Quote - âThe 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.â 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, CĂ´te 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 Africaâs supply chain problems. Danielâs 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
Quote - âFounders need to realise that investors love founders thathave failed before because it is in your failings, you learn themost.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Kyle Maloney, Co-Founder of Tech Beach; astartup with an active community designed to connect the Caribbeanwith the Global Technology Ecosystem.Klye studied Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle AeronauticalUniversity and was exposed to entrepreneurship early on whichculminated in Co-founding Tech Beach to offer a much needed service inthe region.He is passionate about empowering people and companies in theCaribbean through technology to scale and solve pertinent issues.Listen and enjoy as Kyle talks to us about his journey with TechBeach, his background and plans for the future.Kyleâs Reading ListThink and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Arthur R. Pellhttps://amzn.to/3XzOzzZThe ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About ExtraordinaryResults by Gary Keller, Jay Papasanhttps://amzn.to/3lFdS6aAtomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break BadOnes by James Clearhttps://amzn.to/2P8LAvIShow Notes2:30 Impact of covid and background of Tech Beach5:58 Context of the Caribbean for startups7:52 Expansion in the Caribbean compared to Africa9:07 Fundraising process, challenges and advice11:32 Recruiting and retaining talent13:31 Kyleâs background and influences19:49 Lessons from failure24:00 Process to find the right mentor within the ecosystem28:15 Title of the book about your life30:53 Reading list32:44 Being Afropolitan35:03 Future plansThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âThere is no joy to be found in playing small and dimming your lights.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Hanu Agbodje, Founder & CEO of PATRICIA; afintech company founded in 2017 using Blockchain technology to processcryptocurrency transactions in Africa and beyond.Hanu holds a Bachelorâs degree in Mathematics and Statistics fromUniversity of Port Harcourt and founded PATRICIA after 13 otherunsuccessful businesses.He is passionate about crypto and how the technology can solveAfricaâs biggest problems and synergise payments.Listen and enjoy as Hanu talks to us about his journey with PATRICIAand ambition to transform alternative payments solutions in Africa.Hanuâs Reading ListThe Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clasonhttps://amzn.to/3E3l8iWZero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by PeterThiel and Blake Mastershttps://amzn.to/3lt34IqHow to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odellhttps://amzn.to/2VzobXMShow Notes1:23 Patricia's mission and vision for the world1:58 Recruiting and retaining talent3:30 The journey to Patricia9:39 African founders competing anywhere in the world12:25 What promise cryptocurrency holds for Africa?15:02 Advice for founders dealing with government regulation16:25 Dealing with failure and lessons learnt19:23 Balance between creativity and objectives20:38 Title of the book about your life22:07 Other passions aside from Patricia24:08 Self-care and avoiding burnout25:07 Reading list30:41 Being Afropolitan32:38 Future of PatriciaThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âThis frail body will house the greatest spirit humanity willever know.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Tunde Onakoya, Founder of Chess In Slums Africa;a non-profit organisation that utilises the game of chess to educateand empower underprivileged children to achieve far more than theircircumstances.Tunde holds a National Diploma in Computer Science from Yaba Collegeof Technology and created Chess in Slums Africa to use chess as a toolto educate and propel the destiny of children out of poverty.He is passionate about equaling the playing field and has a goal toeducate 1 million children in slum communities in 5 years.Listen and enjoy as Tunde talks to us about his journey with Chess InSlums Africa and redressing the imbalance in society.Tundeâs Reading ListPhilosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations: Ancient Philosophyfor Modern Problems by Jules Evanshttps://amzn.to/3DMbVLFThe Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out of Povertyby Clayton M. Christensen, Efosa Ojomo, Karen