FEATURED FUTURE: YVONNE OGWULU
I remember seeing “Tech Girl Magic” on a laptop screen with no one sitting on the desk. It triggered a lot of questions in my head. Not only is Yvonne a tech sis, but she also found a way to do something unique with her brand name. It's Black Girl Magic but make it Tech! I had a conversation with this fantastic tech sis on her creative journey, how she stays creative, books that inspire her & a lot more.
WNG: Let's get to know you
YVONNE: Hi! My name is Yvonne Nkechi Ogwulu. Beautiful second-born daughter to two wonderful parents and sibling to 3 amazing humans. I’m in my early twenties and passionate about a couple of things of which includes UI/UX design, tech, problem-solving, writing, women empowerment and more female-inclusivity in tech, humanitarian service and family.
Finally, I’m a Christian who is in a love relationship with God and living each day intentionally with a consciousness of who I am in Christ. I’m also quite ambitious and big on achievements.
WNG: With all the things you've mentioned, I'm super excited about this conversation. How did you discover your niche?
YVONNE: Hmm. Discovering one’s niche is like a journey because somehow I believe it doesn’t end, most especially for people who happen to be quite multitalented. But I’ll say I first discovered my niche in design & technology in my final year while studying electronic engineering in the university when a passion I had as a child was reignited again by a tech conversation. That was where the journey started. However, as a child I always loved to do a lot of stuff with my home computer and I found it really intriguing.
Going forward, it was quite a bit of a struggle discovering where I fit in within the Tech industry but with time, practice and observation, I believe I can say I’m at a place where I now know where I belong.
WNG: Interesting! How has your creative journey been so far?
YVONNE: My creative journey is one that has birthed a lot of growth in me. From when I was kid who passionately wrote about over twenty novels and painted a couple of artworks, to deciding to launch my blog in 2018 and transitioning into Design and Technology, it’s been a whole journey called Growth. I won’t say they’ve always been good times. There have been days as a creative where I just get so tired because sometimes it’s overwhelming. But I’ve discovered that creativity is so powerful because no matter how you try to run away from it, it doesn’t let you be. It amazes me how powerful I can be with Creativity. So I believe the secret of being a great creative is to accept who you are, what kind of creative you are and take it day after day. It’s never a competition.
WNG: What is your favourite brand growth based book? Why?
YVONNE: My favorite Brand-based book definitely has to be any book by Blessing Abeng. She literally inspires me in branding and self discovery/development, her mail & newsletters are also pure gems. Some of my favorite books from her include:
“A guide to starting & quitting” with Seth Godin
“Self-discovery”
“The 9 P’s of Branding”
“10 social media mistakes and how to avoid them”
And a book titled “Designing Brand Identities” by Alina Wheeler
WNG: Seth Godin is an absolute favorite! What do you focus on when designing a web?
YVONNE: I’m very very particular about ‘User experience’. If you know me well you’ll probably know that’s my favorite used term. One of my pet peeves is browsing through a Website or an App that has poor user experience.
So when designing, I’m solving a problem so I always think about the users of the product. Whether it’s a website or a mobile application, I like to put myself in everyone’s shoes and ask myself, “will I be frustrated or happy if this is or isn’t here?” “what will be the implication of putting this and that element here..”
It’s really not as easy as it sounds but I’m trying my best to be a legend at this User Experience thingy.
WNG: Can you share some creative tips for people in your niche?
YVONNE: Gladly. First of all, be you. But to be you, you’ll have to discover who you really are, so discover you - to a very large extent. Discover who you are, what you love/hate, what drives you and what doesn’t, what your goals and aspirations are, and what you’d live for. When you do this, you gift yourself the joy of self-acceptance and not being someone else.
Secondly, work hard on what you have discovered you love. Practice, practice, fail, practice, fail, practice, get frustrated, feel alive, practice, make money, practice, keep pushing, and practice again. Don’t even stop learning and practicing. Good news is, Creativity gives you wings. ‘Not-so-bad’ news is those wings demand unending practice and perseverance.
Thirdly, enjoy the process.
Cheers to being at your best🥂
Find me on: https://yvonneogwulu.disha.page
Thanks Lynda for the feature🥰
WNG: Thank you for your time!