Avsnitt
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Quote - “The spirit of Afropolitan, and why I'm so excited about the
community that's being built, is to connect one of the most powerful
forces in the world, which is human communities, to the fastest
growing place in the world, which is the African continent.”
The Afropolitan Podcast highlights Afropolitans who embrace the
unknown and walk with purpose. Through this podcast, we aim to empower
Africans in the Diaspora to maximize their potential and contribute to
the development of a vibrant and progressive black community.
In this episode, we chat with Daniel Yu, Founder & CEO of Wasoko, a
technology company that is transforming the $600 billion market for
essential goods sold through mom-and-pop stores in Africa. Wasoko
provides on-demand ordering, delivery, and financing services to these
small retailers. Wasoko's platform enables shop owners to place orders
at any time via SMS or a mobile app, and offers free same-day delivery
of goods directly to their stores. Additionally, Wasoko provides "Pay
Later" financing options to support the growth of these shops. The
company operates in several African countries, including Kenya,
Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal, and collaborates
with major companies such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble. Wasoko has
raised over $145 million in equity financing from investors like Tiger
Global and Avenir Growth Capital, making it one of the largest tech
companies in Africa.
Daniel Yu is an entrepreneur and software developer with extensive
experience working and traveling in over 65 countries, primarily in
emerging economies such as Africa, the Middle East, Central America,
Brazil, Southeast Asia, and China. He is skilled at exploring markets
and building networks to effectively launch technology-driven
businesses. Daniel is conversational or fluent in eight languages:
English (native), Mandarin, Swahili, Arabic, Spanish, Cantonese,
Portuguese, and French.
Daniel is passionate about leveraging technology and innovation to
transform the retail landscape in emerging economies, empowering small
businesses, and making a positive social impact across Africa. Join us
as Daniel discusses his journey with Wasoko and the importance of
digital technology and services to solve Africa’s supply chain
problems.
Daniel’s Reading List:
1. Doing Good Better: How Effective Altruism Can Help You Help Others,
Do Work that Matters, and Make Smarter Choices about Giving Back by
William MacAskill - https://amzn.to/41EnFJj
2. Shoe Dog by Phil Knight - https://amzn.to/3IkPMq2
3. Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder - https://amzn.to/455COGn
Show Notes
2:00 Daniel breaks down his background and what led him to Africa as
an entrepreneur
3:27 Daniel, as the founder and CEO of Wasako, has been working to
transform commerce in Africa and tells us the problem it aims to solve
4:49 Daniel details the monetization model of Wasoko
5:16 Daniel talks about some of the assumptions he had of this
commerce model and what challenges he faced going to market
6:54 Daniel talks about the importance of startups to vertical
integrate in Africa to ensure successful delivery of their chosen
offerings and how the process of building in Africa differs from being
in California, where certain aspects are already taken care of, and
the focus is primarily on software development
8:20 Daniel explains why he started in certain African countries
compared to others and the cultural differences experienced in each
country
10:09 Daniel paints the customer onboarding process early on
11:16 Daniel details the early stages of a startup and the struggles
you have to go through
12:37 Daniel talks about his educational background and how It
informed the work he does today
13:22 Daniel explains how he learnt to be a programmer without
completing formal education
14:01 Daniel gives his view on the future of commerce and supply
chains evolving in Africa and the role Wasoko will play in the future
16:11 Daniel clarifies the customer acquisition of Wasoko
16:40 Daniel talks about his approach to risk taking and decision
making especially in uncertain or rapidly changing environments and
the most important qualities or skills that an entrepreneur should
possess in order to succeed in today's competitive business landscape,
especially in Africa
17:50 Books that have profoundly impacted Daniel’s life
20:17 Daniel gives advice to entrepreneurs hiring talent, especially
in markets like Africa where talent may not be highly skilled as
places like California and how he addressed these challenges
23:08 Daniel has worked in different industries, including finance,
healthcare and technology and breaks down his approach to the process
of identifying new opportunities and deciding which ventures to
proceed or invest in
24:28 Hypothetical title of a book about Daniel’s life
25:35 Daniel’s perspective on what it means to be Afropolitan
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Connect with Afropolitan:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote: "Don't approach entrepreneurship from a position of
desperation; instead, build and have leverage."
