Dr Maggie Andi is a Dental Practice Owner, Holistic Dentist, Life Coach, and passionate Youth Football Coach. She joins Oma today on Power in Diversity to talk about her career in dentistry, the different hats she wears as a life coach and football coach, and her wonderful attitude when it comes to tackling obstacles and seeing them as opportunities to grow and give. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• From a British Nigerian family, Maggie is a working mum with three young children, one of whom is a West End award winning actress, one is a busy netballer and another a youth pro footballer. Her husband is a surgeon so the get up and go attitude extends to the whole family. 
• Maggie overcame dyslexia to make the transition from modelling to footballing dental student in 1998. She didn’t make the grades on her offer but with her drive and social skills she convinced them to let her study anyway. Maggie qualified in the top 10 in her year 2003 at age 22.
• There is a massive untapped potential within the brains of every human being. Maggie sees this every day when coaching youth football, if you tell them they can do it and show them how to practise, then that sponge like brain can learn to do anything. 
• The worst thing that will happen is nothing. If you try and it doesn’t work, then the worst place you can be is right back where you started, only with a little more knowledge of what to do next time. 

BEST MOMENTS

‘I remember thinking for the first time in a long time, it is possible to try’ 

‘I can’t handle sick children and dying people, so that ruled out medicine’

‘Sometimes you just fall into something and you know if it’s right for you’

‘The world will move in a certain way when it’s ready for something’

EPISODE RESOURCES 

Maggie on LinkedIn

Mill Hill Dental Practice

Maggie Data Andi (@maggietheholisticdentist) • Instagram photos and videos

Dr Maggie Data Andi BDS MJDF RCSEng MFDS CGDent UK (@maggie_andi) / Twitter

ABOUT THE GUEST 

“I qualified from St Barts and the Royal London, Queen Mary school of medicine and dentistry in 2003, aged just 22. It’s been a tremendous learning journey since I have embarked on several post graduate courses and gained certification in various fields of restorative dentistry. I was extremely proud to receive my prestigious Membership of the joint dental faculties of Surgery and General Practice. 

I love so many aspects of my profession, and as such have never specialised as I would rather not be limited to one niche, or indeed one profession! I inherited my fierce, stubborn entrepreneurial spirit from my father who, not content with being a Professor, is now fulfilling his ambition of building a university!”

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

Power in Diversity Podcast is a space where professional women from diverse backgrounds, eager to grow as leaders, come to be inspired and gain wisdom from other leaders. As my guests share their journey, I hope that it will give you; an aspiring or established female leader; meaning to your journey, illuminating your path and equipping you with a greater understanding of how to carve and navigate your success pathway with greater ease. 

Power in Diversity Podcast is also designed to equip not only individuals but, crucially, organisations who must learn to create diverse and inclusive organisations practically and not merely as a tick box exercise; especially now in this ever-changing world, everyone’s diverse insight is vital to solving world issues. I hope that this podcast allows organisations to appreciate the real barriers female and ethnic minority groups face in stepping into leadership, barriers sadly I and many others have faced, and many continue to face. 

I’m proud to be British and proud of my African Heritage, my tribe, part of the Benin Empire. I feel blessed to be a woman. This is a non-judgmental space, but a space to learn and to become aware of the gifts and Power in Diversity.

ABOUT THE HOST

Dr Omo Akoje Okonkwo is a practising Cosmetic Dental Surgeon working in Private Clinics in Surrey. Her passion for empowering her patients and team led her to Transformational coaching to bring about significant change in others.  Her many skill sets and ability to motivate people quickly opened leadership roles for her, including Director of Health care Projects and Clinical Lead and Senior Tutor at the prestigious King College Dental Hospital. Along her journey, she faced numerous setbacks despite her passion, academic background and experience. 

Notwithstanding, her passion for excellence and growth led her to embark on an MBA at the Renowned Warwick Business School. Her desire to empower women steered her to conduct qualitative research exploring Gender, Leadership, and Identity. Her findings revealed what she had always sensed, the leadership labyrinth for female and ethnic minority leaders that exists. It is now Dr Omo’s mission to educate and equip individuals, organisations, and countries on the necessity, mindset, and steps to create inclusion at all levels of society.

CONTACT METHOD 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.omo_uk/

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-omo-okonkwo-65b8a542/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omo.okonkwo