Boss Of The Week
Allen Onyema: Africa’s Hero Changing Aviation Landscape
By Eric Elezuo
The adage, the sky is your limit, doesn’t seem to sit well with a personality like the big man at Peace Air, Mr Allen Onyema as he continually seeks ways to better the Nigerian airspace and champion revolutionary measures in African aviation enterprise.
A lawyer turned accomplished entrepreneur, Onyema is the epitome of dedication, determination, focus and passionale zeal to make the continent an aviation guru among high flyers in the industry.
Today, despite inconsistent government policies coupled with bureaucratic bottlenecks hindering the smooth operations of indigenous airlines, Air Peace, arguably West Africa’s biggest carrier, recently recorded another breakthrough. This time, the ever improving carrier made a remarkable entry into the European air space after securing Foreign Carrier Operator Permit, FCOP, to fly to London.
The permit allows airlines from other regions to fly to Europe and Third Country Operator Permit (TCO-UK) that enables airlines to operate to UK. In other words, Peace Air will now operate direct flights with its luxury wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft to these destinations.
“We obtained these permits that qualify us to fly to UK. Before you obtain these approvals, they will audit you very well. You have to go through stringent audit, which we passed. We obtained the permit last week,” the entrepreneur enthused.
Consequently, when you talk about a man, who has an unwavering interest in his country, and continent; a man fit enough to wear the toga of the prestigious award of Nigeria’s National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM), you are without equivocation making reference to the Chairman/CEO of Air Peace, Barrister Allen Onyema.
It is therefore not a surprise that his diligence, high performance, high productivity and research achievements; ability to encourage and foster the spirit of healthy competition amongst workers, firms and companies in Nigeria, propelled him to the enviable height he is standing on today, and paved his way to receiving prestigious awards and achieving more and more firsts.
When you are many things wrapped up in one bundle, it is difficult, almost impossible for the world not to give you attention. This situation encapsulates one man, completely different from the rest in the global professionalism, entrepreneurship and philanthropy. From the solitary law profession to becoming an aviation wizkid to the reputable philanthropist known across the globe, Allen Ifechukwu Onyemaraeme, simply referred to Allen Onyema has come a long in his 59 years of worthy sojourn on planet earth. Here is a man who found the proverbial green pastures out of a dint of hard work from where he was, breaking barriers and creating new horizons. He is the indefatigable founder of one of world’s best privately owned airline, Air Peace.
Air Peace, without mincing words, has grown to become the largest indigenous airline in the whole of West and Central Africa with competitive fares on both passenger and charter services. It is worthy to note that licence for the operations was delayed for two whole years. Onyema, unarguably has the Midas touch by every standard.
A native of Mbosi in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state, Allen Onyema, was born to Michael and Helen Onyema in Benin City in the then Midwest region, in present day Edo State, on March 28, 1964 as the first of nine children of his parents.
He obtained his Higher School Certificate at the age of 20 in 1984, at Government College, Ughelli, having had stints with various institutions of learning including including St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Azia and Urhobo College, Effurun.
In the same 1984, Allen Onyema was admitted into the University of Ibadan to study Law. He practically allowed the school to pass through him as well as he combined academic works with social activism to engender national peace. In 1987 however, he graduated and was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989.
While others were making their ways out of the country in search of better life, Onyema moved to Lagos with a strong determination to find his own greener pastures there, and if he couldn’t find it, will create his own greener pastures there, for others to subsequently find.
Like the biblical person, who has respect and is faithful with little beginnings, Onyema began life as a squatter in Oshodi, a suburb of Lagos notorious for squalor attributes. He explained in one of the many interviews he had granted that he used ‘trek from Marina to Iddo to join the overcrowded trains back from his daily trips to Lagos Island in search of a chamber to practice his law profession’.
In 1990, out of sheer zeal and focus, he secured a place with Nwizugbo & Co. Chambers. It was not long, before he stamped his feet in the scheme of things, having won a case that had been labelled ‘a bad case’. From that point, there was no stopping the young lawyer, as he continued to establish his authority in the field. His rise was astronomical, and 1992, he had become the Head of Chambers. He also performed two actions in the same year that changed the course of his profession.
