エピソード
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This season of Building the Future was made possible by Moniepoint
My guest today is Bode Abifarin, one of the leading startup operators I know on the continent.
I first met Bode in 2017 when she had just joined Flutterwave, where she served as Chief Operating Officer. I've been continually impressed by Bode’s unique ability to blend operational dexterity with high level strategic thinking. Bode has a background in consulting for KPMG and worked closely with banks in Nigeria to develop and articulate their go to market strategies. Flutterwave gave her the opportunity to operationalize many of her PowerPoint presentations in a high growth, high intensity startup environment. Bode joined the company in its early days, and since then, it has become one of the few unicorns on the continent, valued at $3 billion in its most recent fundraising round. This conversation was recorded while she was still the COO.
In this episode, we discuss:
The key mental frames and thought process for transitioning from a large corporation to a startup. Including: 1/ the challenges she faced during this transition, 2/ the relationships and other advantages she brought from her corporate experience, as well as, 3/ her learning curve in adapting to the startup environment.Efficiency, operations standardization, and the evolution of the COO role as a company scales.Key actions to take while penetrating into a new market:, blending experienced personnel with local talent, adapting to cultural and regulatory nuances as well as continuous learning and improving. Her approach to finding, shaping, and mentoring talent as a business leader on the continent.Book: Imagine Africa
Quote: “Once your strategy, in terms of go-to-market, product, and focus is crisp and clear. Spend time getting that crispiness and the clarity in your own local markets, right? Go deep, go wide, listen to customers, iterate, and be the champion of that market.
CREDITS
Host: Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku
Produced by: The Subtext
Editing: Osarumen Osamuyi, Chinedu Anatune
Show Notes: Grace Obaloluwa
Design: Jonathan Nwachukwu
Voice Overs & Project Coordination: Damilola Teidi
Season Intro Video: Chukwuka Ezeiruaku -
This season of Building the Future was made possible by Moniepoint
My guest today is Mark Straub, founder & CEO of Smile ID.
Smile ID is building identity verification infrastructure for businesses in Africa.
Mark and I were connected by a mutual friend, but I’ve always been fascinated by his transition from being a venture investor to becoming a startup founder — especially considering that I made the transition in the other direction.
With Smile ID, Mark is building an important layer of trust for digital transactions across the continent. The company raised a $20M Series B and completed 100 million identity checks in 2023. Mark’s thoughtfulness, deep sector expertise and capacity to attract top talents seems to give him an unfair advantage in the space. In this episode, we explore:
The role of fintech as a driver of economic development, and the role of digital identity as an important building block for fintech innovation.The crucial components needed for a successful digital identity systemThe strategic framework behind the company's expansion and how Smile ID has built differentiation in a crowded marketMark’s framework for attracting and retaining top talentLessons from his experience as both an investor and entrepreneurBook Recommendation::
Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, providing an insightful resource for those interested in African business ventures.
High Growth Handbook by Elad Gil a comprehensive guide for scaling startups, covering critical topics such as hiring, management, product development, and fundraising.
Quote: “Having payment rails is like having a car.You can drive really fast and you can go from one place to another. You can send value from one place to another. Having good ID systems in place is like having a seatbelt and brakes that work. So you can stop the car from driving off the road and destroying everything in it.”
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.
Transcript
CREDITS
Host: Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku
Produced by: The Subtext
Editing: Osarumen Osamuyi, Chinedu Anatune
Show Notes: Grace Obaloluwa
Design: Jonathan Nwachukwu
Voice Overs & Project Coordination: Damilola Teidi
Season Intro Video: Chukwuka Ezeiruaku -
エピソードを見逃しましたか？
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My guest today is Anu Adedoyin-Adasolum, the co-founder and CEO of Sabi.
Sabi is a B2B e-commerce startup that provides digital infrastructure to Africa's informal economy. In October 2023, they announced reaching $1B annual GMV.
