OYP Episode 45: Emmanuel Antwi

Emmanuel Antwi, US Army Veteran, MBA Grad and SalesForce Consultant at Publicis Sapient, talks about how his military experience showed him the value of diversity of thought and lived experience, the transformative impact of discipline and how having an open mind allowed him to discover a passion-driven career in IT consulting.

Interview

Peter Szczerba - Welcome back to the Own Your Potential Podcast, where you'll hear stories from leaders across the globe, about how they've taken control of their career growth and lessons on how you can too. I'm Peter Szczerba, and today, I'm very excited to be sitting down with Emmanuel Antwi, who's a US Army Veteran, and currently, a Salesforce consultant with Publicis Sapient. Emmanuel, very excited to be sitting down with you today. As soon as I heard your story, I knew I had to have you on the podcast. Why don't we just jump right into it? Can you take us through your career journey leading up until this point?

Emmanuel Antwi - Absolutely. Peter might say thank you very much for having me on a platform I was. It's a it's a great platform to have. Where do I start? My journey is kind of interesting, very long, probably didn't take the regular route most people take but here we started raised up in Ghana, got my degree in the University of Ghana, combined major in philosophy and economics. Always wanted to be an economist, but I guess life doesn't take us sometimes to where we want it. So somewhere in between finishing my bachelor's, I decided to start a little bit business with a friend. That didn't go to great, so why not? Why not change it? So I said to myself, let me let me go get my MBA. So I moved out here to the States, I live in California, Orange County, very, very new environment for me, but I did have some family support. So that was that was always great to have. But in two years, I did get my master's in business finance. Well, somewhere between getting my MBA, I always knew I wanted to jump ship, the whole idea of finance and business was was fading. I always wanted to jump ship and do something related to technology. My Yeah, so my sister always has been in technical it field. And when I first moved here, talking to her and living with her for a while, I got very curious as to, you know, how technology was helping with Korea, how she was using technology to move help businesses. So I've always been curious. So one of the first jobs I got was to do my MBA was a contract job with Amgen. I'm out in 1000, Oaks, California, and it was more of a hard work kind of computer job. But it did get me closer to that curiosity of finding solutions for customers and for businesses. So that curiosity led me to research some more, but I never knew the exact path I wanted to go. I did odd jobs here and the contracting jobs by never had a stable career. Once again, myself. I told myself, this is not the end, this is not the beginning. Every day is a learning day. I need to find something. To find that stability. I did my research. I was like, Well, I'm very athletic guy. I love trying new things. I love the idea of opening up a new lifestyle. Why don't I join the army? So I discussed with a few friends, you know, like, well, you might do great idea. Let's see. So talking to a recruiter and finding my options. I eventually joined the US Army. Am I doomed? Coming from Ghana, living in a whole new environment. This was crazy to me. Sometimes I look back and I'm like, why did I do it, but there's a goal. The goal was to find that comfort zone, that zone where I could wake up every morning and feel fulfilled and have that desire to help and to share. So I joined the army, US Army, a whole different lifestyle, a whole different experience, I might say. It's been one of the best decisions I've made. Not being the US Army I got exposed to so many people, different experiences, different leadership styles, the different environment and just the drive to push every day waking up every day with your teammates, and having to do different things. I took a different direction once I joined the army because I ended up in the medical field. So I went from economics I went to finance. It ended up in a medical field. So treating people from broken bones to I'm on code. This is a different different world to me, but it taught me a lot being in the army when people think about the army, I think in combat, but that that was not the only thing that I got from being in the army I knew there was something more to it. The army propelled me to that level of confidence that I needed to adjust myself to reach my goals. Two years down the line I told myself I need to go back to Information Technology there's something out there for me that would make me comfortable that would make me what now send me a pot that will send me on a different level the army has given me the platform I need to push further up. So know what it's called. I don't know what it is, but life just brings you opportunities and sometimes you just have to grab on it. So in a very fighting Friday afternoon, car dealership just crazy and I love talking to this guy at car dealership and you know, we just chit chatted, he asked me what I did I told him what I did as what he did. He said he's into it. Usually when I hear it I'm thinking cybersecurity. I'm thinking different software building engineer software engineering, he said