In this 2Inspire Profile we meet Tokie Laotan-Brown, a woman with an inspirational story, working in her chosen field and using her purpose in life to drive her towards her success. Her life is an example of someone who proves that all things are possible with passion and hard-work.
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| Tokie Laotan-Brown |
Please tell us what is a typical business
day for you?
I spend most of my day from the moment I wake up,
depending on where I am in the world, either contacting my home to find out if
my family is up and ready for school, work etc. I then start on projects or
visit Architectural offices to consult or work on various projects. I spend the
rest of the day making phone calls, (Making sure kids are at home doing
homework via Skype) researching old buildings and updating my calendar or
finishing up on assignments for my Master’s program.
What made you start the business and how did you
get started?
I am an entrepreneur, writer, leader, mother, wife
and mentor: I have always worked around issues that currently affect me, like
running for local council in Galway city when I was directly affected by not having
a playground close to my home. By returning to college when after sitting in
Council as a Housing representative for the community, certain issues around
buildings were ignored (hence my Architectural background). My role in
co-ordinating the first Ms Ebony in Ireland pageant (Featured on Irish National
TV programme: Pobal) etc. Now my current
issue is with the visibility of Black Female Women in Construction and
Architecture, which prompted the start of the organization.
What would you say has been your greatest
accomplishment in the business world to date?
The improvement in visibility of young Black girls
in the fashion industry, after the Ebony pageant.
What has been your biggest
challenge in business so far?
Juggling family life, my husband’s
dialysis and my work.
I will like to improve the visibility
of women in construction and architecture. I am also working on educating the
younger generation on African Architecture and Heritage which is being lost due
to the fascination with Western ways of building.
I will do it all in the same way.
Why is it so important to inspire
young women in particular to follow their dreams?
There is no limit except limit itself.
I think this is the problem young women face these days. They are afraid of not
succeeding so they do not try. They become influenced by traditions, by
culture, by what they see around them.
What advice would you give to
somebody who wants to start a business in your industry?
To find a supportive role model either
male or female. If you do not succeed the first time, try again. Do not limit
yourself to just one thing; be open to new ideas always. Never give up hope, it
will eventually happen. Success should not be judged in monetary terms but in
the satisfaction derived from it.
What or who inspires you in business
and why?
To God, who I owe my life, my husband,
who takes life so easily even though he is on dialysis, my kids that enjoy my
various adventures through Skype, the girls and friends I mentor 24 hrs a day through
crisis, joy and successes. They inspire me always!
What is your favourite inspirational quote?
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the
seeds that you plant.
-Robert Louis Stevenson
-Robert Louis Stevenson
Contact Details:
Tokie Laotan-Brown
Environment
Architectural Technologist/ Principal Curator
Merging Ecologies
21 Gort Mhaoilir,
Raheens, Athenry
Galway County,
Ireland
Facebook pages: Black Women in Construction and
Architecture
African Vernacular Architecture: Predated to 1980
https://www.facebook.com/AfricanVernacularArchiturePredatedTo1980?bookmark_t=page
