Ship’s Log 06: Beneath the Surface with Mosongo Moukwa

"Purpose is not something we invent, It is something we uncover, through trials and triumphs"
- Mosongo Moukwa

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Project Candor, host Jeanne Andersen sits with Musango Mukwa, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and business strategist, to explore what happens when success on paper no longer feels like success in life. Musango shares his journey from senior corporate leadership to entrepreneurship, including the painful early failures that reshaped his purpose and leadership style. Through stories of immigration, reinvention, and resilience, he reveals how clarity, simplicity, and purpose—not complexity—are the true drivers of sustainable business growth and personal fulfillment. This candid conversation offers powerful insights for business owners feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from the passion that once fueled their work.

Guest’s Bio:
Mosongo Moukwa is a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and business strategist. He helps small business owners improve revenue and find peace by reigniting their passion, uncovering hidden opportunities, and building profitable companies that create lasting freedom and legacy.

Links:
Linkedin:  linkedin.com/in/mosongomoukwa/
Website: https://mosongomoukwa.coach
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mosongomoukwa/

A complimentary 1 on 1 strategy session https://mosongomoukwa.aweb.page/p/4e594f01-fa85-41f9-8ae7-baef0824a009

Who do you know who'd make a great guest for the show? Email: info@projectcandor.com

Website:   https://www.projectcandor.com

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Transcript

Welcome to Project Candor, the show where ordinary people share unexpected stories. I'm your host Jeannie, and ⁓ every episode is designed to open the door to real life, the moments that shape us, surprise us, and remind us that everyone carries a story you'd never guess just by looking. Here on Project Candor, we slow down, we listen, and we explore the parts of people's lives that often stay behind the door. the stories that reveal who someone really is beneath the titles. Today is no exception. We have a guest today, Musango Mukwa. Musango is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and business strategist. He helps small business owners improve revenue and find peace by reigniting their passion, uncovering hidden opportunities, and building profitable companies that create lasting freedom and legacy.
Welcome to the show. ⁓ I'm so glad to have you, Mosongo.

Mosongo:
⁓ Thank you very much for having me on your show. I'm grateful.

Jeanne:
Would you like to, I've given your bio out right now. Would you like to say something about yourself and kind of explain to the listeners who you really are?

Mosongo:
⁓ Thank you. ⁓ Thank you for the opportunity. ⁓ You see, for years I lived ⁓ in two worlds. ⁓ By then I was ⁓ senior corporate leader. That was predictable, secure. But underneath really I was quite restless. know, weeks were asking me, ⁓ is this really it?⁓ I could have stayed in corporate life, know, comfortable traveling around the world, managing global organization. It was safe. ⁓ But I was building someone else's dream. And ⁓ I felt that something inside me was just breaking. ⁓ so one day I free myself ⁓ from those golden shackles and then I took a leap. So ⁓ I left without a parachute, so to speak. You know, no road map, no safety net, and then wondering whether I was going to hit the ground. And sure enough, ⁓ I fell and I fell very hard. So my first attempt in entrepreneurship was just a disaster. I burned through savings, I doubted myself, ⁓ I felt lost. I savings just disappear and... ⁓And then I went to one of my relatives to borrow some money. I was really near bottom, emotionally and financially. But ⁓ in that silence, ⁓ where pride has nothing really left to hide, ⁓ I realized something has to change. ⁓ I questioned everything, including myself. And then I remember this word from Nelson Mandela. who said, courage ⁓ is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. So fear is there every day. In ⁓ fact, grew as an entrepreneur. But courage meant taking the next step anyway. So it's really the decision to move, even when the ground is somewhat shaky. So, but ⁓ thank you. But that season, ⁓

Jeanne:
that's excellent.

Mosongo:
⁓ that fall and many others after that, ⁓ I became really my greatest teacher. ⁓ Those struggles became breakthroughs actually. ⁓ Because I discovered ⁓ that skills matter, ⁓ but the clarity is actually what builds profitable businesses. ⁓ Complexity kills growth and purpose fuels everything. Then I started rebuilding differently. ⁓ And then slowly, A shift begins not all at once, slowly, slowly. A client says yes. ⁓ A system finally works. Small winds, quiet winds. ⁓ But each one of them was like a stitch in a parachute that I I did not have. And ⁓ what I also learned ⁓ in that journey is I learned humility ⁓ to ask for help, to take feedback, and to keep moving forward, even while afraid. And those lessons actually became ⁓ from the foundation of what I now teach small business.

Jeanne:
Nice. So let me ⁓ break in a minute. And when you said that you were, you had no roadmap, you had no parachute, you had nothing, you just had this passion. You really wanted to move forward with something that would benefit not only you, but other people. ⁓ And ⁓ you just could not stop yourself. So ⁓ I have had similar experiences and I know I, I really feel like I am a person that is not ⁓ able to ⁓ just follow a roadmap. I have to make the map ⁓ and ⁓ I don't care if I get lost ⁓ or if I go down side roads, but ⁓ I'm going to follow my own map. And it sounds like you're that kind of person. You're like, I just, I'm going to go out there and give it my all. And ⁓ even with all the hard times you had. So excellent.