The Afropolitan Podcast highlights Afropolitans who embrace the
unknown and walk with purpose. Through this podcast, we aim to empower
Africans in the Diaspora to maximize their potential and contribute to
the development of a vibrant and progressive black community.
In this episode, we chat with Obinna Ukwuani, Chief Digital Officer at
the Bank of Kigali Plc, where he drives digital product development to
achieve digital financial services objectives. Obinna, born in America
with Nigerian roots, studied Economics at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT). He founded and directed the Makers Robotics
Academy Rwanda and NESA by Makers, and now serves as the Founder and
Director of Bruk Oil Mills in Enugu. Obinna previously worked at
Paystack and shares his entrepreneurship insights in this episode.
Obinna is passionate about education, entrepreneurship, and the
transformative power of Web3/Blockchain technologies for people
worldwide. Join us as Obinna discusses his journey to the Bank of
Kigali and the importance of digital technology and services in
solving Africa's challenges.
Obinna's Reading List:
1. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty by
Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson - https://amzn.to/3kD1fbO
2. The Biafra Story: The Making of an African Legend by Frederick
Forsyth - https://amzn.to/3Zt7vBN
3. The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis - https://amzn.to/3ICWJlD
Show Notes:
1:22 Introduction to the Afropolitan Podcast
1:42 Obinna's background and journey to MIT, earning a BSc in
Economics
7:28 Obinna's decision to return to Nigeria and his role in
nation-building and creating opportunities
12:09 Obinna's work with the Makers Robotics Academy Rwanda and its
impact on the local community
14:14 Obinna shares his first significant encounter with failure and
the lessons learned
20:46 Obinna discusses insights from working with Paystack and Bank of
Kigali on technology's potential for Africans
24:19 Obinna talks about his experience raising funds for startups and
offers advice for first-time founders navigating the fundraising
process
28:35 The importance of managing desperation and balance when
dealing with investors
31:20 Sam Altman's New Yorker profile and the need for Africa to
leapfrog - https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny
38:12 Obinna shares his thoughts on Web3 and Blockchain, addressing
skepticism and guiding principles
42:53 Books that have profoundly impacted Obinna's life
50:27 Hypothetical title of a book about Obinna's life
51:35 Obinna's perspective on what it means to be Afropolitan
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of
Afropolitan. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit,
or wherever you get your podcasts.
Connect with Afropolitan:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Saknas det avsnitt?
-
Quote - “Founders need to realise that investors love founders that
have failed before because it is in your failings, you learn the
most.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Kyle Maloney, Co-Founder of Tech Beach; a
startup with an active community designed to connect the Caribbean
with the Global Technology Ecosystem.
Klye studied Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University and was exposed to entrepreneurship early on which
culminated in Co-founding Tech Beach to offer a much needed service in
the region.
He is passionate about empowering people and companies in the
Caribbean through technology to scale and solve pertinent issues.
Listen and enjoy as Kyle talks to us about his journey with Tech
Beach, his background and plans for the future.
Kyle’s Reading List
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Arthur R. Pell
https://amzn.to/3XzOzzZ
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary
Results by Gary Keller, Jay Papasan
https://amzn.to/3lFdS6a
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad
Ones by James Clear
https://amzn.to/2P8LAvI
Show Notes
2:30 Impact of covid and background of Tech Beach
5:58 Context of the Caribbean for startups
7:52 Expansion in the Caribbean compared to Africa
9:07 Fundraising process, challenges and advice
11:32 Recruiting and retaining talent
13:31 Kyle’s background and influences
19:49 Lessons from failure
24:00 Process to find the right mentor within the ecosystem
28:15 Title of the book about your life
30:53 Reading list
32:44 Being Afropolitan
35:03 Future plans
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “There is no joy to be found in playing small and dimming your lights.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Hanu Agbodje, Founder & CEO of PATRICIA; a
fintech company founded in 2017 using Blockchain technology to process
cryptocurrency transactions in Africa and beyond.