Salesforce I was like what is that you know, my first thought was this guy was about to sell me some sales pitch or something like that, you know. I was always you know, naturally pulled out of the conversation but the more he spoke, the more I listen and I think that was the start of great things for me so he described what Salesforce was what kind of industry was and what they did and a very nice guy I to date is one of my mentors and I was reached out to him if I need advice and he realized like, I know you're confused I know this is this is something new for you. But I came across Salesforce and the consulting world by chance like like a media new now so I would love to talk to you some more. We exchanged numbers, he invited me to his house Wow. met his family. Yeah, very, very surprising. I would even go further than you know talking to someone that knows it. But I actually took his invitation up I met his family lovely family, your wife and kids. And the more we spoke I knew this was what I wanted to do. did my research he said get that first certification getting your self into the dough is going to be a little bit challenging, but I know you can do it and I told myself I'm not gonna do it to mind you I'm sorry, the army. So I'm not 100% out there just trying to make it into Salesforce and closer toward I'm still juggling my regular daily army duties with with this. So I told myself, I needed a plan, I need to take at least in a week, commit at least 10 hours, whatever if I can get 10 hours, studying Salesforce and finding that space in that digital business transformation world and see what's what's out there. So for a year and a half, that was my goal. Every week, try to use that 10 hours to learn and research some more. The next thing the army offered me when I once I decided it was time. I'm not going to realist. This platform has been great. I think I can do more. I was asking around how can I get this life of consulting and sales force into play? How can I do that I really wasn't sure how I was going to go about. But once again, the army told me to ask questions, you got to find a solution. So I was asking around good enough. In the US Army that was a very nice program where when you're transitioning from the army into the civilian world, for the for at least six months, you get the opportunity to go through what they call a trans transitioning program. You ask questions that provide resources that could be beneficial to you. So I use that you know I was asking the right ads one lady, I'm like I want to get in Salesforce. He's like, Well, I'm not sure how but I can research. She reaches out to me a couple of weeks later it's like there's a program that Salesforce fellowship with civilian companies and this one coming up in a couple of weeks but a deadline the application deadline is in three days. I was like wait what three days Am I going to get this done? And if for any you know, if you're not familiar with the US Army getting signatures getting this approved, usually takes a while. It doesn't take Three days usually takes a couple of weeks to get it done, right. But I knew this was my opportunity. I was like, I'm gonna grab on to this opportunity. I have a goal and this is it. I need to grab on to this opportunity. spoke to my first supervisor, good friend, I've always shared my dream and my aspirations with her. She's like, we can do this. Let's make it happen. So he he approved, push it up higher. Mike, Amanda wasn't too sure she needed a little bit of convincing. So the very last day of deadline, sitting right in front of office the whole day, the weekend before I was playing soccer and I injured my nice, awesome crutches. So, you know, moving around in crutches, trying to get paperwork sorted out before this deadline wasn't easy, but at each step of the way, I knew this has to be the goal, and I need to get this done. So long story short, I got everything approved. I got into the program. I didn't know what to expect, got interviewed by different three companies. But my current company PS, Publicis Sapient. When I did my interview, there was something about Julius and the the hiring manager, there was something that she she said, she said, I want you, you know, it's a fellowship program. But I want you show me what you got. You can stay with us. So I decided to go with BS. Luckily, pa decided to go with me as well. So I started my fellowship program was 12 weeks as a whole, it was a whole new world. I knew I wanted to do this, I knew there was going to be challenges. But once I stepped foot into it, it goes scary. It was scary, because it was a whole different world coming from a more I wouldn't say easy going but it could be easy going in there. And US military because it's not it's not us with a consultant award is it's more defined, and you have to find a space, you got to find a solutions. So it was a little bit scary. But I think that challenge also pushed me to go through that fellowship program and give me what I wanted. So the last year of fellowship program, I reached back out to the hiring manager. I'm like, Listen, where the last week was going on, do I get this job? Do I get this job or not? Well, she reached back out with good news. And yeah, I am currently Senior Consultant with PS. And already a month in full time. It's been amazing. It's been a roller coaster. But it's been amazing. So here we go.