As a man who has his hands in many pies, he resigned his job at the chamber to concentrate on his real estate business, and at the same time floated his own law chamber, Onyema and Co. This real estate business was more lucrative as he reasoned, and justifiably so by every standard. The deals sharpened his entrepreneurial skills, and it was not long for him to choose between an arbitrator and an entrepreneur. It is worthy of note that deciding was very easy as he told Late Ubong King in an interview, and reported by Nairametrics:
“When I was squatting in Oshodi, I had these garage boys that were my friends and one happened to belong to a family that had this large expanse of land in Alagbado. He took me there, showed me their properties and I helped them to bring some buyers. A week later, after I got the employment, the entire family sent for me, and gave me about 400 plots of land in Alagbado to sell on their behalf at N5000 per plot.”
Though he was not promised a commission, he was given the privilege of a mark up, and so for someone on a monthly salary of N500, every plot of land sold at 100 per cent markup fetched him his 10-months’ salary. He didn’t need any ghost to tell him where his riches lie. He was not just selling to others, he was buying for himself as well.
With the fast rise of the real estate business, he consequently established Allen Onyema & Company to handle his real estate concerns. He confessed that “I was making a lot of money, but I was also working really hard.”
He didn’t stop at that, the wave of business acumen was flowing around, and he took advantage and also established floated Continental Business Links Limited, an import trade outfit to play the middleman role between traders in Nigeria who wished to import goods, and foreign manufacturers looking to get their goods into the Nigerian market.
He followed it up with the establishment of started Every Tide limited, an imports and trade business that imported electronics and sold in wholesale containers to traders.
In 2013, Onyema took the boldest step of his entrepreneurial calling. That was when he started the ambitious Air Peace, with the sole intent of creating jobs as against making profits. He had said in many fora that a friend told him that one commercial Boeing 737 could give jobs to a thousand persons and he decided that commercial aviation was a much profitable venture than leaving his money to seat idle in the banks. Consequently, he purchased the first three Domier jets. He realised rather too late that they could only be used for charters and even though they could fetch him a lot of money, only a few staff were needed. That wasn’t his original magnanimous intention. He wanted to give employment to a large number of citizens, not to make profit. Then he acquired seven Boeing 737 planes for commercial aviation. It was epochal as that was the time ever that a Nigerian airline would be starting with more than 2 airplanes.
Besides being a sound entrepreneurial giant, Onyema comes also as socially sound as the best. While in UI, his appetite for peace made him lead a group of nine other students to Zaria to quell a raging religious and ethnic riot that claimed lives. This singular act and the reception that followed his enthusiasm grew and led to the formation of a group known then as Eminent Friends’ Group – a group formed with the objectives of promoting ethnic harmony amongst Nigeria’s diverse ethnic nationalities and fighting the incidence of violence of all forms
When he left the university in 1987, he ensured that the group was replicated in all the states of the federation. In 2005, he initiated, organised and held the “1st Nigeria forever project” aimed at promoting broad nationalism as against ethnic nationalism.
The flourishing entrepreneur is not new to awards as they follow him like an avalanche. In April 2007, he became the second African ever to be appointed to the Executive Board of The Global Non-violence Conference Series Inc. USA, alongside notable world leaders like Hon. Dr. Andrew Young and Suarez Ramos. As a member of this board, he won for Nigeria, the hosting rights for Global Conference on Nonviolence and Peace in Abuja from December 3-5, 2007. His contribution to the socio-economic development has just began. He is also the chairman of the Foundation For Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria, (FEHN).
As a budding socialite and successful business, he has not completely escaped the unfounded criticisms of naysayers and fifth columnists. He and Air Peace have also come under senseless attacks in spite of the excellent services being rendered to the flying public. It is on record that the airline operates some of the heathiest, mostly brand new supersonic planes that have combined to earn the brand the Number One Position in the West and Central Africa Regions, barely seven years of its operation. He however, haas made it known that his primary objective is to continue to dish out the best of services to the flying public, create jobs for the teeming Nigerian youths, and not to answer to every unsubstantiated accusation by those who do not have the interest of the country at heart.
It is against this backdrop that the Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, in a message through his media aide, Joe Anatune, described Onyema as an exceptional businessman and a rare philanthropist who has made giant strides in the Nigerian Aviation industry through dint of hardwork and uncompromising business ethos.
It is worthy of note that a few years after the Air Peace became operational, the airline has thousands of people on its employment across the world, a greater majority of them are young Nigerian men and women who are pilots, engineers, technicians, lawyers, journalists, medical doctors, air hostess and cleaners, among many other professionals. The group launched its first international routes in 2017 to Accra in Ghana and commenced flights to Sharjah United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2019.