Mosongo"
Yes. Sorry. ⁓

Jeanne:
I know I think you're doing fantastic job because recently I've been seeing a lot of your LinkedIn clips and a lot of your other ⁓ you know, like ⁓ messages just to people that are looking for help and that something that you can offer them and I find you to be very fascinating and interesting and I really think you do have that passion that you needed to break away and take ⁓ control and do what you need to do or do what you want to do.
So I commend you for that. That's fantastic.

Mosongo:
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jeannie. Actually, what small business really what they are looking for? They are looking for financial independence. They're looking to leave a legacy for their children and spending time with loved ones. The reality is that they are not achieving those. They keep working, working, working, but there are so many factors at play. And then they reach that stagnation. Stagnation, the revenue are not moving anymore.

Jeanne:
Mm-hmm.

Mosongo:
and so on, but those are only symptoms of something else. Either there are some psychological synergies and some pains, and pains are multiple. So what happens is that you reach that level, there is that fear of failure that starts to set in. ⁓ Many small business are afraid of failing and they become conservative. They don't want to take any risk anymore or self-doubt beginning to set in.
Many struggle with that feeling, know, sometimes questioning if they really deserve those achievements. And they don't want to take time off. Afraid that ⁓ if I go away that will harm the business. So they become stressed, no quality time with family, which is actually one of the key components of their goal. But they also lack clarity and focus.
⁓ And as you know, without clarity and focus, it's difficult for them to achieve their long-term goal. With the daily disruption, running the business, they cannot focus on strategic growth and so on. So they find themselves in that reactive mode. ⁓ And then what they also experience is isolation. Isolation, lack of support.
⁓ and many small business owners out there, sometimes their spouse or partner, they don't always have any idea what they going through. ⁓ Because running a small business can be a lonely proposition, actually. You feel isolated in your struggle, you know? And then that leads to emotion exhaustion and lack of motivation.
So that's really what the people are experiencing. So initially it's painful, You know, they start getting used to living in that space and feeling comfortable with it and justifying every situation without actually ⁓ challenging those, you know, the reason behind those, huh? ⁓ So how to solve that is really ⁓ trying to understand those challenges, ⁓ trying to bring that pain to the surface.

Jeanne:
Yes.

Mosongo:
and then beginning to address them.

Jeanne:
Very good. So let me ask you a question. ⁓ We've talked a lot about, ⁓ you know, you just came to ⁓ a point where you needed to make a change. But what's that one moment or experience that shaped the way you lead and help others today?

Mosongo:
Well, that's really a ⁓
It's really ⁓ something you uncover. ⁓ Your purpose, most of all, is really something that you uncover. And you ⁓ find those through your own ⁓ triumphs and tribulations. So that's really what happens there. ⁓ And ⁓ purpose is really... ⁓
⁓ It's something that is always inside us. ⁓ It's like that flame which, the flame is always there, ⁓ but ⁓ it may have been buried under ⁓ the weight of time and so on, the weight of all those challenges. ⁓ But ⁓ the truth is you don't need to look beyond yourself to reignite those, to reignite that purpose. So... ⁓
So for me really what happened is that I'm going to tell you perhaps a story. I had.

Jeanne:
Good. I like to listen before you start. I just have to make a comment. I told you this before. I love listening to your accent. You've got what I thought was French, but you ⁓ also are not from France. ⁓ So ⁓ you have that very white deep voice. So I told you.

Mosongo:
Yes. ⁓ Yes. Yes. Yes. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah.

Jeanne:
Last time we talked that I thought you should be an audible ⁓ voice. He would be a perfect speaker for some of the books I listen to. ⁓ So now I'm going to just tune out and let you tell me a story. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yes, yes, yes.
Thank you.

Mosongo Moukwa (11:0.329)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. When I came to Canada, I came to Canada via Windsor, Ontario, as a permanent ⁓ resident there. And life was ⁓ somewhat difficult, actually, ⁓ there. And then just fast forward.
⁓ A few years back, one of my clients asked me if I could meet with him to have dinner in Windsor, Ontario. I was attending one conference in Detroit, Michigan, so ⁓ I went ⁓ there. And then as I was ⁓ driving there in Windsor, Ontario, I passed by that building. That was a small building where I rented a room there, those days when I first came there. ⁓
⁓ That was in 1982. ⁓ and then as I was sitting there in my car those memories just come you know the kids came rushing back you struggles, sleepless nights ⁓ and then also gratitude you know so So I was just thinking there what are some of the struggles and so on but actually those struggles they were stepping stones and they just Refined me in a way they they strengthened me you know preparing me
for the life that I live because when I got there, I came in the middle of a financial recession, both in Canada and in the United States. You could not even find a job there. So even though I have a permanent residency, I could not find a job even as a dishwasher. I went to the unemployment office. They told me you are not eligible because you just got in. So it was somewhat difficult.
So I went to this restaurant and I greeted this client of mine. And then ⁓ as we were sharing a meal, ⁓ and then he was telling me about his own challenges. And then he said that ⁓ every time that, and he is talking now, he said, every time you think you are building a security, something always happens, taking it away, you know? ⁓ And then that just echoed in my mind.

