B U S I N E S S Â X Â C U L T U R E S Â X Â V I B E S
hosted by Erikan ObotetukudoÂ
Connoisseur is a collective of doers taking life up a notch.
We exchange our resources, anchor one another, consciously build wealth together, and devote our days and nights redefining the next 100 years for our communities.
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Our interactive event series highlights the best and brightest from the African/black diaspora - entrepreneurs, investors, creatives, and more. We travel the globe to bring you ventures, inventions, and cultures created and/or inspired by people of African descent.  From Ethiopia to Japan, Brazil to USA, no corner of the Diaspora is off limits.Â
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#Thisonesforyou
#BYCONNOISSEUR
"I would recommend that entrepreneurs have a vision and be confident in that vision. Let your story set you apart. By having a unique voice and a unique story to tell you will be able to really set yourself apart from the competition. When I first started Zuvaa, I didn’t realize how many others where doing something similar. But I was confident in my vision." Kelechi Anyadiegwu, founder of @shopzuvaa, will be at #ConnoisseurAfrica at Alley in NYC on Feb. 25, presented by @byconnoisseur and our partners @youralley. Get info and tickets from the link in our bio.
Feb 24th, 2:46PM
In lovely company this evening at #ConnoisseurAfrica. My first time (solo) presenting about @crwnmag! Beautiful vibes & so much hustle in this pic 💕 Thanks @byconnoisseur & @youralley creating the platform to tell our stories 😘
Feb 25th, 11:00PM
Go'head mama! Big ups to all of the African, Caribbean, & Black American owned businesses that joined forces to make #ConnoisseurAfrica a hit: @youralley, @wylandlord, @crwnmag, @shopzuvaa, @bluebeebars, @miss_jessies, @innov8tivmag, @heragenda. Special thanks to awesome guests from @afripedia @ginjanbros #community #next100years #family #Diaspora #wealthcreation #africa #entrepreneurship #cultures #vibes. This one's for you
Feb 27th, 3:02PM
"If we want these platforms to exist, we have to keep our dollars circulating, and be willing to invest in the things that we want to exist" - Words from Lindsey Day, co-founder of @crwnmag at #ConnoisseurAfrica. Also check out her @Entrepreneur feature: https://instagram.com/p/BB3cevXlbCg/. (📷: @nkrumah) Grab your tickets #March24. Link in bio. #invest #community #black #africa #diaspora #print #next100years
Feb 29th, 12:59PM
For Hellina Tadesse, Director of Development at @seedsofafrica, what helps her get through the hard times is "the satisfaction of knowing that what we are doing is much bigger than us and seeing the significant, positive impact on the students and families of our education and community development programs in Adama, Ethiopia." Tonight, Hellina will be at #ConnoisseurAfrica at Alley in NYC, presented by @byconnoisseur and our partners @youralley. Get info and tickets from the link in our bio.
Feb 25th, 2:00PM
Just in time for tonight's #ConnoisseurAfrica, @entrepreneur has featured @ofoezeugwu of @wylandlord: "Know, your road will be hard. There will be tears shed, relationships lost, and tough decisions to make; but, if you remain persistent and true to who you are, you will make it happen. Hard work never goes unnoticed and always pays off. Find the value you're bringing to your stakeholders (users, team, family, investors, customers, etc.) early on, hone in on it, and keep working until you crack through." Ofo Ezeugwu, co-founder and CEO of @wylandlord, will be at #ConnoisseurAfrica at Alley in NYC on Feb. 25, presented by @byconnoisseur and our partners @youralley." #africa #diaspora #entrepreneurship #cultures #community #realestate #disruption #unapologetic
Feb 25th, 12:14AM
Thanks @entrepreneur for the feature! More juicy stories to come from my hustler in residence - Nigeria. Let the chronicles continue. #entrepreneurship #africa #diaspora #hustler #cultures #vibes #courage #unapologetic #ConnoisseurAfrica: Erikan Obotetukudo, founder of @byconnoisseur has some crucial advice for entrepreneurs:
1. Keep your head down. Quiet the noise and focus. Minimize comparisons, your journey and vision are unique.
2. Identify your "ride-or-dies" (aka support network of mentors and challenging friends) early. Maintain those core relationships and require that they hold you accountable.
3. Push through the strange, uncomfortable ideas and roadblocks. There's something special there.
4. You are greater and more capable than you know. You're always enough.
5. Set the tone early and do better each day.
6. Identify your blind spots and always ask for help. Strive to turn unknowns to knowns.
Tonight, Erikan will be at #ConnoisseurAfrica at Alley in NYC, presented by @byconnoisseur and our partners @youralley. Get info and tickets from the link in our bio.
Feb 27th, 2:37PM
And we're off! A lil over 24 hours away from Connoisseur and @entrepreneur Magazine caught up with the all too wonderful @jon__jackson, Brand Chieftain at @blavity. Words from the kid: "Qualifications are subjective. I’m learning to develop a healthy disregard for limitations I or other people put on me. I don’t let anyone dictate my story for me. It’s a daily choice to leap into the unknown and continue to push forward. I don’t need the door to be fully open, I just need it to be cracked. I’m relentless." It goes down tmr, #march31 #byconnoisseur #ConnoisseurAfrica at @youralley. link in bio. (📷: @Andrew_Kung) #adtech #youngelder #blavity #unapologetic #digitalmedia #blackvoices #weoutchya #Diaspora #Africa #Trinidad
Mar 30th, 4:19PM
This guy: @chibbychibs. So many gems: "Always make sure you’re creating real value. I think entrepreneurs should almost obsessively, especially in the beginning and throughout the life of their company, double and triple check that they’re building something that solves a REAL problem and enriches the lives of people in a significant way. This is opposed to simply living in your head, protecting your ego and lying to yourself. And that’s the second part: Struggle immensely to make sure you’re telling the truth to yourself and to your team about what the facts and realities really are. To do all of these requires you to continually humble yourself, listen to your users and rigorously assess your assumptions, biases, and solutions." Chibueze Ihenacho, CEO of @armrsystems, will be at #ConnoisseurAfrica at Alley in NYC on March 31, presented by @byconnoisseur @youralley @entrepreneur. Link in our bio. #medtech #wearables #Africa #diaspora #nigeria #forthetroops #weoutchya
Mar 30th, 9:59PM
Check our website for updates: byconnoisseur.Com
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