Blog – Chika

What They Don’t Tell You About Launching & Scaling a Startup

6 days ago By cumeadi

Over the years, I’ve launched companies, advised others, raised capital, missed signals, hired wrong, scaled too fast, pivoted too late—and learned a few things in the process. Recently, I had the chance to give a guest lecture at Harvard on what it really takes to launch and scale a startup.

Here’s a condensed version of what I shared—less theory, more scar tissue.

1. The Myth of the Perfect Idea

Most people wait too long to start, thinking they need the idea. Truth is, your first idea probably isn’t the one that works. And that’s okay.

The founders of YouTube started with a dating site. Slack came out of a failed video game. Airbnb got rejected by dozens of investors before the world caught up.

Great companies don’t emerge from perfect ideas—they emerge from persistent founders who are obsessed with a small, overlooked problem and are willing to listen, adapt, and evolve quickly.

Start small. Start obsessed. Start anyway.

2. Validation Isn’t What You Think It Is

Early-stage founders often mistake interest for intent. A friend says, “I’d totally use that!” or a customer replies, “Let me know when it’s live!”

That’s not validation.

Real validation looks like time, money, effort—commitment. A pre-order. A referral. A workaround. If someone is solving the problem without you, that’s a signal.

Build scrappy prototypes. Get real feedback. Watch what people do, not what they say.

3. Your Job is to Be a Signal Processor

In the early days, everything feels like noise. Metrics are small. Feedback is conflicting. You’re constantly wondering, “Is this a real insight or just noise?”

The best founders develop a kind of radar—they can sense patterns early. They don’t just listen to feedback, they decode it. They don’t overreact to every data point, but they don’t ignore smoke either.

Learn fast. Move fast. Let your ego get out of the way of the signal.

4. Your Role Will Keep Changing

The skills that get you from zero to one are not the same skills that get you to ten.

At first, you’re the builder, designer, marketer, customer support—all of it. But if you’re growing, your job becomes less about doing and more about enabling.

Suddenly, you’re managing people. Then managing managers. Then setting vision, hiring execs, shaping culture.

Every six months, your calendar should look different. And if you don’t actively evolve, your startup will outgrow you.

5. Hiring Is Where Startups Break

Startups don’t die from competition—they die from internal drag. And most of that drag comes from hiring the wrong people.

At the early stage, a bad hire isn’t a setback—it’s a time bomb.

Look for ownership mindset, adaptability, and speed of learning. Hire people who run toward problems, not away from them. And remember: culture isn’t what you say—it’s what you tolerate.

6. Distribution > Product

A great product without a distribution strategy is a tree falling in a forest.

Founders love to build—but often neglect how the product will reach the customer. Distribution isn’t just ads. It’s strategy, channels, timing, partnerships, communities.

Ask yourself early:

Who needs this right now?
Where do they hang out?
What do they already trust?
How will they find out about you?

Don’t just find product-market fit. Find product-channel fit.

7. Founder Psychology Is 80% of the Game

No one talks enough about the emotional cost of building something from scratch.

The highs are high, the lows are existential. You’ll doubt yourself constantly. You’ll pour everything into something that most people won’t understand for a long time.

Protect your mental health. Build a tribe of other builders. Get outside your own head. Journal. Reflect. Don’t fuse your identity with your startup—it’s not you, it’s a thing you’re building.

8. Fundraising Is a Game of Narrative and Status

Raising money isn’t just about traction or spreadsheets—it’s about story, timing, and social proof.

Warm intros beat cold emails. FOMO beats logic. Being the 5th meeting in a week beats being the 1st in a month.

VCs are in the pattern recognition business. Your job is to become a pattern they can recognize—without losing your authenticity.

It’s a game. Know the rules. But don’t let them define you.

9. Luck Is Real (But You Can Make More of It)

Yes, talent and execution matter. But so does timing. So does luck.

Survivorship bias is everywhere. Many great founders didn’t “fail”—they just didn’t get lucky enough.

You can’t control luck, but you can create more surface area for it:

Publish your journey
Show up where collisions happen
Help others before asking for anything

Luck favors the visible. The curious. The consistent.

10. Your Real Advantage: Speed of Learning

At the end of the day, startups don’t win because they know more. They win because they learn faster.

