The Word Café Podcast with Amax
My unique message to the world is the power behind the words of our mouths. We have made light of it but cannot escape the fruits thereof. For me, words are the unit of creation, the building block on which our existence evolves. This podcast is for everyone who wants to better their living by using words and applying themselves wisely. I will be using the storytelling style fused with imaginative nuances to transport the listener to that place, where possibilities are not luxuries but everyday experiences; movie in voice.
This podcast will emphasize the power of routine, and what you repeatedly do, you most likely build capacity and expertise for what you repeatedly do. My podcast will help the listener learn how to practice success because the same amount of time you use in complaining is the same you can use to plant, build, prune, etc. I intend to draw the listener's attention to the power of their words.
The Word Café Podcast with Amax
S4 Ep. 223 Celebrating Four Years: The Power of Consistency
The story behind the World Cafe podcast began in the darkness of depression. When I turned 40, life seemed to collapse around me - challenges at work, societal pressures, and a growing sense of despair. In that moment of vulnerability, my wife (my "Wonder Woman") suggested I channel my natural gift for speaking into something creative. That suggestion sparked a journey that transformed my pain point into my starting point.
Four years later, we're celebrating not just the longevity of the podcast but the profound lessons learned along the way. The secret to consistency? Playing for "the audience of one." When you create for divinity rather than metrics, showing up becomes less about discipline and more about divine expression. This spiritual foundation has powered 208 consecutive weekly episodes without fail.
What began as a healing journey expanded into unexpected opportunities - speaking engagements, a leadership award, four published books, and helping ten others publish their own works. The podcast became more than content; it became "the vessel through which I express life."
For those considering their own creative ventures, remember that value attracts value. Start small if needed - five-minute episodes are perfectly acceptable. Focus on authenticity first, knowing that monetization follows value creation. The challenges are real - rejection from potential guests, lack of consistent support, questions about profitability - but worth navigating when purpose drives the process.
Looking ahead, the World Cafe will continue evolving toward "curating amazing sounds that the intellect of the Spirit of God will ride upon." Like the path of the just, our light shines brighter and brighter until the perfect day.
Subscribe and follow us across all platforms to join this journey of purpose, authenticity, and divine expression.
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https://www.buzzsprout.com/1718587/supporters/new
Hello there. What's happening? We are on an island. That's a question. I am super excited today. Yes, he has prepared a table before me, but you know what? Not in the presence of my enemies. I have somebody so special with me on set today. But I will tell you why I'm this excited. Yes, I'm always excited when I'm in this space, but I am super, super, duper excited more today. Well, I will start with this Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good. Everything. Wherever you are on the surface of the earth this very moment listening to me and seeing me, I am excited.
Speaker 1:Welcome to the World Cafe Live Show. Do you know why? I'll tell you why. This is four years of the World Cafe Podcast, four amazing years. And somehow, where do I start from? I will start from somewhere, maybe, hopefully, but first of all, I have my Wonder Woman with me. You've heard me talk about my wife. You've heard me talk about her a couple of times and I said no, on this edition of the show. I just have to bring her. I call her my Wonder Woman. Don't worry about that. Wonder Woman. Mother produced this is the very Wonder Woman. Yes, you know, I told you about her when I had my daughter on set. That's my. You see it now.
Speaker 2:Welcome, thank you. Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1:Yes. So I told myself today, you know what would I do, celebrating the World Cafe, four years of podcasting, and I played it in my head and all of that, and I said, no, I need to bring my wife. She's in the best position to really ask those questions that my audience will come to understand that it's been a wonderful journey. But before we do anything, there's a table before us. So now, guys, you know we do coffee on the show, but today we have suspended coffee.
Speaker 2:We do coffee on the show, but today we have suspended coffee.
Speaker 1:We are celebrating. We are celebrating for obvious reasons. Coffee will come later, but now we are going to do a wine, hopefully, let me see if I can get this open because of my level of excitement and all of that. By the way, she is the one behind the set in your scene, or he's not me. You guys, it isn't me. You know.