I've always been fascinated by Sabi, especially their ability to bring seemingly disjointed and complex pieces together in a connected business model. In this episode, we discussed:
The unique challenges and differentiation strategies of operating a B2B e-commerce platform in Africa. Anu emphasizes the importance of understanding market needs and tailoring solutions to address customer needs. We also covered Sabi's approach to building trust, providing logistics, quality services, access to credit, and other resources to businesses. The surprising sophistication of the informal market, including lessons learned from Anu’s past experiences at Jumia and RensourceThe decision to adopt an asset-light model, and the critical role of detailed data analysis and segmentation for achieving scale.We also touched on identifying the right expansion strategies, the complexities of fundraising, and Anu’s approach to cohort analysis.
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.Quote: “No one cares about your app. Literally no one cares about that application. [Merchants are] just trying to make money. Help them make money, or don't.”
Book Recommendation: Emotion by Design: Creative Leadership Lessons from a Life at Nike. By Greg Hoffman
The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company by Bob IgerCREDITS
This season of Building the Future was made possible by Moniepoint
Host: Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku
Produced by: The Subtext
Editing: Osarumen Osamuyi, Chinedu Anatune
Show Notes: Grace Obaloluwa
Design: Jonathan Nwachukwu
Voice Overs & Project Coordination: Damilola Teidi
Season Intro Video: Chukwuka EzeiruakuTranscript: https://share.transistor.fm/s/0d6e5d28/transcript.txt
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My guest today is Shola Akinlade. I met Shola in 2016, while he and his co-founder, Ezra, were at the YC accelerator program. It was the beginning of their Paystack journey, and even then, I was struck by his clarity of thought and radical focus on product development.Today, Paystack has scaled to seven markets and is responsible for over 40x the value processed online in Nigeria at the time of their founding. Their $200M+ acquisition by Stripe marked a significant milestone for the tech ecosystem in October 2020.
In this episode, which is Shola’s second appearance on BTF, we reflected on:
Stripe’s acquisition of Paystack, and its impact on Shola, his team, and broader tech ecosystemHiring and managing startup talent at scale, including the necessary changes in management style required at different stages of a startup’s lifeHis seven-year benchmark for measuring startup success, and the importance of a long term view in company building
We also discussed the opportunity with “community project” Sporting Lagos FC, and how his experience at Paystack serves as leverage in his new venture of owning a football club. Listen to Episode 11 (Season 1) as context for this one.Quote: “In the realm of business, prioritizing shared values over personal friendships is paramount when selecting collaborative partners.”
Recommended Books:
The Away Game: The Epic Search for Soccer’s Next Superstars by Sebastian Abbot
Radical Candour: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean by Kim Scott
CREDITS
This season of Building the Future was made possible by Moniepoint
Host: Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku
Produced by: The Subtext
Editing: Osarumen Osamuyi, Chinedu Anatune
Show Notes: Grace Obaloluwa
Design: Jonathan Nwachukwu
Voice Overs & Project Coordination: Damilola Teidi
Season Intro Video: Chukwuka Ezeiruaku -
My guest today is Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO and co-founder of Moniepoint. I met Tosin in Kigali at the Africa Tech Summit in 2020, just before the world went into lockdown. We spent hours discussing the offline distribution of fintech products after our introduction. Since then, I've had the opportunity to be an investor, C-level executive, and board observer at Moniepoint. This has allowed me to understand the company from both external and internal perspectives.
In this episode, you'll get a glimpse of the typical conversation I have with Tosin during our working days.
Here are five key takeaways from this episode:
Data Driven Decision Making: Utilizing data analytics and insights is fundamental for informed decision-making, optimizing operations, and identifying growth opportunities in a rapidly changing market landscape.First Mover Advantage: Being the first to market is crucial for gaining a competitive edge and establishing a strong position.Customer-focused Approach: Prioritizing customer experience and integrating their feedback enhances loyalty, fosters long-term relationships, and improves brand reputation.Talent Development and Leadership: It's essential to invest in talent development and promote strong leadership for building a resilient, high-performing workforce capable of overcoming challenges and driving the organization forward.4M Framework: Mastery, Membership, Meaning, and Money are critical components for personal and professional growth.Quote: "People are at their best when they are entrepreneurial, when they say ‘I’m doing this for myself and not necessarily for my boss.’"
