Your Loss Your Gain - Mr. Chib Nwokonkor - CEO of Zanshuri Ltd - Season 5 - #213

In this compelling episode of the "Us People Podcast," it is my distinct honour to introduce Mr. Chib Nwokonkor: a distinguished Scientist, Engineer, Polymath, and Entrepreneur. 

With a wealth of over 20 years of experience in the technology industry, Chib has made a global impact, consulting worldwide and spearheading advancements in an impressive array of fields, including thermodynamics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and climate change. 

**His successful business ventures in both China and the UK, along with his integral role in the development of entities in the USA, underscore the universal relevance of his expertise. 

**Holding esteemed board-level positions in multiple organizations, he currently lends his insight as a policy advisor to the British Government, focusing on crucial topics such as sustainability, disaster relief, and digital security. 

**His loss in his life, but the of loss everything can all be worth it in the end and why

**The Awareness of life and building a dream, even if people around you don’t always understand

**Computer Technology and the work that goes into making the success of understanding technology

**The Future of Work for within the industry

Join us for an insightful interview on Tuesday, as we explore the intersections of science, engineering, polymathy, and entrepreneurship.

Discover how Chib's diverse experiences have shaped him into a humble and approachable entrepreneur, and gain valuable insights that promise to educate, inspire, and broaden your perspective.

Just as the tide recedes to reveal hidden treasures, your loss may uncover opportunities for unexpected gains - Savia Rocks

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chibn/?originalSubdomain=uk

Website: https://blackwallst.media/the-zanshuri-story-with-chib-nwokonkor/

Transcript

Savia Rocks: 0:00

Hey guys, we made it to season five of the Us people podcast. I'm your host Savia rocks. And in this season, we aim to empower and embrace creativity through diversity as we dive into the fascinating stories and experiences of a diverse range of individuals. Highlighting their unique perspectives and creative endeavors from artists and entrepreneurs to innovators and activists. We celebrate the power of diversity in driving creativity and fostering positive change. Join us as we engage in thought provoking conversations like, I made myself intentionally homeless in pursuit of my purpose.

J Harris: 0:41

We're aware that. A lot of people want to present and they were in my position and what's worse they weren't a white male which is a joke that's even still a thing. I

Mel: 0:49

think my family never ever say you can't do something so full of support full of support for whatever dream if I said tomorrow I want to fly to the moon they'll probably say I wish you all the best Mel.

Savia Rocks: 0:59

So guys I just want to say thank you for supporting the Us People podcast for the past five years and we look forward to sharing another new theme song. Hey guys, and welcome to another episode of the Us people show. I'm your host Savia Rocks and today I'm humbled. We have been speaking in a background and it's been absolutely beautiful. I have Chip here with me, who is the CEO, scientist, engineer, and entrepreneur. Chip, I want to thank you so much for taking your time to come on the Us people show. How are you?

Chib Nwokonkor: 1:56

I'm great. Thank you. Savia, it's a pleasure and a lot of peace.

Savia Rocks: 2:00

Definitely. Most definitely. So my first question for you is, could you tell us about your background or where you grew up and how that influenced you to be the person who you are today?

Chib Nwokonkor: 2:13

Yeah, absolutely. Uh, I was born in Nigeria, in West Africa, um, came to the UK with my parents and my sisters. Um, when I was very young, um, and I remember, um, well, I think I remember, but I'm very aware that it was a very different environment in the UK. And um, it really struck me that, you know, it seems like, um, um, there was a, there was a change. There was something different. Um, when I was younger, my, my, my mother, for example, used to tell me that I used to be like sleeping underneath my grandfather's car. Um, back home in Nigeria. Um, because it was very comfortable for me. It was mechanical. I loved anything mechanical or electrical. Um, I injured myself a few times, got electrocuted of course. Um, but it was always something which was there. Yeah. It's just stuck with me really. I love the passion for, um, engineering and um, technology. And ultimately that's brought me to, to where I am today, in the tech business. I

Savia Rocks: 3:19

love that. Was there anyone who influenced you or did you just feel naturally connected to technology itself? Because I know you said you're sleeping under your grandfather's car. And even though some people might find that extremely weird, I always believe that. Sometimes you're, it's just automatically in you. If you've been sent, like we were talking even before we came on about purposes. If something is automatically connected or, or for you as an individual, it will just be. Was there any influence? Was your grandfather, grandfather, sorry, an influence to you? Or was it just something that you thought, no, this is what I want to do. And I knew from a very young age.

Chib Nwokonkor: 4:00

Yeah, I always knew from a young age. I've always drawn to, um. You know, mechanical devices, anything electronic. And I was quite fortunate to be introduced to computers in my household, um, when I was still fairly young. And, um, what really struck me was the ability to create, in terms of creating software, in terms of, um, you know, building hardware. Because this was back in the days when, you know, you could, if you had a lot of money, you could buy a computer. Yeah. But we didn't have a lot of money. Um, so we, I would, well, I'd persuade my parents, it wouldn't be me, to buy components, to buy parts and, um, over the course of weeks and months, I'd be able to build something, um, and to make it work and to find out, you know, how parts work together, what went wrong and diagnose faults and rectify them and just go from there, improve designs and start to develop my own really and, um, that was a really exciting time because, um, Yes, there is creativity, um, there are options for creativity in the world today, but they're quite different to the way that they were when I was, um, very young. It was much more hands on back then, in terms of hardware and electronics, and, um, I think that's a fantastic way to get into actual hardware, um, engineering. Um, yes, so there are options available today, but it's still not the same, really.