Speaker 1:When I told her, she just like, okay, what do you want? How do you want it? I said can you make it look like the island of nabumbu? You know, you transport us to the island of nabumbu. And she said, okay, the island of nabumb. And she said, okay, the island of Nabumbu. You guys know me, I create a lot on the set, but the truth is the island of Nabumbu it exists. Yes, in my mind it does. Let me pour her some and I pour myself some, and the conversation will begin from there. Okay, here you go, baby. Thank you, miente. Okay, and I? So the show is set. You know I'm all. The truth is she's the anchor for today's show. If you don't know about that, she will do all the questioning and I'll do all. The truth is she's the anchor for today's show. If you don't know what I mean by that? She will do all the questioning, I'll do all the talking.
Speaker 1:They don't mind me, it's a family thing, alright first of all, can we cheers to to four years of endless talk and many more years. Amazing the future will be so bright? Yeah, definitely so. Do you care to share Endless talk and many more years.
Speaker 2:Ah, amazing, the future is so bright yeah definitely so. Do you care to share with us what it has been like in the past four years?
Speaker 1:Ooh, Four years. It seemed like four hours, it seemed like four seconds, it seemed like four minutes. You know, when we started, 15th of March, two days to my birthday, precisely 2021 I didn't know. I was just telling myself where do we begin from? And, like it would say, take those steps and the path will appear before you, the journey and all that. So that was what the first edition we had was my first reading experience. That was the first edition of the World Cafe, and I talked about how I had the challenge of reading growing up as a child and my primary school teacher, mrs Jones, by God's grace, came to the rescue and it's been amazing. We've had amazing conversations on the show, we've had amazing guests on the show and, from one thing to the other, simply growth. That's how I would say it, simply growth. And we've been getting better by the day that's interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, I know that a lot of people will be wondering how did he start podcasting? Where did it all begin from? So do you mind sharing with?
Speaker 1:us when it all began from. Oh, my 2017. It was the year 2017. It was the decision of the king of the earth that drove him into the deepest part of the earth and out of depression. Guys, I'm just quoting for you prayer in the dark, if you've listened to it. Yes, that was where it all began, I think when I turned 40. I'm going to do a recording on that someday.
Speaker 1:When I turned 40, it was like this barrage of attack on me at work. The society, like everything, just turned around and I found myself in that place, that very dark place, and I still remember what happened. Yes, guys, it was a very dark moment for me and my wife drew me. Yes, my Wonder Woman, she knows me to be. I love talking, yes, but I'm not a talkative anyway, but I love talking, I love creating, I can keep you, I can engage you on a subject for hours and it's like it's endless.
Speaker 1:So she now told me why not write? Why not write? She kept saying it, she kept saying it and somehow it sunk. And that was where I got it from. And along the line, I came in contact with the Jamestown family Saffelad, rotoy, you know and that was the period the earth was going through a depressed moment. That was COVID and all of that, so I sat under his tutelage and I came in contact with the I call her the podcast queen Tom Brown, and she just took me and some other people and we went through this exercise and that was how it all began. But long story short, it was from a depressed position, a confused position, my pain point, and I picked it up from there. And now here we are.
Speaker 2:I remember the day we had the conversation and.
Speaker 2:I said it seems like there's so much going on, it seems like you're being attacked from every angle, and I remember telling you to channel your. I said you needed a distraction from what you were dealing with at the time. And I said instead of dwelling in what you're dealing with at this time, why don't you channel that energy into something else, something you love to do, which is talking, which is writing? I remember you have written. You've written several. How many books have you written now? Four, four books, and there are more to come.
Speaker 1:I mean, they're endless.
Speaker 2:And you're also going to lecture.
Speaker 1:Well, that's the next step for me. Actually, guys, let me just let me. She's bringing some things out. Let me just tell you, I just completed my MBA with Rome Business School. I'm going to talk about that someday, the power of completion but my wife has always been telling me to lecture, you need to lecture. You have a unique way of presenting things and you need to lecture me to lecture, you need to lecture. You have a unique way of presenting things and you need to lecture. But the way I see it, from where we are coming, there's a way God works with me. There's a way he works with me and I follow Him. So he doesn't. He shows me the big picture like this is the end, the end is perfect, the end is glorious, but you need to follow me on the journey. Yeah, and that's the next thing for me. You know my wife has said it, you know she's my personal prophet, so hopefully yes, by his we'll get there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because I believe that so many people need to hear you. You talk with should I say deep, you talk from a deep point of view. There's so much rhema when you speak. Beyond podcasting, I feel like you need a larger audience, People that will sit just the way you said you sat under FD. There are people that are waiting to hear from you. There are people whose lives would not change if they don't hear from you.
