Tech Trivia with Ruth Okoli, Co-Founder at Nestuge

Starting a tech company is one thing, but ensuring it makes life easier for others is another, and building the team that makes this work is top-tier energy from a Co-founder like Ruth Okoli.

She is the Head of Marketing and Co-founder of Nestuge, a platform powering Africa’s creator economy by helping creators turn their expertise into real, sustainable income.

Nestuge is an all-in-one digital platform designed for creators, coaches, and community owners to build storefronts, monetise expertise, and automate workflows. It has paid out millions of dollars to creators across the continent, including a Nigerian creator who has surpassed $500K in sales on the platform.

The bootstrapped startup started with five people on the team, including the founders — Nelson Eze, CEO & Co-founder and Jude Enete, Co-founder. However, Ruth’s work sits in market strategy and operations management for the business.

Before co-founding Nestuge, Ruth spent years in management consulting at EY Nigeria and Verraki Africa, working across strategy and operations with multinational companies and MSMEs. 

EY (previously Ernst & Young) is a multinational professional services network headquartered in London. As one of the Big Four accounting firms, it operates in over 150 countries and employs more than 400,000 people. Ruth previously worked as an Associate Consultant in Business Consulting there.

That background shapes how she thinks about growth today: less about chasing numbers, more about building systems that scale without breaking.

She writes and speaks candidly about building in public, leadership, and the messy middle of scaling a startup. 

1. Summarise your mornings in one sentence

Every morning looks a little different depending on how the previous day ended and what my to-do list is. Startup life isn’t very predictable, so I’ve learned to be flexible. Ideally, I wake up, say a prayer, and check my phone and laptop for any urgent personal or work messages before reviewing my priorities for the day.  

Some mornings are slow if I worked late the night before, while others start with deep work or meetings first thing. I try not to chase the “perfect” morning routine; instead, I focus on starting the day with clarity and making sure I spend my time on what matters most. 

2. Describe your gadget setup

My gadget setup and workspace look different on some days. I have an actual office in my house, so on some days I work from there with the rest of the team, and my gadget setup consists of my MacBook and iPad and sometimes a large external monitor. 

3. What tech tools/ applications do you use the most for work?

The tools I use most are Slack for team communication, meetings, and project collaboration. Google Workspace for all kinds of documentation, reporting and organisation. I also speak to creators and industry experts a lot about Nestuge, so those interactions happen on WhatsApp most of the time. 

4. What do you do when you need inspiration?

Salaries and the dream life are enough motivation. But on a serious note, I most of the time take a run or take a hot shower and think. I have gotten some of our brilliant marketing campaign ideas in the shower.

Alternatively, I listen to a specific genre of music to get me in the zone and remind myself of the bigger picture.   

5. What mobile application can you not do without daily?

WhatsApp or my Notes app. 

6. What tech solution do you wish someone had created?

Teleportation Technology: basically something easily accessible, like Uber, that takes me from point A to B swiftly. I know we have planes, but you have to go to the airport and deal with all those long, boring shenanigans. I need a tech (machine) that can pick me up from my house and transport me in seconds or a few minutes. Maybe a “mini” Elon Musk is already building it somewhere.

7. If you have unlimited time and money, what problem would you solve?

I believe everyone, especially children, deserves at least a decent place to sleep and a meal. When I’m extremely hungry or deeply uncomfortable, I can’t function at my best, and I believe that’s true for most people. 

The creativity, critical thinking, and innovation we hope to see in society are unlikely to flourish when people are living in deep hunger and destitution. 

Meeting these basic needs should come first; then we can effectively focus on education, upskilling, and creating opportunities for people to thrive. So this is what I would focus on: an orphanage and a skill centre. 

8. Which woman in tech inspires you the most?

Emma Grede, Co-founder and CEO of Good American, Founding Partner at SKIMS, and Co-founder of Safely, is someone I deeply admire. 

Fisayo Longe, the founder of Kai Collective, also inspires me. While neither of them is a tech founder, their marketing brilliance, brand-building ability, and business acumen have been a huge source of inspiration for me.

I also greatly admire Melanie Perkins, the CEO and Co-founder of Canva. Building any company as a woman is challenging, but building and scaling one in a male-dominated industry comes with an additional layer of pressure, resilience, and grit. The way she has navigated those challenges while growing Canva into a global company is incredibly inspiring. 

9. Which profound statement inspires you the most?

DO LIFE BIG!!! Whatever you set your mind to do, give it everything you’ve got. Go all in so that, regardless of the outcome, you can confidently say you gave it your absolute best.

The best part is that no effort is ever wasted. Whether you succeed or fall short, you’ll come away with lessons, growth, and experience that prepare you for whatever comes next. 

10. Whose women in tech trivia would you love to read?

Damilola Olokesusi, CEO of Shuttlers. What she has built in the transportation space, especially within a highly complex and politically influenced environment like Lagos, is truly remarkable. Some of my team members use Shuttlers for their daily commute and speak highly of the service’s comfort and reliability. 

You can also see the positive impact it has had on their stress levels compared to using traditional transportation options.

For a business like this, with multiple moving parts across operations, technology, and regulatory challenges, I would love to learn from her journey and gain insights into how she has navigated the complexities of building and scaling such an impactful company. 

Read also: 6 mobile apps women in tech can’t do without daily