Hanu holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from
University of Port Harcourt and founded PATRICIA after 13 other
unsuccessful businesses.
He is passionate about crypto and how the technology can solve
Africa’s biggest problems and synergise payments.
Listen and enjoy as Hanu talks to us about his journey with PATRICIA
and ambition to transform alternative payments solutions in Africa.
Hanu’s Reading List
The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason
https://amzn.to/3E3l8iW
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter
Thiel and Blake Masters
https://amzn.to/3lt34Iq
How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
https://amzn.to/2VzobXM
Show Notes
1:23 Patricia's mission and vision for the world
1:58 Recruiting and retaining talent
3:30 The journey to Patricia
9:39 African founders competing anywhere in the world
12:25 What promise cryptocurrency holds for Africa?
15:02 Advice for founders dealing with government regulation
16:25 Dealing with failure and lessons learnt
19:23 Balance between creativity and objectives
20:38 Title of the book about your life
22:07 Other passions aside from Patricia
24:08 Self-care and avoiding burnout
25:07 Reading list
30:41 Being Afropolitan
32:38 Future of Patricia
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “This frail body will house the greatest spirit humanity will
ever know.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Tunde Onakoya, Founder of Chess In Slums Africa;
a non-profit organisation that utilises the game of chess to educate
and empower underprivileged children to achieve far more than their
circumstances.
Tunde holds a National Diploma in Computer Science from Yaba College
of Technology and created Chess in Slums Africa to use chess as a tool
to educate and propel the destiny of children out of poverty.
He is passionate about equaling the playing field and has a goal to
educate 1 million children in slum communities in 5 years.
Listen and enjoy as Tunde talks to us about his journey with Chess In
Slums Africa and redressing the imbalance in society.
Tunde’s Reading List
Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations: Ancient Philosophy
for Modern Problems by Jules Evans
https://amzn.to/3DMbVLF
The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Poverty
by Clayton M. Christensen, Efosa Ojomo, Karen Dillon
https://amzn.to/3DNoFBO
Self-Discipline through Ikigai and Kaizen (Longevity and Happiness at
Hand) by Mark Morimoto
https://amzn.to/3lnLVQb
Manifesto for a Moral Revolution Paperback – May 4, 2021 by Jacqueline Novogratz
https://amzn.to/3RGYd2i
Show Notes
1:29 Background and discovery of chess
4:31 Creation and mission of Chess In Slums Africa
9:07 Impact on children/slums
11:28 Ferdinand with cerebral palsy winning the chess tournament in Makoko
14:17 Partnership with chess.com
16:10 Finding purpose with Chess In Slums Africa
19:42 Fulfilling potential linked to mission of Chess In Slums Africa
22:43 Reading list
25:24 Future plans and how to get involved/support
27:28 Title of the book about your life
28:13 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Yida Gao
Quote - “Talent is everything for an early stage company and the
people they hire early on define the trajectory of the company.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Yida Gao, Managing General Partner of Shima
Capital; an early stage crypto and Web3 investment firm.
Yida holds a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He previously worked in Wall
Street for Morgan Stanley in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group.
He is passionate about investing in crypto and Web3 companies that
chart new territory.
Listen and enjoy as Yida Gao talks to us about his journey with Shima
Capital and insights on the venture capitalist environment.
Yida’s Reading List
Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate
Markets by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, Kevin
Maney
https://amzn.to/3jfIPx0
Show Notes
2:02 Journey into crypto
4:10 Shima’s investment thesis and approach to funding startups
6:09 Main criteria to invest in a founder
8:34 Fundraising process for Shima Capital
10:50 Misconceptions about venture capitalists
12:13 VCs inspired by
13:09 Recruiting and retaining talent
14:48 Navigating the fundraising environment
17:25 Process of capital calls
20:20 Best guidance that Shima offers for portfolio companies
23:47 First encounter with failure and lesson learnt
26:25 Reading list
28:14 Title of the book about your life
29:28 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Fadekemi Abiru
Quote - “Afropolitan is daring to be yourself in a rapidly changing
world and not having to ask for permission.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Fadekemi Abiru, Head Of Insights at Stears; a
financial data/intelligence company providing subscription-based
data/insight to professionals/businesses.
