Welcome to The Immigrant Stories,
In this special episode, host Bisola of the Sabi Cruise Podcast sits down with Samuel, a UK-based sustainability consultant and the founder of The Immigrant Story. For the first time, Samuel opens his “Failure Diary,” stripping away the social media highlight reel to reveal the raw, unfiltered reality of moving abroad, hitting rock bottom, and building resilience from scratch.
Quick Takeaways
- The Breaking Point: Worked 14 consecutive days of 12-hour night shifts (72 hours/week) as a healthcare support worker, eventually passing out from sleep deprivation while waiting for transport.
- The Broken Promise: Financial support from home vanished midway through his UK Master’s degree, leaving him to cover his remaining tuition and rent entirely on his own.
- The Corporate Reality: Became the only Black professional in his business unit at a massive UK corporation, forcing him to unlearn cultural “humility” and learn self-advocacy.
- The Golden Rule: “Life is in phases. It’s just a phase—it will pass. Work hard, and pray.”
From Engineering Graduate to the UK
Samuel’s journey began in Nigeria, where he was a top-tier student, earning A’s in Further Mathematics and graduating with a degree in Oil and Gas Engineering.
After an internship at Exxon failed to convert into a full-time role, Samuel had to pivot. Leveraging his natural, inherited sociability, he transitioned into 100% commission-based sales with JForce. He thrived, rapidly climbing from probation to bronze, silver, and gold tiers by building genuine relationships.
But seeking greater growth, he moved to the UK to pursue a Master’s in Energy and Environmental Management. He arrived with a plan: he had paid half of his first year’s tuition upfront, and the remaining balance—plus his second year’s fees and rent—was promised to come from family support back home.
The Phone Call That Changed Everything
Midway through his studies, the foundation of his plan collapsed.
“I got a call one day from my dad saying, ‘Business is really bad. I don’t think we can be able to pay your remaining half.’ I had three more months of house rent to cover. The pressure just hit me all of a sudden.”
Samuel describes the moment as a mental overload, with financial figures spinning in his head. But instead of dropping out and returning to Nigeria—a path many international students take when faced with this reality—Samuel chose to fight.
He leaned into side gigs, utilizing his talent as a vocalist and taking on grueling work as a healthcare support worker.
The Reality of a 72-Hour Work Week
To make ends meet, Samuel pushed his body to its absolute limit.
“I worked a 14-day stretch. 12 hours per day. And it was a night shift. That’s 72 hours a week. When you come back in the morning, you don’t even get up to 8 hours of sleep.”
On the 15th day, the physical toll became undeniable. While sitting in a chair waiting for transport to his next shift, Samuel’s body simply shut down.
“I passed out. I woke up the next morning in that exact same position. I went to the mirror, and it was tragic. It wasn’t funny then, but it’s good we can laugh about it now because we are here.”
Despite the exhaustion, he didn’t stop. Through sheer willpower and relentless work, he funded and paid off his entire degree by himself.
Corporate Isolation & Unlearning Cultural “Humility”
After graduating, Samuel landed a graduate scheme at a massive UK corporation. However, the professional victory came with a high social and cultural cost.
In his specific business unit, he was the only Black person.
“I was trying to adapt to so much. I needed someone to see things from my perspective, and it wasn’t working. Conversations springing up weren’t things I was familiar with. It made me question: Am I even that social person I thought I was?”
He became extremely cautious, second-guessing his humor and personality to avoid being misunderstood or “caught up in a net” by colleagues with different cultural backgrounds.
Worse, he had to battle his own upbringing.
“We’ve been built on humility back home. You don’t talk back. You keep quiet. You’re humble. But that becomes a liability here. It took me two and a half years to realize that you are the alpha and omega of your career. If you don’t speak up for yourself, nobody is going to do it for you.”
Navigating “Black Tax” and Setting Boundaries
As an African man abroad, Samuel grapples with the self-imposed pressure of family expectations—the reality often called “Black Tax.”
“When parents send you abroad, it feels like an investment. You feel you must reinvest in the people who made you. But you can’t do that at the expense of not meeting your own needs here.”
Samuel’s strategy for survival is extreme budgeting. He maintains a detailed Excel spreadsheet tracking every penny.
“I’ve seen people selling their own belongings just to send money home for non-essential lifestyle expectations. You can’t pull from an empty cup. You have to draw a line: this is what I can give, and this is where I stop. Otherwise, you will never live to the fullest in this new country.”
The Cost of Good Intentions: A Friendship Lost
Not all of Samuel’s struggles were financial or professional; some were deeply personal.
He had a close university friend and former flatmate who started a business. Wanting to be supportive, Samuel used his hard-earned reputation and integrity to refer clients and friends to this business.