Peter Szczerba - Yeah, I mean, roller coaster probably doesn't do your journey, any service. I think there's just it's such a crazy story with just so many different experiences that I want to touch on. And you know, the one that's really fresh in my head right now, as you were closing kind of your retelling of it. You said the word that you described it being scary, stepping into this whole new world that sapient. But the reality is, is probably the lowest risk jump you made across your journey. If you look at the jumps you made prior to that, growing up in Ghana, having your experiences of going up there making the jump to living across the world in the US and pursuing, you know more education there. That's a huge jump, like that's a big jump then going from there to assessing your situation and not finding the fulfillment and stability out of the work opportunities you were getting coming out of school, to then make a jump to change your life entirely and go into the military. That's a huge jump. And that we're talking about working as a consultant in Salesforce as part of a fellowship program as that being what scared you I find that really hard to believe given the types of things you've achieved up until that point.

Emmanuel Antwi - Yeah, Peter. Just want to say when I made a decision to join the military and join the army, I everyone around me was like, wow, this is crazy. Are you sure this is what you want to do? So most of our armies, you know, like yourself with thinking this is scary. For me it will I knew there was a plan. I knew that was it. That was my that was my platform to propel to a different level. What makes joining this whole new war scary is that you're finding you're dealing with businesses, but these businesses are there to succeed as businesses out there to create something amazing and they need your help to create those amazing things. Having to use that thought process and using their skills and Salesforce platform to design and to find those solutions for them. what's scary is like, what if I can find a solution for them, that does a pod that, for me was slightly scary. But at the same time coming from a military background, I knew if I could do that I could do anything. So it to me, that's been scary, scared, wasn't a negative thing, it was more of a push, it was more of like, you got to sit up, you learn every day, one of my, one of my main main things I told myself every day is like, every day is a learning day. So I got to learn something new every day. So being scared means that I'm not in my comfort zone. Until I get in that comfort zone. I gotta keep pushing. Right. And I think that you mentioned as well, me deciding to move from a whole different world, robbing Ghana to the United States. It's crazy. Um, yeah, I myself, I, I, you know, had to work hard to save money, you get out here, they really have friends living in California. I did have a sister who live close by that was about the support I had. But it was, it was a huge jump. But once again, I was in my comfort zone. So every single day, pushing myself to get to the comfort zone was a goal, I needed to get to that goal. And no matter how you look at it, I'm here now, you know, and it's crazy when I look back at it. Yeah, absolutely.

Peter Szczerba - And I love the way that you talk about how you kind of leverage the fear to push you to make uncomfortable situations comfortable. And I think it resonates with me, particularly because I've always lived by this quote of courage is fear that has said its prayers. And what I mean by that is, you know, a sentiment of, you know, it's okay to be nervous, it's okay to care so deeply about an opportunity in front of you, or completing a goal or achieving a goal, that it makes you nervous, and that there's fear associated with the potential failure, because I think that makes you sharp, and I think it pushes you to work harder. And I think what you're describing really demonstrates that because each time you made one of these jumps, you did it with a very particular goal in mind, right? Whether it was to pursue greater education and greater opportunity for yourself by moving to the US and completing MBA, you're very clear goal. So yeah, it was hard. Yeah, it was scary. But you knew what was at stake, and that made you thrive in it. And in spite of that, then the stability and the platform and the kind of the change in life that you were looking for is going through military you knew was at stake, right. And again, you've thrived. And then again, you have this opportunity with the fellowship, and you've succeeded, and now are working full time at Google sapient. And, but once again, it was difficult, it was scary, but it's because the stakes were high for you, right? And you kept pushing yourself to achieve that. So that resonates with me tremendously. And I think it's something that a lot of people will walk away from learning. But I want to go back to you know, how you're starting out with the military. And I'll be totally frank with you. I don't know a ton about the military hailing from Toronto, Canada. You know, there's a very different myth and kind of legend around the military here than there is in the US. And so we have a ton of listeners of the podcast that also are not from the US and maybe don't know, I'd love to understand, you know, as you enter the military, is it what is the length of that decision, right? Because you talked about making a decision to re enlist? What is the typical length of enlistment? So when you were making this commitment, how long did you know you're committing for?

