The Nero Okwa Xperience

Emperor Nero Okwa
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  • Entrepreneurship

The Nero Okwa Xperience is a podcast about people building something meaningful. I sit down with entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders to talk about their journey - the faith, the craft, the challenges, and what it really takes to create with purpose. From fashion designers preserving 500-year-old traditions to 93-year-old artists documenting history, these are real conversations about building, leading, and the lessons learned along the way. New episodes every month. Hosted by Emperor Nero Okwa.

  1. Apr 24

    Oroma Cookey-Gam: How a 500-Year-Old Tradition Became THIS IS US

    Oroma Cookey-Gam is the Creative Director and Co-Founder of THIS IS US, a Nigerian fashion brand preserving a 500-year-old indigo dyeing tradition. In this conversation: - From lawyer to fashion designer - Discovering Funtua cotton in Northern Nigeria - The 500-year-old Kofar Mata dye pits in Kano - Faith as foundation for sustainable fashion- The real cost of "Made in Nigeria" - Balancing motherhood, marriage, and entrepreneurship Connect with THIS IS US:Instagram: @thisisusngWebsite: thisisusworld.com Connect with me:Instagram: @thenerookwaxperienceNewsletter: Business Notes by Nero Okwa

    57 min
  2. Ep12: The African Aviator: My Journey Building a Private Jet Marketplace

    11/17/2025

    Ep12: The African Aviator: My Journey Building a Private Jet Marketplace

    Here's a new podcast episode narrating my journey building Jetseta—a private jet marketplace in Nigeria. If you're an entrepreneur, product manager, or just someone interested in building businesses in Africa, this episode is for you. What you'll learn:✈️ How to discover your real value proposition (it's not what you think)✈️ Why all the work begins AFTER launch✈️ How to build trust from zero✈️ The power of persistence in sales✈️ Leading teams when you can't rely on age or title✈️ Solving big problems during crises 40 minutes of raw, unfiltered storytelling. 📖 Full written article:nerookwa.substack.com/p/87-the-african-aviator-lessons-from

    43 min

  3. 08/19/2025

    Ep 11 - Lin Loke: From Corporate Burnout to Building Nuwa - Trust, Networks & Taking the First Step

    In this episode, we sit down with Lin Loke, founder of Nuwa wellness brand and former management consultant. Lin shares her journey from corporate burnout to building a health and wellness company, the power of picking up the phone, and why trust is the foundation of every business. We dive deep into career pivots, the reality of launching a consumer brand, and the importance of taking that crucial first step. 00:00 - Introduction 01:00 - Career Foundation & Early Experiences 01:04 - Lin's UCL journey and early career exploration 07:20 - Summer internships: From surveying buildings to inspecting Wembley Stadium 12:56 - Lin: Early career exploration eliminates what you don't want to 13:53 - Nero: Business is about people - rapport building and stakeholder management 16:04 - Lin's 5 years at Arup: M&A infrastructure and due diligence 17:21 - Meeting Hael Kobayashi: From Star Wars to digital transformation mentor 20:28 - The importance of mentors and international exposurePivoting from Corporate to Entrepreneurship 22:05 - Lin: Escaping the linear career path - why consulting wasn't enough 23:35 - Nero's story: From engineering to discovering lean startup methodology 27:20 - Lin: Creative energy and the birth of Nuwa wellness brand 29:15 - The burnout that inspired the product ideaBuilding Nuwa: From Idea to Execution 34:00 - From trademark to product development: The research process 36:31 - East meets West philosophy in wellness products 39:10 - Packaging innovation: Why she chose biodegradable tea bags over bottles 42:43 - Finding manufacturing partners: The power of picking up the phone Golden Insights on Entrepreneurship 46:29 - Nero's Jetseta story: Uber for private jets in Nigeria 49:50 - Marketing photoshoot as MVP56:02 - Dogfooding your product changes how you sell The Reality of Launching 56:51 - Lin: The misconception about "selling out" on launch day 59:22 - Nero: Trust before the trust - preparation meets opportunity Philosophy & Final Advice 01:01:03 - "The frog in the well knows nothing about the ocean" 01:03:33 - Lin: Learning by doing vs. learning about doing01:07:57 - Most rewarding aspects of building Nuwa 01:10:55 - Final advice: Find a problem you care about and care deeper 01:13:22 - Nero's closing thoughts: Keep taking risks, the best is yet to come Guest: Lin Loke - Founder of Nuwa Wellness

    1h 14m
  4. Ep 10 - Zandi's Empire: Building a Hospitality Legacy

    07/11/2025

    Ep 10 - Zandi's Empire: Building a Hospitality Legacy

    In this episode, we sit down with Alberto Zandi, the co-founder of Emerald Hospitality Group, Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree, and the host of the 30 & Thriving Podcast. Zandi shares valuable insights on his entrepreneurship journey, building iconic restaurant brands, and the importance of happiness for success.⁠00:00⁠ - Intro⁠00:33⁠ - Alberto's story⁠04:13⁠ - Finding the right business model ⁠05:08⁠ - Finding the right opportunity ⁠08:19⁠ - Travelling and building a brand⁠10:50⁠ - Working with his twin brother ⁠15:00⁠ - Curating a quality restaurant experience⁠17:10⁠ - 30 & Thriving Podcast⁠21:00⁠ - Success is never final, failure is never fatal⁠21:45⁠ - Defining Success⁠24:06⁠ - Advice to his 21 year old self ⁠25:09⁠ - What's Next Emperor Nero Okwa: ⁠  / nerookwa  ⁠, IG: @nero_okwaAlberto Zandi: ⁠  / alberto-zandi-ba0a54130  ⁠Emerald Hospitality Group: ⁠https://emerald-hospitality-group.com/⁠30 & Thriving Podcast: ⁠https://30-and-thriving.com/⁠

