Over the last few weeks, we've spoken on the importance of living life authentically and owning our stories. This process is not easy and honestly should be taken step by step.This week I'm joined by my guest Tilewa Odedina who has set an amazing example of what it means to have confidence in your calling.
Tilewa graduated from the University of Manchester where she studied Business Management and Leadership. She has a background in banking where she worked with Access Bank as a brand ambassador. She focused on talent strategy for mergers and acquisitions in Africa and came up with strategy for acquiring talent in new African subsidiaries and was based in the Francophone subsidiary.She’s currently at Le Cordon Bleu Paris studying Gastronomy, Nutrition and Food Trends.
It's one thing to know and understand why you're here and another to believe in yourself.I hope this conversation pushes you even further, you've got this.
Rhieme: Hi Tilewa, thank you so much for joining us today. Can you please tell us a bit about yourself?
Tilewa: Hi, thank you for having me. My name is Tilewa but some people call me Tilly. I'm Nigerian and I'm 26. I'm currently studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and I love Jesus like he is actually my guy.My background is in banking and I'm currently a full time entrepreneur living in France.
Rhieme: Thank you so much for sharing. So let’s get into it, how were you able to identify your calling?
Tilewa:This is interesting because that was the only question I looked at and I thought about and was like hmm.I realised that I actually searched for it. Some people feel you wake up and somehow your calling will be dropped in front of you. You actually have to search.I had to look up for the things God had put within me. I'll say with culinary, I looked and saw I loved cooking. Sometimes God gives us some talent and it's not for to just say, it’s my hobby. Sometimes it's actually part of your purpose.For me I started cooking for people and people started encouraging me to actually sell.So I started with a tasting menu to setting up a business, moving step by step. At each step I remember saying to God if this is not you, shut it down.He always said carry on. I remember the biggest sign for me with Sticks &Grills was when my mum ordered a food cart for me. I remember saying this is such a huge investment for something that was not really business I said to God if my mum actually orders this for me, it is a sign from you and she actually ordered it.
So I’ll definitely say looking for signs. If you have a talent and you like something, sometimes go deeper into it. Ask yourself why do I have a passion for it? Actually test out the voices you have inside your head. The second thing for me is confirmation from people. I remember some people would message me like you. I’m getting confirmation from people that don't even know my story.If it aligns with what God has already told you, you know it's confirmation. There are a few words people have given me on other things so what I've been doing is gathering information and getting to know more about this field.
Rhieme: Wow, that was so good, I’ll recap briefly. So you spoke about how you had to search for your calling. You have to keep on pressing in and going back to God.I think the issue is some people may feel maybe this is what I'm called to but they don't push to know and they give up. I'm just remembering the Bible verse Matthew 22:14 which says "many are called but few are chosen". God has called all of us to live life on His own terms but many people don’t stay with Him to the point where they’re recognised for what He’s called them to do. You constantly have to press in. Also confirmation from other people. Sometimes, you might think you're in your head and it’s just you but the minute you hear from someone else it makes a difference. With you it was so crazy and I was shocked because we didn’t even talk at the time and was like wow this is actually bigger than you it has everything to do with God. Also what you said about another area God has called you to.Even though you don't have the full picture, you’re not simply sitting down. I feel we underestimate our role to play.God will tell you what He wants you to do, but we actually have to push ourselves, like how badly do I want this?
Rhieme: So what was the whole process like with like stepping into your calling?
Tilewa: I think I would use my calling as of now as a case study. So what was the journey with culinary? If I'm being very honest with you trying, the answer is trying. The truth of the matter is, I remember reading something a while ago that when a word is sent to you, life tries to test you.God tries to test you, the enemy tries to test you. There's so much test like, are you ready for this word? Are you resilient? Do you believe this word is going to come to pass? It was a definitely a testing period. I registered in 2017 and this business did not really bear the fruits it was meant to until April 2021.The truth is there was a lot on my mind, I remember even my family telling me "you want to go into catering" and my dad was like "so your friends are going to be calling you a caterer?" I say this to all entrepreneurs, if God has given you a vision, a promise, hold unto it. It is already very scary to start something even if the whole world is supporting you, you are scared.
Secondly, second guessing yourself. I can never forget when I just started and Sticks & Grills was a baby, we sent out trial boxes in the first month. I remember I was selling burgers for like 1k naira. Number one, I didn't believe in myself and I didn't believe anyone wanted to buy from me.It felt like they were doing me a favour by buying it because I didn't believe in myself. I remember someone was like do you realise people will think this burger is not real? I remember I was in the kitchen making burgers one day, my mum's driver came in and said in pidgin "na catering you go uni study?"and I was like whoa. What was so deep at that point in time for me was that he was not trying to insult me.He was actually wondering is that what you went to school to study? I was like my parents actually sent me to school abroad and I'm coming back and I'm not using the degree for anything. Like I was saying to myself are you joking? You better drop this and get serious.That's when I started applying for consulting, I got one consultant job. I remember God say to me, go into banking and I was like banking? The next day my friend literally sends me a message saying Access Bank is hiring and that's how I got into banking. I say all of this because God changed the word and said leave banking.The normal person would think God you already sent me a word how can you change it?
