Remi Duyile

Interview by Chief Editor
September 2020 7 min read

Remi Duyile based in the U.S, is a seasoned Mentor, business owner, and strategist passionate about helping people maximize their potentials. Her value proposition was realized at one pinnacle of her career. She transitioned to become a serial entrepreneur. As a special feature in our Eta Carinae interview series, Duyile talks to us about her work and interaction with various communities. She also gives timely advice to aspiring women entrepreneurs.

(VC) With so much is in flux today, what music are you streaming or listening to at the moment?

(Dr. Remi) I am big on inspirational music that ministers to my soul to keep a positive mindset

(VC) You recently became a commissioner in the state of Maryland while also sitting on numerous boards, was this evolution organic or part of a plan?

(Dr. Remi) I am very intentional about consistently investing in myself to pay it forward and make an impact. Shoulders I leaned on during my corporate journey with Bank of America my former employer, made me value mentorship and creativity. The commissionership and other board assignments are recognition for my diligence and commitment. I remain grateful to God for allowing me to be used as a vessel for positive role modeling.

(VC) A perfect world does not exist, but if one did, what core values would you make a staple in the immediate community and your sphere of influence?

(Dr. Remi) As you have rightfully mentioned, I am yet to see a perfect world. In my perfect world illusion, cooperation and collaboration would be encouraged. A programmed possibility mindset that makes us believe that we are capable of anything we set our minds to with dint of hard work and perseverance like I referenced in my book “Perseverance, winning key to your destiny”.

As a university professor, I double up as a mentor as my singular reason for serving is to make an impact and bring the best out of especially my emerging leaders

(VC) How do your role and company create opportunities for the advancement of descendants of Africans or people of color in the context of your expertise through mentorship?

(Dr. Remi) The core of my life is mentorship as I have been enabled, exposed, and favored to occupy roles, behind the scenes and on the scenes and consistently have not met any genius with two heads, we are uniquely made and we can go as far as our minds and handwork would take us with our faith anchored on GOD as the arm of flesh will fail us. With that lead-in, to whom much is given, much more is required, I am determined to share my gifts, talent, and treasure to make my pain points possibilities for others hence I created non-profit and for-profit entities as vehicles to help me navigate and execute assignments God has put in my hands. Please visit our websites www.legacypremier.org, www.remispeaks.com. As a university professor, I double up as a mentor as my singular reason for serving is to make an impact and bring the best out of especially my emerging leaders.

(VC) As a female leader in your field, given the realities of a male-dominated business world, what are the common challenges you have faced with gender equality?

(Dr. Remi) No one can intimidate me as I have paid my dues handsomely and got some excellent training from Bank Of America as a Vice President and served various levels of high net worth clients, and represented the bank in my community during my employee days. All the training and interactions strengthened me within and without. If you can endure starting as a teller with an MBA and shattering the glass ceiling despite four strikes Black-Female-Nigerian-Accent, you know some lifetime stretches have been done so no man or woman can make me feel inferior to them as I constantly invest in myself and my network to ensure I sharpen my skills so I live ready with a humble heart to play my role. In all my engagements, My former employer is my yardstick even as a serial entrepreneur. The last time I checked, they rank up there. Forever so proud of my association with that great bank

(VC) The media shapes society’s perceptions of awareness. What does self-awareness mean to you interacting in so many high-level partnerships?

(Dr. Remi) Self-awareness to me simply means that I embrace my unique personality, my heritage, the true essence of me as brand Remi Duyile, and then invest in myself to help me to function at the various capacities that I have earned the right to serve. I Let my Pride of Origin inspire me to blossom always remembering my foundation and my father’s absolute love and care for me demonstrated by investing in me to attend the first nursery school in the Ondo Kingdom and getting picked up from school by him, a high chief of a town and not his driver. My father invested equally in all his children male and female and taught us we are all valuable, absolutely no one can make me feel unworthy as we are taught hard work too. A story for another day.

Let’s be more tolerant and supportive of ourselves even though we work remotely, human beings still have emotions and more sensitive now due to the adjustment to our new normal and other emotional activities various people might be growing through. anger will reflect in our writing and our tonality. Technology will not mask your flaws

(VC) As a certified behavior consultant, what are your thoughts on how technology has altered how society interacts with itself?

(Dr. Remi) Thank God for technology, never thought I would say that so soon. Our saving grace since covid has been technology. Technology is a tool and you decide how you use it, when and why, content is decided by you, the virtual meetings and engagements still reveal our state of mind, more than ever, we need to be supportive of ourselves more and not be quick to judge as I have seen that technology has its own mind and you better control your own mind with patience as glitches are inevitable. Let’s be more tolerant and supportive of ourselves even though we work remotely, human beings still have emotions and more sensitive now due to the adjustment to our new normal and other emotional activities various people might be growing through. anger will reflect in our writing and our tonality. Technology will not mask your flaws.

(VC) Does your current work or observations align with any UN’s Sustainable Development Goals?

(Dr. Remi) Absolutely yes! SDGs: 5,4,8,17,3 and 1.

(VC) You have shared the stage with Les Brown and many other notable individuals. Considering your current commitments today, If you could work alongside any extraordinary personality, brand, or company, who would it/they be, and why?

(Dr. Remi) An Ophrah Winfrey, Mark Zuckerburg, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija, and Dangote would be my choices and the reason is that all these people still act normal despite their wealth and selfless and would like to know what keeps them going and what do they struggle with in life.

(VC) Dr. Remi, thanks for joining us for this sitdown. Is there anything you would like to share with our international audience?

(Dr. Remi) Thanks for the opportunity to chat, Let’s begin to share our narratives intentionally in an authentic way so others can learn. Life has no rehearsal, remember we are all on the world stage of life and we are all at different stages and seasons of life. Find your lane and own it tenaciously. To my young ladies and emerging leaders, success is a journey and will never be a destination. Enjoy the ride and be a sponge willing and able to put the work in today for a better and stronger tomorrow. Thanks for the chat.