As one of the wonders of the world, the brand by 2018, had the largest market share in the domestic airline market in Nigeria, took delivery of jumbo jets- Boeing 777 planes and still counting. The long strides of the airline to date is nothing but mind-blowing. In addition to all the supersonic aircraft already acquired, Onyema has the intention of taking delivery of another set of 12 brand new Embraer 195 C2 making it 17, with the aim of acquiring a total of 30 of the supersonic planes to fly passengers across the world before the end of 2022. He is such an enigma, a well crafted legacy to mankind. He will be remembered for playing significant roles in the realization of the Anambra Airport.
In 2022, the company received its fourth International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification, which signifies that the carrier was successful in the globally recognised and rigorous safety audit.
“Air Peace is unwaveringly committed to observing the highest standards of safety in its operations and the consecutive success in the IOSA audits is a testament to this commitment. For us, safety comes first for both our passengers and staff. We cannot compromise on this,” the organisation maintained.
Apart from providing jobs for thousands of people in Nigeria and others from across the world, especially countries where it operates, Onyema and Air Peace management is neck deep into philanthropy as well as intervening for Nigeria, in times of emergency among other needs.
In 2019, during the outbreak of xenophobia in South Africa, Air Peace took up the challenge to evacuate Nigerians at no cost.
In September 2021, Allen Onyema challenged the Super Eagles to beat Cape Verde and get N20 million as well as flew the team to Mindelo where the game took place. The team won the game, and Onyema handed over N20 million largesse.
Most recently, Air Peace was one of the three Airlines that the Federal Government engaged recently to bring Nigerians who were stranded in Ukraine due to the raging war between that country and Russia back home, a task that was successfully executed.
Onyema’s economic benefits to the Nigerian nation are larger than one can imagine. He is into scholarship to as as many that that comes across him, and has written his name in gold as one of Nigerian’s most influential businessman, whose selfless interest stands out among the rest.
A distinguished family man, Onyema has been married to his heartthrob, Alice Ojochide Onyema, since 1993, and both are blessed with wonderful children.
We congratulate you on this fresh landmark achievement, knowing it is a stepping stone to more notable barrier breaking impacts.
By Eric Elezuo
If professionalism were a person, we would call him Ibrahim Babatunde Jose. If humility were a person, we would call him Ibrahim Babatunde Jose. If clarity and eye-to-details were a person, we would call him Ibrahim Babatunde Jose.
Here is a man, who has combined nature, God’s gift and outright hardwork to reproduce another form of humanity rooted in love, kindness and care for fellow man. And on Christmas, this epitome of goodness clocked 76; a landmark age that still permits him to be himself. He is a typical chip of the old block.
Born as the eldest son of late Alhaji Babatunde Jose OFR, famously and synonymously connected to the early days of the prestigious Daily Times Newspaper, on December 25, 1949, Mr Jose is a well read professional, academic and community leader.
Having obtained B.Sc degree in Political Science from the University of Ibadan in 1973, Mr. Jose shortly proceeded to the Graduate School, University of Manchester for a follow up Masters degree in Political Science, earning an M.A. (Econ) in 1974.
With the insatiable thirst to acquire more academic laurels, in the same 1974, Jose left for the Columbia University, New York, United States for a Fellowship for Minority Journalists.
He later enrolled for a PhD programme at the Center for West African Studies, University of Birmingham, and was done by the end of 1975, when he returned to Nigeria, with a solid decision to serve his fatherland beginning with the newly introduced National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. The scheme was two years at the time. He was posted to Port Harcourt, Rivers State for the compulsory one year service. His period of internship as a corper, working as a staff writer with the Nigerian Tide, existed between January 1976 and 1977.
At the end of the service year, Jose returned to Lagos to pick up his first career employment with the Daily Times as a Staff Writer on Times International.
Following his sweatless delivery of deadline, flawless write up, focus and commitment to team work, Jose was not only promoted to a rank of a Feature Editor, but elevated to the membership of the Editorial Board of the Daily Times.
With consistency and delivery signposting all his assignments, he got more promotions, first to Investigation Editor status, and later as Editor Times International.
In the line of duty, Jose had his hands in other pies, having had a stint as a part time lecturer in Government at the Faculty of Social Science of the University of Lagos, before joining the family printing press, Irede Printers in 1979, becoming a printer and publisher.