Mosongo:
the kind of vulnerability that entrepreneurs actually often feel. ⁓ But yet he spoke about ⁓ my guidance, ⁓ the way I guided him, how I help him overcome adversity ⁓ and then stay true to his own vision. ⁓ that honestly moved me very deeply, actually. And at that moment, ⁓ all came together in my mind because that...
⁓ building I saw there in Windsor, Ontario when I first came back in 1982, ⁓ that was not just a reminder of my past. It was actually a symbol of how far I'd come. So this client story were not just encouragement, they were actually a reflection of the, I would say, the power of purpose. Because I ⁓ realized that my journey was not just about success. It was really about legacy, you know?

Jeanne:
Mm-hmm.

Mosongo:
And that dream that ⁓ I once had for my mother, because I used to dream back then, one day I'll buy a home for my mother and so on. That dream actually planted a seed that grew into something far greater, which is helping others discover their own potential and stepping into their own purpose. ⁓ For me, ⁓ purpose, I was reminded that purpose is not something that really you invent. It's something that you have to find, you have to uncover because it's really written in our ⁓ own being. It's just waiting for it to be revealed. ⁓ And sometimes very simple things, a building, ⁓ a conversation, or a meal ⁓ that really will touch the deepest part of us and will remind us actually why we do what we do. ⁓ So I just thought I would share it.

Jeanne:
Mm-hmm.

Mosongo:
this story with you and your audience out there.

Jeanne:
Yeah, that's fantastic. Yeah, thank you. ⁓ You said in Canada, you, and I actually know this from my husband being from another country, you you have to come in and you have to wait ⁓ to actually start working. And if he had come in ⁓ when we got married and he came over, ⁓ he's from Sweden, he had to wait two years, I think, to even get through the resident card process.

Mosongo:
Yeah. ⁓

Jeanne:
And so he could not work, ⁓ which was driving him nuts. So I guess you got stuck in Canada, not only as a new resident, but where the economy was ⁓ not great. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah. I ⁓ came straight as a resident. I remember at the time they told me, are you applying for a ⁓ student visa? I said, no. At that time I'd finished my bachelor degree. And then I said, no, I'm applying for permanent resident. I was told Canada is a land of immigrant and so on and so on. So we went back and forth with them for months and months and months. ⁓ then eventually, eventually, ⁓ I remember the last time I went there.

Jeanne:
Mmm.

Mosongo:
put my suit and tie and then this gentleman there was meeting with me he told me why don't you try the ⁓ delegation to Quebec the Quebec they had their own immigration there so I went there ⁓ the people there told me they say no we don't need any engineer right now and so on and so on so I was somewhat a bit discouraged then I went back a few months later to the Canadian Embassy again the fellow told me said ⁓ were you not here last month or a few months

Jeanne:
I'm

Mosongo:
I said, yes, yes, ⁓ I came because I don't know, maybe things have changed. So he told me, well, I tell you what, ⁓ here's a form, fill it out, and then make an appointment with one of the agent, which I did. I met with this agent, he was very courteous. I filled out the papers, showed them my credentials and whatnot, in our schools and so on. And then many months passed, I actually even forgot about them. I got this envelope.
I was actually afraid to open it because I thought that would be a rejection. But then I opened it. Congratulations and whatnot. ⁓ I kept actually the original visa in one of my trunks here. ⁓ You need to enter Canada before July, whatever they told me the date and so on. ⁓ and then you have to produce X number of dollars as you are going there and so on. So that's how my trajectory has been.

Jeanne:
Huh.
that's nice.
So that's where you also got your accent. Did you? ⁓

Mosongo:
No, no, was born in the Congo. I was born in the Congo. ⁓ then ⁓ part of my youth I spent it in Belgium. ⁓ So I'm still French. And then ⁓ I did my bachelor degree in Belgium as well. And then from there I went to Canada where I did graduate school, master's, PhD and so on.

Jeanne:
Okay.
nice.

Jeanne:
So I can see why you would go to Canada and not come straight to the United States because they do speak French. ⁓ We do not. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah, but I was in Ontario, which was English speaking, And people used to tell me, why are you in the English part? And the French people did not give me the right papers. So I ended up in Windsor, Ontario. And also I knew one of the fellow there, Canadian, was living in Windsor, Ontario. When I was a student, I was working in a bar as a bartender.

Jeanne:
You

Mosongo:
And he used to come there. was at that time he was doing his PhD on SART, actually ⁓ French literature. So ⁓ we got to know each other and so on. So when I told him I was applying, he said, if you apply and they ask you where you want to go, say Windsor, Ontario, because I'm Windsor and then I'll be able to help you out and so on. So that's how I ended up there.

Jeanne:
⁓ okay. Yeah, so what is the French speaking part, Montreal, that over toward the eastern part of Canada?

Mosongo:
Yeah, All Quebec, that is the French speaking part. So I did my masters in Ontario and then for my PhD I went to Quebec, a town called Sherbrooke. So I did my PhD there. And then from there, then I came to the US as a research fellow at Northwestern University to do research for two years. So that's how I ended up

Jeanne:
Okay.
Yeah.