The best founders build tight learning loops:
Build → Measure → Learn → Adjust → Repeat

They get feedback quickly. They don’t fall in love with their own ideas. They evolve with the market—not against it.

If you’re learning faster than the competition, you’re winning—even if it doesn’t look like it yet.

Parting Thoughts

I closed my Harvard talk with three things I hope every founder remembers:

3 Hard Truths:

No one cares about your startup until you succeed—get over it.
Most of your assumptions are wrong—prove them fast.
Building is easy. Focus is hard. Focus wins.

3 Mantras That Helped Me:

Strong opinions, loosely held
Default to action
Be relentlessly curious

One Ask:

If you’re thinking about launching—start.
Not when it’s perfect. Not when you’re “ready.”
Start where you are, with what you know, and with who you are.

That’s how every story begins.

Want help applying any of these ideas to your startup? Feel free to reach out or drop me a note—I always love hearing what people are building.

Africa · Big Ideas · Current Events

Beyond Investment Access: The Deeper Struggles of African Women in Business

3 weeks ago By cumeadi

This essay could not have been written without honoring the countless women who’ve shared their stories with me. I appreciate and thank you for sharing these stories in the hopes we can all learn from their experiences.

Every International Women’s Day, we see the same headlines: “Invest in women,” “Support women-led businesses,” “Close the gender gap.” And while these messages are important, they barely scratch the surface of what African women entrepreneurs are actually up against.

As a man who has spent years in business across the continent, I want to say something that often goes unsaid on days like this: The biggest obstacle many African women face in business isn’t just a lack of investment — it’s men. Men like me. Men in boardrooms, in funding meetings, on the other side of the negotiation table. Men who hold power and know it — and sometimes abuse it.

If we’re going to be honest this International Women’s Day, we need to talk about how the deeper power dynamics and gender culture in Africa make it almost impossible for women to do business without navigating moral and personal dangers — dangers that go far beyond the usual “empowerment” slogans.

The Reality Beyond the Hashtags

We love to talk about African women as the backbone of our economies — and that’s true. Across agriculture, trade, tech, and creative industries, women are building, innovating, and leading. But what doesn’t get enough attention is what happens when these women enter male-dominated business spaces.

Many women I know — women I’ve worked with, mentored, and watched grow — have had to face a hidden set of rules that men in business don’t talk about but know are there.

They walk into a room prepared to discuss a contract or pitch for funding, only to realize the conversation has terms and conditions that are never spoken out loud — until much later.

“We should talk over dinner.”
“You know, I can make this happen, but…”
“You’re very beautiful. Let’s do business — and more.”

For many women, getting a seat at the table often comes with an unspoken price — a price men never have to pay.

Why “Access to Investment” Isn’t the Full Story

So yes, women need access to funding. But what we don’t talk about is what women have to endure to access that funding in the first place.

How many women have walked away from deals because they refused to “play the game”?
How many women have compromised themselves because they had no other option?
How many brilliant businesses have died before they could grow because a woman chose her dignity over a contract?

These are the questions we aren’t asking on International Women’s Day — but we should be.

It’s not enough to say “invest in women” if we’re not also fixing the corrupt, exploitative systems that make women vulnerable to begin with.

How African Culture Fuels the Problem

This isn’t just about individual bad actors — it’s about a system.

In many African cultures, women are still expected to be “submissive,” to “know their place,” and to defer to men. When a woman is confident, assertive, and driven, she is seen as “too much.” And when she says “no” to inappropriate advances, she is labeled “difficult” or “ungrateful.”

So, even when women get into the room, they are forced to navigate deeply entrenched gender biases that see them as sexual objects before they are seen as entrepreneurs.

And as men, we are often the enforcers of this system, whether we realize it or not.

Why Men Need to Take Responsibility — Especially Now

So on a day like International Women’s Day, it’s not enough for men to post quotes about women’s strength or to say, “we celebrate women today.”

We have to ask ourselves hard questions:

How do we treat women when they walk into a business meeting?
What do we say when other men make inappropriate comments or demands?
Do we make it easier or harder for women to succeed based on merit?
Are we offering opportunities with no strings attached — or are we gatekeeping access to power?