Emmanuel Antwi - Yes so it's basically like signing a contract, or you talk to a recruiter, you look at your options, there are many so many different jobs, jobs you could do in the military. Right? So making that decision. First of all, that's the beginning. What do I want to do? What do I want to do? After? You know, what, what am I looking for in the military? What are the responsibilities I'll be having? And what are some of the what was strengths? And what weaknesses? Do I have to accomplish those? So once you decide what you want to do, the recruiter comes up with an offer, usually a typical contract to be a four year contract, okay? It can go up to six years, depending on what do you what do you do or what job you're trying to sign for? So a three to four year contract contract is typical for me. When I sat down with a recruiter, I asked as in so many questions, he was surprised. He's like, wow, this, this this, this is different. And it was different for me because I wasn't your typical guy coming out of high school trying to join the military, you know, I'd experienced so, so much more, you know, people are asking why you join the military. Now you already have your MBA. It's not your typical it's not Yes. It's not it's not a Regular, and I will say this my whole life, I would not be in the regular. So I wasn't, I wasn't at all disturbed about that. He, one of the questions asked him is, if, if I was your best friend, and I'll sit in front of you, and I'll try to make a decision as to what job to do, what job is available now that you would recommend to me, he looked at me and said, there's an opening for a medic. And I think with that job, you can propel yourself to become a physician's assistant, even go further to become a combat surgeon. You know, I wasn't only looking, I knew there was a platform that's gonna push me but I was in looking at only one side of it. I wanted to develop, I wanted to go apart. that caught my interest. I was like, Well, I don't know about the medical field. But he, I know this can take me places the career go go from that part is going to take me places, right? How about becoming a surgeon? How cool is that? You know, so I was like, This is what I wanted to do. He's like, I show up because I have a finance job as well. And my background was in finance. And then I was like, No, no, let's let's do this medical thing, that I could see the growth in that it'd be draining on me. So that was that was that became an easier decision for me. So I told myself for years learning the trade, becoming a very great medic, and then moving on from there to become either a physician's assistant or moving on even better to become a surgeon in the army. So yeah, the army, the army lifestyle, definitely brings a lot of different opportunities. And once I joined, it was a whole new world to me.

Peter Szczerba - For sure. And I mean, we talked about in organizations, the value of diverse teams, right, and the the impact that diversity of thought and experience in a team could bring, I mean, you brought significant diversity and experience and experience into the team that you joined in the military by, like you said, you know, not hailing from your traditional American upbringing, having high degrees of education, right, in MBA as well as in philosophy and economics, right? These are not schools of thought that the average person entering the military comes from. And on top of that, you were also looking many years ahead at what you wanted this to accelerate you towards, did you find it that this helps you impact the teams that we were part of was there a challenge, integrating as a result of the fact that you're the starting point for you in the military was so different than other people joining the military or even who had been there for a number of years?

Emmanuel Antwi - Absolutely. The challenges there were a great part of it as well. I'll tell you one thing, my first day, on the pass, when I realized, you know, my mindset going in there was probably going to be one of the oldest people in my class. So already I psyched myself to accept that, you know, the mindset of the regular, you know, 18 year old or a 17 year old, is totally different. So psyching myself up knowing that I knew I was already in the right direction. But the moment I hopped on the bus, I realized that that was so diverse hours in only bringing in a whole different world, say, for example, coming from a different country. There were other people coming from a whole different state where they've never moved out off. So you found people coming out from Alaska. And this was our first time we went out from Alaska, from Oklahoma, and this was our very first time and come up from Oklahoma or meeting guys great guys. We're just completed high school and we can go crazy with your babies as you know, you could call them babies, but they were bringing so much different perspective and a different look into life that it gave me that is I needed. I didn't feel the odd one out I realized were all odd ones out. Right. So that that trip on the bus interacted with some of them and a whole lot of them didn't look at me any different. That felt good. I felt amazing. I was like, wow, I was coming here thinking we're gonna look at me differently. No, everybody looked at each other like we're all new bill, you're coming from different places, and it's a level playing ground. So that that moving forward once you know you get integrated once you get going, and you're put into teams into getting missions done or tasks done, then you get closer to people. You get so much Closer to people that your skill set, the skill set you bring and your Outlook, the way you look alive. And the way you think, is very beneficial. I'm coming from Ghana, a place where respect and you can talk into an older person you you sometimes get, you have to kind of not look at them face to face. Okay, now interacting with these, you know, you call them kids. But it's a different culture out here where you know, everybody, it's respected as it mean, you cannot look someone's face and say what you got to say, respect is about saying what you got to say, in a very well mannered way, you know, I'm looking at my dosage, and I'm thinking Oh, he's way older. I got to be very, very mellow. Meanwhile, this 17 year old 18 year old is coming in, you know, straight in his face, telling him what he's got to say, even though the drill sergeant does not agree, but he's saying what he's got to say. And I'm looking at, I'm like, wow, I thought people were gonna learn from me because I was older, but I'm learning from that 18 year old, you know, so I brought my skill set, I brought my the friend, my difference in culture. Mind you, I met at a meet up with a lot of who say, soldiers coming out from different countries as well. So okay with that with our culture, as well. So sometimes you relate on that level, where you're like, Oh, you know, it's different out here for us. But trust me, that differences, once you join the US Army, it fades away within a very short time, because you realize you're all different, and all everyone is bringing something. So what you're bringing is great, whether next person is bringing is great, and you're infuse it to meet your mission and your target.