Mosongo:
⁓ And then we stayed. They asked me if I wanted to work at university. They were offering me some research associate position. I told them I was more interested in working in corporate. So that's how it is. ⁓

Jeanne:
Very nice. You're kind of in my neck of the woods now. ⁓ So ⁓ another question, you were kind of going around here. I like hearing the back of your background. I like hearing how you move forward from one thing to the next and how you formulated the business that you're ⁓ in now and that ⁓ you're presenting to people to help them. But what... ⁓

Mosongo:
Yes, yes, yes. ⁓

Jeanne:
And what would you tell a business owner ⁓ who feels stuck and overwhelmed? ⁓ What ⁓ they should be doing, what steps they should be taking, what would you tell them right now ⁓ to reignite their passion for what they're doing? Because you did talk about business owners, ⁓ you know, not...
knowing losing that passion and not knowing what they're doing and not knowing how to move forward. So what were the steps that you would tell them to take to reignite that?

Mosongo:
Well, first of all, I mean, the context is that they have to do a number of things. In my coaching, do ⁓ one is to reignite that passion and to really to get them that energy, that module back. And then two, then we can look at ⁓ their business, ⁓ revenue operations and so on. And then the third one, I'm looking for them to ⁓ bring all of that together in a sense that because what I'm really hoping to achieve is that ⁓ is that at the end of my coaching, ⁓ for them to have grown, for them to have grown ⁓ through that experience. ⁓ So that's really what I do with them. Now in terms of ⁓ rediscovering your purpose, ⁓ there are ⁓ a few things that one can do. ⁓ Step one is what makes you happy. ⁓ So I like ⁓ giving this quote of Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation, ⁓ which is, said, the happiest people I've ever met, regardless of their profession, social standing, or economic status, are those who are fully engaged with the world around them.
The most fulfilled people are the ones who wake up every morning excited to embrace life. They care deeply about others, extend helping hands to someone in need, and pursue activities that bring them ⁓ genuine joy.
So what makes you happy? So that's the first thing that you need because ⁓ happiness often comes from living in alignment with what brings us joy and ⁓ meaning. So I like people to ⁓ reflect upon that. What activity brings you joy? What topics or interests that make you light up when you talk about them? What are the things you would do even if ⁓ one ⁓ does not pay you for it? ⁓

Jeanne:
⁓ Right.

Mosongo:
This is one activity. And then the other one is, ⁓ what are you curious about? ⁓ Because I believe that curiosity fuels our connection to life. It sparks ⁓ that desire ⁓ to explore and then learning and growing. And also curiosity help us ⁓ to stay engaged, engage with the world and ourselves. So that's something that I can... So what activity or experience that really sparked your curiosity? ⁓ Which one here makes you lose track of time? ⁓ When was the last time you really felt curious about life? ⁓ And what really prompted that? What really triggered that? ⁓ What topics of conversation do you naturally ⁓ gravitate towards, you know, discussing with friends and family? So that's one activity I do with them. And then another one is what are your values? Because throughout life, it's really essential for us to assess our values and find meaning and stay aligned with what truly matters. So that's something ⁓ we have a discussion there. ⁓ Because what happens is that ⁓ when your values are not clear, then you may feel lost, you know?
and not too sure about which direction to take. So that's why we explored that and then ⁓ trying to do ⁓ that. ⁓ And for that you have to explore ⁓ your life themes, You have to explore your past, you know, and see whether there are some recurring themes there. ⁓ What else here? ⁓ What books ⁓ made the biggest impression ⁓ on you as a child? For me, ⁓ One book that made a great deal of impression on me there are actually two. One was the Little Prince, with Le Petit Prince. And that just made me dream, know, exploring, know, imagining that I was in different countries. I think maybe that's why I was always attracted with the idea of visiting so many countries. And I find myself in Canada, actually. I think this could have been one of the reasons. Another one was Rhinoceros.

Jeanne:
Mm-hmm.

Mosongo:
by Yonescu or Ionescu as the English people they say. ⁓ Yeah, so this one was here, ⁓ the protagonist there, was a person who ⁓ against the authoritarian regime, know? And so those who were ⁓ almost copped into ⁓ thinking in that way, they all changed their face and became Ranauseros.

Jeanne:
I don't know that one.

Mosongo:
except Béranger who was the protagonist. ⁓ So those are the questions. So what books made the first impression? And then what were your dreams as a child and why? We forget sometimes the dreams that we had when we were children, you know, and so on. What are the people, historical leaders perhaps, that you admire? What value did ⁓ you learn ⁓ by studying them? So... ⁓ So that's something we do. Another one that we do is really ⁓ this ceremony metaphor. So imagine a ceremony where ⁓ you ⁓ are being held for, ⁓ after you are no longer here, and then, you know, what do want people to say about you? What would you like them to remember about you? You know, what would you like to hear? You you want to hear, my friend, someone we did not fight for.

Jeanne:
Yeah, right.

Mosongo:
what they believed in out of fear, or you want to hear, you know, my parents would not make enough time for me, you know, what is it that you want to hear, know, once you are no longer here. All of this will help you really identify and find those patterns and really come to grips with who you are, actually.

Jeanne:
Right, right. Well, you know, I was thinking of a ⁓ company that a man that I knew that had a company in New York up in Rochester, New York, ⁓ and ⁓ it was killing him. He was becoming unhealthy ⁓ and he ⁓ could not make a profit. ⁓ He tried everything he could to turn it around. Just didn't know where to go. ⁓ And ⁓ one day he got a call at his house. And his company was on fire. It was burning. He didn't do it. ⁓ I guarantee he didn't go set a fire, but his company started burning. So he went, he grabbed his coat. ran, he ran out the door. He ran to the building. ⁓ The fire trucks were there trying to put it out, but it was just burning beyond control. ⁓ And he, they kept the police came and the fire people came and said, I don't think we can save this. ⁓ he said, let it burn.

