I belong to a group on Facebook where Anie Akpe is an admin and I could not help but admire her professionalism in the discharge of her duties as if she was paid for the job. When I come across such rear breeds, curiosity never lets me rest, I usually google them. So I went to google and typed Anie Akpe and I was impressed to see what she was doing especially with the African Women In Tech (AWIT) movement. I sent her a friend request and wrote down her name on ‘my list’ of ‘important’ people. That list is very important, endeavour to be on that list lol. This happened last year
So we started entrepreneurs.ng four years ago and part of what we do is to tell the stories of entrepreneurs and of course we started from ‘my list’. The list has the names of important people and Anie Akpe is one of the important persons in the tech movement. So I shot her a message and she replied. We asked for an interview and she was glad to grant us one.
Anie Akpe is serial entrepreneur with a 9-5 in the banking industry. How she can combine her job with her entrepreneurial pursuit is something I can never understand. Anie Akpe inspires young women especially women in tech and I am sure we can learn one or two things from her story. The entrepreneur’s journey is indeed a challenging one. Getting to know people who are already making leaps in this journey is a great motivator to budding and aspiring entrepreneurs. The core of why we do the things we do at entrepreneurs.ng is to inspire us, we all need each other.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Anie Akpe
Background of Anie Akpe
My name is Anie Akpe (Aniefiok Akpe). I am the Vice-President of Mortgages at a Banking Institution in New York City. I’ve worked in Banking for over 20 years and I currently hold an MBA from Dowling College. In addition to working full-time, I also have my entrepreneurship side. I launched IBOM LLC over 7 years ago in New York. Under IBOM LLC is Innov8tiv (a Technology Blog) and African Women In Technology Educational Event Series (we’ve hosted events in Kenya, Ghana & Mozambique).
Tell us about family influence in your career
For me it’s both my Mom and Dad. They have always stated that whatever we choose to do, we must be excellent at it.
Why Anie Akpe choose her field
Banking for me always represents helping people. The ability to help people achieve their dreams is a priceless feeling.
Do you have any mentors?
I strongly believe that mentorship is the key to a successful life. My current mentor, has been my mentor for over 15 years. I’ve had others as well but I think everyone needs a mentor that can assist in career and life changes.
Tell us about IBOM LLC and Innov8tiv
IBOM LLC is a limited liability Corporation. I have over 10 staff (some are used seasonally). Our Competitive advantage is the fact that we stay true to our mission. This mission is to educate the diaspora as well as the communities in Africa without disrupting the current eco-system.
Innov8tiv is one of the products registered under IBOM LLC. I started this blog with 10 readers and currently, I have over half a million readers monthly. My vision is to continue growing this product and add more features in the next few years. In five (5) years I see innov8tiv with over 5 million readers a month.
Tell us how you have leveraged technology in your business
Technology is in every business. From online blogging to using software that helps with social media posting to event management platforms. All of the above is what keeps IBOM LLC products going.
Tell us the challenges you have faced and how you managed them
Finding writers is always a challenge. I’m always looking but I’ve kept a steady staff over the past few years.
How have you been able to sustain your business in terms of financing?
My company is self-funded however, though through the years our events have been sponsored by various technology companies.
Keep a tab on this silent entrepreneur.
Any mistakes that you have made that we can learn from?
Taking on too much and not reaching out sooner. It’s good to evaluate the scope of the work and if additional staff is what’s needed, add them. The worst situation is not having people show up and it ruins the event and your reputation. These days, I just add additional people to my projects without a second thought.
How do you give back to the society? Any CSR projects?
I give back by not charging for most of our event series. Since I’m working with young women and girls, I want to make certain that I reach my demographic fairly easily. So events geared towards women, I definitely try to not charge admission.
Other business interest?
My business interest outside of IBOM LLC includes mentoring young entrepreneurs.
Advice for people starting out a business in your field
Most of the time we have our own vision. Ultimately its best to see what others are doing and adjust your vision as needed. Be flexible to changes and be open to partnerships.
What is your greatest achievement so far? Any awards?
For me it’s launching the African Women In Technology Educational Event Series. Being able to impact thousands of young women throughout Africa is priceless.
When all is said and done, what is the most memorable thing you have done that you want carved on your tombstone?
In most instances, I’ve been in a position where I could help others and I would like my tombstone to say I served my purpose by creating opportunities for others.
Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
Take some business classes, make sure that it includes accounting classes and build up a network of contacts by attending events.
Tell us what your typical day looks like
I’m typically up by 5: 30am, I meditate, check my emails/respond back. By 7am I leave for work. Once I’m back home by 7pm, I follow-up on phone calls and more emails. My day concludes typically by 10pm.
Tell us how you unwind
I unwind by reading science fiction books, binge watch Netflix shows, go to the beach when the weather cooperates and lounge around with friends and family.
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