Minds in Motion with Charles Fatunbi

How Kennedy Ezumah Built an AI Family Historian and a Cultural Media Brand

In this episode of Minds in Motion, I sit down with Kennedy Ezumah — software engineer, co-founder and CTO of My Native Tree, and founder of Nzuko Brand. Kennedy is building at the intersection of technology, media, and cultural preservation in a way that few people are, and this conversation gets into all of it.We talk about how losing his grandmother sparked the idea behind My Native Tree, an AI-powered platform that helps families preserve their lineage and the stories embedded within them before they're gone. We also get into Nzuko Brand, Kennedy's media company telling African stories to global audiences, from board games manufactured in Nigeria to a docu-series sold to Africa Magic and a first feature film.If you've ever thought about your family's history, what gets lost between generations, or what it takes to build something mission-driven from the ground up, this one is for you. Chapters 00:00 Kennedy's Journey 02:54 Transitioning from Civil Engineering to Software 12:59 My Native Tree: Documenting Family Histories 21:20 The Importance of Data in Decision Making 24:02 Core Features of My Native Tree 33:21 User Case Studies 33:24 Technical and Creative Challenges 38:16 Business Model and Target Demographics 41:57 Introducing Nzuko Brand: A Cultural Media Company 46:09 The Business Model of Nzuko Brand 50:52 Evolving Offerings and Revenue Streams 55:21 The Media Landscape in Nigeria 01:00:47 Production Challenges and Strategies 01:03:35 Balancing Entrepreneurship with a 9-5 01:06:04 Advice for Aspiring Builders Kennedy Ezumah & His Work 🌐 My Native Tree — https://mynativetree.com/ 📸 My Native Tree (Instagram) — https://www.instagram.com/joinmynativetree/📸 Nzuko Brand (Instagram) — https://www.instagram.com/nzukobrand/ 📸 Kennedy (Instagram) — https://www.instagram.com/emeka_my_guy/ Minds in Motion with Charles Fatunbi 📸 Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/mindsinmotionpod/ 🔗 All Episodes & Platforms — https://beacons.ai/mindsinmotion Follow Charles 💻 LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfatunbi/ 📸 Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/charlesfatunbi/

Fassa Sar on Building CALLO: Why Independent Creators Need Infrastructure To Thrive

In this episode of Minds in Motion, I sit down with Fassa, founder and CEO of Callo, a tech platform designed to give independent creators across film, TV, and other media formats the end-to-end infrastructure they need to operate like real businesses. From finding collaborators to managing projects, Callo is building what the industry left out. We get into: * What life inside a major Hollywood studio actually taught her about the gaps in the system * Why independent creators struggle to get projects off the ground and what's changing * The role of collaboration in a creator economy that often celebrates the solo hustle * How technology is reshaping who gets to tell stories and on what terms * What the future of independent film and TV actually looks like. If you're a creator, a founder, or someone paying attention to where media and technology are colliding, this conversation may give you a lot to think about. 00:00 - Introducing Fassa Sar 00:55 - Fassa's Journey in the Entertainment Industry 14:26 - The Fulbright Scholarship and Building Callo 24:26 - Building a team for Callo 29:04 - What is CALLO? 38:47 - Revenue Model 42:34 - Outlook on the Creator Economy 54:32 - Callo's Long-Term Vision and Goals

How Kofi Dotse Turned a Broken Job Market Into a Global Creative Career

In this episode of Minds in Motion, I speak with Kofi Dotse (@kofigramm [https://www.instagram.com/kofigramm/]), a Ghana-based travel creator and producer whose work has been featured by BBC, Global Citizen, Volkswagen, and more. We unpack Kofi’s pivot from a conventional STEM trajectory into content marketing and storytelling for some of the world’s largest brands, and what it really takes to survive and thrive as an Africa-based creator operating on a global stage. We also explore the overlooked economic potential of the continent’s young workforce, tourism industry, and creative economy, and how Kofi turned limited opportunity into leverage. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 00:48 - Kofi's Journey: From Sciences to Content Creator 03:11 - Navigating Education and Career Expectations in Ghana 11:30 - The Impact of COVID-19 on Freelancing and Opportunities 15:01 - Embracing Public Presence and Storytelling 15:27 - Creating Authentic Connections Online 16:39 - Navigating Opportunities in International Collaborations 20:09 - The Conflict of Migration and National Growth 22:16 - Learning from Other Nations 29:33 - Tourism in Ghana: Opportunities and Challenges 33:48 - The Future of African Creatives 35:42 - Monetizing Creativity in Africa

AI, Copyright, and the Future of Protecting Creative Work

In this conversation, Charles Fatunbi interviews Adam Miko, the founder of Echora, a platform designed to protect artists' rights in the age of AI. Adam shares his background in music publishing and art direction, discussing the importance of ownership and consent for creators. The conversation delves into the functionality of Echora, its role in the creative industry, and the ethical considerations surrounding AI. Adam also emphasizes the need for collaboration between AI technologists and artists, aiming to create a future where creators are fairly compensated and respected for their work.A must-listen for creatives, technologists, and anyone curious about the future of art in the AI era. Chapters 00:00 Adam Miko's Journey in Entertainment 00:52 Transitioning to Art Direction 02:37 The Role of an Art Director 04:05 Behind the Scenes of Production 05:51 The Genesis of Ikora 13:44 Understanding AI and Copyright Protection 18:10 The Three-Sided Marketplace of AI 19:13 Empowering Creators and AI Companies 19:50 Navigating Partnerships in the AI Landscape 21:54 Adams Technical Background 25:55 Building a Diverse and Passionate Team 28:06 Advice for Founders on Team Building 29:19 Trust and Skepticism in AI Integration 32:46 The Ethical Use of AI in Creativity 33:11 Legal Challenges in the AI Landscape 36:41 The Future Role of Human Creators 40:58 Actionable Steps for Emerging Creatives

The Race to Preserve African Languages

In this episode of Minds in Motion, Charles sits down with Frank Akinwande Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Lingawa, a platform using AI to preserve and teach African languages. He discusses cultural identity, his entrepreneurial journey of building Lingawa, and the role technology plays in preserving African languages. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Frank and Lingawa 00:32 Frank's Journey: From Medicine to Entrepreneurship 04:02 The Role of Language in Identity 07:32 The Decline of Native Languages in the Diaspora 11:13 Cultural and Practical Benefits of Language Preservation 13:55 Learning Languages in an Immersive Environment 16:42 Overcoming Shame in Language Learning 20:28 What is Lingawa? 22:32 The Rebranding Journey of Lingawa 24:02 Building Lingawa: From Idea to Execution 28:50 The Fundraising Journey 34:08 Challenges of Pitching to Investors 36:05 Achieving Product-Market Fit 37:17 Building a Personalized Learning Experience 41:42 Quality Control and Tutor Management 46:07 Impactful Customer Success Stories 49:32 Unexpected Challenges of Leadership 54:56 Vision for the Future of Lingawa 58:25 Closing