Dillonhttps://amzn.to/3DNoFBOSelf-Discipline through Ikigai and Kaizen (Longevity and Happiness atHand) by Mark Morimotohttps://amzn.to/3lnLVQbManifesto for a Moral Revolution Paperback â May 4, 2021 by Jacqueline Novogratzhttps://amzn.to/3RGYd2iShow Notes1:29 Background and discovery of chess4:31 Creation and mission of Chess In Slums Africa9:07 Impact on children/slums11:28 Ferdinand with cerebral palsy winning the chess tournament in Makoko14:17 Partnership with chess.com16:10 Finding purpose with Chess In Slums Africa19:42 Fulfilling potential linked to mission of Chess In Slums Africa22:43 Reading list25:24 Future plans and how to get involved/support27:28 Title of the book about your life28:13 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Yida GaoQuote - âTalent is everything for an early stage company and thepeople they hire early on define the trajectory of the company.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Yida Gao, Managing General Partner of ShimaCapital; an early stage crypto and Web3 investment firm.Yida holds a BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science fromMassachusetts Institute of Technology. He previously worked in WallStreet for Morgan Stanley in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group.He is passionate about investing in crypto and Web3 companies thatchart new territory.Listen and enjoy as Yida Gao talks to us about his journey with ShimaCapital and insights on the venture capitalist environment.Yidaâs Reading ListPlay Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and DominateMarkets by Al Ramadan, Dave Peterson, Christopher Lochhead, KevinManeyhttps://amzn.to/3jfIPx0Show Notes2:02 Journey into crypto4:10 Shimaâs investment thesis and approach to funding startups6:09 Main criteria to invest in a founder8:34 Fundraising process for Shima Capital10:50 Misconceptions about venture capitalists12:13 VCs inspired by13:09 Recruiting and retaining talent14:48 Navigating the fundraising environment17:25 Process of capital calls20:20 Best guidance that Shima offers for portfolio companies23:47 First encounter with failure and lesson learnt26:25 Reading list28:14 Title of the book about your life29:28 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Fadekemi AbiruQuote - âAfropolitan is daring to be yourself in a rapidly changingworld and not having to ask for permission.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Fadekemi Abiru, Head Of Insights at Stears; afinancial data/intelligence company providing subscription-baseddata/insight to professionals/businesses.Fadekemi holds a BSc in Economics from the University of Bristol andan MSc in African Development from the London School of Economics. Shepreviously worked as an economist for the UK government and providedanalysis on various projects.She is passionate about ensuring that decisions whether in business orgovernment in Africa are driven by real time data and insights todrive critical economic developments.Listen and enjoy as Fadekemi Abiru talks to us about her journey withStears and the importance of data-driven insights on Africa.Fadekemiâs Reading ListAll About Love: New Visions by Bell Hookshttps://amzn.to/3EiIoZjHarry Potter Paperback Box Set (Books 1-7) by J. K. Rowlinghttps://amzn.to/3OlqtG7Economics Rules by Dani Rodrikhttps://amzn.to/3As5j3wShow Notes1:55 Founding of Stears and its mission3:10 Plans to cover the 2023 Nigerian elections8:03 Data-driven insights/expectations on the Nigeria 2023 elections10:22 How has technology enabled the Stears Elections product11:12 Significance and likely impact of the Nigerian Electoral Act2022 on the upcoming elections12:29 Conducting polls in the future14:08 Data trends that make this upcoming election different from thelast election15:58 First encounter with failure and lesson learnt16:02 Title of the book about your life18:45 Reading list21:09 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Arese UgwuQuote - âAfropolitan means showcasing the brilliance of Africa on aglobal stage.