Mosongo:
Yes, yes, yes. ⁓

Jeanne:
And he just went and sat down and watched it. He said, it's killing me anyway. And it's not my passion. But I felt bad for him in that situation. But then now, as you're talking, I realized that was what he had to do. He had to let it burn. So, you know.

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And he's probably ⁓ feeling much, much happier now than when he was running that particular business, mean, him, probably, that's that. Yeah.

Jeanne:
He is much happier, much happier. Right after that, he decided, well, I mean, there was some little insurance money. It wasn't a huge company, but it was a warehouse. so there was some insurance money that came back. But instead of rebuilding, he decided, this is my pinnacle. This is where I'm gonna take a turn and I'm gonna do a 180. And this is where I'm gonna change my life. And he did something totally different.

Mosongo:
⁓ Yes.

Yes, yes.

Jeanne:
I think he went back to, I don't remember now. I haven't talked to him since then. ⁓ But I think he went back to ⁓ school and changed careers totally into the medical field. ⁓ I ⁓ could, ⁓ at that time I had no concept. I was much younger. I was like, I have no concept of what happens if that, if you're building a business and ⁓ it's just gone, but you, you did it. You know, you decided to take that leap and change and then. You're there to help others. So this is extraordinary that you're there. ⁓ I know you told me story too. You told me a story the other day about ⁓ one step you'd like people that are overwhelmed like this man whose business caught on fire. The first thing, and I loved it. You said, here's what I'd tell him to do. Do you remember what you told me?

Mosongo:
Yeah, Good.

Mosongo:
No, I don't remember exactly, but...

Jeanne:
⁓ You said I tell them to take their spouse or their wife or whoever is most important to them. Yeah, can you kind of talk about that again? Because I loved that.

Mosongo:
⁓ yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. ⁓
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Having worked with many small business owners, what I've realized is that they ⁓ are obviously very passionate about what they do. ⁓ But passion is like a double edged sword, that passion also can burn you out. So what happened for many business owners is that they're busy there and then justifying the time that they're spending there. And that is quite often at the expense of their own family. ⁓

Jeanne:
Yes.

Mosongo:
fact, they claiming that, I'm doing this ⁓ for my family and whatnot. ⁓
So sometimes when I would ask them, said, when was the last time you took your spouse for dinner, particularly the men? And when was the last time you had a date with your wife? And they are all a bit confused. And they then realize that, yeah, it's been a while. It's been a while. And then sometimes you hear them telling the story, man, I just cannot find the time to take Johnny to the baseball game.

Jeanne:
Yeah. ⁓

Mosongo:
or missing so many of the piano recitals and so on. So what I encourage them to do is to pause ⁓ and to find that time, you know, within that week that we talking, for them to do those activities. Take your wife for dinner. If you are a lady, ⁓
then take your husband, spend some time with him, know, go out, go out. ⁓ If you have some small children, book that Saturday, don't work, don't go there in the field and you are there on your phone, you know, watch the game, cheer him up and whatnot. You'll see that that ⁓ activity there, as simple as it is, it will give you lots of energy and it will reconnect you with them and consequently it will reconnect you with what your business is actually all about.

Jeanne:
Right. I love that approach because there are times when you just get too bogged down and you just forget that. I remember my son one time, I had a really bad project at work and it was taking up all my time and I was just sitting there on the computer, kept working, kept working. And here comes the little boy over to me and says, Hey mom, are we going to eat? dinner, I'm getting hungry. And I looked at my watch, was 8 p.m. ⁓ that was harsh. ⁓ I felt so bad. ⁓ you know, his dad ⁓ was off and doing the same on his computer because it was, ⁓ you just get so engrossed in like a technical release or a project that you're working on. And ⁓ there goes the collateral, your kids, your people you really, really love. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because we quite often say that we don't have the time, but actually the time is still 24 hours. It's how we want to use it, ⁓ actually. ⁓ So that's really what it is there. And yes.

Jeanne:
So.
Exactly.
Yeah, I've.
I think that's just beautiful the way you put it. So I know that.
⁓ Is there any thing you wanna add to what we've been discussing? Anything that you'd like to tell the listeners that says contact me and ⁓ just work ⁓ on ⁓ moving your business forward with me? Anything in particular that sets your business apart?

Mosongo:
Yes, yes, thank you. Thank you, jeanne. What I would say is that at the end of the day, the entrepreneurial journey is more than just the pursuit of success. It's really a testament to the resilience of purpose and the power of our dream. ⁓ So I would tell them, your path may have been taken and expected turns, ⁓ but your spark may feel deemed by those challenges. ⁓ The essence of why you ⁓ began what you're doing remains within you, just waiting to be rediscovered. So by reconnecting with your dream and ⁓ grounding yourself in purpose, you are not just... ⁓ reignited your passion, but you're actually reclaiming the vision that first really ⁓ set you ⁓ on fire, or ablaze, I should say, because setting you on fire may sound different. So reconnect with that vision. So ⁓ that's what I would say. And then as you're moving forward, ⁓ remember that small intentional steps ⁓

Jeanne:
Yeah. My story about the fire. ⁓

Mosongo:
today can create that profound transformation tomorrow. So try to cultivate an environment that reflect your authentic self and nurture your purpose with care, fuel your dream with curiosity and let your values drive your action. Because by doing that, you won't just build a traveling business, you will actually craft a meaningful legacy. So that's what I would say there.

