This Week's Spotlight-Mariette Adwoa Aidoo"Relentless in My Pursuit"

Mariette Adwoa Aidoo was born and raised in Ghana, West Africa. I am the only girl in the midst of two boys. Growing up, my parents always pushed me to be a doctor because I was good in the pure sciences (given their expectations of us were handpicked based on what society considered established respectable careers).

I left Ghana at 19 years of age when I garnered a scholarship to study pre-med at Denison University, OH. During my time in Ohio, I volunteered at an abused women’s shelter and was inspired/ impressed with the tenacity and strength these women had to keep pressing on in the face of adversity. In any case, I subsequently graduated with a BS degree in Biology & Chemistry then steered slightly off the Medicine path and got a doctorate in Pharmacy. I worked for a year interacting with the public via direct patient care then got inspired by M. Ghandi’s mantra on service - [‘..The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” Coming from a third world country to the globally developed North certainly gives one a different perspective and allows you to better appreciate the many blessings God allows us to experience daily.

So I went back to complete a Public Health degree in a bid to ‘save’ the world and make an impact in global health. However, I still felt there was something missing. Hence, I decided to tap into the right side of my brain for the creativity stagnating therein. I branched into Interior Design part-time then had an epiphany one day after purchasing Neiman Marcus jewelry - I CAN DO THIS! And thus, Eden House of Designs was birthed!! I utilized my love of color and an eye for unique stones and raw materials/ findings to create custom, bespoke handcrafted pieces that would enhance one's innate style! So Voila! Now I manage patient care during the day and become entrepreneur cum jewelry designer by night.

My Greatest Accomplishment to Date Has Been:

- staying dedicated to complete my myriad educational interests
- taking the leap of faith needed to venture out of the health sciences to embark on this new journey focused on solid establishment and expansion of my business with no certifiable business background.

The Most Challenging Thing I Ever Experienced:

I never anticipated any issues with culture shock on arrival to Ohio, thinking that I was friendly and socially competent. Alas! Little did I know that some of my racial experiences and ‘skin color education’ would be spurred not by Caucasians but by black America, whom I thought were my “sisters and brothers.” I learnt a lot from those experiences and came to the realization that nobody is anybody especially when you are laid up helplessly with no autonomy on a sick bed. Hence, we should learn to treat everyone with respect and shirk the snobbery and negative, mean spirited attitudes that don’t pay.

With respect to Eden House: taking that leap of faith with no business background based on my friend’s incessant push to achieve something fruitful with this while working full time. This is no longer a hobby but an intentional venture through which I have been allowed to showcase my God-given talent and I do not take it lightly in any way, shape or form.

Most Valuable Lesson(s):

1.) You work hard the first 30 years of your life to secure and enjoy the next 30 years.

2.) You have to be relentless in the pursuit of fruitful goals especially when your motivation is waning.

3.) These God – given talents have been bequeathed to me for a reason. So, I need to use it to make an impact in my life and those of others I encounter daily to the best of my ability for HIS glory not for ego boosting accolades.

4.) The road for a small business venture is a hard and lonely one scattered with naysayers and folks who do not wish you well, but you have to keep your head above water and keep stepping regardless.

5.) “People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.” Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

Final Remarks:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
By: Marianne Williamson,
Used by Nelson Mandela, 1994 Inaugural Speech

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BOND Inc Spotlight features ordinary African American women from all around who are doing extra-ordinary things. If you or anyone you know would like to be featured, send your requests for more information to iambondinc@gmail.com.