Yesterday, I completed an international marketing collaboration with brilliant marketing execs from all over the world.

I was probably the youngest and least experienced collaborator.

I was also the only Nigerian.

Here are few things I learned.

1. Show up.
Show up scared.
Show up young.
Show up inexperienced.
Show up with questions.
But make sure you show up.

When it's a team effort, make sure you show up.

2. Play to your strengths.

I had no CIM degree, MBA or design experience like most of my collaborators (competitors) but unlike them, English is my 1st language and I have been writing tweets for 13 years.

I knew how to write to keep an audience.

So I out wrote them.

3. Your unique life experience is what makes you different.
Not the number of years you've spent doing a job.

Experience life. Tell your story.

Being the only Nigerian meant I had a unique perspective that can add value as long as I was able to communicate it.

I did.

4. Get out of your own way.

Imposter syndrome will come when you least expect it.

Inferiority complex will try to sabotage your efforts.

My simple solution for this:

Learn, do, teach.

Rinse.
Repeat.

4. People that speak 2 or more languages are awesome and deserve maximum respect.

If you can, learn a new language.

I can't abeg.

5. No one will break down walls and dig the earth to discover you.

You're not crude oil.

Put yourself out there.

If you have a skill, sharpen it and promote it.

Make first moves. Introduce your self. Learn to communicate. Learn to sell.

6. Most importantly,

Pay for new knowledge.
Pay for new skills.
Take time to Learn.

Take action.

Use the knowledge / skill you've learnt to change your life.

Learn big things and use it to do big things.

Don't wait for a curriculum to tell you what to learn.