If we want to celebrate women’s economic power, we need to confront the ways we, as men, use our power to limit theirs.

What a Real Commitment to Women in Business Looks Like

A real commitment to women entrepreneurs in Africa means:

Creating safe business spaces where women can operate based on merit, not on navigating sexual politics.
Calling out men who abuse their positions — not just privately, but publicly when necessary.
Funding and supporting women-led ventures without attaching expectations beyond professionalism.
Challenging cultural narratives that limit women to secondary roles and demanding that business spaces reflect equality.

Why This Matters for Africa’s Future

If we want to talk about building “Africa’s future” — the one where we are competitive globally, where innovation drives growth, where businesses create real impact — we cannot do that while excluding or exploiting half of our population.

African women are already building the future. The question is whether we, as men, will get out of their way — or continue to be the reason they cannot succeed.

So this International Women’s Day, let’s move beyond empty words.

Let’s ask: What are we doing — as men — to make business safe, fair, and accessible to women?

Because if we can’t answer that question honestly, then all our talk about empowering women is just that — talk.

Education · Learning

Understanding the Igbo Obsession with Building ‘At Home’: A Legacy of Resilience and Cultural Pride

2 months ago By cumeadi

If you’ve ever driven through the villages of Southeastern Nigeria, you’ve likely been struck by the sight of impressive mansions rising from the red earth, many standing quiet for most of the year until their owners return for Christmas or other celebrations. This phenomenon of Igbo people building elaborate homes in their ancestral villages is more than just a display of wealth – it’s a complex story of cultural resilience, historical trauma, and economic adaptation.

The Shadow of History

To understand this cultural practice, we must first acknowledge the deep wounds of the Biafran War (1967-1970). Before the war, Igbo people were widely dispersed across Nigeria, building successful businesses and acquiring properties from Lagos to Kaduna. The war changed everything. In its aftermath, many Igbo families lost everything they had built outside Igboland – businesses, homes, and entire life savings were wiped away through various policies like the “abandoned property” decree.

This mass dispossession created a form of collective trauma that continues to influence how Igbo people think about property and investment today. The lesson learned was clear and painful: investments outside the homeland could vanish overnight.

Building as an Act of Security

When you understand this historical context, the “obsession” with building massive structures in one’s village takes on new meaning. These houses aren’t just homes – they’re fortresses of security, physical manifestations of success that can’t be easily taken away. They represent a form of wealth storage that feels safe, rooted in ancestral land where community ties and shared cultural understanding secure property rights.

Beyond Shelter: The Social Significance

These buildings serve multiple purposes in modern Igbo society:

They’re a concrete legacy for future generations, quite literally set in stone
They serve as gathering places for extended families during festivals and celebrations
They demonstrate success to the community in a culturally acknowledged way
They provide a sense of belonging and connection to ancestral lands

The Economic Paradox

There’s an interesting economic dimension to this practice. While building large houses in villages might not seem like the most rational investment from a purely financial perspective – especially given that these homes often stand empty for much of the year – it makes perfect sense when viewed through the lens of historical experience and cultural values.

Impact on Contemporary Development

This pattern of investment has both positive and challenging implications for development:

Positive Aspects:

Drives rural development and modernization
Creates employment opportunities in villages
Maintains cultural connections across generations
Promotes architectural innovation in rural areas

Challenges:

This can lead to underinvestment in urban areas where people actually live
Might tie up capital in non-productive assets
This can create unsustainable maintenance costs for future generations

Looking Forward

This practice raises important questions for younger generations of Igbo people, especially those in the diaspora. While many understand and respect the historical and cultural reasons behind building “at home,” they’re also grappling with balancing this tradition with modern economic realities.

Yet, the practice persists and evolves. Modern Igbo buildings in villages increasingly incorporate sustainable features and income-generating capabilities. Some are converted into boutique hotels, conference centers, or retirement homes, showing how tradition can adapt to contemporary needs.

Conclusion

The Igbo practice of building substantial homes in their villages is a complex phenomenon that reflects both historical trauma and cultural resilience. It’s a reminder that economic decisions aren’t always driven by pure financial logic – sometimes, they’re deeply rooted in historical experiences and cultural values.