Unfortunately, the business failed to deliver on its promises.
“I am someone who never wants to jeopardize my integrity. Because the business didn’t deliver, I lost the referrals—good friends. That friendship actually ended. It wasn’t directly my fault, as I trusted the information I was given, but it taught me a harsh lesson.”
The Reddit Dilemma: Leveraging a $2.5M Project
During the podcast, Bisola and Samuel tackled a listener’s dilemma from Reddit:
The Situation: A 27-year-old project manager is leading a $2.5 million plant update almost entirely alone after a colleague was laid off. The 8-week shutdown starts next week. He recently heard through the grapevine that the board plans to eliminate his role immediately after the project is delivered. No one else can take over without causing massive delays.
The Question: Do I have leverage to negotiate a retention agreement or guaranteed severance before I deliver?
Samuel’s Strategic Advice:
- Use Your Intuition: If you heard it, there is an atom of truth to it. Start job searching immediately.
- Pitch Your Value: Go to the board or steering group. State clearly: “I am hearing this, and I am the only person who can deliver this right now.”
- Highlight the Risk: Remind them that replacing you now will cause scope creep, delay the timeline, and damage the company’s reputation and finances.
- Hold Your Ground: If they cannot offer a successful agreement (retention or severance), you are not obligated to deliver the project under the original terms. Put them in the uncomfortable position they are trying to put you in.
Rapid Fire & The “Sabi or No Sabi” Game
What’s something you’ve achieved recently that you haven’t posted on social media?
“A promotion.”
When you’re at your lowest, what’s the first song you play?
“Jesus Is the Center. I remember God.”
When you check into a luxury hotel in your own city, do you lock yourself out of your mind to become unavailable for 24 hours?
“100%. I’m unavailable, guys. Leave me alone.”
What’s the kindest thing you’ve said to yourself after a really bad day?
“It’s just an event. It’s just a scenario. This too shall pass.”
Sabi (Agree) or No Sabi (Disagree)?
- Feeling guilty calling an elder by their first name: No Sabi. (Samuel explained he used to feel guilt due to cultural conditioning of “sir/ma,” but he has completely unlearned that and no longer feels it).
- Pretending your Wi-Fi is glitching to leave a tiring Zoom call: Sabi. (He has done it plenty of times and won’t quit).
- Stalking someone on LinkedIn before meeting them: Sabi. (Agrees 100%).
- Checking work emails while still in bed: Sabi. (Unfortunately yes, usually expecting a specific email).
- Watching a phone call ring until it stops because you aren’t ready to talk: Sabi. (Needs time to process in his head before calling back).
Watch the Full Episode
Final Words: “Life Is in Phases”
As the episode concluded, Samuel left listeners with the core philosophy that carried him through 72-hour work weeks, corporate isolation, and broken trust:
“Men are in sizes, and life is in phases. It’s just a phase in your life, and it too shall pass. Be positive. Be optimistic. I used to have ‘The Optimist’ as my WhatsApp name. Work hard, and also pray. The Bible says prayer without work is dead. There is an element of both coming together to bring an expectation to fruition.”
Connect & Resources
- Guest: Samuel, Founder of The Immigrant Stories
- Host: Bisola, Sabi Cruise Podcast
- Listen to the Full Episode: Pod.link/1829335834
- Explore Sabi Enjoy (Travel Experiences): sabienjoy.com
- Share Your Story or Dilemma: forms.gle/1nbJfzo6r1b5wWL68
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How did Samuel manage to pay his UK tuition after family support stopped?
He took on intense side gigs, including working as a healthcare support worker. He endured a brutal 14-day stretch of 12-hour night shifts (72 hours/week), pushing through severe sleep deprivation to fund his education entirely on his own.
What is “Black Tax,” and how does Samuel handle it?
Black Tax is the financial and emotional pressure immigrants feel to support family back home. Samuel handles it by maintaining a strict Excel budget, setting firm boundaries on what he can afford to give, and refusing to “pull from an empty cup” to fund non-essential lifestyle requests.
What was Samuel’s biggest lesson in the UK corporate world?
He had to unlearn the cultural conditioning of “humility” and keeping quiet. It took him 2.5 years to realize that self-advocacy is non-negotiable, and that he is the “alpha and omega” of his own career visibility.
What advice did Samuel give the Reddit user facing a layoff after a $2.5M project?
Samuel advised him to leverage his unique, irreplaceable position. He should approach the board, pitch his value, highlight the severe risks of delaying the project, and negotiate a retention agreement or severance. Simultaneously, he should start job hunting, as “for every lie, there’s an atom of truth.”