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Arese Ugwu, Founder of Smart Money Africa; anedutainment platform providing financial literacy and education forthe African millennial.Arese is a graduate from Aston Business School and University CollegeLondon and has previous experience with leading African financialservices brands before transitioning to Smart Money Africa.She is passionate about creating content and avenues that break downfinancial barriers for African youths especially women.Listen and enjoy as Arese Ugwu talks to us about Smart Money tribe andher thoughts on financial literacy for the African millennial.Areseâs Reading ListThe Smart Money Woman: An African girl's journey to financial freedomby Arese Ugwuhttps://amzn.to/3UAVTdJThe Rich Are Different: A Priceless Treasury of Quotations andAnecdotes About the Affluent, the Posh, and the Just Plain Loaded byJon Winokurhttps://amzn.to/3AbZSpdSex and Vanity: A Novel by Kevin Kwanhttps://amzn.to/3trG6lDShow Notes1:30 Upbringing and background2:59 Start of Smart Money Africa6:35 Challenges/process of self-publishing a book12:24 Netflix picking up the The Smart Money Woman series16:26 Balancing multiple roles professionally and personally17:50 Financial advice for young people19:11 Season Two of The Smart Money Woman19:57 First encounter with failure and lesson learnt20:45 Title of the book about your life21:45 Reading list23:20 What does being Afropolitan mean to you24:00 Beauty of South AfricaThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âWhat I like the most about building in Africa and buildingfor Africa is that everything is so greenfield.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Nadayar Enegesi, CEO and Co-Founder of Eden LifeInc.; a tech-driven home management platform in Africa providingservices such as food, laundry and cleaning.Nadayar is a graduate from University of Waterloo in Canada and hasprevious experience at Fora Inc. and Andela before transitioning toEden Life Inc..He is passionate about upgrading the home lifestyle and bridging thegap between service providers and service demanders through tech.Listen and enjoy as Nadayar Enegesi talks to us aboutentrepreneurship, Eden Life Inc. and his guiding life principles.Nadayarâs Reading ListReinventing Organizations: A Guide to Creating Organizations Inspiredby the Next Stage in Human Consciousness by Frederic Lalouxhttps://amzn.to/2Jb3qMEBushido: The Way of the Samurai by Tsunetomo Yamamotohttps://amzn.to/3FSr4ggShow Notes1:32 Journey as an entrepreneur4:56 Time at Andela6:49 Transition into the role as CEO and Co-Founder of Eden life Inc.10:35 Process of assembling the founding team15:48 Fundraising process and advice19:03 Founders who have influenced you in the tech space21:42 Reading list25:12 Recruiting and maintaining talent30:27 Title of the book about your life32:49 What does being Afropolitan mean to you34:38 Impact of Covid-19The Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âAfropolitan means remembering who we were in the lastthousand years at scaleâThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Ibi Cookey, Co-Founder of Fitted; a fashion-techcompany revolutionising scalable custom fashion.Ibi is an international business management graduate and a formerinvestment banker. He is passionate about simplifying the customfashion 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 Notes1:10 Background and transition from investment banking to tech3:33 Insights gained from private equity4:46 Transition to Fitted6:22 What does Fitted solve8:18 Utilising data from Fitted to solve international measurementchallenges at scale11:11 Fittedâs role in the supply chain ecosystem13:47 Fundraising challenges and insights18:11 First encounter with failure and experience learnt19:56 Title of the book about your life21:53 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âAs a founder of a startup, we have to get to the end goal -to liquidity and huge wealth gains for ourselves, employees and earlyinvestors.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Morgan DeBaun, Founder/CEO of Blavity Inc.; aleading digital media company for Black culture and millennials withover 100 million readers per month.Morgan is a serial entrepreneur, executive, corporate advisor, andangel investor. She is passionate about building companies andcommunities.Listen and enjoy as Morgan DeBaun talks to us about entrepreneurshipand Blavityâs incredible journey.Morganâs Websitehttps://bit.ly/3Tj1TaHMorganâs Reading ListRich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That thePoor and Middle Class Do Not! by Robert T. Kiyosakihttps://amzn.to/2NIasgGThe 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People WillFollow You by John C. Maxwellhttps://amzn.to/3VICqJbThe Lean Startup: How Today's Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovationto Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Rieshttps://amzn.to/3CQouV0Show Notes1:17 Investing in the stock market at 13 years old2:27 Misconceptions of being a founder4:16 Advice/strategies for founders in recruiting/retaining talent7:16 Fundraising as a black woman founder10:08 Managing boundaries12:56 Impact of the pandemic professionally/personally17:40 Remote work vs office work21:25 Dealing with letting people go26:56 First encounter with failure and experience learnt30:42 Reading list31:57 Title of the book about your life33:29 Transition from Intuit to Blavity35:16 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âTechnology is bringing us back all together.