A New Wave Podcast

Drayton Mulindabigwi: The Power of Dreaming Big

portrait of Drayton Mulindabigwi
Drayton Mulindabigwi is a visionary entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of 20today20tomorrow and Chairman and CEO of The Novas Group. This episode delves into Drayton's unique journey from Rwanda to Canada, inspired by the resilience of his parents, genocide survivors, and how it shaped his ambitions and approach to overcoming adversity. Drayton shares invaluable insights on combating imposter syndrome, fostering creativity, and the significance of resilience, networking, and strategic risk-taking in entrepreneurship. This episode is jam-packed with advice for young entrepreneurs eager to make their mark without years of experience, emphasizing the power of dreaming big and leveraging one's unique background to create change.

Season 9 — March 20, 2024

5 Key Takeaways:

  1. Start Small, Dream Big: Drayton emphasizes the importance of taking incremental steps towards your big vision. It’s about breaking down your grand ambitions into manageable, achievable tasks that build confidence and progress over time.
  2. Resilience is Key: Inspired by his parents’ resilience, Drayton highlights that overcoming adversity and challenges through hard work and perseverance is critical in the entrepreneurial journey.
  3. Embrace Your Unique Background: Your unique experiences and background can be a significant asset in your entrepreneurial journey, offering fresh perspectives and innovative solutions.
  4. Creativity Through Reflection: Setting aside time for reflection and jotting down ideas, no matter how small, fosters creativity and can lead to groundbreaking business ideas.
  5. Leverage Inexperience as an Advantage: A lack of experience can sometimes be your biggest asset, allowing you to approach problems with fresh eyes and build unexpected, meaningful connections.

Show Notes

[00:00:00] Introduction to the episode and Drayton Mulindabigwi’s background.

[00:00:43] Drayton expresses his enthusiasm for participating in the podcast.

[00:01:06] Drayton shares his journey from Rwanda to Canada, highlighting the influence of his parents’ resilience and entrepreneurship.

[00:03:58] The inception of “20 Today 20 Tomorrow,” a hub for innovative solutions to societal issues.

[00:06:35] Discussion on the importance of resilience learned from parents and its role in entrepreneurship.

[00:09:25] Tackling imposter syndrome and the power of self-belief in the entrepreneurial journey.

[00:11:42] Advice for young entrepreneurs on building self-efficacy and taking small steps towards their goals.

[00:13:39] How to foster creativity and the significance of writing down ideas.

[00:20:34] Strategies for overcoming financial barriers when starting a venture.

[00:26:33] Networking tips for young entrepreneurs with limited professional networks.

[00:31:08] Handling social anxiety and building professional relationships.

[00:33:58] The competitive advantage of lacking experience in entrepreneurship.

[00:37:55] Drayton’s closing advice: The importance of dreaming big and the potential within every young entrepreneur to make an impact.

Resources & Further Reading
Rwandan Genocide Learn more about the 1994 Rwandan genocide, from how it started to the devastating impact it had on Rwanda and the world. Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things This book by Adam Grant, revolutionizes the way we view success and improvement, challenging the conventional wisdom that innate talent is the key to achievement. Through compelling evidence and engaging stories, Grant argues that progress and greatness depend more on our learning strategies and character development than on pre-existing genius. How Big Things Get Done: The Surprising Factors That Determine the Fate of Every Project, from Home Renovations to Space Exploration and Everything In Between This book by Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner delves into the complex world of megaprojects and their frequent tendency to exceed budgets and timelines, presenting a critical analysis of why most ambitious visions falter. This book offers actionable insights and strategies for turning grand ideas into successful realities, highlighting principles such as understanding the odds, planning thoroughly, and building effective teams.
Highlights
"Self-belief has always been something I had inside of me...it's a big thing to work on when you're getting to entrepreneurship, especially at a young age." [00:11:42]
"If you do find that person that trusts you to deliver on the value that they hope you can create... you will almost every time over exceed their expectations because they already underestimate you because they don't see the value you can create." [00:34:11]
"Dream big and keep dreaming bigger than you think possible...There's really no disadvantage to dreaming big." [00:37:55]
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