Lessons Conversation

Today is my home country Malawi ’s 62nd Independence Day . I desperately wish to say, “ Happy Independence Day, Malawi ,” but each Independence Day, I find myself carrying the weight of history, reflecting on how far we have come, where we are today, and where we go from here. I think about the histories that brought us to this very moment. I think about a country that has no history of war: a cou...

This past week, I was delighted to join Dr. Vera Kamtukule - former Minister of Tourism in Malawi , as a guest on her new podcast: The Leadership Lab with Dr VK . We got into conversation about entrepreneurship, about innovation, and about whether Africa is truthfully prepared and ready to partake in the fourth industrial revolution. This is part 1 of a 3-part conversation. Have a listen, and plea...

We find ourselves at a uniquely consequential moment in human history. According to the ITU, roughly 6 billion people are connected to the internet, compared to fewer than 400 million at the turn of the millennium. Three-quarters of humanity now participates in a shared digital environment where information can move across borders almost instantly. However, more than 2 billion people remain offlin...

I am reading John Cassidy ’s Capitalism and Its Critics . The book is giving me a historical bridge between economic theory and the world that produced it. It has somehow succeeded at taking me back to being a student of economics, and connecting theory, yet again, to practise. The historical narrative primarily begins around 1770 , marking the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. It moves through m...

Growing up in Malawi, the phrase “ Made in China ” suggested something cheap, something temporary, something that might break sooner than expected. If a product was Made in China, it was often viewed as an inferior alternative to goods from Europe, America, or Japan. The label became a shorthand for low quality. Looking back, that perception is remarkable. Today, China is one of the most important...

I had reached out to Justin Onwenu to ask how I could support his campaign, as he runs for State Senate. He was amenable, and invited me to join a canvass over the weekend. The team was meeting at Memorial Park in the City of Ecorse, part of Michigan State Senate District 1. I had shared that I do not drive in Detroit, and when I spoke with his campaign manager, Cal, he was more than happy to pick...

After a month of living in the city, I attended a Detroit Economic Growth Corporation event where the City of Detroit was awards 13 businesses with grants amounting to $300,000. The room was filled with founders, policymakers, and ecosystem builders gathered around a shared objective: increasing the probability that companies are built and sustained here. I really like how the City of Detroit is a...

Episode 2: Lessons Daily This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.lessonsconversation.com

Episode 1: Run the Numbers | Lessons Daily This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit podcast.lessonsconversation.com