I met Anie earlier this year at WomenWerk, a conference created in honor of International Women’s Day. The focus of this year’s conference was on the African woman and her role in the workplace. Anie served as a  panelist which focused on work-life balance. I was absolutely intrigued by Anie’s insight, maturity, and wisdom. I had a chance to speak with her one-on-one afterwards and was struck even more by the way she managed her time, handled stress, and the vision and pride that she had for Africa, in general, and her beloved Nigeria, in particular. I immediately knew that she was a DreamGirl.

Here is her story.

-K

What do you do and why is it important?

My name is Anie Akpe and I’m the Founder of Innov8tiv magazine and co-founder of IBOM LLC. I’m also the Vice-President of Mortgages (currently managing a $575 million portfolio) at a banking institution.

I started IBOM LLC in order to aid small businesses around the world, particularly those owned by African entrepreneurs in the Diaspora, with managing their businesses and assist them to reach their business goals.

At IBOM LLC, our solutions are designed to address everything from major strategic issues to more basic problems affecting everyday business practices. Along with being a guide, we host seminars, cultural and tech events.

Innov8tiv Magazine is a subsidiary of IBOM LLC and it offers Tech News with an Emphasis on Blacks in Technology in US, UK, Caribbean Islands and Africa. There are lots of Tech sites but none offered a place where I could read about what was happening with Black people in Technology globally. So Innov8tiv started with the idea of being able to offer Blacks in Technology a platform to showcase their latest creations and also offer the latest news on the tech industry.

What are three things that you know for sure?

• The sun will rise again tomorrow so you have another chance to try again.
• What you think is what you create~~~ For me failure is not an option so I create my outcomes
• What other people think of me is none of my business (I’m a strong believer in building my confidence from within. Anytime I allow other peoples thoughts to penetrate, I lose focus.

 What is the best advice (financial, emotional, spiritual, health-related) that you have ever received? Why did that piece of wisdom resonate with you so much?

In every situation, you need to “Check your emotions at the door”. What I learned from this statement is the fact that we are so eager to come to our own defense, we typically lose our thought process when we communicate because our emotions take over. So everything we do or say is reactive. Whereas if you learn to master your emotions, you will not miss the opportunity to be heard clearly and objectively.

Also, I feel that 7 out of 10 times, most people in most situations live just to see your reaction. So why bless them with your anger?

What are you the most proud of as a woman, entrepreneur, scholar, or anything in between?

My happiest moments is when I get to watch my dreams become a reality. Whether I’m launching a new site or planning an event, the best feeling is watching it manifest.

What is going on in your business/career that EVERYONE should know about now?* Is there a product or services that we should ALL know about?

Innov8tiv will be hosting several tech events throughout the year so stay tuned and follow us on twitter by clicking here    

What makes you a DreamGirl?

Opportunity doesn’t always knock at your door. I follow my dreams and no matter the curves in the road, I always find another route because when it comes to my dreams, the word no is not an option.

 What rituals, if any, do you do on a daily, monthly, or yearly to keep you focused, positive, or centered?

When I’m consistent, meditation is my daily routine. During the summer months, the beach is where I find my peace.

 How do you handle setbacks? What skills, support, or personality trait do you rely on the most to help you overcome adversity?

Perseverance is how I handle setbacks.  I don’t sit with anything longer than 3 days. In my own private space, I allow myself to feel the emotions of whatever took place.After which and sometimes during the 3 days, my natural instincts kicks in and I start to plan what I can do differently to change the outcome.

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