Savia Rocks: 5:33

It's, one thing I've noticed is technology is changing rapidly. Yes, yes. And more, which I'm going to talk about with you, this whole science side and all of it, but There is a question that I think resonates a lot and tells people a lot about you, which is, can you define yourself as a person? But also, who do you see when you look in the mirror? But on the flip side of that question, has there ever been a time you have looked in the mirror and not recognized the person staring back at you? How did you manage to go from a person that you don't like looking in the reflection of the mirror of to being a person who evolves and loves, loves life and is on a journey of what they feel is ambient for them. And that's

Chib Nwokonkor: 6:19

a big question. It's massive. There's layers

Savia Rocks: 6:24

to that.

Chib Nwokonkor: 6:25

Yeah, there are, there are indeed. Um, I think, as I said, I always knew that I would be intelligent, I always knew that I would walk through it. Um, but I also recognised that for me to do the best as I could in this field, I had to give myself the opportunity to learn from the ground. Okay. Yeah. Working from other people, working in different industries, working in different roles, gathering knowledge and experience and a wide range of opportunities if possible. So I've done a lot of different types of work, um, I haven't always been in, uh, engineering. Um, although my degree was in computer science, I, uh, diversified into, um, finance, and And, um, and even in law. I actually served as a police officer for a few years, that was quite a diversion, um, simply because I wanted to understand, ultimately I wanted to understand how technology was relevant in policing, but I also wanted to, um, I wanted to understand how policing works on the inside.

Savia Rocks: 7:43

It's

Chib Nwokonkor: 7:44

easy to, you know, watch the news, you know, get stories from people about, you know, how it works and how to incorporate that. I think there is, it's very easy to stand on the outside and throw a stone, but to be on the inside and to actually understand the fundamentals of how a system works is much more effective. And in doing that, I was able to gain an understanding which has applied to the work that I'm doing now. Although it seems massively different, policing, obviously, and engineering. Um, it's given me an understanding of not just how data works, but also how data can save lives. How information security is so important that it is potentially the landscape in which global decisions are made. Yeah. So it's something which I've always taken seriously and yeah, as I said, it's very, very different to the work I'm doing now, but there are always opportunities to learn in every sphere, in every conversation, in every interaction. And the best thing that I did for myself, um, many, many years ago was tell myself that Every interaction will be an opportunity to learn, no matter how apparently facile it might be, no matter how brief. It's very important for me to keep my eyes and ears open to understand, to acknowledge, and to learn. So the further on down the line when I have an opportunity to implement that learning, I'm doing it from a position of, um, of having gained that knowledge in the first person, as opposed to, you tertiary understanding, really. That's what makes it fun.

Savia Rocks: 9:25

I completely agree with you. I definitely agree. So you have layers to you. So you're not just you've been gifted with many layers and purposes in life. Being a CEO, a scientist, an engineer, an entrepreneur, all of these are layers into different things in different angles in different ways. But I would love for you to break down what Being a CEO is, but also a scientist and an engineer because all of them hold a different spectrum as they see on a pyramid or being part of a team. Could you break down what each one means to you and how you manage to use all of them to build an entrepreneur business like you have?

Chib Nwokonkor: 10:09

Yes, absolutely. Um, I think. A theme that is prevalent in all of those, um, areas is the importance of learning. Yeah. You know, anyone can give themselves a title, but actually having the understanding that goes into earning that title, uh, can be life changing. And what is consistent with all of them is it's so important to be learning all the time, to be taking in information, and to be listening to people. Um, I try to make sure that I listen more than I speak, simply because That's how I'm able to gain information directly from people. And, um, another element which they share is the creativity. Yes. I actually liken, um, engineering and science to, um, the work of an artist. You are creating a sphere of understanding which potentially didn't exist before your discovery.

Mel: 11:06

Yeah.

Chib Nwokonkor: 11:06

And it's beautiful. It's something which is, uh, in that moment in time, it's unique. Um, for example, as you know, with our, with, with my technology, with Zanchuri, we produce some of the most energy efficient computers in the world.

Savia Rocks: 11:21

Yeah.

Chib Nwokonkor: 11:21

And the process of getting that accolade, it didn't happen overnight, it happened over many, many, many years. So there were processes of iteration, of experimentation, of developing solutions, finding out how they worked, understanding why they didn't work, and rebuilding, and trying, and assessing them. And re implementing ideas that initially would have been discarded, but then finding that they did have relevance in a new iteration of design. And eventually we were able to get to the point where, um, you know, we're bringing energy consumption down, um, you know, in, in percentage terms, significantly. So I think the first time that we actually developed a system which used less than half the energy of an equivalent desktop, that was revolutionary. Why? Because You know, you were looking at how you could be able to do the same amount of work whilst using half the energy. It was interesting because, you know, my real drive at that time was finding out how we could implement solutions in parts of the world where energy was less ubiquitous or less accessible, shall we say. So third world emerging economies, things of that nature. But now, as everyone knows, we're living in this time of energy crisis. And there is a lot of interest in what we do, simply because the relevance of that technology has now become much more important in all walks of life, in every industry, in healthcare, in education, in finance, in government. Um, and so that's quite a revelation because it wasn't something that I thought would happen. But I do remember, um, I remember being in school many, many years ago, um, I'm not going to tell you my age if I'm going to be boring, um, but I remember being in school and learning about how, um, um, you know, um, oil was refined and, um, basically having originated from, you know, dinosaurs, you know, having become extinct all those many millions of years ago. And what struck me, because I remember I was probably about nine or ten years old, um, what struck me was this. oil is a finite resource. It's an absolutely finite resource because there will be a point in time where it's not going to be available anymore. Um, and I was very young. I was definitely a nine or 10 year old. I remember thinking, why is the whole world not doing everything in their power to find an alternative solution? Because when that runs out, if the whole world is dependent on it and haven't found a alternative, which is abundant. Um, clean, reliable, accessible globally, then is life supposed to grind to a halt? I was horrified. And the rest of all just seemed to go along just, you know, along its merry way. Um, but back then I, I absolutely knew, um, back then that this is a problem that I have to solve. Um, and it's been really good to have had that revelation quite early in my life because it allowed me to stick to it. It allowed me to keep pushing, to keep trying to, uh, Continue experimenting, even when it looked like it would be, um, impossible. Um, it was always possible to me, and now it is real. Yeah.