Book Recommendation: "Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done" by Lawrence Bossidy and Ram Charan.
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It's been a while. I haven't held the podcast mic for a long time. I must admit, I'm a bit rusty. I’m overwhelmed by the advancements in the podcast space since my sabbatical. The African tech ecosystem has also grown in leaps and bounds, with its fair share of troughs too. And I'm still privileged to be an active participating observer in it.
Several people have asked me privately and publicly when I'm restarting the podcast. I've attributed the delay to my busy schedule, but I'm more eager to return than those who've inquired about it.
At last, I'm back.
This season, I aim to revisit the raison d'être of the podcast, and highlight the significant progress in the African tech ecosystem. I'll do this through the perspectives of key players who have raised substantial capital, generated millions in revenue, or added significant value to their businesses.Please enjoy the Season 5 Intro and my interview with the Producer, Osarumen Osamuyi, who collaborated with me on this project.
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My guest today is Sangu Delle. Sangu is an entrepreneur, an investor, author, and someone who is deeply rooted in Pan-African ideology. His latest book Making the futures: Young entrepreneurs in a dynamic Africa explored similar themes and topics that I've often explore on this podcast. So it's not surprising that we started the conversation in this episode talking about the book. We discussed the challenges and opportunities of building a business in Africa. We also deep-dived into the competitive advantage of raising capital and having a longer runway as a startup, the outsized importance of foreign venture capital in African early-stage businesses and the role of government in facilitating a successful startup ecosystem. This episode is packed as we move from one serious topic to another. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
On this episode, we spoke about
Sangu’s book and why he wrote itHis investment thesis on Africa and her economic growthWhy it's not the best ideas that win and find out what winsThe relationship between reputation, intentionality and luck(grace) and their impact on the probability of successHow philanthropy and unhindered dreams helped him achieve his goalsThe outsized importance of government and foreign investor in facilitating the African startup ecosystem.Recommended book
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies By Jared Diamond
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My guest today is Andrew Alli. Andrew is a real-life and virtual mentor to a lot of investment professionals in Africa. He is the Partner and Group CEO at Southbridge a pan-African financial advisory firm. Before then, he was the president and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, where he was responsible for over $4,5 billion of investments in 30 countries. Andrew's career is an inspiration and signpost to upcoming African investors like me, and it was a real pleasure to deep dive into how he got started and the lessons learnt till date. We also talked about how to reduce investment risk through temporal and geographical diversification in portfolio construction and the importance of a strong ESG framework in a weak socio-political environment that most African countries operate. I really enjoyed this conversation, and I hope you do too.
The importance of numerate and logic skills as a good basis for career optionalityWhat it means to be an investor in Africa, despite the obvious contradictions and challengesThe role of boards in corporate governanceThe importance of ESG in mitigating investment risk
In this episode, you'll learnRecommended books
World Order: Reflections on the Character of Nations and the Course of History by Henry KissingerAndrew's twitter handle - @afalli
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My guest today is Eloho Gihan-Mbelu; she is the founding Managing Director & CEO of Endeavor Nigeria. Endeavor is a mission-oriented, global organisation that is supporting high-impact entrepreneurship in close to 40 underserved markets across the world.
Eloho and I got introduced a few years ago when she started her role with Endeavor Nigeria, and I find her intellectual honesty very refreshing. You can get more of her thoughts on her twitter handle @elohoGM. In this episode, we discussed her early career journey as an investment banker and then in private equity focussed on African growth companies. We discussed her perspectives on the infrastructural and the regulatory challenges of building a startup to scale up in Africa. We also discussed the opportunities that COVID presents for accelerating digital demand on the continent. And how to set up a board at different stages of company life. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.
Why did Eloho choose to work with Nigerian companies?The two key factors that contributed to the growth of the African startup EcosystemFormulating investment thesis for growth-stage companies in AfricaThere are numerous infrastructural and regulatory challenges to building a startup to scale up in Africa...what's her take?Infrastructural, regulatory and macroeconomic challenges of building a company in AfricaThe difference between startups and scaleupsWhat is the right size for a board of a growing company?Her tested methods for making the most from your board meeting
In this episode, you'll learn...Timestamps
(03:00) Her journey to Endeavour Nigeria, why she wanted to work with Nigerian companies.
