Tosin Taiwo
Tosin Taiwo hosts conversations that connect Africa with the global stage, focusing on media, insights, and market access. The show draws on an Oxford MBA perspective to explore business and cross-border opportunities. It is aimed at listeners interested in African markets and international engagement.
Episodes
Talent Won't Save Your Business - Chef Fregz
Why did one of the top private chefs in Nigeria shut down his business and sell all his equipment?
Gbubemi Fregene (Chef Fregz) had the Le Cordon Bleu diploma and the celebrity clientele. But behind the scenes, a lack of business structure led to a breaking point during the pandemic, forcing him to liquidate his kitchen and prepare to be a stay-at-home dad.
In this episode of Growth Through
From Lagos Fame to £20 in London - Denola Grey
When Denola Grey moved to London, the world assumed he was living a glamorous, trust-fund lifestyle. In reality, his savings were depleted, he was grieving the sudden loss of a close friend, and he was down to exactly £20 in his bank account.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, the fashion and entertainment powerhouse strips away the illusion of fame to discuss the reality of starting ove
Stop Trying to "Make It" Overnight - Adebayo Oke-Lawal
When Adebayo Oke-Lawal became one of the first African designers nominated for the LVMH Prize, it looked like the ultimate win. But behind the scenes, he was burning out, trying to build infrastructure from scratch while carrying the weight of a continent.
Today, he is the globally celebrated founder of Orange Culture.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, he reveals why looking successful
The Visa Denial That Created A Star - M.I. Abaga
Long before the fame, his goal was simply the American dream: an SUV, a Ford truck, and the suburbs. But after losing his college scholarships in Michigan, M.I. Abaga was forced back to Nigeria and officially denied a U.S. visa.
Earning a 9,000 Naira monthly salary at an internet cafe in Jos, he had to completely rebuild his identity. Today, he is a legendary hip-hop artist and the architect beh
How to Win When The "Safe Route" Fails You - Taiwo Adeyemi
Feeling trapped in a "safe" career? Watch this before you make a move.
When Taiwo Adeyemi abandoned his civil engineering degree in his third year, his family made him sign a legal undertaking to absolve themselves of his "stupidity."
Today, he is the Chief Executive at BoxxCulture, former manager to Tunde Onakoya, and the culture connector behind some of the most influential talent in Africa's e
How to Survive a Very Public Failure - Moses Babatope
In 2014, Moses Babatope stood in a room full of Nigeria's most distinguished guests for the premiere of Half of a Yellow Sun. He was the man responsible.
From the first frame to the last, the picture was pixelated and the sound was muffled. He wanted to disappear. He never spoke about it publicly. Until now.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, Moses, Co-founder of Filmhouse Group and CEO
How to Recover After Losing Your Dream Job - Lady Kay
She had spent years working towards it. In 2023, at 32, she finally got the Chief Brand Officer role she had been groomed for since 2016.
The co-founders had waited specifically for her. The investors were excited. It felt like everything was falling into place.
Ten months later, her contract was terminated mid-meeting, without warning.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, Koromone, aka La
Why HYPE Doesn't Always Equal Success - Tunde Onakoya
For years, Tunde Onakoya did one thing: use chess to change the lives of children from disadvantaged backgrounds. He broke the world record for the longest chess marathon, 60 consecutive hours in Times Square, New York.
The world was watching. Then he took out a bank loan, designed a chess board he believed in with everything he had, and only sold one. In this episode of Growth Through Failure, h
Why You Must Stop Waiting for Permission to Succeed - Jola Ayeye
At 19, Jola Ayeye was convinced she would never make it. She guessed 80% of a university exam, failed the module, and told Durham: even if I do a resit, I will fail again.
Today she is the co-creator of I Said What I Said, one of Africa's most beloved podcasts, with sold-out shows in Lagos, London and New York.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, she shares exactly how she found her way out
Rejected? How I Won the UK Global Talent Visa
He had the track record, the talent, and the proof. Yet, the UK Global Talent Visa still said no.
In this episode of 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲, Ope Aikomo, Paystack’s first employee and a key architect of one of Africa’s landmark fintech exits, unpacks what that rejection revealed about the art of self-presentation and the burden of proof.