Peter Szczerba - I love everything about that. And I feel like so much of what you described can be so immediately transferable to, to a working culture inside of an organization that would likely be very high performing. And I think what's impressive is your ability to look at someone who's 1718 years old, who's, you know, behaving in a way differently than you have been brought up to behave, let's say in the direction of someone that would be your senior and rank or age, and, and speaking their mind that way. And for you, you immediately approach it with curiosity and openness to say, like, wow, I can learn from this, as opposed to being the elder statesman in the room, and scoffing at it right. And I think that that open mindedness, you know, is an incredible thing for people to look at and be like, this is something I trade, I should bring into my own ways of working right. And then, like you said, the idea that, you know, once you stepped into the military, it was a level playing ground. I think that's something that anyone who aspires to go into a high functioning team, whether it's at work or elsewhere, probably aspires to step away, everyone is working towards that mission or that target, like you said, I think that's, it's awesome to hear that because it makes it so clear how all of these learnings and these ways working in disciplines would be transferable into being successful in the corporate or professional world. So it makes no, it makes total sense that, you know, hiring manager looks at your experience, the way you kind of voice your ways of working, and would immediately want you to be part of their team as an agent of change and bring that sort of culture. And I think that makes total sense to me.

Emmanuel Antwi - Oh, yes. I agree. I agree.

Peter Szczerba - Yeah, and I want to touch on on another part of your journey. Now. You know, you're in the military, you're in a car dealership, and you start talking to the stranger. I mean, again, The Open Mind is to even continue with the conversation and listen, because you said you you listened, right. Whereas normally you would have potentially just ended the conversation and walked away in that sort of social interaction, but you felt there was something was different and you listened and look at the opportunity that put in front of you what, as you were making the decision to go and meet this individual family and sit with them and speak like what was going through your head because that is very unorthodox decision to make.

Emmanuel Antwi - Well I said next chapter, that was what was going on in my head. I was thinking about the next you know, I think the way my story has evolved, does this always I break it up into chapters and for me was like, What is the next chapter? So why not? At this point, I've listened to the guy for a few minutes why not listen to him some more. I have nothing going on that way to my car was ready. Exactly. So the decision to listen incision to follow up and be meet up with him and even for him to invite me to his family. He did say one thing, though, that made me very curious and that made me know, he was he was a good guy. He said, I turns on this. He has been in the consulting world for over 20 years. Right? So, obviously, older guy, very, very experienced and as well price that I changed on it because of a very, you know, coincidental situation like this. So any chance I get I tried to spread the word as well. So I knew there was something good. I mean, they Another thing is what was the words I was going to come out of it, you know. So, for me, it was a next chapter, how do I find the next thing, and if I could listen to him, if I could give him my time for a little bit, maybe this could be my next chapter, I never knew so I had to go for it. And for me, it was just pushing myself to create that avenue sometimes in life, we have to create that space for ourselves where opportunities come in, because we, we have to change these all the time, the opportunities surrounding us, by making a decision to say this opportunity I'm gonna go for or create an environment where those opportunities come in, it's a different story. So you got to create that environment to have those opportunities come your way. And for me, talking to him making that decision to go see him was created that environmental opportunity.