(15: 22) How resilience helped build the African startup market
(27:32) Factors founders need to consider in making the right decisions in the face of competition
(31:07) Her thoughts around how to set up a board of directors at different stages of a company's life.
(33:57) How board members should be engaged to get the best results
(43:00) What she thinks is the right support that businesses need
(48:52) Her approach to achieving a healthy work-life balance
(51:12) Her current reading list and the new perspective she has recently garnered about business
Books she's currently reading
Water dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates
The hard thing about hard things by Ben Horowitz
Social Media
@ElohoGM
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My guest today is Tokunbo Ishmael. She's the co-founder and Managing Director of Alitheia Capital, an African focussed PE and VC firm. Alitheia Capital investments include businesses that enable the provision of financial services to the unbanked, and underbanked through traditional and branchless banking models. Alitheia Capital focuses on doing social good and also having a good return on investment.
Tokunbo Ishmael is an alumnus of London Business School, and the University of London, she's a chartered financial analyst, and she used to be an investment banker before starting Alethia. She's a member of CFA Institute, she has sat on several boards in the different organization across Africa, including First City Monument Bank in Nigeria, and the African Venture Capital Association.
In this episode we discussed...
Why Alethea capital is both PE and Venture capitalThe necessity for developing the ability to reason and present a sustainable argument on the basis of numbersParallels between early 2000s dotcom burst and the disruptive impact of COVID on startup investingKey success factors for surviving as an entrepreneur during unpredictable times be grounded on core mission but flexible to make opportunities out of the current challengerethink the value you're bringing to the tableunderstand their existing developmental gaps and where to collaborate to fill up the deficienciesamplify their powers and use that to innovate and re-imagine themselvesOn discovering the riches at the bottom of the pyramid by building essential goods and services for the mass marketsWhy entrepreneurs should expand their view to stakeholder value creation and not just profitBooks
How Women Rise: Break the 12 Habits Holding You Back - Sally Helgesen and Marshall GoldsmithConscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business - John Mackey -
My guest today is Eric Idiahi. Eric is the co-founder and partner at Verod Capital, a private equity firm based out of Lagos Nigeria. Verod is one of the top PE firms in the continent with a significant number of successful exits as well as admirable money multiples record from their previous fund. Eric is someone I've known from a distance, so when we met at a dinner late last year I invited him to be a guest on this podcast and he graciously obliged. In this episode, we discussed how he and his partner, Danladi, started Verod in 2008 by working with other investors on a deal by deal basis. We talked about the fundamental differences between PE and VC model, especially the way it's done in Africa, how to maintain a balance between portfolio support, value creation and investor control. We discussed exits and how investors can think about it and position their portfolio companies for that event. And of course, we discussed COVID, what it means for businesses in Africa and how to frame its inherent challenge and opportunity. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
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My guest today is Nnena. Nnena is a Principal at Digame Investment, a growth capital investment firm that back tech-enabled businesses in Africa. Their portfolio companies include GetSmarter an online education company based in Cape Town and London that work some of the top global universities to offer premium online short courses to working professionals around the world. GetSmarter was acquired by 2U in 2017 for $103m, demonstrating that the possibilities of a successful exit.
We talked about the key difference between the venture ecosystem in Africa and the silicon valley or Europe in terms of startup valuation, capital allocation, returns expectations and timelines. We also spent the time to discuss how COVID is creating both opportunities and challenges for startups in Africa. Why execution matters in building a startup
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This is the second part of my conversation with Yele Bademosi, you can listen to the first part of this conversation in the last episode of this podcast series. Apart from being the founding partner at Microtraction, Yele is also the founder and CEO of Bundle a social application for cash and cryptocurrency transactions. Yele is the first person I go-to for any question I have on blockchain and cryptocurrency.