God can do whatever He wants and if you’re not moving in alignment with Him you will not know. When He told me leave banking, I went on a retreat this year with Demi and I remember saying to God you've asked me to leave banking, I've left. I don't know what I'm doing.The thing about me is, by the grace of God will remain like this, when God gives me a word, I do it immediately without trying to think too much because when I do, I start to second guess.So I asked for a sign and He gave me one. It was clear and I left. I remember in Ibadan He said I want you to do Sticks & Grills full time.I don't know if I've told you this story before, but I'll just say for the sake of interviewing. I remember in bathroom my heart was beating when I heard the word I was like, it has always been comfortable for me to do it on the side, I always had a plan B. God said no this is the only plan and He didn't want me to get too distracted.He was like I'm tired of you having different options. I want you to focus on this.
You've never given this 100% before. You've always given me 40% not even 50%. You can’t make God’s thing a side thing.If God’s thing will be your side thing, what’s your main thing? I remember He gave this word ‘Oranmo nise fayati’- He who sends you will back you.That was literally the word I used to start Sticks & Grills all over again. By the time He gave me this word I didn’t know about France or Cordon Bleu. I remember I went on a retreat and He was speaking on Sticks & Grills and I remember just writing and writing. The truth of the matter is the word says test all spirits.If those things I was writing were not from God they will not come to pass.I'm not going to start thinking okay, but how is this possible? How is that possible? Long story short, as I said yes to God, things started to open up for me. Paris doors opened, Le Cordon Bleu and the rest is history.
You need to keep asking yourself why if not you'll be fleeting one day I'm doing one day I'm not doing it. If you don't have a strong enough conviction, you will drop that thing. Till I left Lagos I didn’t know how to make profits from Sticks & Grills. There were so many reasons for me to drop it. I was like this doesn’t make sense, how do you say this is your word? Look at everything that’s happening but it’s a process.When you decide to take God seriously, you will see seriousness in that thing.With Sticks & Grills, I wasn’t taking it seriously that’s the truth, so I was getting results of a side business.Whatever you water will grow, if you don’t water something it will not grow. Even relationships, friendships, if you don't call your friend in three years and you still think you’re going to be besties it’s a lie.
Rhieme: Wow thank you so much.Overall you've spoken on the importance of guarding the vision God has given you.I think the starting point is, where does it come from? I can definitely relate with you on what you said about banking to an extent. So with me, I had never planned on going into this area of law.As you said, once you take the first step, doors will start opening up to you. When God started talking to me about the sectors He's called me I noticed the overall theme was finance.The other day, He asked me"do you know there are some interests I give you that are actually not about you?" I’m always asking myself constantly if I know what I'm doing.But when I think about it, I didn’t put myself on this path, I had a different plan. I remember with the Money Africa position, I saw it and He was like apply and from there that's actually how the blog came.So I know the blog isn’t actually about the position, but it’s more of a door to other things.With you ever since you left you’ve been made the valedictorian and student of the month.It's just obvious when God says He will back you He will.At the end of the day, if God has said He will do it, He will make you shine in a way that other people who’ve been practising for years will wonder how is this person like this?
Even what you said about not knowing about profits, I can relate. When I saw all these financial terms, I was telling God if I'm talking so much about this maybe I should be studying a degree that relates to this.But He said ‘I qualify you, not your degree’. I feel like most people are scared to make changes especially the older generation. I always tell my parents there are different sides to the person you can't see. God just shows He’s the only one who knows the plans for your life.People can say what they think you should do but only God really knows. When you say yes, He will give you more and more reasons to hold unto the vision.
Tilewa: I was just going to add it’s so crazy how sometimes, like my degree, I genuinely feel it was God who told me to do it. You will not know until the last day how everything adds up.You can't say but it doesn’t add up today it’ll never add up. A huge reason why I feel God allowed me go into banking was for my dad.It was through me excelling in banking through God, that helped.The MD will call my dad and tell him about me. There was no reason why they made me brand ambassador, the face of Access, as an intern, tell me how? Even when I open the app and I see my face there I’m like lowkey they should have paid me for this but okay, God you know what you did there. I still don't know why He did that. I looked at it and said wow, my dad saw how diligent I was within the bank. He said to me he saw when I trying to leave like God started making me very uncomfortable I'll be crying so much and all.He couldn’t bear seeing me like this and said if it’s Sticks & Grills you want to do, I’m 100% behind you.I have seen how hard you work I see how determined you are. Even without you telling or showing me people come and meet me. He said I will pay for this culinary school.There certain situations that God has put you in that may not look like its on course but it’s for the journey.
Wow this conversation is certainly not over.What are your key takeaways? Feel free to share in the comments below. Make sure you check out Sticks & Grills and stay tuned for part 2!
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