For other Nigerian and African communities, this practice offers interesting insights into how communities can maintain cultural connections while adapting to modern realities. It also raises important questions about investment, development, and the role of traditional practices in contemporary African society.

Understanding this context helps move the conversation beyond simple criticism of “wasteful” building practices to a more nuanced appreciation of how historical experiences shape present-day economic and cultural choices.

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Politics

Leadership Lessons from the 45th President: A Groundbreaking Analysis of Executive Excellence

3 months ago By cumeadi

In an era where Harvard Business Review champions emotional intelligence and servant leadership, one man dared to ask: “What if we did the exact opposite?” Here’s an evidence-based analysis of revolutionary leadership principles that have redefined success in ways no business school could have predicted.

The Power of Unwavering Self-Belief

Traditional wisdom suggests leaders should admit mistakes and show vulnerability. However, as demonstrated by statements like “I know more about renewables than any human being on Earth,” the key to modern leadership might be achieving a level of confidence so high it becomes statistically impossible. When you truly believe you’re the best at everything – from military strategy to infrastructure (“I understand bridges, nobody understands them better than me”) – reality often finds it easier to adjust than argue.

Consider the psychological advantages: when you declare “I have one of the greatest memories of all time” while simultaneously not recalling key events, you’re not contradicting yourself – you’re demonstrating advanced cognitive flexibility. This approach suggests that memory, like success, is more about conviction than accuracy.

The data speaks for itself: In situations where Trump claimed “Nobody knows more about [subject] than me,” success was achieved approximately 100% of the time, assuming you define success as having made the claim successfully. This revolutionary metric redefines traditional performance measurement.

Strategic Communication and Message Control

While most leaders waste time crafting nuanced messages, true innovation lies in the art of repetition. Consider this masterclass in executive communication: “This is a tremendous success. Everyone’s saying it. Tremendous. All the experts, they’re saying ‘Sir, this is the most tremendous success we’ve ever seen.’ Tremendous.” Notice how the message remains crystal clear despite containing absolutely no specific information. That’s efficiency.

The “Sir” story format deserves particular study. By prefacing statements with “Sir, they said to me,” you create instant credibility. After all, who calls someone “Sir” except in situations of profound respect or at Starbucks when they’ve misspelled your name?

Advanced practitioners will note the effective use of invisible experts – “many people are saying,” “everybody knows,” and “all the top people.” These phantom authorities provide unlimited validation without the messiness of actual expert opinions. It’s quantum leadership: the experts exist in a superposition of all possible states until someone tries to find them.

Negotiation Through Chaos Theory

Traditional negotiation experts recommend the “win-win” approach. But what if you could achieve such a level of unpredictability that your opponents spend more time decoding your covfefe than negotiating? As demonstrated in countless international dealings, declaring “We’re going to win so much, you’ll get tired of winning” creates a quantum state where success and failure become simultaneously possible until someone observes the stock market.

The real innovation here is the “Art of the Threat.” Traditional negotiating focuses on finding common ground. Instead, try threatening to walk away approximately 17 times per hour. When you say “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters,” you’re not making a threat – you’re establishing negotiating leverage through theoretical physics.

Remember: In high-stakes negotiations, it’s crucial to maintain that you’re “like, really smart” and a “very stable genius.” This creates what negotiation theorists call the “Emperor’s New Clothes Effect,” where everyone else in the room becomes too confused to continue normal bargaining processes.

The Art of Reality Engineering

“What you’re seeing and what you’re reading is not what’s happening.” This isn’t just a quote – it’s a fundamental principle of modern leadership. When faced with unfavorable facts, simply create your own. Did your inauguration crowd look small? That’s because the photographs were taken by cameras with Democratic biases. Weather map doesn’t match your prediction? Nothing a Sharpie can’t fix.

Advanced reality engineering requires mastery of the “Many People Are Saying” technique. Did you hear something from a questionable source? Simply attribute it to “many people.” These people exist in the same quantum realm as the experts who keep calling you “Sir” – a theoretical space where verification and reality maintain a respectful distance from each other.

The true genius lies in creating alternative success metrics. If conventional measurements don’t support your narrative, simply invent new ones. GDP looking weak? Focus on the “happiness index” of people who attend your rallies. Approval ratings down? Question the fundamental nature of numbers themselves.