Fadekemi holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Bristol and
an MSc in African Development from the London School of Economics. She
previously worked as an economist for the UK government and provided
analysis on various projects.
She is passionate about ensuring that decisions whether in business or
government in Africa are driven by real time data and insights to
drive critical economic developments.
Listen and enjoy as Fadekemi Abiru talks to us about her journey with
Stears and the importance of data-driven insights on Africa.
Fadekemi’s Reading List
All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks
https://amzn.to/3EiIoZj
Harry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowling
https://amzn.to/3OlqtG7
Economics Rules by Dani Rodrik
https://amzn.to/3As5j3w
Show Notes
1:55 Founding of Stears and its mission
3:10 Plans to cover the 2023 Nigerian elections
8:03 Data-driven insights/expectations on the Nigeria 2023 elections
10:22 How has technology enabled the Stears Elections product
11:12 Significance and likely impact of the Nigerian Electoral Act
2022 on the upcoming elections
12:29 Conducting polls in the future
14:08 Data trends that make this upcoming election different from the
last election
15:58 First encounter with failure and lesson learnt
16:02 Title of the book about your life
18:45 Reading list
21:09 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Arese Ugwu
Quote - “Afropolitan means showcasing the brilliance of Africa on a
global stage.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Arese Ugwu, Founder of Smart Money Africa; an
edutainment platform providing financial literacy and education for
the African millennial.
Arese is a graduate from Aston Business School and University College
London and has previous experience with leading African financial
services brands before transitioning to Smart Money Africa.
She is passionate about creating content and avenues that break down
financial barriers for African youths especially women.
Listen and enjoy as Arese Ugwu talks to us about Smart Money tribe and
her thoughts on financial literacy for the African millennial.
Arese’s Reading List
The Smart Money Woman: An African girl's journey to financial freedom
by Arese Ugwu
https://amzn.to/3UAVTdJ
The Rich Are Different: A Priceless Treasury of Quotations and
Anecdotes About the Affluent, the Posh, and the Just Plain Loaded by
Jon Winokur
https://amzn.to/3AbZSpd
Sex and Vanity: A Novel by Kevin Kwan
https://amzn.to/3trG6lD
Show Notes
1:30 Upbringing and background
2:59 Start of Smart Money Africa
6:35 Challenges/process of self-publishing a book
12:24 Netflix picking up the The Smart Money Woman series
16:26 Balancing multiple roles professionally and personally
17:50 Financial advice for young people
19:11 Season Two of The Smart Money Woman
19:57 First encounter with failure and lesson learnt
20:45 Title of the book about your life
21:45 Reading list
23:20 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
24:00 Beauty of South Africa
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “What I like the most about building in Africa and building
for Africa is that everything is so greenfield.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Nadayar Enegesi, CEO and Co-Founder of Eden Life
Inc.; a tech-driven home management platform in Africa providing
services such as food, laundry and cleaning.
Nadayar is a graduate from University of Waterloo in Canada and has
previous experience at Fora Inc. and Andela before transitioning to
Eden Life Inc..
He is passionate about upgrading the home lifestyle and bridging the
gap between service providers and service demanders through tech.
Listen and enjoy as Nadayar Enegesi talks to us about
entrepreneurship, Eden Life Inc. and his guiding life principles.
Nadayar’s Reading List
Reinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspired
by the Next Stage in Human Consciousness by Frederic Laloux
https://amzn.to/2Jb3qME
Bushido: The Way of the Samurai by Tsunetomo Yamamoto
https://amzn.to/3FSr4gg
Show Notes
1:32 Journey as an entrepreneur
4:56 Time at Andela
6:49 Transition into the role as CEO and Co-Founder of Eden life Inc.
