KWAME

Welcome to my reflection where I share my thoughts on the literature that shapes my perspectives, the ideas that provoke my contemplation, and the discoveries fueling my curiosity. In sharing these reflections, I hope to spark meaningful conversations, invite differing viewpoints, and find new collaborators. Join me as I recount the books I’ve consumed, the thoughts they’ve seeded, the questions I’m asking, and the dialogues I hope will ensue.

What am I reading?

I’m reading Orientalism by Edward Said and The Autobiography by Khalaf Ahmad al Habtoor. I’m early in Orientalism and approaching the end of My Autobiography, but they are melding nicely. Edward Said argues in it that the Western academic view of the East is linked to its imperialist roots. The book is dense, but I’m eager to work through it.

In The Autobiography, Khalaf Ahmad al Habtoor comments on the destructive paternalistic view of the Middle East, especially in the lead up to and fallout from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His story is fascinating. He grew up in a palm frond house and worked his way into being one of the primary developers who transformed Dubai into the skyline we know today.

The recurring thought I have had while reading these books is that nothing happens in a vacuum. People are cumulative, so you’ve got to examine your thinking and influences for proper perspective. Otherwise, you hurt yourself and others. This is amplified in today’s geopolitical matters.

If you are looking for book recommendations, take a look at my Goodreads profile.

What’s on my mind?

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying to me?’ Tell the people of Israel to move forward.” Exodus 14:15

This verse stood out to me while reviewing last week’s sermon. The preceding ones tell the story of the Israelites complaining to Moses while caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. They start crying to God and making the case for staying in Egypt. They faced death or re-enslavement. Moses tells them not to fear, stand firm and watch God work. The next thing they know, they’re crossing the Red Sea on dry ground between two walls of water.

Verse 15 was a reminder that I know what steps I need to take in all areas of my life. My job is to move forward. This week, I caught up with a friend starting a new firm, and the quick traction he’s getting after taking the step served as a clear example of what can happen when you move forward, despite rationalization.

A comment Damien Dwin made in his conversation with Dhani Jones is related to the Israelites’ journey. He framed his return to the DMV as rooted in the belief that “we have to claim our inheritance” in building Lafayette Square, his latest investment firm. That thought has been in my head as I build wealth for my family and shape a world where Black folks globally succeed socially, politically, and economically – a bet that broader society does better when we do well. My journey has not been easy and transitioning from labor to capital holds more challenges. Yet, I have an obligation to get it done.

The backlash to DEI comes to mind here. We are seeing echoes of the fallout from the 1860s/70s Reconstruction era. The $100M commitments from Fortune 500 companies are being rebranded to avoid lawsuits. Black history curricula around the country are on the chopping block. The leader role seems to be moving to the backburner.

What should we do about that? Another comment Damien made that stuck with me is, “Don’t try to out-Blackstone, Blackstone. Don’t try to out white boy, white boys.” He points out that innovation is critical for people not firmly embedded in today’s institutions. Black people have been doing this for generations, and Jay-Z captured the impact, “We are the culture. Nothing moves without us.” The unfortunate reality is that this impact doesn’t show on our balance sheets, affecting our lived experience and muting out potential impact on broader society. How do we address this in a world where DEI is a whipping boy, reparations are unlikely, and the wealth gap between Black and White folks persists?

What am I exploring?

I’ve written about my ambition to buy and build companies in foundational global economy industries and provide ownership opportunities for underrepresented individuals. I’m focused on the mining industry as the US implements industrial policy to secure domestic supply of critical minerals. I’m interested in environmental services firms working on assessments, permitting, and community engagement.

My thinking is as follows:

• Demand for critical and strategic minerals will increase as we shift to artificial intelligence and continue the energy transition.
• The security of North America’s supply will continue to grow in importance as geopolitical challenges increase.
• Securing domestic mining permits in North America is increasingly challenging near communities. Projects that gain community buy-in and permits work with top environmental assessment and government relations providers.
• The industry is fragmented with 26K firms across the country and high M&A activity. In Q1, there were 140 acquisitions of architecture, engineering, and construction firms.

I have a mix of regulatory and lobbying work at local, state, and federal levels, and innovation experience. I can offer a unique perspective to building a platform in the industry. I want to connect with experienced industry executives. If that’s you or someone you know, let’s connect.

Build Your Universe

I was in college, my godmother told me that who I knew had a greater impact than what I know. Since I was a child, I’ve been an investigator and naturally gravitate to increasing my knowledge. I read encyclopedias and old National Geographic magazines. My favorite book was The Way Things Work by David Macaulay. I daydreamed about being a spy.

What I’ve learned in the 15 years since college is that who you know can significantly increase what you know. The information, book recommendations, feedback, and more I’ve received from investing time into relationships has transformed my life.

Making relationships fruitful is an investment. The evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar posits that people maintain stable friendships with around 150 people, including family and non-family members. Within this 150, there are concentric circles of increasing friendship intensity:

• 50 good friends
• 15 close friends
• 5 best friends
• 1.5 intimates (He has interesting observations on the differences between men and women in maintaining intimate friendships)

The innermost layer of 1.5 is [the most intimate]; clearly that has to do with your romantic relationships. The next layer of five is your shoulders-to-cry-on friendships. They are the ones who will drop everything to support us when our world falls apart. The 15 layer includes the previous five, and your core social partners. They are our main social companions, so they provide the context for having fun times. They also provide the main circle for exchange of child care. We trust them enough to leave our children with them. The next layer up, at 50, is your big-weekend-barbecue people. And the 150 layer is your weddings and funerals group who would come to your once-in-a-lifetime event.

Dunbar’s additional observation is that people don’t automatically stay in each circle. A certain frequency of engagement is necessary to keep someone in a particular circle. For example, you are more likely to see your best friends/nuclear family weekly or daily. It takes about 200 hours over a few months to move a stranger to being a friend.

I recently learned about Dunbar’s number in his conversation with Patrick O’Shaughnessy. But I’ve been thinking about relationship building for years. I heard my godmother’s advice but didn’t pay much mind as I felt unworthy of knowing interesting people. Later, my friend Robert insisted I invest time in building them. Ten years later, his insistence continues to blow my mind.

Over time, I’ve built a system to be intentional about maintaining a sizeable network. I’ve noticed many talented people not knowing the next step in cultivating their relationships. They don’t know what I call Build Your Universe. If that’s you, I’ve set up a WhatsApp group for dynamic individuals to compare notes on building relationships. I’ll share my best practices. You can join the WhatsApp group here.