Yemi Mobolade is an entrepreneur, public servant, and community leader who devotes his seemingly limitless energy toward the betterment of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Born and raised in Nigeria, Yemi immigrated to the United States for college and eventually landed in Colorado Springs, where he has fully devoted himself to serving the community. He’s a co-founder and partner in two wildly successful restaurants, he’s served in various capacities within the city’s government and economic development arms, and he’s deeply involved in numerous non-profit organizations. On top of all of that, he’s a devoted husband and father of three beautiful children.
Yemi and I are neighbors, and our kids have been classmates and buddies for several years– so I’ve had the opportunity to personally interact with him in a variety of settings over a long period of time. Ever since first meeting Yemi, I have been extremely impressed with his positivity, leadership skills, and deep commitment to our community. Whether he’s touting the economic upside of doing business in Colorado Springs or figuring out creative solutions for his restaurants to thrive in the pandemic, I’ve always been intrigued by Yemi– everything from his personal backstory to why he is so obsessed with community building. So I was happy to finally sit down with him to discuss all of this.
We met up at his office on a Sunday afternoon for an inspiring conversation about everything from his early days in Nigeria to his upcoming plans to run for mayor of Colorado Springs. We start out discussing his move to the United States from Nigeria, and he talks about his perceptions of America from the outside looking in. We talk about his education, his commitment to his faith, and how he spent parts of his early career starting churches in various parts of the United States. We discuss his deep love for the city of Colorado Springs, and why he has decided to throw his hat in the ring for mayor. We discuss his heroes, his favorite books on leadership, and how his wife and children positively influence his desire to serve.
I really appreciate Yemi taking the time to chat, and I greatly appreciate his commitment to serving our community. There are lots of important lessons to be learned from Yemi, so I hope you enjoy.
Photos courtesy of Yemi Mobolade
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EPISODE NOTES
Topics Discussed:
- 4:45 – Yemi’s childhood in Nigeria
- 11:45 – What it was like when Yemi came to the US.
- 13:15 – Yemi’s journey of self-discovery
- 18:15 – How Yemi ended up in Colorado Springs
- 13:30 – Why Yemi appreciates and builds community
- 25:30 – Yemi’s political plans
- 31:45 – How Yemi plans to maintain his ideals within politics
- 35:00 – Yemi’s goals for the growth of Colorado Springs
- 39:00 – The impact of Yemi’s children on his life
- 44:15 – Leaders that Yemi admires
- 56:30 – Yemi’s book recommendations
Information Referenced:
- Lagos, Nigeria
- South Bend, Indiana
- Christian Missionary Alliance
- Good Neighbors Meeting House
- The Wild Goose Meeting House
- COS I Love You
- El Pomar Foundation Fellowship
- Abraham Lincoln
- Doris Kearns Goodwin
- Joshua Wolf Shenk
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Sebastian Junger
- Adam Grant
- Delia Owens
- J.K. Rolling
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- Shane Doyle – Reverence for the Past, Hope for the Future
- Matt Pierson – Finding New Solutions for Food Insecurity
- Juanita Vero, Part 2 – A Deep Desire to Serve
- James Decker – Inspired Leadership for the New West
- Gabe Vasquez – Advocate for Equity in the Outdoors
- Becky Edwards – Amplifying the Power of Women in the West
- Jason Gardner – A Life of Purpose & Service
Visit the podcast page for a full list of episodes where you can filter episodes by topic and guests’ vocations.
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