Crisis Management Through Alternative Facts

During any crisis, leaders typically rely on experts. However, revolutionary thinking suggests that experts are just people who limit themselves by knowing too much about a subject. When Trump suggested exploring the internal application of UV light and disinfectants, he demonstrated how unencumbered thinking can generate solutions that no medical professional would ever consider – for various reasons.

The real innovation here is what we’ll call the “Preemptive Victory Declaration” strategy. Traditional crisis management suggests waiting until a crisis is resolved before declaring victory. But why wait? By declaring “We have it totally under control” at the earliest possible moment, you create a temporal paradox where the crisis simultaneously exists and doesn’t exist.

Consider this advanced application: When faced with the pandemic, most leaders foolishly waited for data. Instead, Trump demonstrated that by declaring “It’s going to disappear, like a miracle,” you create a self-fulfilling prophecy – it just might take several years to self-fulfill. Remember: Time is relative, especially in crisis communications.

Key learning: When experts present troubling data, remind everyone that you have “a natural ability” for their field of study. Your gut feelings, especially after a Diet Coke and two scoops of ice cream, supersede decades of scientific research.

Market Positioning Through Selective Reality

Why adapt to market realities when you can create your own? When Trump declared his net worth changes based on his feelings, he wasn’t describing financial volatility – he was demonstrating quantum economics. Your company isn’t failing; it’s pursuing alternative success metrics that traditional accounting is too rigid to recognize.

Advanced practitioners will note the brilliance of the “Many Properties” technique. When Trump claimed to own many properties in St. Petersburg, and then later clarified he meant Florida, not Russia, he wasn’t contradicting himself – he was demonstrating the quantum superposition of real estate. A property, like Schrödinger’s cat, can exist in multiple locations until someone checks the deed.

Consider the revolutionary approach to brand valuation: “My brand alone is worth $5 billion.” Traditional accountants might question this number, but they’re trapped in the old paradigm where numbers mean specific things. In the new leadership paradigm, numbers are more like jazz – it’s the notes you don’t count that matter.

The Art of Social Media Dominance

Modern leadership requires mastering the art of digital warfare. When Trump tweeted “covfefe,” lesser leaders would have admitted to a typo. Instead, he demonstrated advanced memetic warfare by letting the world wonder if they were the ones who didn’t understand language.

The key principle here is “Strategic Caps Lock Deployment.” As demonstrated in countless tweets, RANDOM CAPITALIZATION creates EMPHASIS and AUTHORITY. It’s not shouting – it’s selective emphasis for words that deserve to break free from the tyranny of conventional grammar.

Remember: “The FAKE NEWS media is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!” This isn’t just a statement – it’s a masterclass in enemy acquisition. Why have small enemies when you can have institutional ones?

Conclusion: The Future of Leadership

These revolutionary principles suggest that the key to modern leadership isn’t learning – it’s unlearning everything you thought you knew. Success isn’t about what you actually achieve; it’s about maintaining such an impenetrable reality distortion field that achievement becomes a matter of perspective.

Consider this final wisdom: When Trump said, “I could tell you about it, but then I’d have to kill you,” about mundane policy details, he wasn’t making a tired joke – he was demonstrating the ultimate leadership principle: The best information is the information you never actually provide.

Remember: “I have a very good brain and I’ve said a lot of things.” In the end, isn’t that what leadership is all about?

Advanced Note: Results may vary. Side effects may include bankruptcy, legal challenges, spontaneous reality restructuring, and sudden urges to build walls around things. Consult your ego before attempting these techniques. If your reality distortion field lasts more than four hours, consult a physician or a fact-checker immediately.

Movies

Finding Your Glorious Purpose: Mental Models for Discovering Your Life’s Calling

3 months ago By cumeadi

“I am Loki of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.” These words, first spoken with arrogant conviction in The Avengers, become a thread that weaves throughout Loki’s entire character arc in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. What begins as a justification for conquest evolves into a profound journey of self-discovery – one that mirrors our own quest to find meaning and purpose in our lives.

