“Founders are great, but operators are equally important” -Lessons from Founders’ Connect Live

Founders’ Connect, the YouTube show created and hosted by Peace Itimi is renowned for telling unique African tech stories. However, the maiden edition of the Founders’ Connect Live in Lagos on Saturday, July 8th, provided several lessons that would benefit the attendees for a long time to come if not forever.

The event which was held at Zone Tech Park in Gbagada featured several exciting activities that provided valuable insights, established meaningful connections among attendees, and fostered personal and professional growth.

Peace Itimi facilitated a live Founders’ Connect interview with Funke Opeke, Founder and CEO of Mainone, and Tayo Oviosu, Founder & CEO of Paga during the live event. The interviews highlighted the backgrounds and journeys of the two Nigerian tech founders as they have gone on to build two lasting tech companies on the continent.

The event also featured keynote speeches from Mitchell Elegbe, the founder and Group Managing Director of Interswitch who enjoined founders and attendees to focus on solving a problem instead of making profits “or becoming a unicorn” because this would help them wade through the challenges that they would face throughout their careers.

Maya Horgan Famodu explained the power and importance of networking during her live one on one interview labelled “Unlocking opportunities through strategic connections.” She explained that the social media age has made it easier to get the important meeting that all founders need to redefine their businesses.

The event also featured a question-and-answer session with Odun Eweniyi, the co-founder of PiggyVest. Victor Fatanmi delivered a keynote presentation on the importance of storytelling and how and why brands should prioritise telling the right stories to their customers and potential leads.

A panel session that featured M-Kopa’s Babajide Duroshola, the general manager at M-Kopa and Bayo Adedeji, the Group Chief Executive Officer at Wakanow highlighted the importance of operators to the success of any business.

Many founders have brilliant ideas that help their startups get an impressive start. However, they need operators to help them reach the potential that these ideas have, Bayo Adedeji declared. The group CEO of Wakanow caused an uproar when he debunked the popular phrase “A salary is what they pay to steal your dream,” claiming that not everyone is destined to be a founder and that it is okay to be an operator.

Similarly, Babajide Duroshola agreed that operators are key to the success of any company. They could easily be more important than the founders, especially when they execute their roles so well. While many people are worried that founders get to earn a lot of money, he agreed with Bayo that earning a salary is great, claiming that “his salary is what some startups raise as pre-seed money”

Fola Olatunji-David emphasized the importance of community and partnerships in accelerating growth during his keynote address. His address at the Founders’ Connect Live covered how to build and engage with a community to ensure their loyalty so that your brand does not suffer.

Forging new relationships at Founders’ Connect Live

Peace Itimi had previously told Technext that she started Founders’ Connect, “to document the Nigerian tech ecosystem.” However, she expressed her pleasure at the success of the Founders’ Connect Live in Lagos.

Read more: How Peace Itimi grew a platform to tell African tech stories to almost 25,000 subscribers

I was anxious because this event was a rush to organise but I am excited because you guys make it all worth it. Thank you for coming, she explained.

I started Founders’ Connect in 2020 when I put up the first video. Since then I have done over 75 videos in the space of three years. I have shot in Lagos, London, Nairobi, etc. I keep doing it because I am the first recipient of the story of every founder, so I do it for myself and I do it for you.

The event allowed a 20-minute speed networking session during the event and a 60-minute session after where attendees mingled and exchanged contacts and ideas with the hope that new and fruitful relationships can be birthed. Paystack’s Ezra Olubi and several other founders across various sectors of the Nigerian tech ecosystem were present and attendees were happy to make it.

One of the attendees who spoke to Technext said “I just saw founders’ connect live as an opportunity to take a break after a long week. Attending events like this help me to reduce my stress level. However, I am glad because of the keynote sessions and I have met a couple of founders in the space that I look up to.”

Founders’ Connect Live in Lagos was proudly sponsored by Africhange, Tech1M, Rise, Pepsi, and a host of other sponsors. The sponsors facilitated a raffle draw event and a giveaway of cash prizes.

Peace Itimi believes that the future of tech in Africa depends on events like the Founders’ Connect Live and her team’s mission remains to spotlight and support those building the future -whether they are founders or talents.

This is just the maiden edition and members of the African Tech ecosystem will hope to attend many more editions in the future.