    29 min
  5. Ep 09 - Nero x Buka - Navigating Identities, Nigeria Culture 4.0, African Predictions

    07/11/2025

    Ep 09 - Nero x Buka - Navigating Identities, Nigeria Culture 4.0, African Predictions

    After the amazing conversation on Creativity and Entrepreneurship with @BukaTheBuilder we were having an amazing 'back stage' chat and decided to just keep rolling the camera. We covered a lot of interesting themes on navigating identities from growing up somewhere else, Nigeria Culture 4.0, and Predictions for Africa.00:00 - Intro00:33 - Navigating Identities 01:12 - Nigeria Culture 4.001:32 - Add the Old, Enjoy the New 01:42 - African Diaspora 02:14 – Back to the source 02:36 - The Year of Return Ghana 201903:38 - Burna Boy: African Giant Album07:09 - Burna Boy: Touring Craft07:57 – Between 2 options, why not both?08:40 – Culturally Multilingual 08:54 – Creating Nigeria Culture 4.009:16 – We are creating history, right now09:40 – Being aware of the moment 10:04 – New tools to create 10:16 - Nigeria10:40 – Future of Africa, Agenda 206311:03 – Africa Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)12:15 – Mansa Musa, Europe 13:07 – Knowing where you came from 13:17 – We Need New Narratives13:52 – A Time to be Alive 14:43 – African High Speed Railway 16:15 – Africa Ecommerce 17:55 – Learning about my Culture18:24 – PREDICTIONS for Africa21:12 - Travelling across Africa, Hubs 22:16 – AfCFTA22:44 – People follow Opportunities. 23:55 - That’s a Wrap Emperor Nero: IG: @nero_okwaBuka The Builder: IG: @bukathebuilder

    24 min
  6. Ep 08 - Emperor Nero x Buka The Builder - Creativity & Entrepreneurship

    07/11/2025

    Ep 08 - Emperor Nero x Buka The Builder - Creativity & Entrepreneurship

    Had an amazing conversation on Creativity and Entrepreneurship with @BukaTheBuilder.We covered a lot of interesting themes on Music, Summer 2024, Creating, Africa, Culture and much more. 00:00 Intro 01:04 Buka - Attending Oxford Business Africa Summit 02:27 Nero - Attending Oxford Business Africa Summit 03:40 Buka - Music on our playlist 04:20 Nero - Music on our playlist 05:20 Buka - Summer: DJing, Music videos 06:52 Nero - Summer: Newsletter anniversary 07:38 Nero - Summer: Discovering your niche 08:31 Nero - Summer: Exploring London 11:55 Buka - What's next ? 13:22 Buka - Building the brand, dance, DJing 14:39 Buka - Mobile DJing, European tour 13:36 Nero - What's next ? 14:14 Nero - Climbing Kilimanjaro 15:24 Nero - Music the soundtrack of our lives 16:05 Life is Movie 16:25 Emperor Nero brand 17:57 Creating for yourself, body of work 18:19 Year of return, Afronation and Ghana 19:30 Be a beginner again 20:21 Buka - Discovering places with music 20:58 Nero - London Carnival, the multidimensional experience. 22:58 Buka - Art takes courage 23:16 Buka - Not good is better not done 24:15 Buka - If you don’t start you’ll never win 25:16 1 big thing in 6 months 26:46 Advice for creatives 28:29 Go up for glory Emperor Nero: IG: @nero_okwaBuka The Builder: IG: @bukathebuilder

    32 min

  7. 12/29/2024

    Ep 07 - Beyond the Summit: Reflections on Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, and Zanzibar

    In this final episode of the Kilimanjaro series, Nero reflects on his transformative journey, from the challenges of the climb to the profound impact of exploring Tanzania. He shares insights on self-discovery, the importance of environmental conservation, and the need for greater African travel and collaboration. Drawing inspiration from a certain Japanese proverb, Nero emphasizes the importance of expanding our horizons and embracing new experiences to broaden our understanding of the world.

    7 min

  8. 12/29/2024

    Ep 06 - The Island Paradise of Zanzibar and the City of Dar es Salaam

    This episode takes us to the enchanting island of Zanzibar. I'll describe exploring the historic Stone Town, relaxing on pristine beaches, and immersing myself in the vibrant culture and delicious cuisine. We'll then catch a ferry to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest city, where I'll experience the blend of old and new.

    4 min
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About

The Nero Okwa Xperience is a podcast about people building something meaningful. I sit down with entrepreneurs, artists, and leaders to talk about their journey - the faith, the craft, the challenges, and what it really takes to create with purpose. From fashion designers preserving 500-year-old traditions to 93-year-old artists documenting history, these are real conversations about building, leading, and the lessons learned along the way. New episodes every month. Hosted by Emperor Nero Okwa.

Information

  • Creator
    Emperor Nero Okwa
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Emperor Nero Okwa
  • Show Website
    The Nero Okwa Xperience