When I look back at my career journey, it has been anything but linear. I’ve gone from working at large multinational corporations then to leading billion-dollar businesses in Africa, and eventually to building and investing in companies of my own. Each stage of the journey has taught me valuable lessons—not only about business, but also about leadership, resilience, and the importance of purpose.
Moving from the structured environment of multinationals into the unpredictable world of entrepreneurship is not easy. But it’s one of the most rewarding transitions I’ve ever made. Today, I’d like to share some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way in building businesses across continents.
The Foundation of Multinational Experience
Working at firms like Merrill Lynch, UBS, and later General Electric and Private Equity gave me a solid foundation. These companies are global institutions, and they operate with a level of structure, training, and discipline that few other organizations can match.
In a multinational, you learn systems, risk management, and how to operate within a framework that has been tested and proven over decades. You also get exposure to global best practices, world-class talent, and resources that allow you to take on massive projects. I’m grateful for that experience because it gave me the tools and confidence to step into leadership roles in new environments.
But while multinationals provide structure, they can also be limiting and lack the dexterity required for Africa. Decision-making is often slow, and strategies are sometimes shaped more by global priorities than by local realities. For someone like me—who wanted to have a direct impact on Africa’s growth story—that tension became harder to ignore over time.
The Leap into Entrepreneurship
Becoming an entrepreneur was a leap of faith. I went from running large teams and having access to significant resources to starting ventures where every dollar, every hire, and every decision mattered. There’s no global brand behind you anymore—you are the brand.
The first lesson I learned was that entrepreneurship demands a different type of resilience. In a multinational, if a project stumbles, there are buffers—budgets, departments, and processes that cushion the impact. In entrepreneurship, the buck stops with you. Success or failure comes down to your ability to adapt, pivot, and persevere.
Yet, with that risk comes freedom. As an entrepreneur, I had the chance to design businesses that were tailored to Africa’s specific needs. Whether in energy infrastructure, real estate, or more recently FMCG, the goal was always to build solutions that mattered locally. That ability to shape strategy from the ground up was both liberating and deeply fulfilling.
Adapting Across Borders
One of the great privileges of my career has been working across continents. Doing business in New York is very different from doing business in Accra or Lagos. Each market comes with its own culture, pace, and unwritten rules.
In the United States, transactions are often governed by contracts and predictability. In Africa, relationships and trust carry enormous weight. Neither approach is better or worse—they are simply different. The key lesson is to adapt. If you walk into a market with assumptions based on how things worked elsewhere, you will struggle. But if you take the time to listen, learn, and respect the local way of doing business, opportunities open up.
Building the Right Teams
Whether at a multinational or in a start-up, one lesson remains constant: people matter more than anything else. No strategy can succeed without the right team behind it.
In my corporate roles, I learned the power of diversity—bringing together people from different backgrounds, skill sets, and perspectives. In my entrepreneurial ventures, I learned the importance of agility—building lean teams that could execute quickly and wear many hats. Here, every hire counts and they must mirror the characteristics of the leader.
Across both experiences, one truth stands out: leadership is about enabling others. The most impactful leaders are not the ones who dominate the room, but the ones who empower their teams to succeed.
Balancing Profit and Purpose
Another lesson I’ve carried across continents is the importance of aligning profit with purpose. For Africa especially, the businesses that will stand the test of time are the ones that solve real problems—power shortages, housing needs, food supply challenges.
When I started supporting orphans through university scholarships, I realized how interconnected business and community really are. Investing in people—whether through education, jobs, or infrastructure—creates long-term value that goes far beyond financial returns. Entrepreneurs who recognize this are building legacies, not just companies.
Lessons for the Next Generation
For young professionals and entrepreneurs in Africa and beyond, my advice is simple: embrace both worlds if you can. Spend time in multinationals to learn structure, discipline, and global best practices. Then, when the time feels right, take the leap into entrepreneurship where you can apply those lessons in ways that are flexible, creative, and impactful.
Don’t be afraid of failure—it is part of the journey. Don’t shy away from partnerships—no one succeeds alone. And most importantly, don’t lose sight of why you started in the first place. Purpose is what keeps you moving when challenges seem overwhelming.
Looking Ahead
The journey from multinationals to entrepreneurship has been both challenging and rewarding. Each chapter has shaped who I am as a leader and as a person. What excites me today is not just the businesses I’ve built, but the opportunity to mentor and support others who are beginning their own journeys.
Africa’s future will be written by entrepreneurs who understand both global frameworks and local realities. They will be the ones who bridge continents, build lasting businesses, and create opportunities for generations to come.
And if there’s one lesson I’d leave with anyone reading this, it’s this: success is not about choosing between being corporate or entrepreneurial. It’s about taking the best lessons from both worlds and using them to make a difference where it matters most.