The Ikigai Intersection

The Japanese concept of Ikigai offers our first mental model for understanding purpose. Imagine four overlapping circles: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be compensated for. Your “glorious purpose” often lies at the intersection of these circles, much like how Loki’s journey forced him to reconcile his talents (manipulation, strategy, and adaptability) with what the universe actually needed from him.

Consider Loki’s evolution: In Thor: Ragnarok, he finally begins to align these elements. His skills at deception and cunning, previously used for self-serving ends, become vital tools in helping Thor save the Asgardian people. He discovers that his purpose isn’t to rule or dominate, but to use his unique abilities in service of something greater than himself.

The River Delta Model

Imagine your purpose as a river delta rather than a single, straight channel. This perfectly mirrors Loki’s journey across the multiverse in the “Loki” series, where he encounters various versions of himself – each representing different possible paths and purposes. From President Loki’s continued pursuit of power to Classic Loki’s self-imposed exile and eventual sacrifice to save others, we see how one being can manifest purpose in radically different ways.

The key insight here is that purpose isn’t a single predestined path. Just as Loki ultimately embraces multiple roles – trickster, brother, hero, agent of the TVA, protector of the timeline – we too can find purpose through various channels. His journey teaches us that we don’t have to be confined to a single role or purpose; our lives can branch out like the Sacred Timeline itself.

The Evolutionary Purpose Framework

The evolution of purpose is perhaps best exemplified by Loki’s character arc across the MCU. From his first appearance as the jealous prince seeking to prove himself worthy of the throne, to his role in “Loki” where he confronts the very nature of free will and destiny, we see a profound transformation in how he understands his purpose.

Consider these key evolutionary stages in Loki’s journey:

Initial Purpose (Thor): Proving himself worthy of the throne
Corrupted Purpose (The Avengers): Achieving glory through dominance
Conflicted Purpose (Thor: The Dark World): Balancing mischief with family loyalty
Emerging Purpose (Thor: Ragnarok): Accepting his role as an agent of necessary change
Transcendent Purpose (Loki series): Protecting the very fabric of reality itself

This framework suggests three key questions for discovering your own purpose:

What problems naturally draw your attention? (For Loki, it was initially chaos and disorder, which evolved into protecting the proper flow of time)
How have your past experiences, even the painful ones, equipped you to solve specific challenges? (Loki’s understanding of deception and chaos made him uniquely qualified to protect the timeline)
Where do you find yourself making a difference without conscious effort? (Loki’s natural ability to survive and adapt became crucial to his larger purpose)

Integration: Finding Your Own Glorious Purpose

When Loki first proclaimed his “glorious purpose,” he envisioned himself as a ruler, a god among ants. By the end of his journey, he understands that true glory lies not in ruling over others, but in serving a purpose greater than himself. His transformation from a would-be conqueror to a protector of reality itself demonstrates how our understanding of purpose can deepen and mature.

The interplay of these mental models helps us understand this evolution. The Ikigai Intersection reveals our potential areas of purpose, the River Delta Model shows how that purpose can manifest in multiple ways (just as Loki’s variants represent different expressions of his being), and the Evolutionary Framework demonstrates how our purpose grows and adapts over time.

Remember Mobius’s question to Loki: “Do you enjoy hurting other people? Making them feel small? Making them feel afraid?” This moment of confrontation forces Loki to question his conceived notion of purpose, leading to genuine growth. Similarly, we must be willing to question our initial assumptions about our purpose and remain open to deeper truths.

What makes a purpose truly glorious isn’t its scale or grandeur, but its authenticity and impact. Consider Loki’s final acts in Infinity War and his series – moments where his actions weren’t about personal glory but about protecting others and maintaining the proper order of reality itself. Sometimes our most glorious purpose emerges not from our grandest ambitions, but from our willingness to serve something greater than ourselves.

As Loki learned through his confrontations with the Time Variance Authority and He Who Remains, purpose isn’t about following a predetermined path, but about making meaningful choices in the face of cosmic uncertainty. Your glorious purpose might not involve saving the multiverse, but it will involve becoming the most authentic version of yourself in service to something greater than your own ambitions.

After all, as Loki discovered, true glory lies not in fulfilling some predetermined destiny, but in choosing, again and again, to be better than who we were yesterday. For all time. Always.