Meet Ikechi Ukazu | Personal Financial Educator and Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ikechi Ukazu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ikechi, what makes you happy? Why?
Being able to make the world better in some way is what gets me up in the morning. All around us, negativity is prevalent and disheartening. I want to provide a beacon of hope in any way I can through wisdom, inspiration and faith in God.

I also love quality conversations with quality people. I define a quality conversation as a dialogue full of substance and worth. A conversation that touches on moving the narrative forward of the human race. The only way to make progress is to foster dialogues that delve deep, and touch on the complexities of humanity.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m passionate about teaching others about financial literacy, as well as as using art to express myself. I grew up playing music and percussion from high school until my time in the Marine Corps. During my time in the Marine Corps, I lost my ability to play drums due to debilitating carpal tunnel syndrome. After much deliberation and prayer, I decided to devote my life to serving others in financial education and services. There is a certain magic that happens whenever you build a relationship with a client where they feel as if you are for them and have made a tangible difference in their lives. It’s electric. I live for those moments.

Because of my artistic background, I still find ways to create through creating videos, writing articles and learning about others. Through these mediums, I am able to shine a light on stars in the community and concepts such as finance, inspiration and wisdom. It’s refreshing to know my ideas are out there, resonating with an audience and helping people to understand life better.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The beautiful thing about Houston is that you can go around the worldby driving around our city and seeing various cultures. You can’t leave Houston and not get Mexican street food at a food truck. I grew up in Southwest Houston, near Sharpstown High School, with food trucks that sold tortas, hamburguesas and elotes. It’s some of the most satisfying food you will EVER have.

I also recommend eating Naija food at places like Taste of Nigeria. Lastly, Montrose is the art mecca of the city with spoken word, art galleries and music. This is the culture of my city.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One of my best friends, Ike, directed me to a quote that changed my life. That quote is, “You become what you think about.” It was promulgated by the great Earl Nightingale in the mid 20th century. As a practicing Christian and influencer, it gave me hope that I could actually live the life I was created to live by elevating my thoughts to change my life.

Ever since then, I’ve tried to be more intentional about what I focused on because of the drastic ramifications it could have on my life. It has also made me even more mindful of how I make others feel because of how I may affect their lives through my actions and behaviors.

I also want to shout-out my friend Victor Becerra, a great teacher in my old neighborhood. He introduced me to inspirational videos that help to create a mindset of faith in one’s gifts and talents.

Lastly, I want to thank my sister Ogechi for giving me the gift of music with my first pair of drumsticks at age 14 because it showed me how to follow my passion and what set my soul on fire.

Website: https://www.itsikechi.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsikechi/

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ikechi-ukazu-1716541a1

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGUvTCtknEmwZTMrlNIl9cw

Image Credits
Hope City