Savia Rocks: 14:55

One of the things that I'm really big on is climate change, and I know you are too. Yes. So, in your opinion, how do you believe that the scientific research to contribute to climate change to improve the knowledge and motivate impact within change. What do you think about climate change and how do you feel we can change it as individuals in this world? Because it's not, we can start with ourselves. I've always said that we can start with ourselves. We have to look in the mirror, start with ourself. But how can we do this globally to create sustainability, to create climate change? So we know we're in a crisis. We know we are.

Chib Nwokonkor: 15:36

Yes.

Savia Rocks: 15:37

But how do you believe we can change that? Because if you had an epiphany at such a young age and now doing all the hard work that you have done, how do you show that we can change things further, but together as a unity?

Chib Nwokonkor: 15:51

Yeah, I think it's, um, it's fantastic that recycling is, um, now, you know, so widespread. Um, I think it's fantastic that, you know, things like LED light bulbs are being implemented and. Solar panels are appearing, or, you know, views all over the place, and, you know, um, And so there are changes that people are taking which are contributing to the improvements in addressing the issue of climate change. Um, electric cars, for example, that's an interesting development, but I'm not sure if that is actually the way to go because, Well, The electricity has to have a source. Yeah. And the amount of energy that goes into building the cars in the first place is, So that's not necessarily the best solution. Something which would be better would be finding ways to develop solutions within much smaller ecosystems. For example, if I were to go food shopping, it would be wonderful if I were able to buy food which is locally sourced quite easily. It would be wonderful if I were able to travel for example. Um, you know, to every place that I need to go to within Reza, um, by bicycle. Um, it would be great to, yes, okay, have an Akari, fantastic, but if it's convenient and safe to travel by bicycle, I think a lot more people will do so. Um, yes, okay, there are some cycling superhighways in London, for example, but, um, they're, they're not quite as widespread as they could be. Um, It should be much easier for people to move around than it is at the moment. There should be much more, um, freedom to find alternatives which are not going to place, um, you know, massive, um, restrictions on, uh, people's ability to, to, to live and to work and to communicate. Um, so yes, I think it would be great if things like that were put in place. I think it would be great if agriculture was something which is understood as, um, not having to be. somewhere over there, but if we were able to, um, demonstrate to our children, for example, the importance of actually growing, um, food in our back gardens, if, you know, we're so fortunate to have back gardens, and to actually maintain a plot of land, um, you know, and to actually take the time over, you know, that period of months and years to understand how it is that food is sourced, and how vegetables are actually grown. Um, you know, where they come from, what they mean, how they can be, uh, continue to propagate and sustain life. Um, and the same with our, with farm animals, with small scale animals, I think that farms should be much more, um, widespread. They don't have to be, you know, these large areas on the outskirts of, um, the society. I think that if it's something which is made much more available and accessible, even in schools, for example, it would make a massive change. Because then you'd have the younger generation, um, having first hand knowledge, not on the basis of a random field trip, you know, once every couple of years, but every single day that they're in school, they're involved in doing something that's going to contribute to the betterment of the world. And if it's implemented in them at that early stage of life, then it's much more likely to remain as they grow older. But, um, so yeah, things like that, it's not going to change over life, but Those would make a real difference to the issue of climate change, as opposed to the um, um, the rampant political discourse that we are witnessing in the world today.

Savia Rocks: 19:48

I can tell by when you even just look down for a second and you just said the word political. It is political. It

Chib Nwokonkor: 19:56

is, unfortunately, yes, yes, and it shouldn't be, but it

Savia Rocks: 19:59

is. It shouldn't be, but there's also things like power that contribute to it. And we can mostly talk about politics for a very long time, but there's, there is important work that I know you are doing very much. So when it comes to being a scientist or sustainability or digital, digital, sorry, digital security is another major part in the world. How do you feel about digital security, but also what are the emerging cyber security threats and vulnerabilities that organizations need to particularly be mindful of in today's digital landscape?

Chib Nwokonkor: 20:44

Of course, yes. Um, there is, uh, so much information sharing that happens without our knowledge. It would actually be horrifying if people became aware of just how, uh, how closely we're tracked, um, by devices like, you know, cell phones, um, laptop systems and, you know, cars, CCTV, obviously, and things of that nature, but our online footprint, our use of social media, um, you know, there is so much information out there about the individual, um, that I think if people really did have an understanding, it would probably alter the way that they use the Internet. It would probably alter the way that people use social media. Um, and, um, One of the things that we are involved in, aside from the development of energy efficient computers, obviously, is, um, uh, data warehousing. As in, you know, for example, this is, this is, um, one of my server rooms, and, um, we have a, you can probably see one of our data centers, data servers right behind me. Um, it actually holds information for commercial entities, and, um, it's, it obviously, that data is held in the cloud. But the understanding of the cloud is, it's somewhere, somewhere else. Yeah. Because if we actually know that this data is so important, which it usually is, because that's why people go through the trouble of saving it, um, who else has access to that data? Exactly. Who else has access to the cloud? Wouldn't it be better if we have our own clouds, as in our personal clouds, and we can choose what we want to disseminate. And we can choose what we want to keep to ourselves, really. Whether that's the individual, whether that's the family, whether that's on an organizational basis. Instead of having, um, not so much in the information free for all, but the reality is that Dataset is so widespread that it almost needs an entire revision of the industry in order to bring back some sense of normality. The systems that we have in place are so robust and so in excess of, uh, Um, security solution, which are implemented, for example, by, um, you know, various militaries around the world. Um, it's actually incredible, but it's what we have to do to give our clients the kind of data security that we would want for ourselves, really. Um, so yeah, there's, there's a real problem with, um, you know, things like Facebook, for example, you know, forgive me for being one entity, but there is so much information out there, and it's so difficult to completely. remove data that you don't want out there. Um, that I think people think twice about, you know, making the mistake of using it. Why did they do? Um, and yeah, uh, uh, it's, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better, unfortunately.

