A Heroic Rise : From the Village to a Director at the Bank of Namibia
“I am passionate about service with passion, and inspiring people.” Born and bred at Olunkono village in Oshana Region, Sam Shivute is a Namibian who has climbed himself out of abject poverty to hold high profile positions within the Bank of Namibia. Sam is well known for his energy and inspiration and for never letting anything get him down, Sam is an example of everyday heroism.
Sam is currently the Director of the Banking Services Department at Bank of Namibia, responsible for banking services to the government of the Republic of Namibia, Currency Management and security functions of the Bank. He started his career in the Namibian Police force and with his optimistic approach to life and his go-getter attitude, Sam today holds almost 10 degrees including a Masters of Law in International Finance and Banking Law.
99fm’s MYD Smart asked :
In your opinion what does it take to be successful in business?
“In my opinion, to be successful in business, one has to be passionate about what you do. It is also necessary to believe in the service and products that one sells. For example I am in the business of selling confidence and inspiration and I only decided to pursue this field because I am naturally passionate about inspiring people and providing authentic leadership. Furthermore, I believe that hard work and perseverance are key attributes to be successful. It is necessary to never give up, to be innovative and to believe in the principle of continuous improvement so as to adapt to new challenges and changing business environment.”
What drove you to keep going to achieve your goals?
“Passion for what I do and determination to succeed is what drove me, plus I have experienced poverty and I don’t want to experience that again in my life.”
What do you think it takes to be heroic?
“To be able to provide selfless service to others, to make a positive contribution to your country, and to make a contribution to peaceful order in the world.”
What advice do you have to other Namibians to reach their dreams?
“They must serve with passion. They must believe in themselves. They must know that, as Ipumbu Shiimi once said, “in moments of choices they must choose integrity”. Try by all means to be incorruptible. We must grab opportunities and also understand that in all challenges there are positive opportunities waiting to be discovered and explored.”
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Sam is also the founder of Estia Close Corporation, which specialises in motivational speaking and executive coaching.
Watch his talk at TEDx Windhoek, Inspiring with Care, here :