Progressing on Purpose with Omari Harebin [ Podcast Interview ]
I recently had the opportunity to join Progressing on Purpose with Afro Vibes TV to talk about storytelling, transformation, and how pain can progress us into purpose. Below is a structured recap of our conversation:
1. What does telling your story mean to you?
Before my story freed anyone else, it freed me. Writing The Corporate Dropout forced me to sit with myself, unpack experiences, and reflect deeply. When you shape your story into something others can learn from, you grow—and so do they.
2. What was life like before you made the shift?
A decade ago, I was an engineer. I was newly married and living the life I had been conditioned to follow. But then, two life-changing events happened: I got a DUI, and I found out I was going to be a father. Those moments forced me to think deeply about my future—who I wanted to be and what kind of example I wanted to set for my kids.
3. How did you handle the transition from corporate to entrepreneurship while dealing with personal struggles?
I was lucky because I had always had side projects. When I left corporate, I made a bet on a hidden part of myself—a part I had never fully committed to. It was hard. I didn’t have one of those six-month, six-figure success stories. My journey took years of trial, error, and self-confrontation. But every challenge tested and refined me.
4. This month’s theme is ‘PAIN’—Progress, Aligning, and Now. How has pain progressed you into your purpose?
Pain made me feel alone, but instead of running from it, I captured it. I wrote through every crisis, documenting what I was feeling and experiencing. Later, I developed those raw notes into something meaningful. That’s the key—if you keep your pain hidden, it serves no purpose. But if you capture, develop, and expose it, it becomes a tool for growth.
5. Do you have a mantra, quote, or scripture that guided you through your journey?
Yes: “The same thing you think you need—give it up. And that same thing will set you free.”
Every major transition in my life required me to let go of something in order to grow. Whether it was an old belief, comfort, or even an identity, surrendering made way for something greater.
6. How did your family and friends support (or challenge) your transformation?
My mom and my wife were my pillars. But even they had doubts because they could only see me in the present, not the vision I had for myself. Outside of them, I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere—not in corporate, not in my old religious community. I had to go through a season of belonging to myself first before I could find my place again. But in the end, everything came full circle.
7. What did your personal transformation look like?
It was a spiritual as well as a career shift. I left behind old identities, expectations, and systems that no longer fit me. I had to trust that God was narrating my story in ways beyond what I could imagine.
8. Any final thoughts for listeners on navigating transformation?
Walk your own journey. And walk it with God. Your story has purpose, even when you don’t fully understand it yet.
