Decoded Stories

Nyamekye Annor
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Personal Journals

Storytelling never dies. Every guest is a creator on paper. On Decoded Stories, we decode who they actually are underneath that, the pivots, the setbacks, the moments that made them who they are, beyond the job title. I'm your host, Nyamekye Annor.

  1. 6d ago

    Season 4, Episode 5: You Can't Afford To Give Up

    When we recorded this episode, Vince was job hunting, freelancing during the day, and working overnight shifts at an Amazon sortation center. Today, he’s a full-stack engineer & consultant at IBM. Before tech, Vince was cutting deer antlers into dog treats, running overnight shifts at Planet Fitness, and getting chased by thousands of angry bees in a beekeeping suit. He graduated high school with a 1.7 GPA, moved out to prove himself, and came back home starting from zero. He went through a season of depression where he’d ask himself if this was really all he was meant to do. In this episode, we talk about how one trip to the gym turned into a job, how his cousin got him into coding, and how free Code Camp made him fall in love with building things. We also get real about why social media can make you feel behind, and why you have to keep going even when nothing seems to be working. Vince’s story is proof that the breakthrough might be one more inch away. This is why you can't afford to give up.

  2. Oct 2

    Season 4, Episode 4:Techies Aren't Boring: Fafa on Culture, AI, and Moving Countries

    Fafa is a backend software engineer who builds with Python, but that's just what it says on paper. In this episode we get into growing up in a small town in Calabar, crying through her first year of uni in a new city, and moving to the UK in the middle of a pandemic to study robotics as the only woman in her class. We also talk imposter syndrome (spoiler: it never fully goes away), how she landed her first tech job with a spreadsheet and a daily target, and her honest take on AI, privacy, and who really benefits from all of it. Plus Afrobeats, Naruto, Banku and tilapia, and of course, the jollof debate. Connect with me: Annorcode.io Connect with Fafa Modey: Fafa.codes

  3. Sep 25

    Season 4, Episode 3: Homeless to Almost $500K a Year

    Michael Pope went from sleeping in a U-Haul van with his family to making almost half a million dollars a year at 22. When both of his parents got sick during his time at UNLV, Michael stopped waiting on a degree and taught himself to code between Dunkin' Donuts shifts on free Starbucks wifi. After more than a thousand applications, one late interview, and an hour-long palindrome problem, he landed his first dev job at $35K. Now 12 years into full-stack development and running his own consulting company, Michael opens up about imposter syndrome, why content is the new resume, how to get jobs to come to you, and why he believes Christians should be thriving in every field. This one is for anybody with their back against the wall. Connect with me: ⁠annorcode.io⁠ Connect with Michael Pope: Michael Pope

  4. Aug 28

    Season 4, Episode 2: They Wanted Him To Fail

    Dillion moved to the Netherlands for a tech job, and years later, one interview stood between him and being sent back to Nigeria. In this episode, he opens up about the exact day his work visa expired, what it really feels like to build a life you could lose overnight, and the mental toll of being a foreigner with no safety net. We also get into his path from studying computer science in Nigeria to becoming a developer advocate, losing (and finding again) his love for coding in the age of AI, growing up with strict discipline back home, and the advice he'd give anyone starting over in a new country: build community, keep moving, and don't do it alone. Connect with me: annorcode.ioConnect with Dillon Megida:dillionmegida.com

  5. Aug 7

    Season 4, Episode 1: Imposter Syndrome Isn't Real to Him

    In this engaging conversation, Jeremiah Peoples shares his journey from military service to a successful tech career, emphasizing the importance of family, competition, and personal growth. He discusses the challenges of balancing fatherhood with a demanding job, the impact of his upbringing on his competitive spirit, and how he overcame imposter syndrome in the tech industry. Jeremiah also highlights the significance of building in public, the supportive culture at Slack, and his passion for financial education. Connect with me: Annor Code Connect with Jeremiah Peoples: Jeremiah Peoples