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Biola Alabi, Co-Founder of Atika Ventures; awomen-led venture fund providing early-stage capital to consumertechnology start-ups in West and East Africa.Biola is a Non-Executive Director at Unilever Nig. Plc. and MontyMobile, an Angel Investor at Lagos Angel Network and the ExecutiveProducer at Biola Alabi Media and Entertainment. She is passionateabout investing in startups that will solve real problems at scale.Listen and enjoy as Biola Alabi talks to us about investing instartups and how the investment landscape has changed over the lastdecade.Biolaâs Reading ListCaste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkersonhttps://amzn.to/3EXXWDEBasic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and inLife) by Cathie Blackhttps://amzn.to/3Sclh7LTrue North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership by Bill Georgehttps://amzn.to/2AkWI67Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeownhttps://amzn.to/3MH5tstShow Notes1:37 Lagos Angel Network2:43 Changes/challenges in the investment landscape over the last 10 years3:59 Advice to startups in the current regulatory environment5:37 What do you look for in investing in startups7:20 Advice/strategies for founders in recruiting/retaining talent8:54 Managing expectations of Limited Partner (LPs)11:22 First angel investment12:50 First encounter with failure and experience learnt15:44 Transparency as a founder18:09 Background and upbringing23:19 Reading list27:26 Title of the book about your life28:59 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âThink of all unfortunate experiences as learning experiences.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Zeneca, Founder/CEO of ZenAcademy; who was aprofessional poker player for 15 years and has transitioned to being awell respected NFT influencer. He created ZenAcademy to build acommunity and space to educate and help others understand the cryptoand NFT space.Listen and enjoy as Zeneca talks to us about burnout in the techecosystem and offers advice on trading crypto and NFTs.Royâs Reading ListLetters from a Stoic by Lucius Annaeus Senecahttps://amzn.to/3VkqdKAMeditations by Marcus Aureliushttps://amzn.to/2XsyOQlWhy We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walkerhttps://amzn.to/3CP6tHBMan's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Franklhttps://amzn.to/3g2BIpFShow Notes1:18 Transition from a professional poker player for 15 years to Crypto2:31 Burnout and self-care5:55 Distinction between NFTs and crypto9:01 NFT trading - highs and lows11:47 How to evaluate projects15:10 Meaning of Zeneca17:08 Favorite philosophers18:21 Reading list20:09 Start of ZenAcademy26:45 Future of online platforms in growing online communities30:23 Encounter with failure and lessons learned36:43 Navigating the crypto space and dealing with loss41:34 Title of the book about your life43:24 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âIf you want something really badly, the whole universeconspires to help you get it.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât afraid tostep into the unknown and walk in purpose. With this podcast we hopeto empower Africans in the Diaspora to harness their full potentialand contribute to the development of a bold and progressive blackcommunity.Our guests will share their working formulas, the hard facts aboutleaving familiar terrain, embracing the unknown, and staying relevantafterwards.This episode features Ngozi Dozie, Co-Founder of Carbon; a Pan Africandigital bank based in Nigeria and a leading digital finance platform.Carbonâs mission is to empower all people with the financial accessthey need to pursue a life of dignity and prosperity. The Carbon appwas launched in April 2016 and the business has grown rapidly.A CFA charter holder, Ngozi holds an MBA from Wharton School and hasworked as a financial analyst at Deloitte & Touche and an investmentbanker at JPMorgan in New York.Listen and enjoy as Ngozi talks to us about the importance oftransparency and access to loans in the Nigerian digital financeecosystem and shares tips for new founders to navigate the regulatorylandscape.Ngoziâs