ABOUT
I build businesses, and I help others build theirs.
I am the Founder & CEO of Akòwé, a Director at Founder Institute Lagos, and an advisor to founders and organisations on go-to-market, fund-raising and commercialisation.
MY STORY
From Microbiology to building technology businesses
I started out studying Microbiology, on my way to becoming a medical doctor. But creativity and technology had a stronger pull. In 2009 I taught myself web design. It quickly became digital advertising, and that opened a bigger question: what problems can be solved with solutions delivered over the web?
That curiosity led to FlyMyAds, the performance marketing agency I have run for over a decade, serving local and multinational clients. Along the way, I was the lead trainer on Boost with Facebook, a Facebook-sponsored programme that reached more than 70,000 business owners, and I learned what I enjoy most: helping a business see its next move sooner.
Many startup ideas followed, some good, some woeful. The one that stuck is Akòwé, which I launched in October 2020 to issue and instantly verify academic records. It came through the Founder Institute Lagos accelerator, and I am now one of its Directors, helping other founders think through their businesses and shorten the journey to success.
Today I put that experience to work for founders and organisations that need a clearer route to revenue, funding or market. Away from work, I am a dad, which is the best training in patience and prioritising that I know.
WHAT I DO NOW
How I work with founders and organisations
FOR ORGANISATIONS
Corporate Advisory
A defined engagement on one commercial problem: go-to-market, fund-raising, partnerships or commercialisation.
FOR FOUNDERS
Founder 4-Week Sprint
Four weeks of focused one-to-one work on the commercial priority that would unlock your growth.
FOR FOUNDERS
Founder Strategy Intensive
A focused 90-minute working session on one important business problem, with a written action plan.
TRACK RECORD
What stands behind the advice
Founder & CEO
Akòwé
A platform that issues and instantly verifies academic records for educational institutions.
Director
Founder Institute Lagos
One of the Directors helping founders think through their businesses and shorten the journey to success.
70,000+
Business owners reached
Through Boost with Facebook, a Facebook-sponsored programme on which I was the lead trainer.
15+ years
Digital marketing
Running FlyMyAds, a performance marketing agency serving local and multinational clients.
Faculty
Enterprise Development Centre
Teaching digital marketing and digital technology for business at Pan-Atlantic University.
AKÒWÉ IN NUMBERS AND PRESS
Built and run in the real market
40+
corporate clients served by Akòwé
Since 2020
Founder & CEO of Akòwé, from launch in September 2020
TechCrunch
Yale Africa Startup Review
Accreditation and education
✓ SMEDAN-licensed Business Development Support Professional: Access to Markets, Advisory and Access to Finance
✓ Faculty, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, teaching digital marketing and digital technology for business
✓ Alumnus, Enterprise Development Centre (Entrepreneurship Management, 2015)
Mentoring
✓ Active: the Founder Institute network (including Cape Town, Kigali and San Francisco), iDice and Spark Lab
Previously mentored founders through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Impact Hub Lagos, VC4A and the African Development Bank Enable Youth programme.
Have a commercial problem worth solving?
Tell me about it and I will tell you honestly whether, and how, I can help.
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