We recently connected with Eden Benibo and have shared our conversation below.

Eden, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

We began Hello ICON Magazine to build a space we once searched for. A space where Creatives can simply make a living from living their making.

We live in a world where there are so many unfulfilled people, waking each morning just to do the things they have zero passion for.
But can we really blame people for doing this? Adulthood is here with all its responsibilities, hence, many have no choice but to move on with jobs that can pay the bills whether they love these jobs or not.

As time goes on, their passion gets all dusty within and most likely there’s that void. That depression. That unfulfillment. Imagine a world where we get paid for doing what we love, where our passion can pay the bills and still make us live the life of our dreams.

Beyond publishing, this is the space we are building at Hello ICON Magazine where we bring Creatives together, beyond age, racial, gender, religious and ideological differences.

What matters to us is that we all have an Art as humans and these Art in its diversity should be refined for greater social good.

With this in mind, we tell the untold stories of both the known and unknown Creatives and currently partnering with brands that align with our goals and visions.
The big dream for us to be one of the highest paying Creative platform in the world.
Where a writer, graphic designer, illustrator, editor can say, “hey, I work for Hello ICON Magazine, and I am being paid xxxxxxxxxxx, I live the life of my dreams by simply doing what I love.

Eden, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a poet, writer, editor and story teller with over 4 years experience as a content strategist. I am ian Art enthusiast and founder of Hello ICON Magazine, the first digital space that redefines and uses Art as a tool to correct faulty orientations, harness human capital for socio-economic development and create global connections beyond racial, gender, age and ideological differences.
Beyond publishing at Hello ICON Magazine, we also advertise and create ads like video documentary, graphics and all other similar creative works in duality.

Before my journey into creative entrepreneurship, I had partnered and volunteered with various organizations including Facebook, YALI Network, AdinkaLinks, The Voices Project, AfricaNXT. I was also an Author at She Leads Africa among others.

I have served as a judge for 2 consecutive years at the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

I also served as an Ambassador at the World Literacy Foundation and a reader at the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young Africans.

I stay grateful for all the awards and recognitions that have come my way through my journey. They span across the fields of creativity, leadership and capacity building includes: The Creative Africans Award, London, The Elite Writers Award (twice), The Escape Awards, The Future Builders Award, Top 100 Poems by the International Poetry, USA, ELOY Awards, Super Woman 30 Under 30 Award among others.
Eden is a ‘Yes To 30’ fellow, a platform for emerging executives under the age of 30. I am also an awardee here for exemplary leadership.
This nomination was by SupportHER, under the Universal Women’s Network, Canada as a Woman of Inspiration ‘who leads by example and inspires those around her to do more and be more.’

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My journey as an entrepreneur constantly teaches me resilience. Right at the beginning when we were looking for digital marketing partners and possible investors. We got so many no’s and rejections until our back was against the wall.
The goal was to focus on quality content curation, while our marketing partners focus on sales.
Not until our backs were against the wall. Rejections flowed
But hey! We finally got our very first investor and marketing partners all at once and rather the many applications, It all came at my fingertips via a connection on LinkedIn.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

As a workaholic. One big lesson I have learnt is to breathe. Because success is a journey and not a destination. I have learnt it’s okay to take a break and rest is as important as hard work. I learnt this the hard way though. After a serious illness that affected my emotional and mental health as well.
I learnt one thing is constant- life goes on, but we are the ones who do not have forever. We need to stay fit and healthy to achieve this mode beautiful dreams and big goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: helloiconmagazine.com
• Instagram: @helloiconmagazine
• Facebook: Hello ICON Magazine
• Linkedin: Eden Benibo
• Youtube: Hello ICON Magazine