10:35 Process of assembling the founding team
15:48 Fundraising process and advice
19:03 Founders who have influenced you in the tech space
21:42 Reading list
25:12 Recruiting and maintaining talent
30:27 Title of the book about your life
32:49 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
34:38 Impact of Covid-19
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “Afropolitan means remembering who we were in the last
thousand years at scale”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Ibi Cookey, Co-Founder of Fitted; a fashion-tech
company revolutionising scalable custom fashion.
Ibi is an international business management graduate and a former
investment banker. He is passionate about simplifying the custom
fashion supply chain for all stakeholders.
Listen and enjoy as Ibi Cookey talks to us about entrepreneurship,
Fitted and transitioning from investment banking to tech.
Show Notes
1:10 Background and transition from investment banking to tech
3:33 Insights gained from private equity
4:46 Transition to Fitted
6:22 What does Fitted solve
8:18 Utilising data from Fitted to solve international measurement
challenges at scale
11:11 Fitted’s role in the supply chain ecosystem
13:47 Fundraising challenges and insights
18:11 First encounter with failure and experience learnt
19:56 Title of the book about your life
21:53 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “As a founder of a startup, we have to get to the end goal -
to liquidity and huge wealth gains for ourselves, employees and early
investors.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Morgan DeBaun, Founder/CEO of Blavity Inc.; a
leading digital media company for Black culture and millennials with
over 100 million readers per month.
Morgan is a serial entrepreneur, executive, corporate advisor, and
angel investor. She is passionate about building companies and
communities.
Listen and enjoy as Morgan DeBaun talks to us about entrepreneurship
and Blavity’s incredible journey.
Morgan’s Website
https://bit.ly/3Tj1TaH
Morgan’s Reading List
Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the
Poor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosaki
https://amzn.to/2NIasgG
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will
Follow You by John C. Maxwell
https://amzn.to/3VICqJb
The Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation
to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries
https://amzn.to/3CQouV0
Show Notes
1:17 Investing in the stock market at 13 years old
2:27 Misconceptions of being a founder
4:16 Advice/strategies for founders in recruiting/retaining talent
7:16 Fundraising as a black woman founder
10:08 Managing boundaries
12:56 Impact of the pandemic professionally/personally
17:40 Remote work vs office work
21:25 Dealing with letting people go
26:56 First encounter with failure and experience learnt
30:42 Reading list
31:57 Title of the book about your life
33:29 Transition from Intuit to Blavity
35:16 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “Technology is bringing us back all together.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Biola Alabi, Co-Founder of Atika Ventures; a
women-led venture fund providing early-stage capital to consumer
technology start-ups in West and East Africa.
Biola is a Non-Executive Director at Unilever Nig. Plc. and Monty
Mobile, an Angel Investor at Lagos Angel Network and the Executive
Producer at Biola Alabi Media and Entertainment. She is passionate
about investing in startups that will solve real problems at scale.
Listen and enjoy as Biola Alabi talks to us about investing in
startups and how the investment landscape has changed over the last
decade.
Biola’s Reading List
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
https://amzn.to/3EXXWDE
Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in
Life) by Cathie Black
https://amzn.to/3Sclh7L
True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership by Bill George
https://amzn.to/2AkWI67
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
https://amzn.to/3MH5tst
Show Notes
1:37 Lagos Angel Network
2:43 Changes/challenges in the investment landscape over the last 10 years
3:59 Advice to startups in the current regulatory environment
5:37 What do you look for in investing in startups
7:20 Advice/strategies for founders in recruiting/retaining talent
8:54 Managing expectations of Limited Partner (LPs)
11:22 First angel investment
12:50 First encounter with failure and experience learnt
15:44 Transparency as a founder
18:09 Background and upbringing
23:19 Reading list
27:26 Title of the book about your life
28:59 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “Think of all unfortunate experiences as learning experiences.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Zeneca, Founder/CEO of ZenAcademy; who was a
professional poker player for 15 years and has transitioned to being a
well respected NFT influencer. He created ZenAcademy to build a
community and space to educate and help others understand the crypto
and NFT space.
