🌟 Friend in the Spotlight: Franklin Ndeffo

11 Jul 2025 · 2 min

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1:59

In this interview excerpt, the host asks Franklin Ndeffo, a French‑speaking Cameroonian who immigrated to the United States, rose from enlisted sailor to Navy officer, and is transitioning to a civilian cybersecurity leadership role, about the secret of his success. Ndeffo attributes his achievements to three core pillars: discipline (especially in learning English and adapting to a new culture), dedication (persistent effort toward his goals), and prayer (spiritual grounding). The host acknowledges that luck, mentorship, and being given opportunities also play a role, noting that mentors sometimes choose candidates like Ndeffo despite language or résumé disadvantages because they see something valuable in them.

All right, so let me, let me ask you, what do you think is the secret of your success? Here you are, French-speaking Cameroonian coming to the US, and now, uh, you've gone through being not only enlisted but now, uh, an officer in the most powerful Navy in the world. And also on your way to becoming an executive in the civilian world as a cybersecurity information security officer. What is the secret of your success?
So I think it's good that you pointed that out, my origin and my first language, French. Because of all that, the secret for me has always been discipline, because I had to be disciplined to learn. I came here not even speaking a word of English. I had to be disciplined, and other than that, I had to be dedicated. So discipline, dedication, and most importantly, prayers. Yes, have been, have been the secret to, to my success in the US.
Thank you so much for, for mentioning that, because I think a portion of success is just luck or chance or just being blessed, whatever. So whatever people want to call it. Because somebody somewhere needs to take time to mentor you or to give you an opportunity when there are other people who qualify maybe more than you do, other people who speak better than you do, other people who have a resume much longer than yours, but they see something in you where they say, I am going to give you a chance.