Jose held the printing profession close to heart, retiring from the press in 1995, and taking up a publisher’s job with the publication of the now rested Business journal: Lagos Business Review.
Married and blessed with beautiful children, Jose is today fully a retired writer and author of two quasi religious books: Reflections on Juma’at Greetings 1 and 2, and a compendium of weekly Friday Sermons; a dotting grandfather and adoring community leader.
From all of us at The Boss Newspaper, where Jose has been a consistent contributor of the Friday Sermon series for about 10 years, congratulations on your 76th birthday sir, and for being our Boss of the Week!
By Eric Elezuo
From whichever angle one views it, Bella, the beloved daughter of billionaire businessman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., is an enigma, a point of reference and research material for acumen, industriousness and resilience. She is the typical of the never-say-never spirit of the Nigerian women. Yes, she has taken hers a niche higher, infact beyond the reach of competitors.
Nigerian women have shown resilience, strength and character in administration, government and entrepreneurship, contributing more than their quota, and giving vent to the growth and development of the nation’s socio-economic sector. Among them is the impactful Executive Vice Chairman of the A-list communications outfit, the Globacom Group, Mrs. Bella Disu.
A strong purpose-driven professional and boardroom guru, whose administrative skills, intellect, experience and academic trajectory have remained a subject of reference, Bella, as she is fondly called, is a woman, who though has a privileged background, carved a niche for herself, climbing through ladders and cadres to get to where she presently is, and more importantly, can boast of the desired leverage and ability to defend her position.
Born Belinda Ajoke Adenuga, on May 29, 1986 to the duo of Emelia Adefolake Marquis, a Nigerian entrepreneur, and the global phenomenon, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., Bella received her early education in Lagos, at the prestigious Corona School in Victoria Island before enrolling at Queen’s College for her secondary education. In 1998, she transferred to Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, where she concluded her secondary education.
She proceeded to the University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations, and later, a Master of Science degree in Leadership from the Northeastern University, also in Boston.
In January, 2021, Abumet Nigeria Limited announced her appointment as Chairman of its Board of Directors. Abumet Nigeria Limited maintains worldwide partnerships with reputable manufactures and maintains a state-of-the-art production facility, located in FCT Abuja, fully equipped with cutting-edge machinery and technology.
Abumet is a subsidiary of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, and a leading solutions provider for the planning, processing and installation of aluminium and glass products, from single standard windows to sophisticated facades and large-scale design masterpieces. She replaced Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, upon his resignation from the board. Bella is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Management of Nigeria (MNIM) and the Institute of Directors of Nigeria (MIOD).
In addition to her French National Honour of Chevalier dans l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres (“CAL”), and currently the Executive Vice- Chairman of Globacom Limited, she is also the Chief Executive Officer of Cobblestone Properties & Estates Limited, and a Director on the Board of Mike Adenuga Centre.
In less than four years of her leadership, Abumet’s profits, according to Billionaire Africa, surged to 307% in 2024, marking a major turnaround from losses in 2021.
The paper reported of her exploits as follows: “As a Non-Executive Director, she helped boost Julius Berger’s revenue to N566.2 billion, pushing it into Nigeria’s top 50 listed firms.
“At Abumet, Disu is driving innovation in façade technology, deploying unitized curtain walls for improved insulation and energy efficiency in Nigeria’s construction sector.
“Nigerian business executive Bella Disu has led Abumet Nigeria Limited, an innovative glass and aluminum manufacturing company, to record-breaking earnings, with profits quadrupling at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Her leadership has not only steered the company back to profitability but has also reinforced the business acumen that runs deep in the Adenuga family.
“In a LinkedIn post, Disu, who has served as chairman of Abumet since 2021, shared the company’s turnaround: “Abumet is reaching new heights, and I’m excited to share our latest achievements. I am especially proud of the remarkable turnaround we’ve achieved—transforming from a loss in 2021 to delivering a 307 percent increase in profit in 2024.
“At just 38, Disu has earned her place among Africa’s top executives under 40, proving her ability to drive business success while steadily stepping into the legacy of her father, billionaire Mike Adenuga, who ranks among the continent’s wealthiest individuals with a fortune of $6.8 billion. She took over as chairman of Abumet’s Board of Directors in January 2021, succeeding Bamanga Tukur at a time when the company was struggling with steep losses.