In this episode, Yele and I discussed his previous role as a director at Binance LB and his highly optimistic views on blockchain and cryptocurrency in Africa. We also discussed his thought on credit and other alternative funding instruments for tech startups apart from equity. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did.
In this episode we discussed
How economic development in Africa is like telephone technologyCapital formation, advantages of blockchain technology and how value is created through crypt(12:54)The role of credit in the African tech startup ecosystem (18:59)How to build an organization; learning from the Binance Model (28:15)Quotes
Credit is taking a bet on the futureCulture is important, but organization structure is as importantRecommended Books
LoonshotsTractionHigh output managementThe libertarian mindThe lean startup -
My guest today is Yele Bademosi. Yele is the founder of Microtraction, an angel investment platform that funds Africa’s technology entrepreneurs in their early stage. Microtraction is one of the most active pre-seed investment firms in Nigeria. Yele and I have known each other for some time. We’ve worked together closely in the past, when he became the first person to join my previous company, Starta, barely a few weeks after it was founded in late 2015. It is quite fitting that Yele is the first guest on season 4 of this podcast after a long break. We recorded this episode in late 2019, before COVID, so a lot of the things we talked about might be out of kilter with the current post-COVID world realities. This is the first of the two-part interview. In this episode, we talked about how he started his career and why he left medicine to pursue a whole different path. We also talked about leadership, growth and how good relationships often create a funnel of positive serendipity. I hope you’ll enjoy this episode as much as I did.
In this episode we discussed;
How he left medicine to pursue his Startup dreamHis first idea for the Nigerian market and why it failedThe hype around blockchain and the possibilities it holds for the African startup ecosystemYele's definition of success and what growth looks like in tech startupsIf regular management hacks can work for the new tech startupsThe role good relationships played in his journey and what it means for upcoming generationsThe two things new tech founders should focus on in their early stage and why -
Venture-backed startups are disrupting existing business models, redefining market potentials and creating new verticals. In Africa, startups are finding innovative models for addressing underserved market segments, repurposing under-utilised resources and facilitating efficiencies and visibilities where none exists before. These companies have catalysed wider conversations, policies and actions from both government and non-governmental institutions on how to leverage democratised access to technology and innovation across the continent. Although the long-term 'financial success' of these companies is still yet to be proven, their potential impact on market opportunities and social benefits in Africa is undisputed.
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We have now come to the end of season 3! It has been such an exciting journey, one I hope you enjoyed as well. Please listen to my review of the season, what you can expect from next season and when we will be returning.
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Steve Grin is the Managing Partner at Lateral Capital, a firm that invests in early and growth stage opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa. Their Fund backs technology-enabled businesses that profitably solve significant pain points across critical infrastructure verticals: financial services, energy, healthcare, and education. Steven is a seasoned entrepreneur and investment professional with twenty years of experience investing as a principal and fund manager across the globe. He has extensive experience in real estate development, energy, and venture investing. Prior to co-founding Lateral, Steven was a Director in the Office of the President of Guyana where he held responsibility for the implementation of their low-carbon development strategy and the execution of large-scale initiatives in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Steven graduated from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and has a B.A. in Finance and Philosophy from New York University. In this episode you’ll learn: How he got into the business of venture capital How did he make the transition in his career from real estate investing? According to Steve, “Big ideas hit brick walls fairly quickly”. Find out what he meant What are the market gaps and opportunities in Africa? How did Lateral Capital start? Where were the initial funds sourced from? The importance of SMEs to every economy. What is Lateral Capital’s thesis about? What is the basis for the thesis behind Lateral Capital? What they have learnt and invalidated about investing in Africa? What is the length of time an investor should be expecting returns? Steve has some reservations about the 220 investment model, find out what they are. What is the best way to do venture in Africa? Other ways to get returns on investment without selling it. What kind of LPs do they target and what are the terms of their fund? The growth drivers for your business. Distinction and importance of financial, human and physical capital in a business. And more Selected links from this episode Building The Future Podcast Season 3 is sponsored by Flutterwave Flutterwave drives growth for banks and businesses across Africa through digital payment technology. You can learn more about their activities
