Resilience, tenacity take center stage at Imperfectly Awesome Conversations Summit in Lagos
By Felicia Nwosu
The third edition of the Imperfectly Awesome Conversations Summit hosted by Dr. Omotola Bamigbaiye unfolded on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos, delivering an emotionally charged and intellectually vibrant outcome.
What began as an extension of her book Imperfectly Awesome has grown into a transformational platform, one that honours vulnerability, embraces flaws, and champions the inner strength behind every success story.
This year’s event brought together a compelling lineup of marketing leaders, executives, creatives, and professionals who explored the core themes of resilience, tenacity, and the mindset needed to rise above adversity.
Through personal anecdotes and reflections, speakers revealed the grit often hidden beneath polished public personas.
In the first panel session, Omolara Banjoko, Marketing Manager at FrieslandCampina, spoke candidly about her journey with emotional control, personal growth, and what it truly means to be resilient.
Drawing from her upbringing, she recalled a childhood moment when she lost her temper and her father’s lesson that “everyone has an elastic limit.” This, she said, laid the foundation for her understanding of resilience. “Don’t break, she told the audience, keep pushing. Your ability to do things intact and precisely when it’s needed, that’s tenacity.”
Banjoko shared how she teaches the same value to her daughter, emphasizing that personal growth isn’t about comparing oneself to others, but rather about striving to be a better version of oneself.
She noted that many take soft skills like precision, consistency, and discipline for granted, yet these are foundational to both personal and professional excellence. “Who you are is what you bring into the workplace,” she added.
Alex Goma, Managing Consultant at BusinessMax Consulting and an experienced board-level business leader, expanded on how these qualities play out in a sales-driven environment.
Referencing a quote by Calvin Coolidge that has guided his career, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence” , Goma stressed that setbacks in sales are not rejections, but opportunities for self-evaluation and recalibration. “If the sale doesn’t happen, it means you haven’t sold the benefits in a way that meets the customer’s needs. Go back and refine your message. Don’t give up.”
He underlined that while business tools and platforms evolve, the fundamentals remain the same. “You exist in that job because the product can’t sell itself. If it was easy, they wouldn’t need you. The harder it is to sell, the more you’re needed, and the more resilience you must build.”
For Osato Evbuomwan, Marketing Director at Moët Hennessy, she noted that mindset is the cornerstone of both resilience and tenacity. “Your mindset is the story you tell yourself when something goes wrong. It’s what determines how you show up the next day. If you tell yourself you’re a failure, you’ll show up as one. But if you believe it’s a lesson, you’ll keep growing.”
John Ajayi, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of MARKETING EDGE, echoed these sentiments during his remarks, describing mindset as a propeller that drives adaptability, persistence, and personal excellence, especially when aligned with an organization’s vision and mission.
The summit didn’t just feature powerful words. It sparked a renewed commitment to authenticity and grace in both personal and professional spheres. Omotola Bamigbaiye, in her closing reflections, reaffirmed the goal of the gathering: “Imperfectly Awesome is my ode to resilience , a celebration of becoming, even when the journey is not linear or perfect.”
Aside these notable speakers, the he summit also featured several panel discussions with senior business professionals and business leaders across diverse sectors of the economy, who explored actionable strategies for brand growth amid uncertainty.
These include: Madam Laila St.Matthew-Daniel, Lead Consultant, Jacinta Ltd, Behavioural & Lifestyle Re-engineering Firm, Dr. Tewa Onasanya,Women Empowerment advocate/Founder Exquisite Magazine and Abigail Tiwa-Olanubi amongst several others.
The event’s third edition did more than share stories. It created a space for introspection, connection, and growth, making it clear that the journey toward becoming is paved with persistence, not perfection.
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