Ready,... Drive!

For those who have seen my cheeks swell like Ijebu garri these past few months and think 'Femi is living large at Utiva', do not be deceived. I have been massively driven and I have had to drive myself so hard in the last 6 months since I joined Utiva.

For someone who has never practically driven a car, this is quite weird for me to talk about. But while I do not understand what it feels like to push a pedal and move an engine, I know a thing or two about driving relationships with people and organizations.

Let me share 3 major lessons, or say guiding principles, that I have learned so far here:

1. Develop an intuitive filter: If working with a fast-growing startup like Utiva has taught me anything, it is that 'everyone' wants to be associated with your success, which is a great thing. Success is a culmination of stories and stories are formed based on experiences so success without stories of interactions and collaborations might be empty. However, it is important to define beforehand the kinds of relationships required and discern distracting relationships fast.
2. Act fast but act right: Sometimes, the best steps are those taken in quick successions but the next best steps are those taken with utmost care. Speed is important but accuracy is even more vital to success as any wrong swerve can lead to a wrong direction altogether. I recall holding several meetings in various instances and by the time I am drafting my report on those meetings, I would have realized that the relationship, however beneficial, will not move us in the right direction. And if ever I missed the feeling, Eyitayo will not move blindly and without clarity of purpose.

1. Follow the money: I love the guys on the Utiva team and this third point is the reason why. They will always ask, "how does this help us increase our revenue?" or "how does this add to our bottom line?" Having a team like this helps me take a more critical look at the kinds of relationship we pursue or entertain. Sometimes, you see the money clearly and sometimes you may not see the money but you think 6 months down the line and see success clearly. These are the kinds of relationships that excite me!

As regards my achievement of the week, we held a 2-day Future of Work summit over the weekend in partnership with Venture Garden Group. We had over 300 product managers and enthusiasts inspired by the likes of Khadijah Abu of Paystack, John Oke of Wallets Africa and Tayo Abinusawa of WeAccelerate. See a snippet of the event.

In the coming weeks, I will be posting more successes professionally and in other areas of life. This will help me to see my wins more clearly because many a time, it is easy to focus on the losses.

See you next week!