We were lucky to catch up with Kofo Durojaiye recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kofo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made (either in terms of time or money)? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

When I was 19 and just getting started creatively, I remember talking with this lady who was a speaker at an event I want to, and I remember her telling me that your mindset is the biggest gamechanger for reaching and maintaining the success you are working towards.

At the time it went over my head admittedly, but now I understand.

I start with this: everyone’s path is different, we will all face different obstacles. No person’s path will look like another’s.

The worst investment I ever made was investing energy and emotional expectations from the wrong scene/circles of people. I have since learned from this.

The best investment I’ve made so far has been the time I have invested in building a stronger and more confident mindset (through continuously working on creative projects and regulating my nervous system), overcoming traumas, wounds and limiting beliefs from my past has been my best investment so far.

There are so many material answers I could have to this, paying for this course or that course, traveling to this place or that place and buying this item or that, but truly the time and care I have taken in building my most valuable asset – me, my mind, my creativity – has paid off in dividends that are actually flowering and bearing fruit continuously, sometimes in ways I am surprised by.

Because the thing is, when you are at this place, it is natural for you to buy this item or that, to spend to money doing this or that because you genuinely and authentically believe in yourself and your path, regardless of who doesn’t or who does support you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born in Lagos, Nigeria, before immigrating with my family to Ireland at age 4, then immigrating to America when I was about 11 or 12.

I was 6 years old when I got into my first school magazine for my art. I was in third grade when I wrote my first song. I still remember it too!

So since a child, I’ve always created visual art and written songs, although each one’s prominence in my life waxed and waned depending on my central focus of the moment.

Visual art took over from ages 14 to 21, when I started writing songs again.

I got into graphic and digital design during my freshmen year of college, and then started my jewelry company in Fall of 2020, branching into product design as well.

I am a multi-disciplinary artist, and currently I have three central focuses: Visual Art, Music and Design. They compliment each other very well, and it’s given me amazing latitude to create expansively and without boundaries. It’s also taught me the importance of focus and prioritizing.

What I’m most proud of is 3 things: the creative worlds I’m building, the audiences I have attracted and am attracting due to my creative work, (the video I posted when I launched my creative brand in 2020 is currently at about 300k views which was very motivating – and there are even more videos on my page that have reached millions now, which is also nice), and honestly – how much I don’t care about what others have to say about having three different focuses, or whether or not they like my stuff. The people that like it, love it. That’s all I’m concerned about – connecting with the people who get it.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I started my jewelry company for sure. It was COVID and I had just graduated college, so getting a 9-5 was a total bust. I mean, I was literally applying to jobs right when people were losing them (and worse).

At the time, I was a painter and a digital artist who had written some songs. I didn’t know the first thing about starting a business, and no one in my family had owned their on company in America before. I will actually always be grateful to my friend Trent (Trenton Lavell, @tr3ntx) for all the advice and support he gave me in starting.

So starting my jewelry business was something I to exercise some agency over my life, finances and to expand my creativity. It was really, really, really scary starting it, and I almost quit so many times out of sheer anxiety. I am so happy I pressed on and launched though, because it has really added so much to my life not just monetarily but also has given me this huge potential for growth. It also demonstrates my creative competency as well.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

That it’s actually okay if people don’t see you or understand you or even support you, whether that’s at first or ever. I had to unlearn my need or desire for that external validation. It’s been tough sometimes, because I think a lot of us grow up feeling the need to prove ourselves in some way. For some people it’s financial, for other it’s social, for me it was always creatively. I always felt the need to outdo myself.

I still feel the drive to outdo myself but now it’s way more healthy. I see the path I’m in as having distinct phases and levels. Despite the accolades and milestones I’ve had at this point, I see myself like I’m only just getting started. It’s a long arc for me on this path, and I look forward to clearing the hurdles.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kommpassionriot.com
• Instagram: @kommanderkofo @artsykof @kommpassionriot
• Youtube: KommanderKofo