We sat down with Sekou Andrews, our keynote speaker for Saturday night’s WhataGames Awards Ceremony, to find out what’s on his mind.

Q: What is your favorite part of what you do?
A: Impacting, transforming and inspiring people’s lives.

Q: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
A: Be vulnerable – it builds your connection with other human beings.

Q: If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what career would you like to try your hand at?
A: I’d like to be a superhero – someone who has the power to move things with his mind. It’s the power I always wanted to have as a kid, and then I discovered that I’ve gone into a career where I move people’s hearts with my mind. It’s all come full circle.

Q: Who is your hero?
A: My mom! I had an amazing strong family upbringing. My mom is an educator, and she’s still raising and educating me to this day. She raised me to think like an innovator, and I credit her with a lot of where I am today.

Q: What makes you really happy?
A: Creating.

Q: What makes you really mad?
A: When people don’t say ‘thank you’ when you hold the door open for them.

Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: People’s response to my work. The impact of what I do. It’s self-fulfilling.

Q:What is the coolest thing you’ve ever done as part of your job?
A: It’s a tie between performing for Barack Obama in Oprah Winfrey’s backyard, and being Maya Angelou’s birthday gift of poetry.

Q: Do you have any jokes?
A: Three men walk into a bar…the fourth one ducked.

Q: Do you collect anything?
A: Stories.

Andrews is the creator of Poetic Voice, a way of fusing inspirational speaking with spoken-word poetry to make messages connect with audiences more directly. His dynamic blend of strategic storytelling, business insight, spoken word, theater and comedy turns events into experiences – and transforms audience members into engaged participants.