Decoded Stories

Nyamekye Annor
  • 5.0 (1)
  • 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. 1d ago

    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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. May 1

    Season 3, Episode 7: From Music Producer to Cybersecurity: How she Pivoted Careers

    Ever wonder what it takes to completely pivot your career from one passion to something entirely different? Ari went from Berklee College of Music on a full ride scholarship to becoming a cybersecurity professional with an active government security clearance. She breaks down her journey from being a music production major working with top producers and getting songs pitched to major artists, to realizing during COVID that her passion was draining her. We talked about the mental battle of walking away from everything you worked for, choosing cybersecurity over film production, grinding through help desk to get her foot in the door, and landing her first SOC analyst role while still in her master's program. We dive deep into: The reality of working in a SOC (alerts at 3 AM, on call rotations, burnout)Why help desk is the foundation everyone needs but nobody wants to doHow she shadowed the security team while working help desk to break inTransitioning from blue team SOC work to GRC and government contractingGetting an active security clearance and working mission critical cyberWhy your 9 to 5 should pay bills but your 5 to 9 is where you build what you wantLearning to code, bug bounties, and doing red team work on your own termsThis isn't a story about choosing one path and sticking with it. It's about evolving, adapting, and building a career that works for you instead of burning yourself out for a title. If you're thinking about pivoting careers, breaking into cybersecurity, or wondering if it's too late to start over, this episode is for you. CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram: https://instagram.com/annorcodeYouTube: https://youtube.com/@AnnorCodeLinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nyamekye-annor CONNECT WITH ARI: Instagram: https://instagram.com/whoisviciousYouTube: ViciousChildLinkedIn: Ariyan Brister

  6. Apr 17

    Season 3, Episode 6: The village didn’t raise no quitter

    What does it really take to break into tech when you're starting from zero? Not just zero experience, but zero language, zero connections, and people laughing at you every step of the way? Haji breaks down his journey from growing up in a Gambian village to relearning English at 15 in the States, to becoming a DevOps engineer at a telecom company in New Jersey. He shares the raw truth about bombing 90% of his interviews, teaching himself DevOps through YouTube and Linux Academy, and landing two job offers in the same week after months of rejection. We dive deep into: Overcoming the fear of embarrassment and not caring what people thinkThe reality of self-teaching tech skills without a CS degreeHow to prep for interviews when you have zero professional experienceWhy sticking with one path beats jumping between multiple skillsUsing job descriptions as your learning roadmap instead of random tutorialsBuilding community and why isolation is dangerous CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram: Annor Code YouTube: Annor Code⁠LinkedIn: Nyamekye Annor CONNECT WITH HAJI: Instagram: ⁠hajidesm._/ LinkedIn: ⁠ Haji B. Dukureh

  7. Apr 3

    Season 3, Episode 5: How I'm Retiring in My 30s: The Truth About Tech Money Nobody Tells You

    Ever wonder what it REALLY takes to retire young in tech? This episode isn't your typical career advice; It's raw truth from someone who's done it. Derrick breaks down his journey from applying to 400+ jobs out of college to becoming a principal cyber consultant planning retirement in his 30s. He shares the strategies nobody talks about: why imbalance beats balance, how he turned house savings into $350K in 8 months, and the mindset shift that changed everything. We dive deep into: The REAL way to break into tech (hint: it's not just LinkedIn applications)Why failure is your biggest asset and how to use itThe power of being comfortable with being uncomfortableHow to sacrifice strategically without burning outBuilding wealth while working full-time in cybersecurityMarriage, fatherhood, and entrepreneurship: Balancing it allWhy mentorship beats certifications every timeThis isn't just about tech careers. It's about rewriting the rules, refusing mediocrity, and building the life you actually want. If you're tired of feeling stuck, applying to jobs that ghost you, or wondering if there's a better way, this episode is for you. CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram: ⁠Annor Code⁠YouTube: ⁠Annor Code⁠LinkedIn: ⁠Nyamekye Annor⁠CONNECT WITH DERRICK: Instagram: Big Humble EnergyBeam Confident: Beam Confident

  8. Mar 20

    Season 3, Episode 4: What Hiring Managers Won't Tell You

    In this episode of Decoded Stories, I sat down with Sahana, an engineering manager who’s built across startups, led teams, and now shares her journey online. We discussed the challenges and triumphs of being a woman in tech. She emphasizes the importance of supportive leadership, work-life balance, and the realities of navigating the tech industry, including layoffs and the startup culture. She also broke down what hiring managers are actually looking for, why some people grow faster than others, what really happens behind the scenes with hiring and firing, and the truth about micromanagement. Sahana also reflects on her experiences as a new mother and how it has shaped her approach to work and life. This discussion highlights the significance of creating, managing, and building a life with purpose. CONNECT WITH ME: Instagram: ⁠Annor Code⁠ YouTube: ⁠Annor Code⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Nyamekye Annor⁠ CONNECT WITH SAHANA: Instagram: ⁠Sahanaintech⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Sahana Carlsen #DecodedStories #AnnorCode #Creative #Tech #Podcast

See All (31)

Trailer

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
    31
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Nyamekye Annor
  • Show Website
    Decoded Stories