An evening that moves concrete initiatives forward

Launching a project often requires more than skills or financial resources. It also requires accepting to step outside one’s comfort zone, believing in one’s potential, and knowing how to surround oneself with the right people.

These were the themes addressed by two speakers, Justin and Benicha Mukandila, who shared their experiences and advice on entrepreneurship, faith, personal leadership, and the importance of networking.

For Justin, the entrepreneurial journey in the audiovisual studio sector was held back by fear for a long time. For nearly five years, the project existed in their minds without actually taking shape. A turning point eventually came after attending a conference in Paris organized by their mentors.

“When we come back to Montreal, we tell ourselves: ‘We can’t remain the same people; we have to take the leap,’” he explains.

A few weeks or months after this experience, Justin and his wife decided to take the plunge. In 2023, they launched their first studio in a small space of approximately 1,000 square feet. The place, completely empty with white walls, was far from resembling the studios they have today.

The beginning was nevertheless made with very limited resources. Their own sofa and television were brought into the studio so they could welcome their first clients.

“It was a small room, approximately 1,000 square feet. All the walls were white. There was nothing inside,” Justin explains.

With his wife’s creativity in design and his own experience in audiovisual production, the couple gradually transformed the empty space into a real studio. For Justin, this experience illustrates an essential belief: you do not necessarily have to wait until you have all the resources before starting.

“Start with what you have through faith; that is the foundation,” he says.

Overcoming Fear and Changing Your Perspective

Beyond his entrepreneurial experience, Justin also addressed people who have dreams or projects but remain paralyzed by fear of failure or by the opinions of others.

According to him, two changes are particularly important: changing one’s mindset and changing one’s language.

First, he encourages people to stop viewing fear solely as a barrier and instead see it as an obstacle that can be overcome. “See things differently, change your mindset,” he says.

Language also plays a decisive role in how a person perceives their own abilities. For Justin, certain words can gradually lead someone to give up on a dream before even attempting to achieve it.

“What you say can even extinguish the dream you had and that you could have accomplished, but through your words you extinguished it,” he emphasizes.

He adds a third element: one’s surroundings. For him, it is essential to spend time with people who have already progressed in the field one wishes to explore.

“You have to surround yourself with people who are ahead of you,” he advises.

His own journey is an example of this. An older friend had recommended that he attend a conference whose entrance fee was $500. While he hesitated to spend such an amount simply to attend an event, his friend eventually paid for him.

That experience helped transform his way of thinking.

“It Is Still Possible”: Accepting the Challenge to Reveal Your Potential

Asked to leave the audience with a single sentence, Justin chose a message centered on potential and self-improvement.

“It is still possible to set goals and achieve them. But for that, you have to accept the challenge that is in front of you in order to discover the hidden potential inside you,” he says.

This message also connects with the intervention of Benicha Mukandila, a communication student specializing in leadership and team management. Her presentation focused on a complementary concept: personal leadership.

For her, before wanting to lead others, one must first learn how to lead oneself.

Self-Awareness at the Heart of Leadership

Benicha Mukandila presented several keys to developing personal leadership. The first is based on self-awareness.

She believes that effective communication, whether interpersonal or intercultural, begins with the ability to understand who you are, what qualities you possess, and what you can bring to others.

“The first tip to make sure your daily life is firmly grounded is to be aware of who you are as a person,” she explains.

She therefore encourages everyone to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and personal value. This self-awareness can also become an asset in professional situations, particularly during an interview or negotiation.

The Power of Networking Capital

The second concept addressed by Benicha is that of “networking capital.” She proposes a simple reflection: if a person’s résumé were replaced by their relationships, which major company could that person be hired by?

For her, this question makes it possible to concretely measure the importance of relationships in a professional journey.

“Networking capital in communication is what we call all the resources, privileges, advantages, and opportunities that you can obtain through your relationships,” she explains.

She particularly emphasizes the importance of so-called “weak” relationships, meaning people whom we know without necessarily being close to them.

They may be people to whom we simply wish a happy birthday every year, or someone whom we regularly greet without actually knowing their name.

According to Benicha, these relationships can open doors to worlds that one’s close circle may not necessarily have access to. Maintaining these connections, remembering certain details about people, and regularly keeping in touch can therefore help expand professional opportunities.

Goals That Require Discipline and Consistency

The presentation also addressed the importance of goals and the process required to achieve them. Benicha particularly reminds the audience that goals need to be set within a timeframe and accompanied by a concrete plan.

She also discusses the development of habits. Contrary to the widely held belief that a new habit takes 21 days to develop, she points out, based on her research for her presentation, that it generally takes more time, sometimes around 66 days or more depending on the behavior involved.

But beyond the number of days, she especially emphasizes consistency.

“It is not only the number of days that matters, but your rigor and discipline every day,” she states.

For her, the environment to which a person is exposed on a daily basis also plays a role in the formation of habits. Repeated behaviors eventually become ingrained and progressively become automatic.

Turning Potential Into Action

The two presentations ultimately converge on the same idea: having potential is not enough. One must be willing to take action, learn to overcome fears, cultivate good relationships, and develop personal discipline.

Justin’s experience reminds us that a project can begin with modest resources, while Benicha’s testimony emphasizes that leadership begins with a better understanding of oneself and one’s environment.

Between faith, preparation, networking, and discipline, the message delivered to the audience is clear: the resources needed are not always available from the beginning. But taking the first step can help reveal those that were already available, sometimes even within oneself.