“Since then, Disu has orchestrated one of the most impressive corporate recoveries in Nigeria’s manufacturing sector. Under her leadership, Abumet returned to profitability by the end of the 2022 fiscal year, bouncing back from the impact of COVID-19 and the financial challenges of 2021. The company sustained its profit in 2023 before posting a fourfold increase in 2024.
“Reflecting on this achievement, Disu credited the success to strong leadership and teamwork: “This success is the result of strategic leadership at the Board level, the dedication of our management team, and the collective effort of every Abumet employee.”
“Bella Disu expands Abumet’s market reach
As a 90-percent subsidiary of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Abumet plays a key role in the construction giant’s success. Bella Disu, who also serves as a Non-Executive Director at Julius Berger, has played a ‘much more’ active role in driving growth in the building solutions sector. By the end of the 2024 fiscal year, Julius Berger’s revenue rose from N446.1 billion ($296.4 million) in 2023 to N566.2 billion ($376.2 million) in 2024.
“Profit after tax also increased from N12.74 billion ($8.5 million) to N14.97 billion ($10 million), boosting the company’s market capitalization on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) to N202.1 billion ($134.3 million). This has placed Julius Berger among Nigeria’s top 50 publicly listed firms, ranking 35th on the NGX.
“Under Disu’s leadership, Abumet has strengthened its market position by expanding its sales and marketing efforts. The launch of its Lagos sales office has helped grow its market share for made-in-Nigeria window and door solutions, while its EVONIGGLASS insulated glass brand has gained wider recognition. Despite market challenges, the company has posted record-high revenue and profits, exceeding expectations.
Abumet deploys energy-efficient curtain walls
Looking ahead, Disu is focused on pushing innovation in advanced façade solutions, leading Abumet’s efforts in glass and aluminum manufacturing.
“Abumet is deploying unitized curtain walls that will completely envelop the façade, ensuring not just aesthetic excellence but also enhanced energy efficiency through modern insulation technologies,” she said.
With a strong record of turning businesses around and driving growth, Disu is cementing her leadership in Nigeria’s business world. Her influence now extends beyond construction, telecommunications, and real estate into the country’s broader manufacturing sector, where she continues to make a lasting impact.”
Bella’s trajectory in the world of enterprise is a clear case of the demystification of the proverbial a tree cannot make a forest’, as she has conscientiously turned tables around wherever she found herself, bring in new ideas, new innovations and structural discipline that completely overhauls a system for all the positive outcomes.
Hers, is a case of continuous rise in the business world, and the home front. She is a better definition of a virtuous woman, and at less than 40 in age, the sky holds no barrier to how much more Belinda Ajoke Olubunmi Disu nee Adenuga could achieve in the coming months.
In November 2025, at a Techx Ikoyi event, Bella made a strong case for positivism, using herself as a veritable content and well researched material. Her speech titled, Say Yes Now! Why Readiness is a Myth, is still much talked about as presented in full below:
I was 38 when I finally met my whole self. Bella Disu — the change maker, the creative, the lifelong learner, the woman unafraid to keep evolving.
It’s interesting though, I didn’t meet her in a moment of perfect readiness. I met her after I got tired of constantly walking within the same walls. Today, I’d like to share the story of how I stopped waiting, what it taught me about why we hesitate, and what happens when we finally say yes. 
A while ago, I decided to try something new. Not in business, but in my years-long fitness journey. At one point, I weighed 110 kilos. At another, 64. By my mid-30s, I had found a rhythm: 160 grams of protein a day, strength training four times a week, 10,000 steps daily. Slight work, right? I had three walking pads — one in my bedroom, one in my study, one in the office. Don’t ask. I’ve never been one for small measures.
But it worked. Of course it did. Until one day, I realized this is my life — walking in place and staring at the same walls. So, I thought maybe it’s time to move differently. Maybe I should learn tennis.
Yet, as soon as the thought came into my mind, I hesitated. I asked myself, “Should I do it? Should I wait? Wasn’t it too technical, too hard, too late?” After all, who starts tennis at 38?
Despite not feeling quite ready, I found a coach, showed up on the court, and soon I was playing tennis three, sometimes four times a week. And then, to my horror, I discovered that tennis doesn’t even give you that many steps. All those side-to-side moves don’t count. But by then, it wasn’t about steps anymore. I was hooked. And now I am often amazed at the physical and mental growth that has since happened all because of one small decision. I’d asked myself, “Should I do it? Should I wait?” And something in me answered, “Say yes now.”