Listen and enjoy as Zeneca talks to us about burnout in the tech
ecosystem and offers advice on trading crypto and NFTs.
Roy’s Reading List
Letters from a Stoic by Lucius Annaeus Seneca
https://amzn.to/3VkqdKA
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
https://amzn.to/2XsyOQl
Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
https://amzn.to/3CP6tHB
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
https://amzn.to/3g2BIpF
Show Notes
1:18 Transition from a professional poker player for 15 years to Crypto
2:31 Burnout and self-care
5:55 Distinction between NFTs and crypto
9:01 NFT trading - highs and lows
11:47 How to evaluate projects
15:10 Meaning of Zeneca
17:08 Favorite philosophers
18:21 Reading list
20:09 Start of ZenAcademy
26:45 Future of online platforms in growing online communities
30:23 Encounter with failure and lessons learned
36:43 Navigating the crypto space and dealing with loss
41:34 Title of the book about your life
43:24 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “If you want something really badly, the whole universe
conspires to help you get it.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to
step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope
to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential
and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black
community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about
leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant
afterwards.
This episode features Ngozi Dozie, Co-Founder of Carbon; a Pan African
digital bank based in Nigeria and a leading digital finance platform.
Carbon’s mission is to empower all people with the financial access
they need to pursue a life of dignity and prosperity. The Carbon app
was launched in April 2016 and the business has grown rapidly.
A CFA charter holder, Ngozi holds an MBA from Wharton School and has
worked as a financial analyst at Deloitte & Touche and an investment
banker at JPMorgan in New York.
Listen and enjoy as Ngozi talks to us about the importance of
transparency and access to loans in the Nigerian digital finance
ecosystem and shares tips for new founders to navigate the regulatory
landscape.
Ngozi’s Reading List
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
https://amzn.to/3BSXIMu
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
https://amzn.to/3CA05UO
The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
https://amzn.to/3ycbiIf
Show Notes
1:27 Carbon’s vision and mission
6:34 Nigerian ecosystem - Type of loans and access to loans
5:36 Transparency and execution
8:54 Advice for founders navigating the regulatory landscape in the
tech ecosystem
11:50 Advice for founders fundraising
16:56 Impact of the pandemic on Carbon
22:15 Recruiting talent and retaining talent
25:08 First encounter with failure, dealing with it and lessons learnt
29:50 Reading list
35:01 Title of the book about your life
38:16 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote - “Great ideas happen when two old ideas meet for the first time.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant afterwards.
This episode features Fatima Dicko, Founder & CEO at Sugar; a community management platform for apartment building. Sugar has raised over $3.5M in VC funding from some of the leading investors in the property technology sector.
Fatima was on a product innovation team as a senior engineer at Procter & Gamble focused on bringing new ideas to market. She is passionate about building products people love and supporting youth to become future leaders in tech. Fatima was named as '18 Inspiring Women to Watch' by Inc and listed on the 2021 Forbes 'Next 1000' list.
Listen and enjoy as Fatima talks about the COVID 19 pandemic influence on her business and shares some of her fundraising challenges.
Fatima’s Reading List
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
https://amzn.to/3BSXIMu
The Founder's Dilemmas by Noam Wasserman
https://amzn.to/3Siw01f
The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
https://amzn.to/3raLhVW
Show Notes
1:36 Impact of Covid-19 pandemic professionally and personally
6:34 Fundraising challenges as a founder
9:56 Background and upbringing shaping the entrepreneurial mindset
17:19 Initial team recruiting process and retaining talent
21:17 Reading list
22:06 Breakdown of Web3
27:54 Title of the book about Fatima’s life
29:12 First significant encounter with failure and lessons learnt
31:31 Importance of culture
34:40 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote- “Your environment directly impacts your health and your ability to succeed.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant afterwards.
