Izogie Felicia Guobadia: “At Soho House we have always put members at the heart of everything we do – we want to attract kind, diverse and interesting people who are eager to connect, grow, have fun, and make an impact. Coming to a club should feel like hosting a dinner with a big group of friends at home”.
For Izogie Felicia Guobadia, Membership & Communications Director EU at Soho House, this is the very essence of being a club member and part of the community.
BY SABRINA QUARTIERI
Born in Berlin, Izogie Felicia Guobadia was raised by German and Nigerian parents, as the youngest of three children. She studied law and travelled extensively, working as a model. After graduating law school she worked at a law firm for one year, and then decided that this was not her path. So she left, started a yoga mat brand and shortly after joined Soho House. We met her in the Eternal City, during a photo shoot for Grey magazine at Soho House Rome where we got to know this beautiful human, full of grace and kindness, from a professional and personal point of view.
Izogie, how did you get the Membership & Communications Director EU role at Soho House?
Being a Berliner, I knew Soho House Berlin since it opened and spent time there now and then. It was always a fun place to connect with other creatives. One day I met the membership team and that is how I got my foot in the door. For a membership-related job it is crucial to be local and/or to have a vast network in different creative industries. I started as a part-time membership coordinator at the Berlin House and worked my way up. One thing I love about Soho House is that once you are in, you get the opportunity to grow, work in different departments, different countries and build a career. I am excited to see what’s next for me.
And the most thrilling (and of course challenging) issue at the beginning?
From the beginning of my career, I always wanted to be part of a new Soho House opening; it always fascinated me how we tap into a new market. We have our core values and we mix them up with all local ingredients – the people, their culture – and what comes out is a new House, that has its unique identity. You will always feel at home entering a Soho House, no matter where in the world you’ll be. We saw this in Rome, where the idea of a private members club is relatively new. Local creatives really welcomed us and embraced our concept. What makes the Rome House special to me, is its amazing interior design, the food, the team I get to work with and our members.
What is the very essence of being a club member and part of the community?
At Soho House we have always put members at the heart of everything we do. We want to attract kind, diverse and interesting people who are eager to connect, grow, have fun and make an impact. Coming to a club should feel like hosting a dinner with a big group of friends at home.
Soho House is meant to be inclusive. What are your personal battles in terms of inclusiveness?
Growing up, I didn’t see myself represented in the German media world: later on I used to be the only black woman invited at a number of events. At some point, I had to define my own idea of beauty and that is something I am still working on. Luckily things have started to change for the better. I always felt that with bigger tasks come more responsibilities to make an impact. I am grateful to work for a company that has a strong culture around inclusivity and authenticity. I am passionate about hosting dinners and get-togethers for BIPOC creatives – creating safe spaces for open dialogue – and have been lucky that I have always been supported and encouraged to do so by Soho House.
Please, tell us something more…
We have a large community of creatives and we are very protective of the safe environment we have created. This translates in my work when I’m building communities, especially in new markets. From the beginning we want to ensure the right representation exists and all members feel welcome in our spaces. I think it is important that this shows within our teams and our recruitment as well. As a black woman, I know how essential it is to see yourself in a leadership position, to have that representation and someone to look up to. You need to look in the right places, dive deeper, open doors and create spaces for people to thrive. As you can imagine our membership really only flourishes when we rigorously keep it diverse and provide a platform not only for people of color, but all underrepresented groups.
Do you have an icon woman you’re inspired by?
Viola Davis is the perfect example, a woman portraying strength, vulnerability, talent, creativity, resilience and grace. Oprah Winfrey, for her leadership, represents brilliance, wisdom, relatability and effortless ability to connect globally across cultures and racial borders. Erykah Badu displays an unapologetic raw storytelling, style and installations in all areas of art. Last but definitely not least is my grandmother, who turned 97 last November. I love her dearly and she is my greatest source of inspiration. She has seen so much in her life, good and bad and has never lost her resilience, love for life, optimism and humour. She has something feisty and stubborn in her character that always makes me smile and that I see in myself.
Personally, what have you achieved and what do you love about your life?
It took me some time to allow myself to be really proud of my achievements and to celebrate myself for it. Being the Director of Membership and Communications for Europe is one example. I can now say I am proud of the leader I am growing into and I enjoy every step of it. I simply love my life, I am well aware of how blessed I am and I enjoy being grateful. Giving and uplifting others has always been an important part of my life and I’d like to dedicate more time to it this year. I see beauty in the smallest things and that is what makes me love life in general. This morning I woke up and had the most beautiful rainbow outside my window. Arriving here today I felt extreme gratitude for being able to have this experience, meeting my dear colleagues again and just being in this beautiful city spending time at Soho House Rome.
In the distant future, how would you like to be remembered for the mark you’ve left?
That is a big question and I do think that I am only at the beginning of my journey and still figuring that out. I think everyone has the responsibility to make the world a better place within their possibilities. I want to uplift people and provide equity, truly provide inclusivity. That could apply to my team, members, or just any community circle I can reach including but not exclusive to the work I do at Soho House.
Considering your hectic day’s work and an equally busy social life, how do you “unwind”?
Sometimes I just have to pull the plug to ground myself. I have a couple of things that work: practicing gratitude is one of them; I write down what I am grateful for right in that moment and that brings me back to my core instantly. Daily meditation and yoga are also important to me. Turning off all notifications on my phone on weekends is an absolute game changer, I also love being immersed in nature. Not keeping myself constantly busy is so important for my creativity. I can watch the sky for half an hour, free my mind and that gives me a completely different mind-set.
What is unmissable in your daily routine to get your day off to a good start?
I have a rather fast lifestyle and I regularly travel to different cities across Europe. Morning hours are the most important time of the day for me. It’s the time I take for myself. A good day for me starts with writing morning pages, meditating and a quick run at a nearby park. It is essential to start the day without many distractions, to keep my focus till the evening. As I travel so much for work, maintaining that routine can be challenging.
You live in Berlin. Would you unveil the 5 best, coolest and unusual “must do” in town?
Everyone knows Berghain, KitKat, Boros Collection, so I would go with Rogacki. Every Berliner knows it and one can have hour-long discussions on how its name should be pronounced. It is a small food market famous for fish rolls. A true institution for German food is also Diener Tattersall, snappy service in original Berlin style included. I would always go for a walk in Neukoelln or Kreuzberg to explore all the great Turkish food places. Take a stroll along the river Panke, it runs through the city and you can see so many different facets of Berlin. Start or end your Friday night at Georgia Bar Berlin, fresh on the market and fun. We have beautiful lakes in the countryside around the city. A heads up: a lot of Berliners love skinny dipping.
Talent Izogie Felicia Guobadia
Photography Peppe Tortora
Creative direction Valentina Ilardi
Styling Priscilla Cafaggi
Make-up & Hair Gabriella Mustone @ Simone Belli Makeup Agency
Fashion Assistant Sara Danese
Translation by Giorgia De Angelis
