Meet Nyema Igwe | Founder of Pop of Culture

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

Hi Nyema, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
The golden question–how do you establish work life balance? The simple answer is you don’t ever establish balance. Balance means that the scales of work and life are on the same level and as an entrepreneur, that doesn’t happen. My take is that the scales are constantly changing, and you learn how to become a better “juggler”. My whole life structure has drastically changed since the beginning of 2021 because this was the first year that Pop of Culture had real momentum and impact. In addition to running Pop of Culture, I also have a Nigerian-based tech startup I co-founded. I went from having a worry-filled and minimally eventful 2020 to having a purpose-filled and fast-paced 2021.

My two businesses are my babies, and I am constantly working and strategizing about how to bring the ideas in my head to life. But for me, working on my businesses, being challenged, and creating opportunities are fun and exciting. I derive happiness from achieving my business goals. Therefore, even though I am working more than I ever have in my life, I welcome it into my life because I am doing what I want and don’t mind putting in the extra hours. My work is part of my life and through it, I get to meet and form relationships with amazing individuals, so I don’t ever feel like “life is passing me by” because I am working.

But do I still desire to completely break away from work and connect deeper with friends and family or try a new adventure? OF COURSE. And when I have those feelings and thoughts at the forefront of my mind, I do my best to stop whatever work I am doing and indulge myself. I’ve learned that being in the moment and not denying yourself any of the fun and excitement you desire is the best way to go to have a happy life. Having fun and doing things purely for fun is not going to tank your business and saying no to hanging out with friends because you want to go deeper into your work doesn’t mean your relationships will fall apart. It’s all about learning to listen to the inner voice that is in your mind and heart and allowing yourself to live on your terms. If you’re truly in tune with yourself, you’ll know when it’s time to dive deep into work and when it’s time to just kick back and relax and you won’t feel bad transitioning between the two at any given moment.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m more of a spontaneous person, so I may not put together an itinerary for a whole week, but some spots I would hit are the aquarium (because I love aquariums in any city), something outdoors like Piedmont park or Six Flags, and a nice brunch spot such as Breakfast at Barney’s.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my parents, Charles and Patience Igwe. Even though they wanted me to go down a different path, they’ve fully accepted and come to respect my entrepreneurial journey. When I am down and out, with no money, they are always there to help me out and offer encouragement. Part of my determination to make Pop of Culture and my other businesses a success comes from wanting to show them that everything worked out in the end and to give them some of the comforts and luxuries in life they sacrificed to make sure me and my siblings never lacked.

Website: www.popofculturepopup.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/popofculturepopup

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nyema-igwe/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pocpopup

Facebook: www.facebook.com/popofculturepopup