Savia Rocks: 23:46

That's always the case.

Chib Nwokonkor: 23:47

Yeah. Yeah, it really is. Um, I think that there's going to have to be something, hopefully there will be, I think there's going to be a point in time where people recognize that, you know, this is actually excessive. And We have to do something at the individual level to actually address this, whether that's making, you know, more mindful use of these devices, um, being aware of, you know, what happens when we hit send on a post on Instagram or Snapchat or, you know, things of that nature. Um, our young people are being drawn in by the likes of TikTok. Yes. It's just, you know, not, not. It's not the best use of time and it is a massive, massive time sink as well. Um, not to mention the data security issues implicated in that. So, yeah, it's, it's a, it's a many headed tyrant, unfortunately. But yeah, I don't think that people recognize just how much information is leaking out every single day. Talk

Savia Rocks: 24:51

to me about your company more. This is something that I would love to know about because You've decided to do so much around, like I said, the computers and being energy efficient. What made you decide that this is something that needs to be done in the world to help? Say, for example, there's Mac and there's Windows. There's so many types of computers now, but all of them do take a lot of energy. And you're using them. You can feel the energy within the, I don't know if you've ever, when you put your hand on top of a laptop, like even if I'm doing now, you can feel the energy running through the laptop. Exactly. So there's so much energy running. What made you decide that this needs to be done?

Chib Nwokonkor: 25:36

Yeah, yeah,

Savia Rocks: 25:36

absolutely.

Chib Nwokonkor: 25:39

Um, well, as I said, um, you know, that, that realization I had when I was, uh, you know, nine or ten, regarding fossil fuels, um, that was really, um, at the crux of the talk, because I've, I've believed that, I've spent a lot of time thinking, um, obviously we had a, a quick chat before the, the interview started, and in that thinking, I realized that, you know, information is going to become incredibly valuable. It

Savia Rocks: 26:07

is. Yeah.

Chib Nwokonkor: 26:08

And this was the revelation that I, you know, I reached again. Uh, so why not be in a position where you are able to do something positive regarding, um, that information? Um, you know, things that are, you know, becoming increasingly valuable, um, are, you know, obviously minerals, uh, you know, water, uh, and information. Um, and I think that that was why I decided to get into this area. Simply because it would allow me to address what I knew was coming. The issue of energy, that's going to be a massive concern, and it is now. And the issue of information, data, security, um, and it is now. So, going into computers allowed me to, uh, enmesh myself in a field which I knew was inevitably going to become a problem. of such fundamental importance to the world that imagining a world without this capability is now impossible. And I was very aware that that was more likely to happen than not. So I wanted to be in a position where I could capitalize on it, not simply from a fiscal perspective, but also from a position of being able to positively impact the world, to have an understanding and not to be misled by individuals, organizations or governments. So, the best way that we can equip ourselves to understand what's happening is to learn as deeply as possible, not simply to, uh, not simply to just do what we're told.

J Harris: 27:50

Yeah.

Chib Nwokonkor: 27:51

It's very important that we read, that we study, that we experiment, that we try, that we, uh, you know, take things apart and build them up again and see how it works and have that understanding. And take the time to really, deeply think about what you're doing. Think about the implications of what you're doing. Think about the reason for what you're doing. And think about the connotations, um, associated with that. How they're perceived. How they impact the world. How will you, as an individual, impact the world? Your words, your speech, your, uh, your, your interaction, your thoughts and your actions, obviously. And, um, all of those went into that melting pot of thinking, Okay, this is what I want to do. Because it will be relevant, and it will make a difference, and more than all of that, it will be of such importance that choosing not to do it would probably be the biggest regret of my life.

Savia Rocks: 28:48

I totally hear you when you say that. I really do. One of the things that spontaneously came to my mind was, I know a lot of people are talking about, and I'm sure you've most likely heard the, sometimes the government say, or they have already said, as they say, If the world was going to go to a standstill and everything was to shut down, this would be a major implication to organizations, individuals. How do you feel that we as a nation all over the world would handle this in your opinion?

Chib Nwokonkor: 29:24

Yeah, I don't think that we're ready to, um, experience, um, such an upheaval, unfortunately. I don't think that we are in a position where we can, um, function without the, the luxury which we're accustomed to now. Um, which goes back to what I was saying about teaching young people how to, you know, grow food. Yeah. How to do 10 crops, how to, you know, raise cattle. Um, even, you know, chickens, you know, it's more fun than it was. Um, Simply because we need to be able to survive without technology. Yes, it might sound odd, you know, someone who's, you know, so heavily involved in technology to actually reach this understanding, but it was always clear to me that, you know, if we're not able to survive in a world where we don't have everything that we currently have, if it's suddenly taken away, does that mean that we are rendered useless? Does that mean that our survival is going to be counted in? In days or weeks as opposed to, you know, years and decades.

J Harris: 30:31

Exactly.