Speaker 1:Hi, Sorry, whenever I'm with my wife, that's it. You've not seen this part of me, have you? Ah yes, she's with me, so she does that to me, go on.
Speaker 2:So I really think that you should consider it. Maybe not now, maybe it might just be a retirement plan. Have a university call you to talk to their student. Do you know that the walls have?
Speaker 1:ears. The universe has heard you. The walls have ears. They have no choice but to respond. Certainly, that's the butterfly effect. Certainly, go on.
Speaker 2:Sorry, continue, okay so I'd like to ask you a question. I have a friend who has always wanted to start podcasting. She tells me Chef T, I want to talk. I feel like I have so much on the inside, but I don't know where to start from. So how did you start? I know that.
Speaker 2:Yes, I encouraged you to write to speak but how did you get to that point where you said, okay, I need to have a camera in front of me, I need to have a camera in front of me, I need to have a mic in my hands and I need to talk.
Speaker 1:Good, so I pick it from what Pastor Charles Omofoma, my pastor, is translated now there's this confession he taught us years ago, which has never and it will never leave me.
Speaker 1:I was created for a purpose, purpose according to God's purpose, with my eyes on Jesus, the author and the finisher. I am in contact with my destiny. I'm focused on it, committed to the end, restrained from beating the air, stable as a rock. No opposition can break my focus. I'm fighting a good fight, gaining the mastery. I'll win the crown and fulfill his purpose. Guys, I needed to say that to reinforce it. So, first of all, what's the purpose? Your, why, your, why? We miss vision, my vision and his vision you get me. We miss it. Sometimes people say this is my vision. No, it is his vision given to me. So the way I started, beyond the technicalities, the technology being put around me, the framework, first of all, you must have an audience. Who is your audience? Do you know who my audience is?
Speaker 2:Tell us.
Speaker 1:I play for the audience of the one.
Speaker 2:The one, the one, not one, not one.
Speaker 1:Yes, I play for the audience of the one. And who is the one? Divinity? Whenever I step into that frame and I want to talk, I just know that the one is with me, the one is waiting to listen, the one is there to listen to me. So that conviction drives me every day. So sometimes I sit like when it all began it was in our bedroom. You see me sitting in front of the camera, looking to the microphone and I'm talking, and sometimes it's like who is he talking to? So that is it, your why and your audience will drive, because every morning when you wake up, that conversation must come alive. Yes, the audience of the one.
Speaker 2:Wow. So basically you have to find yourself in his purpose for you. Basically, you can't separate what you want, your vision or your ideas from his purpose for you.
Speaker 1:You can never. It has to, it has to come together, it has to align, so to say. When it aligns, you come to see that every morning, when you wake up, he gives you an assignment, so to say. There's something to say, there's someone listening, there's somebody to talk to. You know there's, there's a community, there's a family waiting to hear you. Just like you said, there's a life that will not change until you open up your mouth to speak yeah, I.
Speaker 2:I think it's that feeling of being restless. You know how you feel, like there's something you need to do, you're you're just restless about it. You just have to do it. Yes, is that what it is?
Speaker 1:it's restlessness, yes, and you know you wake up. It's like something needs to happen. You, you, you, you know it in your knower, in your Noah, you just know it that something needs to happen. But now you come to hear that still small voice, the stillness, telling you follow me, just follow me, take those baby steps. Yes, you are restless Because it's like you know. Yes, you are restless Because it's like you know when a strong man puts his hands on something smaller, okay, you feel, you know, just imagine it how that thing would want to adjust to be comfortable, to like, more or less adapt to that strength. That's how it feels. But again, as you adapt to, as you shift to adapt to that strength, that's how it feels. But again, as you adapt to, as you shift to adapt to the strength, you find out that the strength is becoming bigger. So that restlessness, that rest, is like okay when a thought hits me.