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Dustyn Winder is the co-founder and managing partner at Akili.Vc Akili is a pre-seed to Series A fund tailored for Africa. Their philosophy is based on the belief that there are very interesting problems that are often difficult for entrepreneurs to execute on, whether because they are hidden inside corporations, neglected in disaffected communities, or in geographies that present different challenges than traditional startup markets. Thus they are bringing the Prehype model (an organization Akili spun out of) to Africa to help finance African entrepreneurs solving African problems. Prehype is a venture development firm that focuses on building products and companies through collaboration with corporations and venture capitalists. Dustyn has lived in Kampala, Uganda for 10 years and has immense love for Africa as well as big hopes for the African tech ecosystem. In this episode you’ll learn: Why Akili is more focused on generating capital than raising money. Does their approach limit them to the types of businesses they go into? What is the importance of portfolio construction? How they manage venture and corporate funds. The reason behind the decision to Invest majorly in east Africa. What is distinctive and differentiative about their thesis? Why are they in Africa? The Technicalities of raising money from corporates. How to manage the investor/investee relationship. What is Dustyn’s opinion on Exits? Their plans for 2019 and how it will create opportunities for other investors. An introduction to corporate venture. And more Selected links from this episode
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Adam Grunewald is the co-founder and CEO of Lynk, a platform designed to provide technology-based solutions for the massive informal labour sectors in Kenya. Adam has worked at Google as a project manager on new and emerging projects in the United States and Kenya. Driven by the urge to create a reliable employment system for manual workers in Kenya, he created Lynk in late 2015. Lynk has raised $1m in funding and is currently fundraising. In this episode you’ll learn: Adam’s love for Kenya and how he began living in the country How was Lynk ideated? Why Lynk sticks to a manual vetting process for labour getting on their platform How to ensure a successful match between demand and supply? What is the difference between the Lynk model and an open marketplace? The difference between a horizontal and vertical marketplace What are the three questions you have to answer before building an online marketplace? How to ensure your total addressable market is big enough for scale Dealing with quality control in a lead generation market place How do you minimize platform leakages? How does Lynk reduce friction for platform users? The disadvantages of scaling prematurely And more Selected links from this episode Selected books from this episode Don’t miss new episodes of Building the Future Podcast Building The Future Podcast Season 3 is sponsored by Flutterwave Flutterwave drives growth for banks and businesses across Africa through digital payment technology. You can learn more about their activities
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Ekechi Nwokah is the CEO and founder at mines.io, a startup that provides technology infrastructure which enable local institutions such as banks, mobile phone operators, retailers in emerging market to offer credit to their customers. Mines use a combination of big data, AI and Machine learning algorithm to provide on-demand credit ratings and decision-making where there is no existing credit history. In 2018, Mines raised $13 million Series A funding from several VC within and outside Africa. I have a strong view and criticism against micro-lending businesses, especially in places where the poor pay disproportionate high interest rate, Ekechi made a strong counter argument to my criticism, and offered good explanation that changed my mind on a lot of them. Ekechi has PhD in computer engineering, and has extensive experience working as a software engineer at Amazon. In this episode you’ll learn: Lessons from his early days as an upcoming musician in United States How he fought depression after his music career did not take off How was MINE-IO ideated? Why did he go back to paid employment for 8 years? How and why did his milk importation business from Uganda to Nigeria fail? What were the challenges? That Ekechi tried for ten years to create a successful business before he finally hit with Mines.io What was driving him in the midst of all that failure and challenges? Moving back to Nigeria, the challenges and overcoming them. How to mitigate business risks without the support of a strong legal system. Why does he think the banks do not need to be disrupted? The importance of local founders in building the Nigerian future The importance of partnerships in the success of a business At Mines.io, how do they intend to deal with the challenge of people not paying their loans? What delivers business success in Nigeria? Taking tech built in Nigeria outside the continent And more Selected links from this episode Echo VC Singularity Trans sahara Greenhouse capital Flutterwave Paystack Interswitch 9mobile
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