EP #120: The Family “Impact Business” with Afam Onyema
We learned about how small the world can be last week. This week, we are reminded of that and inspired to take action on the things that mean the most. You’re an impactmaker because you want to make a positive impact in the world. It would be a shame if you think the impact you are making is not significant or if your skills aren’t a good fit for that type of work. Find a way to make a connection between what you are best at and what needs to be done. You’ll be better for it and so will the world.
Afam Onyema is a highly educated individual but the journey to his role is not what you might expect. The GEANCO Foundation is a highly impactful organization that is changing the lives of people in Nigeria. Afam has made this effort his life’s work despite having numerous other opportunities. It’s a result of a promise his father once made to a nurse about returning to Nigeria. Afam’s law degree and his ability to build community are being used for something way more meaningful than what he originally thought. This episode is about building an amazing organization with a strong purpose.
What You'll Learn In Today's Episode:
Why Afam turned down corporate law offers
How Afam started GEANCO
What it’s like to do impact work with your family
How Afam and his family collaborate to run GEANCO
Why Afam moved to LA and why he stayed
How GEANCO was named
Why connections are important to impact work
About the events that GEANCO does every year
About the work GEANCO does
Some of the famous people that support GEANCO
About the trust that GEANCO has in its workers
How COVID-19 affected GEANCO
Why you should “find” mistakes
Why you should start slow
Why raising money is important
Adam’s role in managing everything that GEANCO does
Why you have to fail to find success
About Afam’s beginner’s mindset
How Afam is “in it” for life
How Afam tells people that his work is important to him
Why Afam does his work
About the confidence Afam has in GEANCO
Ideas Worth Sharing:
“He fell in love with not only medicine but sacrificial medicine.” - Afam Onyema
“I had my own dreams to be rich and or famous.” - Afam Onyema
“Imagine being part of an organization that can make that kind of impact every year.” - Afam Onyema
“A good way to live life is to be inspired and terrified every day.” - Afam Onyema
“I turned my corporate law offers down.” - Afam Onyema
“It wasn’t this 'a-ha’ moment…It was more of an evolution.” - Afam Onyema
“I made a very conscious decision that it was for me.” - Afam Onyema
“It’s a true family effort.” - Afam Onyema
“It’s a challenge when working with your siblings…but there’s a love there.” - Afam Onyema
“I’d never seen a sky that blue.” - Afam Onyema
“I love that idea of connecting with people…we’re a family.” - Afam Onyema
“The name of the foundation pretty much came easily.” - Afam Onyema
“We’ll be in any city where we have support.” - Afam Onyema
“We’re looking to spread the word everywhere.” - Afam Onyema
“Nigeria has the worse anemia problem in all of Africa.” - Afam Onyema
“Having a vision but being flexible about it…” - Afam Onyema’s advice on starting an impact project
“It really is an organic growth.” - Afam Onyema
“I realized the most important thing to do in those early years was to raise enough money to hire good people to actually do the work.” - Afam Onyema
“I get to see the work on the ground but it’s our team that does the work on the ground every single day.” - Afam Onyema
“It’s about…wanting to have that growth but also not pushing too hard.” - Afam Onyema
“They knew that I am in this for life.” - Afam Onyema speaking about his staying power at GEANCO
“Each time we do a medical mission we learn from it.” Afam Onyema
“For me, it’s about one word - more.” Afam Onyema
“Did it have something to do with your father’s legacy?” - Bob DePasquale
“There is some sort of trust there.” - Bob DePasquale
“I don’t have siblings. My parents gave up after me.” - Bob DePasquale
Resources In Today's Episode:
Afam Onyema - LinkedIn
GEANCO Foundation - Website - Twitter - LinkedIn - Instagram - Facebook
Bob’s Book - Personal Finance in a Public World
This week’s E-Impact Blog Entry
Episodes Referenced:
EP #81: Giving Opportunities to Others with Sylvester Boyd, Jr.
