From the US to Tanzania to London, Abadesi Osunsade tells us a story of adventure that drove her to the journey of becoming a book writer.
A recent re-tweet she made quotes Toni Morrison: “If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.” And that's what this courageous woman did.
Last week, it was the launch of her first book: ‘Dream Big. Hustle Hard', a book with practical advice for women in their 20s who are looking whether to land a job in the tech industry or they wish to progress in their career.
There is where Abadesi's book comes in handy. It will help you with your CV and how to tell your story through it, how to prepare to be great at interviews, plus how to make the perfect elevator pitch. All this and more is told through fun anecdotes, activities and frameworks that will give you tools to reach your career goals.
So if you feel stuck and you need a push up in your career or you feel "you are not being appreciated for the value you add", gather some friends and start reading it together, as Abadesi strongly recommends: "I encourage people to read the book in groups so they have people to discuss the learning with and also keep them accountable to their goals."
A world trotter
Before settling in London, Abadesi was born in Washington DC and spent the first few years of her life in her mother's hometown Davao. But after that she is been trotting all over the world.
"My dad is from Nigeria and my mom is from the Philippines, they met in the 1970s. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be a mixed race couple almost 40 years ago. Not easy I’m sure," she says. But the marriage didn't last long she recalls. She spent her times then dividing between her mum's and her dad's.
When she was 8 she moved to Tanzania with her Dad, who was promoted to represent the International Monetary Fund in East Africa. She went from being an ordinary kid in the suburbs to the child of a diplomat who had to attend an international school. She feels it was a turning point in her life.
"Tanzania is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I met children from all over the world and experienced life in a developing nation. We would finish school at noon and spend the rest of the afternoon until sunset running along the beach and playing in the ocean," says Abadesi with a sense of nostalgia.
She then lived in Kenya, Nigeria, when finally her parents decided it was time for her to go to an all-girls-boarding-school in England. Another "pivotal moment" in her life.
"I think all these experiences — being a mixed race child in a world where “white is right”, moving from country to country, helped me develop a fluid identity. You have to learn to be a chameleon. Being different alienates you, so I learned from a young age how to blend in so I could belong. It’s only now I’m older I appreciate that it’s my uniqueness that is my strength," says Abadesi.
Landing the dream job: Hustle Crew
In 2009, she he graduated from LSE in 2009 with a BSc. in Government and Economics, at a time when the job search was tough. Before getting in London's tech scene she also wrote for the Financial Times, but although she liked to write, she didn't imagine she will become a writer, nor an entrepreneur.
"I assumed I’d just end up being an economist like my dad, but once I saw the power of technology first hand in transforming lives and disrupting industries I started to think… what can I do to change the world? "
After working for a series of start-ups, she heard one of the male senior managers at her company said that women “didn’t know how to hustle." This enormously affected her because she knew that diverse teams can drive innovation and boost businesses profits.
"I was feeling frustrated and disillusioned by the bro-culture and 'bullshit' that is rampant in tech," says Abadesi, mentioning the lack of female representation in the startup world.
In May 2016 she decided to quit her job with the idea in mind that the next thing she did would help ambitious women progress their careers within technology.
"I started writing the book and the book turned into a series of workshops. In a feedback survey I sent out after the workshops I realised attendees went on to land new jobs, negotiate four-figure pay rises and even launch entrepreneurial projects. And so, Hustle Crew was born," she says.
Now with her book and the company, she works to help people maximise their potential "in a world plagued by bias", as she fights for more inclusion in society.
Abadesi's advice to women is:
"Know your worth and never settle. The working world was built by men for men and as women the onus is on us to play the game to the best of our abilities so we can come out on top."
If you looking for a mentor to help you further your career? Visit hustlecrew.co to get the help you need. You can sign up to their mailing list for a reminder of our next monthly meet up and follow @hustlerewlive on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. This is only the beginning — the future is female.