The Newcomers Podcast

E175: Daniella Jasper-Okumagba knows she has community capital. And she intends to spend it.

August 21
44 mins

Episode Description

In this episode, I'm speaking with Daniella Jasper-Okumagba, Founder and CEO of The BRDGE, a Canadian food platform that connects ethnic chefs with people craving their food.

Daniella walked away from a cushy oil and gas job in her early twenties to build her business. And once she launched, she says she expected orders to pour in. I mean, she was selling food, right?

The orders didn't come in. And in her words, "I had to die to my expectations and let the business reveal to me what it was."

Daniella and I chat about killing her ego, plus:

  • Where the idea for The BRDGE came from

  • The difference between having a plan and being flexible

  • Why she says confidence comes from rejection

  • Why community has been her main growth channel

  • What she would tell her nine-year-old self if she sat down with her today

Dozie's Notes

A few things that stuck with me as I listened through this week's conversation:

  1. Community-driven growth can be wonderful for a business when you get it right. And Daniella has done it pretty well from the off. She's spent less than one percent of her revenue on advertising. But by simply showing up, collaborating, and being willing to say where she is and what she needs, the BRDGE has grown by leaps and bounds.

  2. There's something about the immigrant entrepreneurial drive that's both fascinating and complicated. There's the risk tolerance and the hunger to succeed that come from taking the kind of leap immigration represents. But you can't let that fearlessness tip into arrogance and assume you can bulldoze your way through anything and everything. Learn how things work in Canada. Ask questions about the market you're trying to build in.

Official Links

✅ Connect with Daniella Jasper-Okumagba on LinkedIn

✅ Check out The BRDGE's website

✅ Contact The BRDGE to feed your team

One Ask

If you found this story helpful, please consider sharing it with one Canadian immigrant you know.

Timestamps

0:00 Nigerian food but no one to cook it
0:58 Intro
4:19 Why The BRDGE
6:36 Building a business
10:08 Going full-time
13:12 Immigrant drive vs immigrant arrogance
16:54 Fight-or-flight mode
21:20 Kill your ego
23:07 Confidence from rejection
27:21 Hitting her goals
30:35 What she'd tell her nine-year-old self
38:08 Happiness vs. joy
44:06 Outro

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