Chib Nwokonkor: 30:31

So,

J Harris: 30:32

yeah,

Chib Nwokonkor: 30:32

it's

J Harris: 30:33

very

Chib Nwokonkor: 30:33

important, you know, you know, aside from the work on energy efficiency and, you know, recycling renewables, but, you know, bringing energy consumption down to such a level is that it's almost, um, it's almost a, uh, a tiny percentage of what it is today. You know, if we were able to, if every house in the UK was equipped with adequate solar capability. Yes. We wouldn't need power stations, okay? If we made use of, um, you know, what, continued progressing the capability of air source heat pumps, and, you know, combine that with ground source, uh, with water recovery, with proper, correct heat insulation, um, with, um, you know, irrigation control measures, um, we'd actually find ourselves in a position where we don't need to use quite so much energy. We don't need to use, um, you know, even half the amount of energy that we're using today. Um, and it's something which would be of such wonderful benefit to the world that I don't know why it's not, you know, well, I do know why it isn't talking about so widely because, yes, although, you know, organizations are talking about the importance of being green, um, the financial impact, you know, be a consequence of the whole, the whole nation, Um, switching over to solar instant, instantaneously, um, would be horrendous, um, for, you know, large power organizations and those who supply fossil fuel, for example, um, but it must be done. It must be done because we have to be able to, uh, accommodate the inevitable changes which are heading our way and

Savia Rocks: 32:18

not

Chib Nwokonkor: 32:19

be taken by surprise and not be allowed to suffer, um, as a consequence of the failings of our government. We can't do that. It must be, it must be embedded in us, um, to be able to stand on our own two feet, um, to help our fellow man and woman, to, you know, to actually be functional human beings, to actually live the word society as opposed to just use it, um, and I think that's a real problem. Um, it's something which, if it's addressed properly, would literally change the landscape of the world. Yes. Really would. Amen. The way that it's heading, um, people are so dependent on, uh, technology that they're not interacting the way that they used to do even a decade ago. That

Savia Rocks: 33:13

is true. Yeah.

Chib Nwokonkor: 33:14

Now technology is important and it's relevant which is why I'm involved in it, but I also recognize the importance of human interaction, of communication, of discussion, of learning, of um, of compassion. Yeah. And I think that those are elements of society that. Seem to be falling by the wayside, um, as a consequence of the onslaught of technology. When the reality is, they can co exist. They absolutely can, it doesn't have to be one at the expense of the other. Um, and so, I'm trying to be part of that change, that positive change for humanity.

Savia Rocks: 33:50

What are you most curious? This is what I would love to know. What are you most curious about in your mind and in your company right now? I know that you are most probably working on, you know, your secret missions in the, in the at work and so on and so forth, but is there anything that you could share about your vision and your goals for your company and possibly even some of the things that you have been working on to elevate, you know, Yourself, your company and organizations to make the world more, more efficient place or, or even just the direction of seeing things more positively.

Chib Nwokonkor: 34:31

Yeah, we're always working on enhancing our technology and expanding our reach. Um, at the moment we, uh, we do distribute products all over the world. Um, we're looking at establishing a large facility in the U. S. as we speak. And that was a massive big step for the organization because, um, we haven't done that before. Um, we are selling to a large part of the world and I think that as this is happening we're becoming more visible.

Savia Rocks: 35:02

Yeah.

Chib Nwokonkor: 35:03

You know, I actually, obviously, I consciously took the decision to be involved in this interview today. Um, because, um, I recognize that I have to be more visible. It's fantastic that I'm working on this and, you know, I have a wonderful team working with me. Um, thank you. But we should be more visible simply because if we're able to inspire other people to do something similar, in their sphere of knowledge, or even in the same area, then ultimately it's going to be beneficial to mankind.

Savia Rocks: 35:33

Exactly.

Chib Nwokonkor: 35:33

And that's our, that should be our, our shared goal, really. Um, so that, that matters to me from a business perspective. Um, but then, well, the name of the company is Vanshury. Yes. And the meaning of the word Vanshury is always better.

Savia Rocks: 35:51

And

Chib Nwokonkor: 35:54

the reason that I actually made that word up when I was, um, when I was 10, um, but I decided to stick with it because it made sense to me. And um, the reason that I went with the meaning of always better is because I believe that you're never at a point where you can say, right, I've done everything,

Savia Rocks: 36:14

yes, I agree

Chib Nwokonkor: 36:15

with you. No,

Savia Rocks: 36:16

yes.

Chib Nwokonkor: 36:17

Always looking to improve. Um, so yes, we're improving our core technology. We're improving our capabilities, but I also think that if we can inspire people to improve themselves, that's where there's room for improvement. So aside from the work that I do, I really do push the importance of awareness around personal fitness, around health, around awareness, around compassion, around interaction with one another on a deeper level of understanding. Um, the only way that we can get better is by recognizing our faults. And choosing to address those directly, um, no matter how painful or discouraging it may seem initially, the ultimate goal is to be a better version of you. Yes. You're not going to achieve that by having, um, uh, by ignoring what it is that needs to be addressed. You're going to achieve that by understanding what you can improve in your life, in you, in your interaction, in your discussion, in your writing, in your thinking. Um, and if we can persuade people to continue to improve themselves. Yeah. To never see a point where it ends. It doesn't finish at school, it doesn't finish at college, it doesn't finish at university. It's continuous. Um, so I like to be able to learn about new things as much as possible every day, whether it's agricultural, whether it's, um, um, politics, whether it's medicine, whether it's finance, whether it's technology, um, whether it's law. I appreciate the fact that there is always going to be information for me to take in, and I'd like to live as long as possible so that I'm able to learn as much as possible. So if I want to do that, I have to be as fit as possible. I have to maintain myself, but I have to encourage my family to do the same. Obviously by, um, by expansion, um, our peers, our friends, our church group, um, our colleagues at work, everybody who interacts with me must do the same. benefit or the consequence of that interaction. So then there is a greater likelihood that their interaction with other people will be beneficial going forward. So, I don't always achieve that, you can't please everybody, it's impossible, but it's something that I aspire to. Not just in business, but also in life.

Savia Rocks: 38:42

I completely agree with that. Life is a journey within itself. And one of the things you said that stands out automatically was you can't please everyone. But sometimes I always say you wouldn't want to. That's what makes you uniquely different is that you're different from everyone else. And not everyone's going to agree with your policies, your terms, who you are, how you look as we spoke about before. So these are all things, but connecting to that question, if I said, we are constantly getting judged by how we look. What we say, how we speak, like I said before as well, if nobody was judging you, what would you do differently in the world?