This episode features Anthony Azekwoh, Nigerian-based digital artist and author; who has taken the NFT art scene by storm and whose art has been seen all around the world.
In 2020, his painting “The Red Man” was sold as an NFT online for $25,000 and he has since captured the imagination of the global art community.
He has also written five books and has worked with artists such as Adekunle Gold, Blaqbonez and many more international clients.
Listen and enjoy as Anthony talks about his journey into NFT's, offers advice to upcoming digital artists and shares the inspiration behind his “The Red Man” painting.
Anthony’s Artwork
https://www.anthonyazekwoh.com
Anthony’s Reading List
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
https://amzn.to/3BSXIMu
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
https://amzn.to/3qMrpZ5
Manuscript Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho
https://amzn.to/3Btlxc2
Show Notes
1:10 Discussing Afrobeats: The Backstory documentary and lessons learnt
6:23 Anthony on his work being mature
8:51 Anthony on his journey into the digital space
11:35 Influences in storytelling and art
14:20 Art ecosystem and relationship with his parents
26:17 Transition to NFT and crypto art
34:13 Advice to digital artists in Africa trying to find their feet
36:19 The internet enabling Africans to challenge limitations
42:27 Inspiration behind “The Red Man” painting
45:34 The difference between art and writing
49:57 Anthony’s reading list
50:46 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Quote- “One of the things the CDC taught me back in the 90s was to collect data, understand the data, trend the data but also listen to the people.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant afterwards.
This episode features Lyona Carter, founder clinical data geek, a clinical data management startup.
Lyona assists biotech/pharmaceutical companies review their clinical data. One of her biggest influences is Henrietta Lacks. Henrietta’s cells have been used in over 11,000 patents including polio vaccination and covid treatments. Nicknamed HeLa cells, they have been used to study the effect of toxins, viruses on the growth of cancer cells without experimenting on humans.
Lyona is passionate about creating a framework of compensation for those who wish to benefit from the use of their DNA or vitals. She believes clinical participants or their families should get compensated should they want compensation.
Listen and enjoy as Lyona talks about her journey into clinical data management, some of her influences and barriers she faces being a woman in the biotech industry.
The Legacy Of Henrietta Lacks
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henriettalacks/
Lyona’s reading list
Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Moved-My-Cheese-Mazing/dp/0091816971/ref=sr_1_1?
On The Pulse Of Morning by Maya Angelou
https://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Morning-Inaugural-Poem/dp/0679748385
Show Notes
1:54 Journey into clinical data management
3:25 Henrietta Lacks contribution to present day clinical trial research
5:33 Compensation framework for clinical trial patients and their families
7:16 Journey into blockchain technology and web3
8:42 Influences growing up
13:47 Mental and professional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
16:27 Benefits of NFT
18:29 Childhood lessons that taught the hardest lessons
20:22 Barriers faced being a woman in the biotech industry.
23:07 Encounter with failure and lessons learned
25:13 Lyona’s reading list
27:00 what does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
Michael Ugwu
Quote- “I know a lot of people don't have the luxury of knowing their roots, but I know my roots and that was super important to me.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant afterwards.
This episode features Michael Ugwu, MD of Freeme Digital, an online digital music distribution network in Africa.
Michael is a crypto enthusiast who holds a degree in Economics. In 2019, he liquidated most of his real estate investments and other assets and threw it all into bitcoin. A risk that has paid off over the years.
Micheal was instrumental in helping sony music launch in the west African market. He led several projects from licensing catalogs to MTN, Jidenna tour to Nigeria, signing deals of major artists in Nigeria to Sony.
Listen and enjoy as Micheal talks about his journey running a distribution company in Nigeria and how NFT can revolutionize the music industry.
Michael reading list
Think And Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Grow-Rich-Napoleon-Hill/dp/0785833528
De Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammous
https://www.amazon.com/Bitcoin-Standaard-Decentrale-Alternatief-Bankieren/dp/9916951357
Snow Crash by Neal Stepheson
https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Crash-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0553380958/ref=sr_1_1?