Speaker 1:For for those of you who know that I write very creative in my, when my writing is like a taste in your mouth. It doesn't leave you. It doesn't leave. So not until you swallow it, you eat it, it will not leave. I need to write, I need to put it down. So the minute I put it down, there is this ease.
Speaker 2:There is this ease there is something I want to ask you. Thank you, you're welcome. Um, so we're celebrating four years of the world cafe podcast, but there's something phenomenal that I've noticed, and I'm sure a lot of your audience have noticed your consistency. How do you do it, afin? How do you get to put out valuable content out there every week, and you've done this for the past four years? How God yes week and?
Speaker 1:you've done this for the past four years. How good.
Speaker 2:Yes because I honestly yes, we've been married for over 15 years. I've never seen you being this consistent in anything.
Speaker 1:Because I see it as I'm leaving.
Speaker 1:I'm not existing. I need For me, the World Cafe podcast is leaving. That's the vessel or the vehicle that Amakri Isobwe Afayabia expresses life. So if I wake up every morning, or when I wake up every morning or when I wake up every morning, that thing is not done. I feel like I'm letting God down. So that's the power that drives me. It is not obsession I don't want to call it obsession. It is just that life that must be lived.
Speaker 1:Do I get discouraged? Sometimes I do, but I always have this at the back of my mind you play for the audience of the one. He's applauding you every day. He sees what you're doing. So it excites me that even sometimes I see that and I go through my record and it's like did I really say that? Did I really say that? Did I really say that? Like my videographer will always say this is massive. You know, jeff will always say that this is massive. The team I work with this is massive. But I play for the audience of the world. I'm leaving. That's the best way to put it.
Speaker 2:So beyond you are you saying it's possible for anyone to be dis-dedicated?
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:Even on the days that you don't feel motivated you just.
Speaker 1:It's not about feeling, it's about knowing. Okay, it's beyond your feeling feeling, yes, your emotion comes into play. Yes, but when you have a higher knowledge, you force your emotion to align with what you know. Yes, every man born of a woman created by God can be consistent if you know who you're playing for.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 1:Wow, If you know who you're playing for, if you're playing for the crowd. When the crowd leaves, what happens?
Speaker 1:You feel discouraged. You feel discouraged, yeah, you feel discouraged. You feel discouraged. Yeah, if you're playing for the accolades, the likes, the emojis, the day they don't come, how do you feel? But imagine you playing for divinity. Ah, just like scripture said when david picked up and played the evil spirit left song, so you just imagine. That's to say, each time you play, divinity comes down. So imagine, as we're talking now, in this place, in this time recorded, that whoever listens to it feels the power of divinity wow, wow.
Speaker 1:So that is what drives Amakri Isogwe, wow, okay.
Speaker 2:So it seems like we can actually be disdedicated if we have the understanding of the one that has called us.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:We can. It is within our capacity yes, it is so does that mean that I'm trying not to say something, so we're just being lazy?
Speaker 1:yes, you know, scripture says something, guys. The word cafe has its foundation rooted in scriptures. Yeah, and I'm not ashamed of it. It said his eyes go to and fro seeking for that one whose heart is lifted to him. That is not a lazy man. No, that's not a lazy man, true? So imagine God is searching, okay, okay, he's looking for a mind that will craft one of the best messages the world will ever hear, and he finds that one whose heart is also lifted to him. He latches onto that one and he says I have found him. This is not a lazy person. So don't get it wrong. There's a discipline to this, and the discipline stems from consistency. A little here, a little there, line upon line, precepts upon precepts, and you come to see the pattern forming. You come to see the pattern forming. You come to see the pattern forming and, again I must say it, you just have to enjoy it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I enjoy what I do. Yeah, it gives me the satisfaction, literally, when I do what I do. If I don't eat for hours, I don't feel it, because I just satisfied myself.