It is a lesson on why everyone is in sales, whether they rea
Tiwa Savage Hired Me. My Next Client Fired Me (Bolaji Kekere-Ekun)
He directed a critically acclaimed music video for 𝗧𝗶𝘄𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗲. His next client made 20 people publicly vote on his work. They rejected it.
In my latest 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗲 episode, filmmaker 𝗕𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗷𝗶 𝗞𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗿𝗲-𝗘𝗸𝘂𝗻 shares the raw story of professional setback, the danger of ceding creative control, and the split-second decision to give a costly refund, just to protect his name.
A powerful conversat
I Applied to 16 Universities and Had a Full Breakdown - Bunmi Agusto
She applied to over 16 of the world's most elite universities, including the Ivy League. The pressure was so immense, it led to a full breakdown in the middle of an airport.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, celebrated artist Bunmi Agusto shares the unfiltered story of navigating academic pressure, rejection, and the mental health toll of chasing a version of success that wasn't her own.
Bad Margins & Depression: My iHeart Lagos Story (Oluwalanu Agusto)
She invested her $5,000 life savings into a Lagos souvenir business. The margins were terrible, the business failed, and the depression that followed lasted three months.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, Oluwalanu Agusto shares the unfiltered story of iHeart Lagos, and how that painful failure became the foundation for her success.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
0:36 The Failure Story
05:53 Th
I QUIT My 10-Year Banking Career for a Hobby
He was a rising star in one of Nigeria's top banks, on a path paved by family legacy. After ten years, he had the promotions, the connections, and the secure future. But during the End SARS protests, a values clash forced a choice between his career and his conscience.
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, I sit down with Dare Aderinokun (Bosco), the founder of Quacktails. He shares the unfil
We Spent 18 Months in an Accelerator and Got $0 (Osione & Oroma)
They were promised $150,000 in a prestigious accelerator. After 18 months of gruelling work, they got nothing.
But what if that was the best thing that ever happened to them?
In this episode of Growth Through Failure, the founders of This Is Us share their story of turning a crushing rejection into a thriving, self-funded business.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
0:45 The Failure Story
09:00 The Emotion
The Man Building Africa's Amazon: His First Launch Failed (Nnamdi Ekeh) | Growth Through Failure
His first e-commerce launch was a catastrophe. The site crashed in 5 minutes. The entire marketing budget, wasted.
Instead of folding, Prince Nnamdi Ekeh, the man now building the "Amazon of Africa" with Konga, flipped the script. He turned the public failure into a PR win that skyrocketed his brand.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
2:12 The Failure Story
9:48 The Emotional Toll
11:14
Africa's Top Tech YouTuber: The Betrayal That Almost Ended It All (Fisayo Fosudo)
His manager stole $100,000 and nearly destroyed his career. This is how Fisayo Fosudo rebuilt everything.
Africa's top tech YouTuber shares the painful, untold story of betrayal, police involvement, and the lessons that made him a stronger leader. A masterclass in turning your deepest wound into your greatest strength.
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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
2:12 The Failure Story
11:10 The E
Her Fashion Brand Died After 10 Years. Here's What She Did Next | Rukky Ladoja of Dye Lab
After ten years of building one of Nigeria's most beloved fashion brands, Rukky Ladoja of Dye Lab walked away. In this episode of Growth Through Failure, she shares the painful but powerful story of closing her first brand, Grey, and how that "failure" became the foundation for her globally recognized new venture.
We explore:
The emotional struggle of giving up on a decade-long dream.
Why she h
Nigeria's Leading Coder, Google Said No. So She Flipped The Script
Welcome to the first official episode of Growth Through Failure.
What happens when one of Nigeria's top coders gets rejected by Google? She flips the script. In our debut episode, I sit down with tech entrepreneur and investor Ire Aderinokun (who happens to be my wife!), to discuss her year-long journey of facing rejection from the world's biggest tech companies.
We explore:
• The emotional to
Brand Trailer
On Monday, I confessed my fears. Today, it's official.
This is the official launch of my new brand; a playbook for anyone looking to understand and build in Africa. After a decade of experience, I'm creating a new narrative beyond despair and hype with an authentic, African-led strategic toolkit.
In this video, you'll discover my three pillars:
• Africa on Monday: Strategic insights on African new