Jeanne:
Great.
That's wonderful.

Mosongo:
And obviously, you asked me the other question, how I can be contacted. ⁓ Obviously, people can contact me on LinkedIn and so on. ⁓

Jeanne:
Yeah, we'll have a slide for that and we'll put all your info in the transcript. But now we're getting to the good part of the ⁓ project candor. Did you have one more thing to say?

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah, I was going to say, but really what I would like to do because ⁓ for your listener out there, because you have given me this opportunity to come here, share my story. I am proposing, I am offering a complimentary one-on-one session to seven people. One-on-one session where we can, what I will share with them some of the strategies ⁓ that I've employed in my business, that I also teach in small business, which I think will help them ⁓ to improve their revenue.
that they could take and apply very quickly in their business. So I can only take seven people just because of the time, but I think ⁓ because I have this opportunity, that's something I would like to certainly give to some of your listeners out there. So for that, they could contact me ⁓ either via your Project Candor ⁓ or if they contact me directly on LinkedIn, please mention that you heard me on the Project Candor show.

Jeanne:
⁓ wonderful.

Okay. Well, great. Well, you have so many layers and so many things to offer people and businesses and just on a personal side, you're just fun person to talk to and work with. ⁓ I want to go to the, favorite part of the show, which is for us to go through two truths and a lie and dig down a little deeper into the fun side of you and into the fun adventures and unexpected stories you've had in your life. So let's go there. Let's go to that.

Mosongo:
Yeah. ⁓

Yes.
Yes. ⁓

Jeanne:
⁓ section I'm going to share my screen ⁓ and show you ⁓ the ⁓ the ⁓ two truths and a lie so for those listening to truth and a lie is the guest has provided me with three ⁓ headlines that say ⁓ some unexpected story or some great fun that he's had in his life ⁓ and one of them is actually a lie

Mosongo:
Thank

Jeanne:
but we don't know what that is yet. And he won't tell us until he explains all the stories. So don't tell us, ⁓ but I'm gonna guess which one.

Mosongo:
I can still see you. ⁓
Okay, I see you.

Jeanne:
Yeah, I'm not really sure why that happens, but anyway, let's go to the screen presentation again.
Okay, so I'll read the headlines and then I'll guess. So number one story in Belgium and saw Mosongo presented his grievances to a Cardinal kissed his ring and magic happened after months of concern over visa renewal. The local government renewed his visa almost immediately afterwards. It felt as if grace had quietly intervened. Also ⁓ number two story ⁓ while in Nannissivik an Intuit Village.
Mosongo stepped away from his snowmobile to admire the stillness of the Arctic landscape. When he turned back, a bear was standing there beside his snowmobile watching him. ⁓ That doesn't sound so exciting or it is unexpected. ⁓ Number three, ⁓ Mosongo joined the company as a scientist eager to invent new products. Soon after the CEO called him into his office and unexpectedly,
appointed him to be the position manager of research and development, a moment that opened doors to countless new opportunities. So ⁓ for me, ⁓ as the podcast host, I'm going to guess that ⁓ number three is not the truth, but don't tell me yet. ⁓ I want you to go through these stories for the listeners and talk through them. Number one, tell us about ⁓ going into
kiss the Cardinals ring. can't, I don't even, I'm not Catholic, so I don't even know how you do that. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yes.
Yes, yes, yes. I was then ⁓ in Belgium, so I finished my bachelor degree there. And I find that this job in one of the laboratory, one professor there hired me. ⁓ So I was hired there, but then I had, ⁓ they gave me that working visa ⁓ for a year and then renewable. So at the end of the ⁓ year, ⁓
Then the question became, you know, they going to renew or not to renew? So I was not really sure. Now, my brother-in-law knew one cardinal. In Belgium, those cardinals, are, know, the Catholic Church is extremely powerful there. They have ties with those politicians and so on. So we went to see the cardinal and explained to the cardinal.

Jeanne:
Okay.

Mosongo:
went there first and then as a good gesture you know I kiss his ring and what I was a tall guy you know wearing his robe and so on it's sat down on his chair wooden chair I remember exactly so I explained to him my situation ⁓
told me I've been working there, they hired me there because I was among the people there top in my class and blah blah blah. I'm working in this laboratory, but they're telling me they're not too sure whether the law has changed and whatnot. So I'm predicament here because I would like to stay here. So he listened to my grievances and so on. And then he told me, I'm not too sure what I can do, but let me see what I can do.
I him, I went home, still unsure whether this thing actually is going to have positive results. And then one day I get a letter.