Show Notes
2:09 Micheal’s journey into crypto.
7:40 Journey to freeme digital.
14:30 Challenges of being a founder in the African ecosystem.
16:27 Impact of the covid-19 pandemic on business and operational challenges experienced.
19:24 Michael’s first encounter with failure as an entrepreneur.
23:50 Lessons learnt at Iroking.
28:37 Approach navigating challenges with signed artists.
32:07 How NFT can revolutionize the music industry.
41:36 Michael’s reading list
45:17 What does being Afropolitan mean to you
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/ -
“This world is small, the more you pitch, the more you'll get to those with a pool of money.”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant afterwards.
This episode features Elizabeth Yin,co-founder and general partner at hustle fund, a venture firm that invests in early-stage startups.
Elizabeth Yin and her co-founders created the venture capital firm hustle fund to help level the playing field at the pre-seed funding stage.
After reviewing about 20,000 pitch decks while working as a partner at 500 startups, Elizabeth came up with the idea of an early stage fund to help founding teams that struggle to attract investors attention.
A two time founder, Elizabeth has always had a drive for business, technology and investing.
Listen and enjoy as Elizabeth talks to us about her journey to becoming a VC and advises startups entering the bear market.
Elizabeth’s reading list
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898
Predictable Revenue by Aaron Ross
https://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213
Shoe Dog by Phil Knight
https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Phil-Knight/dp/1508211809
Show Notes
1:33 Journey to becoming a partner at hustle fund.
4:04 Misconceptions about being a VC
5:57 Most successful exit.
7:29 Different fundraising process
10:26 Advice to founders on recruiting and retaining talent longterm
14:11 Advice to aspiring venture capitalists
16:47 Elizabeth’s fundraising experience
20:57 Thoughts on sky high valuations for startups
22:09 Advice to startups coming into the bear market and what the market potentially holds
23:57 Vc that has had a major impact on Elizabeth's growth
25:44 Most significant encounter with failure and lessons learned
30:09 Elizabeths’s introduction into crypto and web3
32:19 The hustle verse/ crypto shift initiative
34:13 Downside to web3
35:42 Elizabeths’s reading list
37:49 What does being Afropolitan mean to you?
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Afropolitan Community - https://linktr.ee/afropolitangroup -
Quote -“Trying to cater and impress social media is only going to lead to disappointments”
The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who aren’t afraid to step into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hope to empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potential and contribute to the development of a bold and progressive black community.
Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts about leaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevant afterwards.
This episode features Denis Asamoah,Co-founder of FORVR mood, a lifestyle brand focused on selfcare.
Denis Asamoah is an entrepreneur, brand development specialist, coach and former investment banker with Morgan Stanley.
In 2020 during the pandemic lockdown, Denis and his fiancee Jackie Aina co-founded and launched FORVR mood.They successfully self funded and scaled DTC to 7-digits within a few weeks.
Denis is passionate about the creator economy and is on a mission to empower more people of color to launch brands and flourish in their space.
Listen and enjoy as Denis talks to us about the creative economy and how he has successfully built a multimillion dollar business.
Denis’s reading list
The One Thing by Gary Keller
https://www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776
The 4-hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss
https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357
Show Notes
2:07 Naming process for the owambe collection.
4:49 Was the owambe collection a PR stunt?
16:18 Cancel culture
22:40 Denis’s mental selfcare
26:57 Transition to the creators economy
33:36 Advice to creators.
38:25 How creators can leverage their relevance to diversify
38:40 Sephora partnership
43:13 How Denis deals with negative comments on social media.
48:47 Internal and external scorecards
51:19 Most significant encounter with failure
52:20 FORVR mood sales during the pandemic
54:33 How FORVR mood manages the shipping process
57:33 Denis’s reading list
1:01:11 What does being afropolitan mean to you?
The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.
Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Want to learn more about Afropolitan?
Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitan
Website - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Afropolitan Community - https://linktr.ee/afropolitangroup - Visa fler
