, public speaking, consulting and cofounding platforms. With seven years of experience in content, four years experience in marketing communications, Tech, community building and public speaking, respectively, I have had the opportunity of adding value to over 10, 000 youth, and over 50 Businesses, in Africa and globally. I established saviourOfNInspi in high school, 2012, a platform that offers insights to unpack human social interaction, cofounded Inkskribe, Future Brand Idol, CareerEdu among other initiatives. In a bid to share my ideas, I join communities (such as HBX, Wikimedia, CIVIUS, Hive, YALI, Africa's Leadership Initiative etc.) and attends conferences that are driven towards making the world a better place for you and me. I am open to developing sustainable products and businesses.

Oh!!! I am blown out. Can you tell us which one you started first out of all you do?

Uriel: Oh yes, I established saviourOfNInspi in high school, 2012, a platform that offers insights to unpack human social interaction. That was the earliest and saviourOfNInspi has transformed to become SavofNs. I remember I started it from writing quotes in my notepads, then chalkboard, before I went into 2go. That made me to write everyday, I did this consistently for 6 years.

What pushed you into starting SavofNs?

Uriel: The truth is I read people like books, so I figured everyone has few pages in their lives they haven't figured out, so I thought I could help. I just wanted to communicate with my colleagues and make them understand the value embedded in peaceful coexistence. Though it later extended to other clases. But, what mattered to me was making people understand why they think the way they think.

What were your challenges when you started?

Uriel: This is one question many ask me. Well, typically, I have a unique background and that added a lot of sauce to it, if you understand what I mean. The truth is that fulfulling potentials in Nigeria is very difficult: only few believe in you, people will talk you down, educational system, people taking advantage of you and the little available opportunity is highly competitive.

I didn't have it easy and I currently don't have it easy, but I sure am learning. I don't seek validation from people and I don't see self in what I do. I learn to fail fast and forward.

How have you been able to impact the lives of people?

Uriel: My style of impacting lives is relating to people's stories and helping them figure out better alternatives.

I invest my time in engaging people, accepting their views and offering better alternatives to them. It's way technical than it seems, but it WORKS TO GOD'S GRACE.

I have listenened to thousands of stories, everyone has its uniqueness, that is why there is barely no story I cannot relate with. On a lighter mood, I boast of being an inborn psychologist.

So what do you do in saviourOfInspi?

Uriel: SaviourOfNInspi is a platform that offers insights to unpack human social interaction through writing; that was back then in school. But, saviourOfNInspi has metamorphosed into SavofNs.

So at SavofNs, You mean?

Uriel: SavofNs (https://www.savofns.net), is a consultancy organization committed to driving excellence in businesses and sustainability for humanity. We offer services ranging from Business Management, Career Upskill, Marketing and Web Development.

So as a youth who is passionate about the development of other young ones, how can you describe the situation of youth unemployment in Nigeria?

Uriel: Well, as an optimist that I am, I will say things are getting better. But, there are numerous challenges. One of the barriers I faced was that I lacked professional mentorship and that affected me a lot, I was forced to learn from failures and I am glad that didn't deter me.

Our educational system, government policy (specifically the youth policy) and several areas needs to be worked on.

On part of the youth, there is need for a change in attitude and to as well study to enable them compete globally. A lot of young people want to get it quick and getting it quick doesn't last.

How important is a mentor to the development of a young creative?

Uriel: Mentorship is a big deal. I know what it cost because I lacked it at the early stage in my career and I promised myself to be a good mentor to any young and willing individual.

Mentorship offers clarity to complex issues and answers to questions. Other advantages include: opportunities, applying your skills and the opportunities are endless. I know a lot of youth who have benefited from this.

What are the projects you have done in the past?

Uriel: Absolutely, I have been privileged to launch several campaigns, events, magazines, teams and ideas.

This can be seen via my LinkedIn profile.

Any project in the pipeline?

Uriel: Currently, there are chains of projects geered towards adding values to lives and businesses, but I am just taking them one step at a time.

What is your future plan of impacting young creatives in Nigeria?

Uriel: Well, this is my drive and the reason why I do what I do and have cofounded several platforms as I stated in my bio.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

Uriel: I see myself making bigger impacts than I currently am and helping business create sustainable solutions in ways that add value to humanity.

What is your advice to Nigerian youth?

Uriel: I urge youth not to give up on their purpose and dreams. Yes, things are a bit more difficult being Nigerian, but that doesn't mean we won't attain full potentials.

Create the value that can earn you money, don't put money first. Believe in yourself, cut your sense of entitlement, be selfless, be a giver, delay your gratification and above all PUT GOD FIRST IN ALL You DO.

Thank you for being on the show today, we are grateful sir. Keep doing you, we are proud of you.

Uriel: Thank You for the Privilege, Sir it means a lot.

TIP: Living for something of value should be the prioty of every human; our existence is not a joke.

Make sacrifices for your development, delay your gratification, everything in life is not about money.

You can connect with our guest on Linkedin @Tomori Uriel.