Chib Nwokonkor: 39:28

Wow. If nobody were judging me, I think, I think, I think being able to run your own business is a massive, um, it's a massive honor. It

Savia Rocks: 39:40

is. It is.

Chib Nwokonkor: 39:42

Because, yeah, um, you know, it's, it's a big step to take, you know, but yes, it's getting into work and being an employee is, uh, you know, fantastic and having a guaranteed paycheck is fantastic as well. But, you know, just how, just how reliable is that guarantee? You know, we've seen people losing their jobs left, right and center. You know, society is, um, awakening to, uh, much more difficult financial times than were the case just a couple of years ago. Um, obviously we've just gone through a horrendous pandemic, which You know, almost nobody foresaw, um, I say almost nobody foresaw, and the reality that we are living in today is very different to what it was just a few years ago. So if I, if I were to answer that question by saying that I'm doing that already, I don't think that I'd be doing myself or you a disservice. Um, I run my business the way that I'd like to run my business, I work as hard as I want to work hard. address the way that I like to dress. I don't adhere to other people's directions and instruction. I don't want to conform. Um, I've gone through all of that already. It's, uh, it's been fantastic to be able to, uh, enjoy the spoils of a, of a, uh, uh, progressive and successful business. But the reality of success is what does it mean to you as the individual? It's wonderful to be able to have, uh, uh, nice cars and watch it all. Houses and so on and that's wonderful if that's important to you, but for me, what's important to me is freedom. I'm able to live my life on my terms, I'm able to do, you know, largely what I'd like to do. Within reason, obviously, I've been able to break the law, um, and it's a fantastic gift to be able to say, today I'm going to go to my office, to work on developing a pattern For a technology that the world has not seen. That is incredible. Yes. You know, most people don't have that kind of freedom. I have the freedom to do that. Now it doesn't mean that it's simple or easy. In actual fact, it's a horrendous challenge. Yeah. Yes, okay, it means a lot of work, a lot of cooperation. And it's, it's horribly expensive as well. But it's a gift to be able to do that. to have the freedom to do that, to be able to say, I want to do something today that I've never done before. And to actually go in to my workplace, to my company, my team, this is what we're doing now, drop everything else. And in six months time, I want to release this to the world. And they start doing it. Oh my gosh, that's incredible. And that's me.

Savia Rocks: 42:52

It's like, you've just had this epiphany in your head to realize that, like I said, you've been given An ultimate purpose in life. And it, it seems like it's been sent to you so you're able to do exactly what you want to do in your life. And there are many people. There's nothing wrong. I always say to people, there is nothing wrong with working a nine to five as long as it's not destroying your soul. There is a magnificent difference between doing nine to five that you love and doing a nine to five that you feel I shouldn't be here. This isn't connecting the dots for me. I don't feel like my soul is agreeing with me being here and to be honest with you it takes a huge effort, leap, an amount of passion and strength. You to turn around and say, I'm going to leave my nine to five and do exactly what I want to do in life. Because like you said, finance, there is the financial side. There is, you know, you have to look after your family and so many other things, but to be able to wake up in the morning, first of all, and say, to the universe for being here. And then secondly, being able to go into work and have a dream job that you love doing. And then thirdly, have a team around you. is an immense joy. I, that's what I think anyways.

Chib Nwokonkor: 44:08

It is. Absolutely. It's a, it's a, it's a responsibility. It

Savia Rocks: 44:11

is.

Chib Nwokonkor: 44:12

Um, you know, especially, um, you know, recognizing that you still have to deal with the day to day, you know, family, personal commitments and everything of that nature. So, um, I keep that front and center in my mind. It's not, um, it's not a jolly, you know, it's not something that I just do for fun, you know, although I do enjoy it. I do. And, um, and that, that is also a gift, being able to do what we enjoy. It's a rare gift, um, so if I have these, um, you know, these, um, opportunities given to me, then I have the responsibility to use them, um, as well as I possibly can. I have to do my best, and I have to do my best every single day, um, so, yes, having that understanding, um, when I was very young was fantastic, but it was important to build it, which is why I had to do the, the work in different industries. Why I had to take on the 9 to 5, I recognized that there would be, you know, an element which would be beneficial to my ultimate goal in everything that I was doing, um, so moving to the point where I am today has, as you said, it's been a massive risk of my, um, I've had a lot of losses, I've lost, um, I've lost a home, um, I've lost, you know, my finances, it's been so bad. very bleak at times. And, um, my first marriage fell apart and I ended in divorce, um, simply because things got so difficult in launching the business and trying to get it off the ground. Um, but I'm happy that I did it now because it's, it's, it's worth it. It's proven to be worthwhile and I can see the trajectory that the business has been into, um, and how it's going to positively impact, you know, the world society that we're in. Um, but yes, had I realized just how hard it was going to be, I, I don't know if I would have done it. To be quite honest. I think

