Better With Paul - How I Became the Most Influential Man in Britain with Karl Lokko

How I Became the Most Influential Man in Britain with Karl Lokko

07/07/20 • 81 min

Darkness is the best time for light. That’s how Karl Lokko describes the consuming change that propelled him into a position of status and influence some could only dream about. In this episode of Better With Paul, we sit down with the Most Influential Man In Britain for a first take look into the mind of a mastermind.

The perfect blend of street smarts, book smarts, and innate heuristic skills all went into the maturation of a man I admire for many reasons. Born and raised in a community with a tenured history of violence, poverty, and a relentless desire to survive, Karl Lokko’s options may have been cut short long before he ever even realized he had them. By his 13th birthday, Brixton had already branded Karl in ways most people never experience. The son of council estates shares the challenges posed by managing childhood genius and the life-altering side effects that come from living in a community that was 70% prepared to be a prison before it was cleared to become housing for the poor. But it wasn’t the literal bars he needed to escape from, the bars on his mind were far more restrictive.

In Episode 2 of Better With Paul, Karl Lokko walks us through the process of going from victim to victimizer to international success. A small seed planted by a woman concerned with where his life was headed eventually grew into a pathway that changed his family’s future and inspired a legacy. That rise didn’t come on accident. We talk about how the pressures of powerlessness became a theme that burst into a lust for violence; the only antidote he thought he had. Growing up in gang culture forces your hand, either you assimilate or you become a target. Despite life’s brutal introduction, Karl’s circumstances also positioned him to develop a few transferrable skills that eventually led to his personal revolution.

Born the child of illegal African immigrants, dreams of mattering, of making a difference, and creating an empire his children can inherit were Karl Lokko’s inspiration to change. Shedding the title of being a notorious 18-year-old gang leader whose name was known around the UK wasn’t an easy job. If you ask Karl, he’ll tell you that he never even wanted to change, he was fine with the reality he’d created for himself. When he looked around, he didn’t see chaos, he saw a palatable solution to things that once kept his family terrorized by fear. He didn’t see the lifestyle as problematic, he felt the things his gang contributed to the community, resources, protection, and support, made the darker side of the lifestyle a small tradeoff. But when his life made a 360-degree turnaround, Karl Lokko immediately recognized God’s grace in action.

“In order to have more, you have to become more.” It was that realization that led Karl Lokko to read a book a week on a personal quest to become the man he felt he needed to be, to live the life he deserved. Now, he’s a billionaire by association and close friends with the royal family. Mindset was the secret ingredient to turning his life around. Karl never shunned ‘the streets’, he saw how he could do more for them, and himself, by raising the stakes and grooming himself to sit at tables nobody from council estates, almost no other person with black skin, has ever been invited to sit. In this episode, we explore the power that comes from using your differences to your advantage. Karl Lokko’s story is an inspiration to us all. Tune in as we listen to the Most Influential Man In Britain talk about what he’s done that will set him up to soon become one of the most influential people in the world.

To learn more about Karl: https://www.instagram.com/karl_lokko/

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To learn more about Karl: https://www.instagram.com/karl_lokko/

Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/

Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate and review.

Previous Episode

How She Built an Empire as a Professional Troublemaker with Luvvie Ajayi Jones

Every time I see a red lollipop, I am instantly reminded of the full-bodied, free spirited, unapologetic greatness that is Luvvie. No sooner than I’d decided that it was finally time to get this podcast off the ground, Luvvie came to mind. Three minutes later, I was in her DMs. I couldn’t think of a better person to launch the first episode of Better With Paul.

When I asked this Nigerian-born powerhouse to explain exactly what her job description is, she politely corrected me – in classic Luvvie fashion – and, after this interview, I can better appreciate the unbridled greatness that flows through her veins. She doesn’t wear a single hat, in fact, I couldn’t imagine Luvvie summarizing her passion and talent into a single elevator pitch. She’s touched the world as a writer, marketer, digital analyst, and professional speaker, but she’s still just getting started.

The world loves to attempt to mold us to fit into a bite-sized, easily managed existence. From our resumes to our personal lives, people like Luvvie stand as an example of what we can accomplish when we rise against adversity and demand our due from the universe.

Join me as I ask one of the few people I trust to maintain balance in the world more about what helped her keep going. I just had to know what inspired this 12 year old girl who touched foot on American soil in a world that wasn’t quite ready for what she had to offer. We dive deep into clashing cultural identity, fighting through personal fears, and answering the call of entrepreneurship. Her selflessness has since paved the way for black women around the world. Her message has confronted the fragility of white supremacy and the result helped her not only clear the path, but hold open the door for the next generation of great leaders like her. Listen in and get inspired.

To learn more about Luvvie: https://luvvie.org/

Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/

Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate and review.

Next Episode

Bob Marley's Best Friend Neville Garrick on Life Before, With, & After The World's Most Influential Artist

Legends don’t need to live loudly to leave their mark. This week’s guest on Better With Paul is the best possible example of how unnerving passion and the power of like minds can move mountains. In episode 3, we’re fortunate enough to sit down with Neville Garrick, one of the most influential people I’ve ever interviewed – but the world still knows so little about him.

Desperate to figure out what inspired the man who quietly managed revolutionary movements alongside immortal names like Bob Marley and Angela Davis, I knew this interview had to happen. It’s hard to find someone who’s never heard of Bob Marley and I think it’s safe to say that Neville Garrick played a major role in that success.

I did my best to come to the table prepared, but the sage wisdom Neville shares is something that hits you out of nowhere. It’s something you can never fully brace yourself for. You just have to listen as he pours this refined knowledge into the room. In this episode, we discuss the moment he recognized Bob Marley’s star quality as well as a few of the tragedies they experienced together. Everyone hears the story about the hero in the limelight. This week, I wanted to sit with a different type of legend. Consider this episode my way of making sure that the right-hand and artistic director for the famed ‘One Love’ megastar gets his roses from us now.

When asked, my ganja-loving comrade won’t claim to be a ‘legend’, yet another trait I truly admire. Despite his humility, no one can convince me that his ability to translate powerful political, social, and individual battles through art is nothing short of legendary.

Neville followed his passion and created space for himself in the world. He may have chosen to stick to the shadows, but the impact of his creative vision is felt and appreciated all around the world. Dubbed a “revolutionary artist” by his first mentor, college professor, and one-time crush, Angela Davis, Neville expresses his genius through visual mediums. His art turned Bob Marley’s stage show into an experience that moved people to make a difference. He painted political statements into Bob Marley’s album covers. Best of all, he studied the audience and the world around, to continuously produce art that people could feel for decades.

His ability to see situations for their potential, not as they’re presented, is a skill every creative can learn from. Moved by the principles of the Rastafarian movement, Neville Garrick soon became the eye behind Bob Marley’s reign as one of the greatest artists of all time. “Legends Live Forever” seemed like the best title for Episode 3 because everything Bob Marley taught, all the things he believed, still live on through Neville. As he prepares to celebrate his 70th birthday, it’s clear that Neville is just getting started. He’s already lived a thousand lifetimes. I can’t wait to see what else his soul creates.

Tune in to laugh and be inspired by one of the world’s most dynamic behind-the-scenes minds.

To learn more about Neville: https://www.instagram.com/nevillegarrick

Be sure to join the Better With Paul newsletter for my biggest takeaways from each episode and special announcements: https://www.paulcbrunson.com/better/

Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe, rate and review.