The Lessons From Our Dinner Table

As I settle into a new chapter, I've been reflecting on where my journey truly began. Not just in classrooms or case studies (though they've given me invaluable tools) but quietly, around our family dinner table.

Growing up, I don't recall ever being directly told to join the business. There were no formal instructions, no serious discussions about succession or strategy. And yet, in between spoonfuls of dal and sabzi, I was unknowingly picking up lessons in problem-solving, resilience, and people management.

Dinner conversations often moved fluidly from how someone at the hospital needed support, to a supply chain issue, to a small moment of success in someone's day. It wasn't structured, but it was consistent. And it created a way of thinking that became familiar over time.

I was never pushed into a particular path, but I was immersed in an environment where decisions had depth, where risks were weighed thoughtfully, and where the business was not just work - it was purpose. That kind of passion, when lived honestly, quietly rubs off on you.

Today, my brother is pursuing his MBA at Kellogg, and I find myself far from home, in Nigeria, working to grow our eyecare presence in a new and unfamiliar market. Leaving behind the comfort of the known wasn't easy. But I've realized that when you grow up around people who lean into uncertainty with courage and clarity, you begin to carry that same instinct.

I know this is an extreme privilege to have access to mentorship, guidance, and opportunity at such close range. And I don't take it for granted for a second. If anything, it adds a sense of responsibility to do more, learn deeply, and earn the seat I've been given.

There's a long way to go. Every day in Nigeria is teaching me something new about people, about systems, and most importantly, about myself. But often, in the most uncertain moments, I find myself grounding in those early memories and those conversations that shaped the lens through which I now see the world.

And in that, I find both courage and clarity.