Savia Rocks: 46:24

you still would have. Probably,

Chib Nwokonkor: 46:27

yeah, because yeah, I knew there is something that I wanted to do, but I think that's why it's so good to not be able to, um, to realize exactly how difficult it is. You know, I think that a lot of people have put off. Um, by, um, the ideas that, you know, something is going to be hard, but I think that something being hard is an opportunity to learn just how capable you as an individual can be. Um, so I've developed skills, uh, on top of the, uh, the engineering and science background. I've learned how to interact with people better. I've learned how to, um, persuade people, how to negotiate, how to sell, um, how to, um, attract investment. And, uh, and how to invest, um, you know, myself as well. Um, and, you know, these are all, um, skills which have been accumulated over many, many years. It's been a snowball. So the person that I am today is so different to the person I was two years ago, five years ago, ten years ago. And, um, you know, I think that looking back on it, I cannot help but be amazed and encouraged by it. Um, you know, the achievements of the people around me, um, and them being involved in helping me to realize my dream, my vision, my goal, um, it's, it's, it's incredible. It really, really is. There's no, there's no, there's no other word for it really, um, and then being able to say, okay, I want to see what we can do in the next few years going forward and knowing that there are people who are willing to take that journey with me. Yeah. That really does give you an extra boost, it's a massive driver, and then this now, this discussion, is an opportunity to demonstrate to people, to let people know that, you know, this is possible. Anything is possible. If you're certain that you want to do it, and you have the determination, and you, you know, you have a dream, um, then by all means pursue it. Understand that it might not be easy, that it might not be as straightforward as you imagine it would be. Yeah. But if it really, truly, fundamentally matters to you as the individual, then you must, must try. You must try. It's um, it's, it's um, it's central to my psyche, um, to the person that I am, that I do push myself as hard as possible. Now it doesn't mean that everyone has that same kind of drive, or, or even have the same kind of inclination, um, but it is something that makes you passionate. makes you determined, makes you say, I'm just going to try a little bit harder than I did before, then you have a responsibility to execute on it, not to leave it for another day, not to say, well, you know, perhaps it's not for me, because I think that there are a lot of horrible things in the world

Savia Rocks: 49:45

today.

Chib Nwokonkor: 49:46

Yeah. But one of the top 10 must be

Savia Rocks: 49:50

regret. Yeah. Regret and disappointment. That's what I think are the two top ones. Absolutely.

Chib Nwokonkor: 49:55

I wouldn't disagree with that. Definitely. That's why

Savia Rocks: 49:59

I, I've always seen a lot of regret, disappointment, and trauma seems to hold people back immensely.

Chib Nwokonkor: 50:10

Yeah.

Savia Rocks: 50:11

Every time I talk to someone, I always look at the whole picture of someone and I don't judge because judgment is, I feel, is a tool for disaster. It is. I feel it's a tool for disaster, so I definitely don't judge. Something that tallies into everything that you've been saying, and I, and I think we all look for this at some point in our life, is peace. So, my question for you is, when was the last time that you have felt totally at peace with yourself? Uh, I sleep very well.

Chib Nwokonkor: 50:55

I get very comfortable. I like

Savia Rocks: 50:56

the way you said that.

Chib Nwokonkor: 50:57

Yeah. Yeah. Because I think that I, I fully agree with, uh, you know, holiday vacations and relaxation and spa sessions and things of that nature. And I do partake. Yes, absolutely. Um, but I think that no one can push us harder than we push ourselves.

Savia Rocks: 51:18

That is true.

Chib Nwokonkor: 51:19

Yeah. And if we are pushing ourselves to execute on an idea. Um, that is important to us, and we're doing it to the best of our ability. If we're doing that every day, then you are going to sleep better. You are going to become very familiar, well acquainted with peace. Um, in your, in your small sphere, in your domain, obviously. I can't, um, speak on massive geopolitical issues, but, as, as in, in terms of what's relevant to the individual, I find that if you're able to do your best, if you're able to work hard. And know that you are working hard, know that you are doing your absolute best at times, then that makes a real difference. And if we were so blessed to be in a world where everyone is actually doing their best, is working positively to give their, their A grade to the world, if everyone were doing that, the world would be a massively different place. It would be unrecognizable to what it is today. Um, so yes, peace is. It's fantastic as a goal and something that we aspire to experience, but I think that we rob ourselves of the facility and the freedom to enjoy that piece on a regular basis by not forcing ourselves to work as hard as we know we are capable of doing. I think that's, um, that's really something which is very important and it works for me. So I can only speak about what I know works, I can't speak for other people really.

Savia Rocks: 53:01

Do you celebrate your wins? A lot of the time we work so fast, we're in a fast paced environment, life. Do you celebrate your wins? Every time so far I have Used this question, I have received a no. But I'm going to Us you, the reason why they say no is that they don't celebrate their wins is because they say they've got so much more to do. So celebrating your wins they feel is a waste of time because they've got so much more to do in life. Do you celebrate your wins no matter how big or how small they are?

Chib Nwokonkor: 53:36

I do. I do. And I, I think it's very important because if we're not celebrating our wins then, um, eventually your parents get to a point where you start to lose motivation. Yeah. I think it's important. For example, when, um, when a child does well at school or, you know, achieve something, no matter how small, um, it's important that they receive that positive reinforcement from their So, as we're growing older, as we're doing what we're doing in our lives as adults, as functional, um, you know, human beings, um, I think it's important that we do actually allow ourselves to, um, appreciate, um, a job well done. Um, for example, here, you know, I've, uh, you can probably see the guitar in the background over there. Um, I, uh, I, I, I do enjoy music, um, listening to and playing music, for example. Um, I like to, if I'm not working, I'm not working, as in, I'm not thinking about work at the back of my mind if I want to do something else, if I want to immerse myself in something separate from work. The best way for me to do that is to know that I've done what I set out to do in work, and then I can then compartmentalise that and focus on something else, whether that's my church, my family, um, music. Um, friendships, um, exploring, hobbies, passions, anything of that nature really. And so, every day, just as important as continuing learning, is um, continued, um, continued positivity, really. For the individual, yes, for ourselves, but also for the people around us, and by encouraging people, and by supporting people, and by recognising when, you know, they've done something or they've overcome, um, a difficult hurdle, uh, an obstacle of some sort. Um, even if that's, I don't, I don't drink or I don't smoke, um, that's just me, really. Um, but I think that it's important that people allow themselves to do something that they enjoy. So, yes, although I'm, you know, very interested in fitness, um, I do enjoy a chocolate bar, um, on occasion. Um, I do like fizzy drinks, and I know that they're not ideal, but on occasion I allow myself to, um, it's not a habit, of course. Um, but no matter how small. It's still important to reward oneself, you know, as the business has grown, I've, um, I've allowed myself to reward myself on, um, you know, very cheap, significant milestones, um, but I now recognize that we're moving into a point where those milestones are so significant, um, that I don't, I don't need to reward myself for those, um, I would, my inclination now to reward the people around me. to encourage the people around me, and to support them to do more, to do better, to explore their own ideas, their own motivations, their own dreams, really, and um, there is a massive reward therein, and if everyone were able to experience that kind of, that kind of um, that joy, I think things would be really different, but the only way that they can experience that joy is by realizing their own potential,

