On Showing Up, Going Deeper...

..And a story about doing more (and what it built)

Oct 20, 2025

👋 Hey, it’s Wamide! Welcome to issue #75 of OnGrowth&, a newsletter on personal development and career growth for 9-to-5ers, career switchers, emerging leaders, and early-stage creators.

Four years on Substack.
Three years of consistent writing.
75 newsletters sent.
10,255 subscribers.

Showing up here has been one of my greatest sources of confidence, joy, and flex.

I started writing because I wanted to be a better writer.

Now, my thoughts are sharper.

My voice is clearer.

My conviction - stronger than ever.

But this wasn’t my first lesson in showing up.

Back in 2018…

I started a community to help African women stay and thrive in STEM.
The first volunteers were my friends, then people I’d never met joined.

I had big dreams - but things weren’t moving as I wanted. I kept expecting others to figure it out with me. But I felt like I was going round in circles.

Then in 2021, I caught up with my friend Mariam - a lawyer who had built an education consulting company helping Africans get scholarships and grad school offers.

As she talked about all the things she was doing to grow and manage her team, I had a moment of truth:
I just wasn’t doing enough.

After that call, I decided to change things.

I messaged my friend and co-founder, Temi and resolved to do better.

I stepped up.
Showed up differently.
Took ownership.
Built systems.

And it paid off.

Three years later, we’ve:

Mentored and trained almost 100 early-career STEM women,
Helped several land better-paying jobs, and
Connected over 3,000 community members with resources and guidance to grow their careers.

In 2024, we even organized a summit and raised over $7,000 in just three months.

That lesson on doing more stuck with me.

Friends like Mariam are bridges.

They challenge you.
Inspire you.
Remind you of what’s possible when you go all in.

But sometimes, those connections don’t have to come from your inner circle -
they can come from new spaces, conversations, and communities where people are building boldly.

That’s why I love events like Coachli’s Creator Summit.

They’re a reminder that we grow faster when we learn from others walking the same road.

If you’re an early-stage creator looking for ways to grow and stretch, join me this week at Coachli’s Creator Summit 2025 alongside 11 incredible speakers.

It’s a 6-day virtual event designed for ambitious creators who want to:
→ Elevate their craft
→ Build intentional communities
→ Monetize strategically
→ Scale sustainably

It’s completely FREE.

🎤And I’m speaking too

My session’s on: Building an email list and community you can monetize beyond social media.

📅 When: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | 6 PM WAT
📍 Where: Coachli
🔗 Register here: https://www.coachli.co/teamcoachli

Come through. Show up. Do more.

Because you can go deeper - and the people you meet along the way just might change everything.

Two more ways you can grow.

1:1 Career Coaching – Ready to transition but not sure where to start? Book a career transition coaching session and get the clarity, strategy, and confidence you need to make your next move - without the confusion. Let’s talk.
Personal SWOT Workbook – Not ready for coaching? Start here. Use this self-paced workbook (trusted by 300+ professionals) to assess your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats - so you can make smarter moves and stop guessing your next step. Download the workbook.

Till next week,
Keep growing 💜

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