But I’ve thought about why I hesitated in the first place. And it’s that for years I thought I had to wait for the right moment, for more qualifications, for a different version of myself. Psychologists call it destination addiction — the belief that happiness lives at the next milestone. So, a certain weight, title, or degree.
And I know I’m not alone. How many of you have asked yourselves: “Should I do it? Should I wait? What if I fail?” We all know that familiar voice that whispers, “Not yet.” So, if the antidote is that simple — say yes now — why don’t we all do it?
We don’t because hesitation is a conundrum. It wears the mask of readiness. And I used to mistake readiness for a finish line. Then in 2014, I met a coach I had invited to facilitate an HR session. And after the session, he said, “So tell me about Bella.”
I froze. I really did. I could talk about my work, my father’s mentorship, even my wedding — which is probably my biggest claim to fame at the time. But about me, I… I really didn’t have much to say. So, I was thankful when he offered me a complimentary session and said, “Let’s talk to Bella from 10 years ago. What would you tell her? And 10 years ahead — who is she?”
To be honest, that future Bella was hazy. But his questions drew out interests and passions I once buried. So he then said, “What’s stopping you from going after them? You can be many things at once.”
So I said a mental yes to his words — and it opened doors to pursuing diverse interests: a first master’s, later an MBA, writing and publishing my first children’s book, impacting lives through the Bella Disu Foundation, and gaining the courage to walk into rooms that once intimidated me.
You see, each step reinforced something critical: readiness is not a destination — it’s a posture. And we become ready by doing.
Today, I’m no longer a woman hesitating in life or business. And that transformation has seeped into organizations I lead. I’ve led through discomfort many times. I’ve restructured a board and redesigned corporate strategies. And I’ve dealt with the late nights, the doubts, and that familiar restlessness that keeps leaders awake thinking, “We have to make this change.”
Yet conviction, grounded in facts, gives me a sense of urgency. And that to me is leadership — seeing what could be and moving towards it. Viewing urgency as a journey toward clarity and not chaos.
And this is particularly important because organizations wrestle with hesitation just like individuals do. Some companies choose to wait for perfect timing — and lose their moment. Others say yes now — and change industries.
I’m sure you all are familiar with these three companies that sat at the same intersection in the 1990s. Remember Kodak?
Kodak saw digital images coming and froze. Blockbuster saw Netflix and laughed. Why? Organizational loss aversion. The fear of letting go of a successful past to pursue an uncertain future.
In contrast, Apple saw the same digital future and accelerated it. The difference? Two companies chose to protect their past and failed. One chose to create its future and thrived.
And that story isn’t foreign. It’s happened right here at home, too. Just think of how we went from seeing the glory days of a popular quick-service restaurant that defined our childhoods to the success and triumph of newer ones like Chicken Republic and Kilimanjaro.
We’ve also seen the rise and agility of fintechs pushing banks to challenge their long-held ways of doing business — and in doing so, unlocking entirely new markets and customer segments.
The companies that say yes now prove that courage and speed matter more than size and comfort. Therefore, the companies that thrive, the leaders who excel, the people who grow — they all share one thing: they’ve come to recognize the mask of hesitation and take it off.
When hesitation says “not yet,” they know that doing creates readiness. And when comfort offers its gentle cage, they choose the discomfort that leads to growth.
Indeed, when I look back at every important shift in my life, it began with a small yes — often inconvenient, sometimes uncomfortable, occasionally irrational.
Saying yes to tennis at 38. Saying yes to learning again. Saying yes to growth when it would have been easier to just stay still.
But here’s what I didn’t expect: saying yes never ends with you. My teams learn to challenge comfort because I did. The women I mentor raise their hands because they saw me raise mine. And my daughter Paris picked up a racket because I picked up courage.
Every yes we give ourselves becomes a light that tells someone else it is safe to begin.
So, right now in this room, someone is sitting on an idea — starting a new business, changing roles, writing that first page, booking that class. Maybe you’re waiting for perfect timing, asking yourself, “Should I do it? Should I wait?”
You already have your answer. The traffic light — it’s already green. So move. Say yes. But most of all… say yes now.
Thank you.
Bella is sure a force to reckon with; in all ramifications!
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