Jeanne:
⁓ It made you feel good to talk about it, right? ⁓

Mosongo:
⁓ from the cardinal first. He told me I was spoken to ⁓ Minister of Labour. I forgot his name. Actually, that letter is downstairs. So I spoke to ⁓ the Minister of Labour and whatnot, ⁓ and they will be getting in touch with you. Sure enough, a week later, I got a letter signed by the Minister of Labour at that time ⁓ from the governor with his hand signature and ⁓ the letterhead and so on, telling me that take this paper, go to the local, they used to call that the office of foreigners, something like that, go to that office ⁓ and your paper will be renewed. I was excited, I went there, presented ⁓ the letter. These people, they're probably asking, who is this fellow here bringing this letter for the military and so on.

Jeanne:
You

Mosongo:
Then they went in some room there, they came back ⁓ with my ⁓ ID, with the stamps and so on, and it was renewed. So I went home, I sent a letter thanking the Cardinal ⁓ and whatnot for that gesture and so on. So this is the story, story number one.

Jeanne:
That's.

That's a wonderful story. ⁓ I don't know. What do you think did it? It was the Cardinals letter, I'm sure, not the ring. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah, but it ⁓ was in a way ⁓ magic. Sometimes I feel that when I was younger I was much bolder actually. It's like over the years I've quieted down a little bit, but I was much bolder. I not hesitate ⁓ to ⁓ just go and ⁓ look for some of the top people, ⁓ Cardinal or the local senator and so on. ⁓

Jeanne:
⁓ Don't we all?

Mosongo:
⁓ But it did work, it did work. It was just a wild idea, let's go and talk to the Cardinal. then, ⁓ you know, so as a good Christian, so I went there and whatnot. I reminded him I was a good Catholic Christian and whatnot. And then we prayed actually together and whatnot. And this is what happened.

Jeanne:
Nice, very nice story. All right, so we're gonna go to the next one. Now this one I wanna know. What were you doing in that village and ⁓ what was the bear doing on your snowmobile? ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. ⁓
Yes, yes, yes, yes. I am ⁓ some of the handful of people who have crossed the Arctic Circle. In fact, I have a certificate here in my room here to prove it. I'm a member of ⁓ the chapter of Polar Bear. So that's it is called. ⁓ So each time you cross the Canadian ⁓ Arctic Circle, there is ⁓ a government representative who comes there and, you know. shakes your hand ⁓ and then give you the certificate. ⁓

Jeanne:
I did not know that. I did not know you got something for crossing the...
In the Navy, you get something for crossing the equator and the ships that cross the equator, they go crazy over that. ⁓

Mosongo:
That's right. day crossing the Canadian Arctic. The Canadian Arctic circle. So that means ⁓ you are beyond there. And then that small town there was called Nannissivik. It's a Inuit village. ⁓ The Canadian government was also mining there. They were mining, I believe, ⁓ silver or something like that there. That they were mining.
And it was a very cold place, very cold place. ⁓ The temperature ⁓ could reach there ⁓ minus 70 degrees centigrade. I don't know how it is in Fahrenheit, but ⁓ in Celsius that was minus seven zero, 70. So it was fairly cold. So I was there actually on a mission. ⁓ My job there was to put some instrumentation there. So they were measuring some temperature changes. ⁓
in some of the buildings. ⁓ they wanted me to put some instrumentation there. So this place was just very cold, very cold, very cold. you say, you know, just working outside screwing up one, one screw will take you like hours, you know, because you can't do it with the big gloves because you have those tiny screws outside in the cold and so on. ⁓ But the people who hosting me there, those are the Inuit.
And then ask them one day for us to go, you know, just show me around, so to speak. They say, oh yeah, no problem. We'll take you with what they're calling the snowmobile or skidoo as they call it, the local, they can even call it skidoo. Those are snowmobile, you know. And so here we went. So we went there in the wilderness. Everything is just white. I mean, there is no horizon. It's just white. You look left and right.

Jeanne:
Right.

Mosongo:
⁓ So that's how it was. We went very far and then we stepped out of our snowmobiles, our skidoos, and then we started walking just away from the skidoos and so on. Me, just admiring the place, you know, taking maybe a couple of pictures there and there and whatnot. And then as we turned, ⁓ then we could see a bit farther that there was a white polar bear standing there by our snowmobile. ⁓

Jeanne:
Hmm.

Mosongo:
And then my host, the Inuit told me, he said, ⁓ don't worry, they usually avoid people. He will go away once he realizes that we are there. Sure enough, that's what he did. But at that time I was wondering, man, what would happen if this ⁓ big animal just ⁓ decide to charge us. ⁓ so that's what happened there. ⁓

Jeanne:
Wow. Well, that's the day that you, ⁓ hopefully you didn't put any snacks in your ski-doo ⁓ bucket. ⁓ He was just curious.

Mosongo:
No, he was just curious probably. He was probably just wondering and then he saw that, Yeah, he was there by himself.

Jeanne:
And he's all by himself.

Yeah, I don't know how they travel in packs. thought they did, but maybe, ⁓ maybe it was, well, who knows? You can't, it was all snow, no trees around, nothing.

Mosongo:
No, no trees. When you are beyond the Arctic Circle, is no snow, no trees. No trees. Just white. Just white. Just white. And then those...

Jeanne:
That's over.
That's weird, a lone bear and he comes for your ⁓ snowmobile? Wow.

Mosongo:
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, it happens, it happens because sometimes when they reach ⁓ certain age, so to speak, they have to find ⁓ their own space. ⁓ They're kicked out of the tribe, so to speak. You have to find your own space.