Reading ListThe Alchemist by Paulo Coelhohttps://amzn.to/3BSXIMuThe 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Coveyhttps://amzn.to/3CA05UOThe Prophet by Kahlil Gibranhttps://amzn.to/3ycbiIfShow Notes1:27 Carbonâs vision and mission6:34 Nigerian ecosystem - Type of loans and access to loans5:36 Transparency and execution8:54 Advice for founders navigating the regulatory landscape in thetech ecosystem11:50 Advice for founders fundraising16:56 Impact of the pandemic on Carbon22:15 Recruiting talent and retaining talent25:08 First encounter with failure, dealing with it and lessons learnt29:50 Reading list35:01 Title of the book about your life38:16 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe Afropolitan Podcast is hosted by Eche Emole, co-founder of Afropolitan.Listen and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Jamit, orwherever you get your podcasts.Want to learn more about Afropolitan?Twitter - https://twitter.com/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote - âGreat ideas happen when two old ideas meet for the first time.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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.Fatimaâs Reading List The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho https://amzn.to/3BSXIMu The Founder's Dilemmas by Noam Wassermanhttps://amzn.to/3Siw01fThe Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitzhttps://amzn.to/3raLhVWShow Notes1:36 Impact of Covid-19 pandemic professionally and personally6:34 Fundraising challenges as a founder9:56 Background and upbringing shaping the entrepreneurial mindset17:19 Initial team recruiting process and retaining talent21:17 Reading list 22:06 Breakdown of Web3 27:54 Title of the book about Fatimaâs life29:12 First significant encounter with failure and lessons learnt 31:31 Importance of culture34:40 What does being Afropolitan mean to youThe 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote- âYour environment directly impacts your health and your ability to succeed.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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 âThe Red Manâ 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 âThe Red Manâ painting. Anthonyâs Artworkhttps://www.anthonyazekwoh.com Anthonyâs Reading List The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho https://amzn.to/3BSXIMu Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwellhttps://amzn.to/3qMrpZ5Manuscript Found in Accra by Paulo Coelho https://amzn.to/3Btlxc2Show Notes1:10 Discussing Afrobeats: The Backstory documentary and lessons learnt6:23 Anthony on his work being mature8:51 Anthony on his journey into the digital space11:35 Influences in storytelling and art14:20 Art ecosystem and relationship with his parents 26:17 Transition to NFT and crypto art34:13 Advice to digital artists in Africa trying to find their feet36:19 The internet enabling Africans to challenge limitations42:27 Inspiration behind âThe Red Manâ painting45:34 The difference between art and writing49:57 Anthonyâs reading list50:46 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Quote- âOne 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.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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. Henriettaâs 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 Lackshttps://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/henriettalacks/Lyonaâs 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 Angelouhttps://www.amazon.com/Pulse-Morning-Inaugural-Poem/dp/0679748385Show Notes1:54 Journey into clinical data management3:25 Henrietta Lacks contribution to present day clinical trial research5:33 Compensation framework for clinical trial patients and their families7:16 Journey into blockchain technology and web38:42 Influences growing up13:47 Mental and professional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic16:27 Benefits of NFT 18:29 Childhood lessons that taught the hardest lessons20:22 Barriers faced being a woman in the biotech industry.23:07 Encounter with failure and lessons learned25:13 Lyonaâs reading list27:00 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
Michael UgwuQuote- âI 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.â The Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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/0785833528De Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammoushttps://www.amazon.com/Bitcoin-Standaard-Decentrale-Alternatief-Bankieren/dp/9916951357Snow Crash by Neal Stepheson https://www.amazon.com/Snow-Crash-Neal-Stephenson/dp/0553380958/ref=sr_1_1?Show Notes2:09 Michealâs 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 Michaelâs 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 Michaelâs 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/
