We were lucky to catch up with Gabriel Elendu recently and have shared our conversation below.
Gabriel , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? Can you us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team?
This will be my last job ever because of my boss…
Ive been with my boss for 10 years, I work for a private utility company in Wisconsin. A small company, less than 20 employees, so it feels like we are a family. I probably would have given up on being a creative along time ago if i worked anywhere else. I always say this is my last job ever because id never work to build another persons dream before my own. But Trent has been my boss and my mentor for most of my adult life and working with him has been a blessing. Trent is an artist and a business man as well, so he understands me. He’s been playing the piano for 50+ years and he loves music. When i started my journey with him i was a young aspiring writer and producer, His son was my best friend and i needed work and he gave me a job specifically so i could fund my career. Put me on the road installing water meters under mobile homes so i can learn the ins and outs of the business. Promoted me up to sales because he seen potential in my skills, Things were great! Three years in i had the chance to go to Atlanta and work on an album, all expenses paid and he believed in me enough to give me a paid sabbatical. What boss would give a newer employee such a privilege?
Im now in my 10th year with the company, a 30 year old man . Still a Music artist but also started a clothing company, now I’m a true businessman. This Change in my life took our mentorship to new heights because he was able to give me insight on the business world now along side the life advice he always provided. The access i have to his knowledge base is invaluable. He allows me to work from home so i have more time to build my business, he’s always a call away even if the call is about my business and not the work he’s paying me to do for him. He never views it as a conflict of interest. I can tell he wants to help me succeed.
That’s why this will be my last job ever, when ever my time here is done i believe i will have collected enough gems to go out on my own and build my own 30 year business with all Ive learned from my boss Trent. Forever Grateful.
Gabriel , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
For those that don’t know me, my name is Gabriel “Oluwagbenga” Elendu. or @helloGbenga.
Im a 30 year old rapper, singer/songwriter, and producer who has recently ventured into the clothing industry.
I come 10 years retail experience and almost 15 years of sales and marketing experience. My first job was selling shoes, my second job was selling clothes, my 3rd job was running a thrift store. I was In charge of my first clothing store by the age of 19 until i had my daughter at the age of 21. For most of my 20s i spent my time working on music releasing albums under the moniker “Gabe Gizz” and now Under the name “G-benga” While making music most of my songs were about fashion because a lot inspiration taken from asap rocky and New York fashion culture.
When I was 30 years old i went through a spiritual and mental shift that allowed me to change my lifestyle, I quit using drugs and alcohol, I stoped all meaningless sex and removed myself from all relationships that were no longer serving me in an attempt to remove the “noise” out of my life. Upon doing so i was inspired to create my company “IDJHSWA” Pronounced : ID-SCHWA. An acronym for the phrase “I Don’t Just Have Sex With Anyone” .
The mission of our company is to promote “Selective Exchange” and remind our customer base about Selective energy exchange through every day lifestyle products like lounge wear, and unisex / mens wear products, and accessories.
We aim to bring awareness about energy transfer of all forms. Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, and even Financial energy exchanges that occur that effect us a the quality of life we live. We are partnered with local public health systems that aid us in promoting safe selective social settings, providing us with educational products to give to our customers about safer sex, overdose prevention, and gun safety. We hope to make putting safety first fashionable and educational and fun.
We are most proud of the name. Our name impresses people every time we tell someone who we are. Coming from a music background it’s sometimes hard to promote positivity to the generation coming after us and this brand and its name and what we stand for is something we can be proud of.
Music and fashion go hand and hand and I’m just combining the two worlds i know best. Im from Rockford IL, same place Virgil Abloh was from, and that inspires me to know that building something big like an off white is possible for me. Working on designs in adobe, taking to manufactures and running a business is something i feel i was born for. I got pictures of me at 1 years old dressed to the gills! So I think it’s safe to say, I have a passion for fashion. Not to mention, the stuff i like cost a lot. More importantly alot of times the brands I’m supporting don’t always align with my values. So i decided to create something of my own that i can stand behind and at the same time solidify my own family’s future instead of someone else’s. Biggest focus being quality. I wanted the clothes to be comparable to clothes I buy at Neimen’s or Sacks and that’s what we are doing!
The say do what you love and you’ll never work a day again in your life.. and don’t plan on working another day ever again..
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding part about being an artist or creative is the empathy of life that comes with it. Understanding everything is art and creative, even if it wasn’t intended to be. Understanding that all these things around us started inside of someones mind and is now at our fingertips ready to serve what ever purpose it was created for.
Also knowing that you can create something that impact people 1000 years from now. Do we really die when we can create things that can live on through people for ever ?
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Florence Scovil Shinn, the game of life and how to play was written in 1925 and it’s all about trusting the process. being honorable and noble in all your affairs. Putting trust and faith in the source that sent you to this experience called life. Love the book because im not a religious guy but it takes the religious texts and put it into a frame that’s more scientific and spiritual and applicable to all aspects of life, especially business and management.
Here’s a quote from the book:
“You can control any situation if you first control yourself. Most people consider life a battle, but it is not a battle, it is a game. Man must prepare for the thing he has asked for, when there isn’t the slightest sign of it in sight”
Contact Info:
- Website: idjhswa.com
- Instagram: @HelloGbenga , @idjhswa
- Facebook: facebook.com/IDJHSWA
- Twitter: @HelloGbenga
Image Credits
@lostinascrapbook