Jeanne:
Yeah, the pack, I guess is what they call it. I don't know about bears. ⁓ That's amazing. I would be scared. I have heard a couple of people say they've run into a bear, but ⁓ I'm not going to try to put myself in that situation. ⁓

Mosongo:
Yeah. ⁓
Yes. It was far away. The Inuit philatomy is too far and ⁓ they usually scare off people. don't ⁓ bother with people. Once they realize that we are here, will walk away.

Jeanne:
⁓ okay.
Well, hopefully he wasn't hungry. So ⁓ if he gets hungry, I'm sure he'd bother people. ⁓ So what about this company that you ended up getting hired to be an engineer and then ended up being the head of research and development. That's quite a story.

Mosongo:
Yeah. ⁓
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. ⁓ Yeah, when I finished my research ⁓ fellowship at Northwestern University there in Illinois, then I got this job with this company and I had the dream of working as a, you know, that was hired as a principal ⁓ researcher. So that was my title there. So was dreaming of, you know, inventing new products and new technology and being going to conferences, giving talks. That's what I was dreaming.And then, but that particular group, actually they did not have a research group. They had a technical service, it turned out. Then after a week or so, so they called me in the office and then he told me, said, Mosonga, we would like to make you as a manager. I always wanted to build a research group with the company that not have. So I want for you to run.

Jeanne:
Hmm, okay.

Mosongo:
to ⁓ be the one running this. So, and then I said, well, I just got here and ⁓ I never manage anybody and I'm not too sure how this will work. And he said, no, no, don't worry, don't worry. I spoke with some of your colleagues, they think you're the right person to pull this off. I said, well, okay, if they're giving me that confidence, okay, I'll give a try. And I also told him, I said, if this thing does not work out, ⁓ then let me know. ⁓ would be the first to come and let you know. that I want to go back to the laboratory. ⁓ then I took there and it turned out that ⁓ I did a phenomenal job there that led to other promotions. And then I think that was a moment where really my career and corporate, ⁓ the senior level role really took off because from there I moved on ⁓ to directors and I became vice president of big organizations and so on.

Jeanne:
⁓ okay.

Mosongo:
So that's story number three. ⁓

Jeanne:
Okay.
So that's a ⁓ fantastic story as well. So I guess that was the one that was the lie. Which one is the lie?

Mosongo:
One is the lie is the one in Nani Siwik.

Project Candor Podcast (52:32.965)
⁓ you didn't see a bear?

Mosongo:
The path that is alive is that I did not see a bear. But otherwise the rest is true. I did cross the Arctic Circle. And you listen out there, you look at the map, see that Nani Siwik is beyond the Arctic Circle, a small in-with village there. So I did go there and whatnot. And I do have the certification from the Canadian government.

Jeanne:
⁓ okay. ⁓

Mosongo:
as a member of the polar bear ⁓ chapter and what not. Anyway, they took me there in the wild, the wilderness just to look around, but there are no bears in the store.

Jeanne:
Nice.
Oh, I'm disappointed. thought that one was true. But I was just wondering how would a bear crawl out from the middle of nowhere, you know, can't hide anywhere. And then all of sudden he was there. But yeah, so thanks. That's fine. Your stories are phenomenal and you've done them all to some degree except the bear. Well, that comes to the next thing. It's the end of our show and I know people will do want to get in touch with you. So.

Mosongo:
Yes. ⁓
for the fair. ⁓ Thank you.
Yeah, yes. ⁓

Jeanne:
I'm going to tell them how. we've got a slide here. And I do want to say one thing. There is ⁓ a beautiful quote that you made. ⁓ Purpose is not something we invent. It is something we uncover through trials and triumphs. I think that's a fantastic quote. ⁓ I'm glad you shared it. And it speaks to everything you're doing. So I'm sure the audience ⁓ appreciate that. ⁓
They can contact you directly. We already said at LinkedIn, Facebook and your website. They can also if ⁓ it'll also be in this transcript, but if they do want to contact you and somehow lose that information, they can write Project Candor as well and I'll get the message to you. ⁓ You had the offer. You already kind of explained that, but we have that also here on the sheet.

Mosongo:
Yes. ⁓ Yes. ⁓

Jeanne:
that you have strategy sessions and coaching just the one-on-one 60 minute just for seven people just for the first seven people. ⁓ You don't always offer that. So I appreciate so much you being on the show. You are a fantastic guest and I really ⁓ hope that you'll come back sometime and talk to us more about what you're doing. Maybe you have some more unexpected stories that you can share with us, ⁓ but thank you very much.

Mosongo:
Yeah. ⁓
Yes, ⁓ no, no, this is a ⁓ thank you for having me on your show and ⁓ I enjoyed very much the conversation. ⁓

Jeanne:
⁓ same here, same here. ⁓ So for those listening, ⁓ just please join us back next week for another guest. ⁓ We're always trying to uncover unexpected stories and ⁓ we want to hear from you. So ⁓ let us know ⁓ if you want to be a guest on the show. ⁓ I'll put that information in a transcript too, so you know how to contact us. Thanks a lot. Stay tuned. Bye for now.

Mosongo:
Thank you.
Thank you for the conversation. It was great. I was having fun. I was having fun.

Jeanne:
Okay. ⁓ thank you.