{"id":154400,"date":"2020-07-29T06:00:05","date_gmt":"2020-07-29T11:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ict-pulse.com\/?p=154400"},"modified":"2020-07-29T06:09:16","modified_gmt":"2020-07-29T11:09:16","slug":"ictp-116-finding-living-purpose-keron-rose-droid-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/2020\/07\/ictp-116-finding-living-purpose-keron-rose-droid-island\/","title":{"rendered":"ICTP 116:  Finding and living your purpose, with Keron Rose of Droid Island"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Blogger, tech retailer, business advisor, online show host, Keron Rose has accomplished a lot in four years. In our recent conversation, Keron shares his entrepreneurial journey, and touches on, among other things: key turning points in his life that have brought him to where he is today; some of the biggest deficiencies he has found in Caribbean entrepreneurs; and why he decided to return to the Caribbean region to make his fortune.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/866416666&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"166\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc; line-break: anywhere; word-break: normal; overflow: hidden; white-space: nowrap; text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif; font-weight: 100;\"><a style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\" title=\"ICT Pulse Podcast\" href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ICT Pulse Podcast<\/a> \u00b7 <a style=\"color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;\" title=\"ICTP 116: Finding and living your purpose, with Keron Rose of Droid Island\" href=\"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/user-673719274\/ictp-116-finding-and-living\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ICTP 116: Finding and living your purpose, with Keron Rose of Droid Island<\/a><\/div>\n<p><strong>This episode is also available in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast\/id1373550291\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple iTunes<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/playmusic.app.goo.gl\/?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&amp;isi=691797987&amp;ius=googleplaymusic&amp;apn=com.google.android.music&amp;link=https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/m\/Icau5acn2xiyl5yjuh7orl2mt54?t%3DICT_Pulse_Podcast%26pcampaignid%3DMKT-na-all-co-pr-mu-pod-16\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Play Music<\/a> and on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/ict-pulse-podcast?refid=stpr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stitcher<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It is an all too human assumption to think someone is an \u2018overnight success\u2019. He or she pops up on your radar and seems to be enjoying some success, which they seemed to achieve in a relatively short space of time. They might be confident \u2013 even a bit brash \u2013 passionate about that they are doing; and although we might be impressed, we might also harbour some scepticism and perhaps even a dash of resentment, about they appear to have achieved seemingly \u2018overnight\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>However, when you have a chance to hear a bit their story, to see behind the confidence and the passion, frequently, their backstory reads like a juicy drama \u2013 with joys, disappointment trials and tribulation. Further, you may begin to realise that those experiences, some of which might be decades old, not only shaped who they are, but also led them to the path they are on today. This is the case with Keron Rose, our guest on this week\u2019s episode of the podcast.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Introducing our Guest<\/h3>\n<p>Born in Trinidad and Tobago, <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/keronrose.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Keron Rose<\/a><\/strong> left the twin island republic at two weeks old and grew up in Canada. Two decades-plus later, and needing a break from Canada, he returned to Trinidad and Tobago: and for all intents and purposes, never looked back.<\/p>\n<p>In the past four years:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keron launched the tech blog, Droid Island, which has since broaden into smartphone and phone accessories sales.<\/li>\n<li>He also launched his eponymous website, keronrose.com, through which to teach Caribbean entrepreneurs and business owners how to build an online business and transition components of their existing business online.<\/li>\n<li>More recently, he launched an online business show, The Digital Age, which he also hosts. Through the show, Keron speaks to leaders in various sectors of online business across the region and educates the Caribbean entrepreneur on how to build in the online world.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, what many people might struggle to wrap their heads around, is the fact that Keron has done all of the above from Trinidad and Tobago \u2013 not from Canada, which so many of us believe would have afforded him greater opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Key discussion points during the interview<\/h3>\n<p>Although Keron might appear as an overnight success, there is a story behind his drive and his focus on tech, which we get a glimpse into during the course of our conversation with him. He also answers the burning question \u2019why return to the Caribbean when there are so many among us who, if given half a chance, would leave?\u2019. However, key questions raised during the course of the interview with Keron included the following:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>What is Droid Island and is its objective?<\/li>\n<li>Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey to being an entrepreneur<\/li>\n<li>What drove you to also get into the business consulting\/advisor space?<\/li>\n<li>What has been the biggest area of deficiency you have found in Caribbean entrepreneurs?<\/li>\n<li>How would you describe the brand \u2018Keron Rose\u2019?<\/li>\n<li>What drove you to return to Trinidad and Tobago, especially when we in the region would think that you would have had an easier life in Canada?<\/li>\n<li>What might have been some of the turning points in your life that have brought you to where you are today?<\/li>\n<li>What has been your experience as an entrepreneur in Trinidad and Tobago?<\/li>\n<li>What has been the biggest lesson you have had to learn in running your own business?<\/li>\n<li>What and\/or whom have been sources for advice or support in running your own business?<\/li>\n<li>What is the best piece of advice you would give to a young tech start-up?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>We would love to hear from you!<\/p>\n<p>Do leave us a comment either here beneath this article, or on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ICTPulse\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ict-pulse-consulting-limited\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>LinkedIn<\/strong><\/a> pages, or via Twitter, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ICTPulse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>@ICTPulse<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Select links<\/h3>\n<p>Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Keron Rose: <a href=\"https:\/\/keronrose.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/keron-rose-88215a100\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LinkedIn<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.droidislandtt.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Droid Island<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UClQSyKoWyU8NrqUYogl0nsw\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Digital Age<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.apple.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Apple<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.garyvaynerchuk.com\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gary Vaynerchuk<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Image credits:\u00a0 Circe Denyer (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.publicdomainpictures.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Public Domain Pictures.net<\/a>);\u00a0 K Rose<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Music credit:\u00a0 Ray Holman<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Blogger, tech retailer, business advisor, online show host, Keron Rose has accomplished a lot in four years. In our recent conversation, Keron shares his entrepreneurial journey, and touches on, among [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[355],"tags":[71,36,49,205,204,357],"class_list":["post-154400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast","tag-businesses","tag-devices","tag-education","tag-entrepreneurship-2","tag-innovation-2","tag-interviews","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/podcast-microphone-definition-Circe-Denyer-Public-Domain-Pictures.net_.jpg?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2iE1G-Eak","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154400"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":154408,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154400\/revisions\/154408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132801"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ict-pulse.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}