How does a young man with "every opportunity to become a statistic" end up a US Marine Officer and leadership mentor?
Olaolu Ogunyemi gets real about his past, sharing how insecurities about his name, his appearance, and a deep need to "fit in" nearly put him on the wrong path. He was getting into trouble, trying to incite fights, and living down to the low expectations around him.
This episode is a powerful look at the FailCraft theme: how a strong community can change a life's trajectory. Olaolu explains how teachers and coaches who "believed in me" became the stepping stone for him to take ownership of his life. He now uses those same lessons on insecurity to coach other leaders and wrote his children's book *Crow From the Shadow* based on those feelings.
In this episode of FailCraft, you’ll discover:
* Olaolu's core setback: Crushing insecurity and trying to fit in with the wrong crowd.
* The stepping stone: How a "strong community" of adults intervened to save him.
* Why your childhood insecurities will resurface as an adult leader (and how to handle them).
* The "Caterpillar vs. The Chameleon" model for authentic leadership.
* The personal story of insecurity behind his book, Crow From the Shadow.
* The "Lead Last" Philosophy: Why you must know yourself first.
* His powerful advice: Failure is a verb ("I failed"), not a noun ("I'm a failure").
* Olaolu's definition of true success: Measured by the impact on at least one life.
This episode is for parents, mentors, aspiring leaders, and anyone who has ever felt defined by their insecurities or circumstances.
Connect With Olaolu Ogunyemi:
* Website (Free Resources): https://parent-child-connect.com/
* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olaolu-ogunyemi-465ba453/
* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olaolu.ogunyemi/
* YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCcR7d3yzZXfzcBfxveyP-g
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Want to Be a Guest on FailCraft?
* Reach out to Ezekiel on PodMatch
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction: From "Statistic" to Marine Officer
02:03 The Core Setback: Insecurity and Trying to Fit In
03:27 The Stepping Stone: How a Strong Community Saved Me
05:34 How Insecurity Holds Back Adult Leaders
07:02 The Caterpillar vs. The Chameleon: Authentic Leadership
09:30 The Story Behind "Crow From the Shadow"
11:16 The "Lead Last" Philosophy: Know Yourself First
13:32 The Role of Faith in Overcoming Failure
16:03 Advice for Feeling Stuck: "Life is a Weight Room"
17:48 Failure is a Verb, Not a Noun
19:30 Olaolu's Definition of True Success: Impact
21:55 How to Connect with Olaolu