  6. Jun 19

    Finale – Season 3, Episode 10: She Left Github To Build Her Own Empire

    Kedasha grew up in poverty in Jamaica, came to the US for college, and got kicked out by her stepdad right after graduating. She talks through all of it in this one. The culture shock of moving here, the lack of manners she couldn't get used to, what it actually felt like to be homeless and figure life out on her own. She breaks down how she found coding through an Instagram post, taught herself through bootcamp while working three jobs at once, and made the leap from social worker to software engineer to developer advocate at GitHub. From $28K to $135K in two years. She gets real about therapy, what it took to get out of survival mode, and why community and education changed everything for her. We also get into her honest take on AI and vibe coding, why she still believes fundamentals matter, and what resilience actually looks like when you're living it instead of just talking about it. Update: Since recording, Kedasha has left GitHub to go all in on That Lady Dev full time. She's building out her own team and business on her own terms. Proof that the growth never stops. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/decoded.stories/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnnorCode LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyamekye-annor/ Email: annorcode@gmail.com Connect with Kedasha All Links: itsthatlady.dev

  7. May 29

    Season 3, Episode 9: You're Made for More: Change Your Mindset

    David came to America from Nigeria at 23 with big dreams. He wanted FAANG. He wanted Mercedes. He wanted it all. But his mindset and the people he surrounded himself with made him put a cap as to how far he knew he could go. In this episode, we talk about growing up as a pastor's kid in Nigeria who was literally the worst version of himself—sneaking alcohol to school, playing video games instead of going home, driving his parents crazy. Then one usher in church said five words that changed everything: "You're so much more than this." That moment shifted David's entire life. We dive deep into: What it's like coming to America as an international student with zero connectionsThe culture shock of the Midwest – from Lagos to a town of 20,000 peopleGetting promoted four times in three years to project managerBeing laid off twice and how that tested his faithMoving to Texas on faith alone with his wife and daughterWhy your mindset is literally everything – and who you surround yourself with matters more than you thinkThis isn't a success story wrapped up in a bow. This is a man in the middle of his journey, still figuring it out, still trusting God, still showing up even when things don't make sense. If you've been laid off, if you've felt like giving up, if you've questioned whether God is actually working – this episode is for you. CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram: Annor CodeYouTube: Annor CodeLinkedIn: Nyamekye Annor CONNECT WITH DAVID: Instagram: thorpeedo__linkedIn: David Odeleye

  8. May 15

    Season 3, Episode 8: I Got to Interview My First Tech Professor - Full Circle Moment

    Years ago, I walked into Dr. Samuel K. Boateng's cybersecurity class knowing absolutely nothing about tech. I couldn't even afford to pay for the course, but he told me, "Just pay what you can and keep learning." That moment changed my life. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Samuel K. Boateng, my first IT professor and the founder of Slam Technologies. We talk about my journey from struggling through Security + to where I am today, his path from never wanting to teach to building a global cybersecurity training empire, why he and his wife are on track to train over a million people across the world, and the power of having a partner who pushes you to be better. We dive deep into: How Dr. Boateng went from hating public speaking to becoming a world-class instructorWhy "read the book" became the advice that stuck with me foreverBuilding Slam Technologies from a small startup to a global brand with training centers across Ghana and the U.S.Running a 24/7 Security Operations Center in Ghana Why networking is the absolute foundation of cybersecurity and techWhy marriage and partnership matter when building something from nothingHow he's using tech training to change lives across multiple countriesThis isn't just a tech conversation. It's about mentorship, legacy, building the next generation, and showing up even when it's hard. If you've ever had a mentor who believed in you before you believed in yourself, this episode is for you. CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram: Annor CodeYouTube: Annor Code LinkedIn: Nyamekye Annor CONNECT WITH Dr. Samuel K. Boateng : Instagram: doctorit1LinkedIn: Dr. Samuel K. BoatengWebsite: Slamm Technologies

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About

Storytelling never dies. Every guest is a creator on paper. On Decoded Stories, we decode who they actually are underneath that, the pivots, the setbacks, the moments that made them who they are, beyond the job title. I'm your host, Nyamekye Annor.

Information

  • Creator
    Nyamekye Annor
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Nyamekye Annor
  • Show Website
    Decoded Stories