Speaker 2:Wait, wait, wait, stop there, Hello, sir Just hold on. So this one now satisfies you more than me. I want to know Are you cheating on me?
Speaker 1:I'm not cheating on you, guys. Let me tell you something that happened in our marriage early when we got married. I'm a very passionate person so I gave so much to my job. So when we got married, the first two years or so, my wife just cried you're cheating on me. I said Jesus, from where she said, yes, because you pay so much attention to your work. I said, oh, I had to repent. So she's one person that will tell you for free, I can stay up late Just writing, just capturing, just curating, just putting the I and you know, dotting the I and crossing the T and everything. Sometimes she tells me why can't you sleep? Really You're restless. I said it's because there's something he just told me. I need to put it down, I need to do it and all of that. And she was like, okay, all right, but the truth is I'm leaving.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:That's how I see it.
Speaker 2:And that's really beautiful. It's beautiful to see that you're actually living, you're enjoying what you do, you're enjoying yourself, you're fulfilling purpose, you're reaching out to many people, you're making impact and I'm proud of you.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:I'm proud of you, Afi.
Speaker 2:Oh, thank you, I'm super super proud of you, thank you. So I want to find out something. I want to ask you this question because, um, I feel it's going to help a lot of people. All right, what challenges do you face in podcasting? Do you run out of ideas? What? What are the possible challenges? Because, um, someone once told me that her fear with starting podcasts, um doing this podcast thing, is that, um, she'll run out of ideas and if she starts and she, she's, she's not consistent, she feels like she's going to disappoint her audience. So, what challenges, and how? What challenges have you, um experienced and how have you been able to overcome them?
Speaker 1:All right. So basically, one of the major challenges I have faced, which I know I will still face, because in podcasting space I have had the opportunity of having amazing guests on the show, but I've also had this turndown down. You reach out to people, they turn you down, and but I now told myself, because you even advised, like people want to hear you, sure, yeah, so talk more, then pace yourself, talk more, then peace yourself. Some of us want to start a podcast and you want to talk for one hour. No, please don't do that. You can start a podcast for five minutes. Five minutes, start it. You know, when I started podcasting, I told myself every month I will have four editions. Every Wednesday, that's when I release my podcast, and it has been that way for the last four years. So what do I talk about? Like I said, peace yourself, then again, curate your content.
Speaker 2:Okay, yes, If you want. Sometimes I read content.
Speaker 1:Okay, yes, if you want. Sometimes I read on my show. Yes, thoughts hit me, I write them down, I create text around them, then I sit down and I read them. You get me Then. Another challenge which a good number of us face in this space is people get to ask that question. So how do I make money out of this thing?
Speaker 2:I was coming to that yes.
Speaker 1:so my quick, my answer to that question is time. Okay, what value are you creating? Value attracts value, true? Someone asked me so, since you started podcasting, have you been? Have you gotten paid for it? Have you? And all that? Not yet, but I know I will because I have a lot of value. If you come to my space, if you come to my channel, you see that what I give you can only find it here or with like minds. So that's another thing that demoralizes or demotivates people, like how do I make money out of it and all that? And I always say don't put that first. Create the value. Create the value. Then another challenge is human elements. Okay, yeah, sometimes we need help. You ask for help. It doesn't come. You feel bad about it. You just feel like, ah, nobody wants to help me and all that Not. So Just pray for the right people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. Pray for the right people yeah. Yeah, pray for the right people, you know. You mentioned something about making money from podcasting. Yeah, yes, you might not be making money, but you will agree with me that podcasting has put you on a platform. It has opened so much opportunities. Yes, you even got an award at some point.
Speaker 1:Yes, leadership award, that was in 2023. Yeah, some organization in I think it's India or so, on LinkedIn, you know, reached out to me and recognized what I was doing and all of that. I said, okay, fine, you know, and I've had people now identify me as that word cafe guy.
Speaker 2:You're now an authority.
Speaker 1:An authority, so to say that word. Cafe guy, that's what they call me now, so that alone is satisfying.
Speaker 2:Gives you that sense of fulfillment.
