Angela Karanja is a world renowned adolescent psychologist and parenting teenagers expert who rose from extreme impoverishment and childhood abuse and like a lotus was able to thrive despite the mud and the muck – Now the founder of Raising Remarkable Teenagers, she helps parents of teenagers from all over the world raise mentally healthy and highly effective teenagers without losing their minds.
I’m Angela Karanja – a world renowned adolescent psychologist and parenting teenagers expert and I help parents of teenagers from all over the world raise mentally healthy and highly effective teenagers without losing their minds. Here’s why I founded Raising Remarkable Teenagers.
Having worked with teenagers for over 20 years, in my psychological research I began to notice one missing LINK. An ever-increasing wedge between parents and teenagers which was not being addressed. Because of this gap and disconnection our teens were falling into the doldrums of mental health struggles plus becoming vulnerable to exploitation; – sex, crime, drug exploitation. That’s when I began focusing on helping parents to build strong bonds with teenagers based on honesty and trust. The closing of the gap and developing strong connections would save parent-teen relationships plus prevent parents from losing their kids to exploitation and mental health problems our teenagers from perishing and wasting their potential.
As an successful entrepreneur please share your view point if you believe that entrepreneurs are born or made?
Entrepreneurs are both born and made! I believe all of us are born entrepreneurs as in all us come packed with potential in form of gifts and talents and then the environment helps us either achieve that potential or not.
Here’s what I mean….
Our very presence in this world is supposed to profit us and those around us …. literally the meaning of entrepreneur is
“a person who sets up a business, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.”
So, because we come into this world ready to showcase our talents and gifts and using our imagination create new ideas to serve people and in return get compensated, we all are therefore born entrepreneurs.
Some people however get great mentoring and guidance are able to consciously and intentionally monetise their ideas, gifts and then we call them entrepreneurs whilst all the while we all are entrepreneurs and we can learn to do it better.
Nelson Mandela once quoted – ‘I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’
What has been one fear you have overcome?
What will people say? It’s frightening when you step out and start working on your dream. Only you can see the end product in your mind and no one else can. So, like a farmer you are in the fields day in day out…. but there’s no harvest to show for it. But keep at it…because the dream consumes you it feels so real to you, and you know it’s worth it. People around you especially most who don’t understand how dreams become reality will deride even discourage you…. this is one of the worst fears and how I overcome it over and over again is —ignoring the opinions of destiny destroyers—it sounds simple but it’s not easy especially when those people are friends and family.
Tell us what the word “empower” means to you?
To develop your own higher faculties of the mind in such a way that you are able to acquire anything you want without violating the rights of others, and in doing so you encourage other people to do the same as a you model, mentor and motivate them.
What has been one of the biggest business ideas you have had and how did you have the courage to implement it?
Raising Remarkable Teenagers. By the time I started Raising Remarkable Teenagers I had been knocked down so many times that for me this time was do or die! My courage came from I’ve got the skills and I’m authentic …. my soul and smile were behind it. I felt fuelled and propelled forward by it and I knew I wasn’t losing – you know when the idea is using you? That’s a courage I can’t explain to anyone.
Running your own business can be scary. Success requires moments of courage to push through to the next level, please tell us one of the moments you have had to push through to take your business to the next level?
Sitting my family down and telling them that I’m going with or without them! Because I win they win , if I lose only I lose but if I don’t do this I’ll be of no value to myself or them….and I can’t imagine the thought of dying with the music within me!
This meant me working extra hours to serve clients from different time zones of the world! It also meant investing money in this and partner bearing most of the house bills in the meantime.
Tell us what attributes you feel make a good leader in business today?
Serving fully. Whether I’m serving one person or a hundred I give my all. Also I’m an avid learner and I have great mentors too.
What is your favourite quote about empowerment?
Brendon Burchard’s: Most people are not afraid to start their dream. They are embarrassed to be seen starting small. But it can’t be about pleasing or impressing others. It has to be about the dream and who you can become in reaching for it. So no matter how small you start, start something that matters.
What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start their own business?
Start Today!
Write down what you want and how you see the end goal looking like.
Who do you see yourself being after you’ve achieved your goal?
Get excited about it no matter if there’s supporting cheering squad…. most likely you’ll have none at the moment apart from a mentor. So I’d advise get a mentor. I person who has successfully walked the road you want to walk.
What would be one (1) question you would you ask the person who most inspires you? Also share with us about this person and why they inspire you?
How do you keep yourself excited on days when the trend is not going upwards and you feel like there’s no hope and you don’t know the next step.
Richard Branson is this one person that inspires me with his upbeat attitude towards even his most challenging adventures.
Enjoyed reading about Angela Karanja?
Connect with her:
https://linktr.ee/RaisingTeenagers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/akaranja/
https://twitter.com/angelakaranja
https://www.facebook.com/TeenKidsUnlimited
https://www.facebook.com/groups/598550881030361
https://www.facebook.com/AngelaWKaranja/
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