âThis world is small, the more you pitch, the more you'll get to those with a pool of money.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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.Elizabethâs reading listThe Lean Startup by Eric Rieshttps://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/0307887898Predictable Revenue by Aaron Rosshttps://www.amazon.com/Predictable-Revenue-Business-Practices-Salesforce-com/dp/0984380213Shoe Dog by Phil Knight https://www.amazon.com/Shoe-Dog-Phil-Knight/dp/1508211809Show 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 process10:26 Advice to founders on recruiting and retaining talent longterm14:11 Advice to aspiring venture capitalists 16:47 Elizabethâs fundraising experience20:57 Thoughts on sky high valuations for startups22:09 Advice to startups coming into the bear market and what the market potentially holds23:57 Vc that has had a major impact on Elizabeth's growth25:44 Most significant encounter with failure and lessons learned30:09 Elizabethsâs introduction into crypto and web332:19 The hustle verse/ crypto shift initiative34:13 Downside to web335:42 Elizabethsâs reading list37:49 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/Afropolitan Community - https://linktr.ee/afropolitangroup
Quote -âTrying to cater and impress social media is only going to lead to disappointmentsâThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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. Denisâs reading list The One Thing by Gary Kellerhttps://www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776The 4-hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss https://www.amazon.com/4-Hour-Workweek-Escape-Live-Anywhere/dp/0307465357Show Notes 2:07 Naming process for the owambe collection.4:49 Was the owambe collection a PR stunt?16:18 Cancel culture22:40 Denisâs mental selfcare26:57 Transition to the creators economy33:36 Advice to creators.38:25 How creators can leverage their relevance to diversify38:40 Sephora partnership43:13 How Denis deals with negative comments on social media.48:47 Internal and external scorecards51:19 Most significant encounter with failure52:20 FORVR mood sales during the pandemic54:33 How FORVR mood manages the shipping process57:33 Denisâs reading list1:01:11 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/Afropolitan Community - https://linktr.ee/afropolitangroup
Quote- âYou don't have to raise funds to get validation. A lot of people will raise funds just for validation.âThe Afropolitan Podcast spotlights Afropolitans who arenât 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 Ray Youssef, CEO of âPaxfulâ - a peer-to-peer bitcoin marketplace used by millions worldwide. As an immigrant from Egypt raised in New York, Ray has always been passionate about helping others.Ray believes that education is important in creating equitable opportunities and through his non-profit organization, built with bitcoin he has been able to provide that for so many children in Africa.He has always dreamed of a world where finance is accessible to everyone and that idea manifested as Paxful.Listen and enjoy as Ray talks to us about the African crypto market and the exceptional human capital on the continent.Rayâs reading listKing, Warrior, magician, lover : Rediscovering the Archetype of Mature Masculine by Robert Mooreââhttps://www.amazon.com/King-Warrior-Magician-Lover-Rediscovering/dp/0062506064The Bitcoin Standard by Saifedean Ammoushttps://www.amazon.com/Bitcoin-Standard-Decentralized-Alternative-Central/dp/1119473861The fiat standard by Saifedean Ammoushttps://www.amazon.com/Fiat-Standard-Slavery-Alternative-Civilization/dp/1544526474History of Money by Jack Weatherfordhttps://www.amazon.com/History-Money-Jack-Weatherford/dp/0609801724Show Notes1:02 Mission and vision of Paxful.5:19 African crypto market.8:15 Advice to founders on navigating regulatory framework.12:12 COVID-19 impact on Paxful.13:35 Paxful approach to recruiting and retaining talent.15:30 Advice to founders during fundraising process18:02 The Mission of built with bitcoin.22:51 Significant encounter with failure.27:10 Rayâs reading list.34:22 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/afropolitanWebsite - https://www.afropolitan.io/Afropolitan Community - https://linkt