Savia Rocks: 57:09

and moving

Chib Nwokonkor: 57:10

towards that. And not being, um, not being obstructed in attempting to attain that goal, instead being assisted, instead being encouraged, um, instead being inspired, really, and, and all of this is part of it. All of this is very, very important because, you know, without that kind of positive inspiration, positive motivation, why would we do anything? There has to be something in it for us. It's not selfish to have that understanding. It's simply a recognition of what it is to be a human being. Even if it's simply to get a nod or a thank you, it's absolutely worthwhile. You have to know what it is that you're heading for. So, yeah.

Savia Rocks: 58:00

I'm glad that you said it. You're the first person to say that actually, you do celebrate your wins. So, I hope that gives people an incentive to celebrate their wins more often because like you say, without it, you don't inspire yourself or lift yourself up and your team because it's not just about you, it's the people that you have around you that fundamentally play a huge, magnificent part in the role of creating something that is world changing, as they say, in the world. So, I only have two more for you, but my second to last question for you is What would you like your legacy to be in this world?

Chib Nwokonkor: 58:45

You really don't Us more questions, do you?

Savia Rocks: 58:47

No. I

Chib Nwokonkor: 58:56

think there's a lot of weight to the word legacy, um, but I think knowing that I've inspired someone to dig a little deeper, to push a little harder, to try, um, I think that's. that's a much more significant legacy than any monument or building or bridge even. Yes, I give to charity. Yes, I'm involved in a philanthropic activity that I'll continue to be so inclined. Um, but one of the things that I've, I've really enjoyed in business, even though I didn't think it would be, um, it didn't, I didn't think there would be something which would come up um, so positive. So, so frequently, if at all in business. It's mentoring, and over the years I've mentored, yes, I've mentored executives, I've mentored people. Um, you know, um, peers, but I've, I've actually actively participated in mentoring in schools and having discussions with, um, with young people and finding out how they think, how they feel about things and what motivates them, what inspires them and giving them the understanding that, um, the world is much more expansive than what you see on the screen of your mobile phone. Yes. Yes. That, you know, we're not limited to aspiring, um, to celebrity status, for example, um, the latest fashion trends or anything of that nature. Um, that there is relevance in being introspective, in finding out what matters to the individual, and then allowing that to flourish and blossom to the world. And if more people are inspired to do that through Seeing what we as a company can achieve and how much, um, then that will be a fantastic legacy. Um, of course, I want my family and my children to, um, to push themselves and to learn what they're capable of doing and what really interests them. I don't expect them to walk in, um, my footsteps. Um, I expect them to soar. I expect them to spread their wings and to find their airstream. That is relevant, that resonates with them, um, and that would be the ultimate legacy. If more people are inspired to exploring capabilities in engineering, in science, in art, in music, um, in, in, in, in any sphere at all, um, simply by hearing me speak, or recognizing that this small company which was started in a, in a broom cupboard in London. Because now I've got global reach. Um, I think that that's relevant. I think that that's a legacy. And I think that that is going to be what I would really like to achieve. I want to know that people have been able to do more than they thought they were capable of doing. Um, simply because they heard voices like mine.

Savia Rocks: 1:02:24

I think because you've already said it, you've already manifested it. Thank

Chib Nwokonkor: 1:02:28

you.

Savia Rocks: 1:02:30

That's literally it. My final question, please. I would love For everyone to be able to contact you or find your company or just find out more information of what you do and how you do with your team, please let us know where we can find you.

Chib Nwokonkor: 1:02:46

Yeah. Um, the company name is Zanshiri and go on social media, we have a website, you can Google us Zanshiri, you can Google me, you can learn more about the area and, um, yeah, I'm always happy to hear from people and organizations who want to, um, join me on this journey. Thanks.

Savia Rocks: 1:03:06

Thanks. This is where I say to you, Chip, thank you so much for taking your time to come on the Us People show to show your vulnerability, your calmness, tell us about your company, your team, but most of all, just authentically be yourself. Thank you so much.

Chib Nwokonkor: 1:03:23

Thank you, Sylvia.

Savia Rocks: 1:03:24

You're welcome, guys. I want to thank you so much for listening and watching The Us People Show, and please remember you can subscribe and leave us a review on any channel that you choose. Also, please connect with us every Thursday on Apple TV, Fire TV, Freeview, channel 271. YouTube, LCBM tv. You can also listen to us every Wednesday on the Heart. Songs live at 9:00 PM 11 time or UK time. You can also head US People podcast, which is prerecorded every Tuesday for you guys to listen to. You can check us out also on the US People Podcast website. Guys, this is where I say to you. Thank you so much for listening. Stay happy. Stay positive and as always, please continue to be kind to one another. That is TK.

Chib Nwokonkor: 1:04:44

Moving to the point where I am today is, as you said, it's been a massive risk of my, I've had a lot of losses. I've lost, um, I've lost a home. Um, I've lost, you know, my finances. Things have been very bleak at times. And, um, my first marriage fell apart and I ended the divorce. Um, Simply because things got so difficult in launching the business and trying to get it off the ground. Um, but I'm happy that I did it now. Because it's, it's, it's worth it. It's proven to be worthwhile.

Savia Rocks: 1:05:39

Let a spread your wings and let you, we the. So of courage, you, you.