Speaker 1:And again you know it puts you in a sense of fulfillment. Yes, and again you know it puts you in a place of authenticity. True, because you're now careful about what you say, very careful, because you are now occupying a space of leadership, of influence. So it brings the authenticity out of you, it pushes you to the place that, before you say anything, be sure of what you're about to say so those are the things. So if you put that on a scale of money and value, this is far.
Speaker 2:Yeah, let's not even forget to mention that you've had lots of speaking engagements from this platform, yes, from this.
Speaker 1:That's another opportunity. Mentioned that you've had lots of speaking engagements from this platform. That's another opportunity. You know I need to say this Saffa Ladroto is a good mentor to me. He's one person who had brought out this God using him. He directs people. You want to write, he'll tell you what to write. He references you. Go and call Amakri Subue, meet him. Go to sleep. Your job is as good as done. By the way, beyond four books, I've assisted close to 10 people now to produce their works. You know, and they are there. I mean, go check them, you see them online and all of that. So that's another thing. Speaking engagement it has given. Last week I was called, yes, to come and speak on volunteering. Yeah, and I was so happy about it 30 minutes, but it meant the whole world to me and you delivered by god's grace, you did a good job delivering.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:Okay, so one last question before we go All right, what's the future of the World Cafe podcast?
Speaker 1:Oh my.
Speaker 2:This is four years. What is it going to be in the next four years? In the next four years, are you ever going to stop talking? What is it going to be like?
Speaker 1:What should we expect? The path of the Jaws is as a shining light. My light shines brighter. Yes, it shines brighter. Oh, yes, it shines brighter, brighter, brighter. On two Rider on to.
Speaker 2:Perfect day.
Speaker 1:That's how I'm going to answer that question. Guys, forgive me, okay, you've not seen this part of me. Some of you have seen it. I see the next four years, or the next phase of the World Cafe, going into curating amazing sounds. Sounds that the intellect of the Spirit of God will ride upon. That's how I see it.
Speaker 2:Deep again.
Speaker 1:Yes, guys, give it up for my wonder woman. Thank you, give it up for her. I said she needs to be here. She's one person who's been from the beginning of this and you will agree with me. She has asked amazing questions and I hope you've learned something, one or two, from it.
Speaker 1:But before I go, I need to tell you this, I really need to tell you this I enjoy talking to you. I enjoy saying, opening myself up for words, to come to encourage you. You may be in that position and you feel like this is the end for you. No, it's not. No, it's not. No, no, it's not. I'm telling you because I've been there. Yeah, the devil knows your past. He doesn't know your future. You think he does. He doesn't, because if he knew, he wouldn't have attempted crucifying Christ. Yeah, so this is what I want to tell you keep moving, keep working like a rolling stone. So this is what I want to tell you Keep moving, keep working Like a rolling stone that God has no more. Just keep flowing. It will surely walk in your favor. Thank you, and this is what I came to do on the show today. Yes, you know, this is the space where we come in to lean on one another's experience to forge a positive path. It's been an amazing time. Before I go, my producer will always tell me to do this.
Speaker 1:We are available on all the social media platforms yes, instagram, linkedin, tiktok on YouTube yes, we have a YouTube channel. Are you following us? Go ahead, follow us. Follow. Follow us for more, Follow, subscribe and get the best. Before I go, I'd like my Wonder Woman to say something about what she does. You see how I look? This good look. It came from somewhere, so go ahead, tell them what you do.
Speaker 2:Okay, so I'm Chef T, a certified chef, based in this beautiful city of Abuja, and I am also the host of Rest and Nourish. It's an all-women's getaway package for you, you, yes, you. Women's getaway package for you, you, yes, you, for you, the women around you, everyone around you, should subscribe to this because, really, wellness is the new luxury. Rest is not just a recommendation, but it is a requirement. So we organize getaways for women just to relax, unwind, look good, heal, refresh, rejuvenate, enjoy life, receive clarity, insight and then come back to move. Thank you.
Speaker 1:The World Cafe. You see it, she drinks from that. Well also. All right, guys, I am super excited. Don't worry, we have more coming on this platform. So, from me to you, till I come your way again, my name is Amakri. Amakri Seboe. Bye for now.