Peter Szczerba - I absolutely love that the idea of ensuring that you create the environment around yourself that opportunities, you know, stumble across, but then also having the mindset in place to seize the opportunities when you've assessed that they're the right ones, right. In this case, you saw a door opening to potentially your next chapter. I think that is like a tremendously valuable thing for people to walk away from this conversation having as a takeaway. And then the next thing I wanted to touch on is, you know, you you have this conversation, you learn about Salesforce, and the potential career opportunities, it coincides with your interest in it previously, right and, you know, it would also tap into your MBA education and leverage your broader business knowledge and axemen to to propel you in this kind of career direction. And so it's obviously talking on all those strings, but then it still takes an enormous amount of discipline to decide that I'm going to do this 10 hours a week for the next year and a half to just prepare myself to a potential opportunity. No one there was no job waiting for you there was nobody saying if you do these 10 hours a week for X number of time that you will have a job it was it would position you to even pursue one right i think that takes an enormous amount of discipline and do you think that that discipline maybe came out of having such a regimented routine and and and everything in the military that help you achieve that that kind of discipline?

Emmanuel Antwi - Absolutely Peter that discipline I can tell you this my life my lifestyle the way I do things has changed ever since I joined the military forces it's just been like that that regimen of waking up having this to do at this at this time you got to be here you got to be there sometimes there's a popular saying that manager would hurry up and wait. Sometimes you have to be somewhere and all you're doing is be there to wait but it didn't matter you had to be there you know so that discipline right there definitely definitely got it from being in the military and having that lifestyle of having things done at the right time. So once again, I'll go back to what Rubin Rubin is the mentor on Salesforce said is like it, just do it, you know, and it's not easy getting your door into it by just doing it. But once you get your your foot into it, that's it Your life is changed. So and I always revert back to it. So I said okay, um so now on me I got my manual I got my regular duties I wake up right after, you know, mostly were 334 do pt pt basically is some form of physical activity. In the mornings when I run or just been doing gym work. It could be anything depending on the day, no going back, getting ready for the regular day. I work mostly in a clinical setting so having my patients so I still had a lifestyle and then I didn't know that they had told myself this I need I need to make a couple of hours. You know, yeah, to let this thing you know, if it been turning on my previous show and just kind of you know, just reading stuff or doing one trailhead, or whatever the case may be, I needed to to get some information at the end of the week, so it was difficult. I'm not going to say I did it every single week, but definitely that consistency in the wind. Yeah that that definitely came from military lifestyle and discipline.

Peter Szczerba - Absolutely yeah but i mean but then in doing it you know you fast forward to Once you're at the other side of that year and a half of discipline work and now you find out there's this new fellowship program and there are Salesforce opportunities within that and that the day that deadlines in three days right which you know could easily easily knowing what you know about chain of command knowing what you know about timelines to get things done in the military like with regards to paperwork you can easily just if you had not put in all that time and all that work or even a fraction of it dismissed it me like there's no way I'm getting this done in three days maybe I'll try next time right and who knows what would have happened but because you did the work I have to imagine you saw that opportunity said three days I have to make this work otherwise all of this was for nothing.

Emmanuel Antwi - Absolutely yes i and you know when I wonder lady gave me that information and said deadline was in three days he followed up and said he said oh there's another opportunity for the fellowship in October so this this would have been the next opportunity but I said no there's a reason why he told me about this you know, there's a reason why he told me about this opportunity right here right? So three days seems impossible, but why not try sometimes we just have to push sometimes we just have to try it because you never know you are in a situation that won't change if you try Of course if you try it might change for the better if it doesn't happen Guess what? You're still in the same situation so there's no you're not losing in any way so for me it was this or this or nothing you know if this doesn't work out Guess what? Maybe I'll try again in October but this is this is now this is what is immediate. So why don't I try I had to push a you know chain of command getting people excited is horrible. I have to tell you this you know, if you try to get a meeting with a commander takes a while, you know, if he's around or if he or she's around, sometimes they're all over the place. So you just have to try that that's that that's if you don't put in that the work today that opportunities are not going to come your way.

Peter Szczerba - I just feel like I'm picturing in my head what you would imagine in like a movie or a TV show with you know yourself sitting there outside the office just waiting all day to get this signature type of thing and then you add to that the comedy of the fact that you were on crutches with a bum leg from soccer hobbling around trying to get all this together I can I can easily see a movie scene written against this that would probably be a smash hit so you know it takes a level of grit and grind and hustle to work through that and just get it done and I think that you know your journey up until that point probably had perfectly conditioned you to take advantage of an opportunity in spite of the challenging circumstances you know, and then from here you go through this interview process and you just have this sense that it's right with with the person interviewing you for pools to sabian and they said the words I want you What was it particularly about those words that set that experience apart from maybe the other places you were interviewing were I'm sure you were a top candidate as well.

