Femi LazarusCEO at Femi Lazarus Consulting

Growth is intentional. The version of yourself you desire will cost you knowledge...

7 May 2026 · 3 min

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2:42

In this interview segment, Femi Lazarus asks Guest (Speaker B) about the deliberate process behind cultivating a powerful personal presence that allows entry into elite spaces across Africa and beyond. The guest explains that the transformation was intentional, involving years of investment in coaching, voice training, and formal etiquette education at the Protocol School of Washington. They describe practical habits such as daily mirror practice for voice, mastering formal dining, handshakes, and strategic networking—prioritising value creation over self‑promotion when meeting powerful individuals. The guest also notes that adopting a new professional identity, informed by learned protocols, enabled them to be accepted in venues like state houses and the White House, spaces they previously felt excluded from. The segment ends with a brief promo for the Declassified Podcast.

You seem to understand what your presence should look like when you step into a room. What's that for you? How did you get there? Is that intentional?
It is intentional. It's been honed over the past several years. Yes. I've been on a journey, Femi, to become a version of myself that I believe needs to be seen in more spaces. Yeah. Across the continent. I think that there's so many of us that are good-hearted people, have strong values, we're purpose-driven, but we lack a certain elevated presence that makes people want to take us seriously.
So the version of you we're seeing now didn't just happen?
It did not just happen. I've been coached, I've invested obscene amounts of money to learn from people who know more than me about these spaces. I've learned how to hone this voice better. I've worked with voice coaches because remember, that was the area I was most shameful about growing up. I would stand in my mirror for hours just practicing because I was hungry. And then I went to Protocol School of Washington in 2013 to learn how do you eat formal dining, formal— what is a good handshake? What is— how do you—
Oh, you're so good with that.
How do you handle yourself when you're in certain rooms? How do you when you meet someone of power interact. A lot of us as young people, the first thing is, let me get the selfie. Let me get your card. But your first question should be, what value can I create for you? What common ground do we have? What connection do we already have that I can continue? And then when someone is out of your rank or status, you don't actually even ask for their card. You ask if you want to continue with whom in your office may I follow up with? So those understandings don't come through revelation mostly. They come through learning directly from others or being taught the way of the palace. Yeah. So a lot of us have like good looks or we've got street smarts. If you elevate it with this body of knowledge, it makes you acceptable in spaces where you ordinarily wouldn't be. I've been in state houses, I've been to the White House, I've been to spaces where little me who was shy and unsure and depressed about how people were talking about her voice, kind of looks back at these photos now and is like, wow, this is how far I've come. But it's also, I, I took on a different identity.
Declassified Podcast is now streaming on YouTube and Spotify.