Emmanuel Antwi - I think for me it wasn't just a was it was the emotion the emotion that came with the words you know it was a video obviously these times everything is over teams and the motion that came with those West was what attracted me to PS if we want to we were building something amazing things we are creating amazing solutions for clients and he touched a little bit about a few projects like the housing projects in a PSS creating and we need we want to it was a motion that came with it if you feel wanted, I felt wanted I felt if I came in and showcase a little bit what what I had my do I'd even and even half life, you know, consulting or Salesforce experience. So as much as you want me I don't know what she sees but but there's something there you know, so is she behind what she she said there was something obviously on my resume that she knew I could bring on board that out again, I'm not gonna mention names by adding data to companies, great companies as well. So, to make that decision to go PS definitely was that emotion that that hiring manager attached to her.

Peter Szczerba - What is amazing, I think, you know, tons of people who might be listening to this are probably in the position of hiring or very often and I think that the the one learning here is that communicating Some of that emotion or letting some of that authenticity show through could be the difference between a candidate pursuing that opportunity or not so i think that's that's an easy takeaway and you know it obviously resonated with you and you know 12 weeks later you go through the program and now you're in a full time position with us and you're hitting the ground running and you know what's it been like? Because I think the last time we chatted you describes the the fellowship as an audition you're not auditioning anymore right now you're just no you're functioning so How's that feel?

Emmanuel Antwi - Yeah, is game time. Yeah, no more auditioning you know auditioning process sometimes you do have people kind of guide in your in your head and it's still there that support system NPS is amazing. But a short time is having to be on your feet think out of the box but as the whole point right that's the whole point and being in the consulting world you know, I said in the beginning you once you you got to be in a zone way you progress you have to be in a zone where you're always looking for new things so it's been a full month now and I just adjusting to life and consulting is challenging by the same time use the resources I'm using the resources around me you know, asking questions that never stops. It can be annoying, but you get you have to ask what can I try to now Miss? If you do not know? And you do it and you break it? It's your fault. If you do know and you ask you are not going to break it so constant consistently asking questions consistently doing my research has been great you know finding that relationship with a client and knowing what they want what they expect from you and going from there. It's been a month it's been challenging but the center has been great and I'm looking forward to many more months ahead so for sure.

Peter Szczerba - I mean if nothing else is evident after this conversation is you're clearly somebody that has always had a vision for themselves a goal that stretch them and push them so I'm curious you know manual now you're through the audition phase here it's game time what is what is the goal now what are you working towards? Is it CTO? Is it CTO? Is it CEO like what's going to pushing you out of your out of your comfort zone?

Emmanuel Antwi - Oh, I guess I have to you know, I guess CEO status sounds amazing right now. No, I think my media goes it's just been been a difference it appears in a go to person when it comes to whatever vertical What about product I'm working on you know, I want to be get to that point where people want to involve me in whatever project you're having. So learning as much as I can. Taking it taking it step by step learning with what I'm working on. Learning from people I interact with and just keeping it solid You know, there are so many certifications out there that I'm want to get as well that is part of the learning process creating that space again to get into certifications and combining my work as well by immediate goals definitely pushing myself being that guy that people always want around and on their projects.

Peter Szczerba - Thats a great thing to aspire to in these kind of early stages I have absolutely no doubt that you're going to achieve that manual this has been a spectacular conversation I've thoroughly enjoyed it and I think that there's you know really great story that I really want people to hear in this I appreciate your time and willingness to doing the interview and honestly I can't wait to have another conversation a couple months or a year from now to hear that you know you found new goals to push you even further and you're killing it in your career here at PS.

Emmanuel Antwi - Absolutely, Peter anytime I really grateful for having me and you know sharing my story you know hopefully that's gonna push someone else hopefully that's gonna help someone wake up and be like yes I need to do this. You know, sometimes you just need to hear from someone. So thanks for having me and absolutely I would love to chat again.