“Lekan does not get tired” I have always stood out in a group as one whose energy did not fade and maintained a vibrant spirit despite the situation. I spent time exploring various career paths, hoping to discover one that would align with my desire to pour that energy into supporting people to overcome their challenges. It's quite surprising that I ended up in sales, something I never thought would happen. As I started my journey into sales, I carried my enthusiasm and positive outlook infusing it into every interaction and endeavor for each client. I set a goal to become the bridge connecting people and organizations to the resources that facilitate their growth from one stage to another.

I had a natural talent for assisting people through the sales process despite not having an educational sales background. My first professional sales experience at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) was evident as I not only grasped the fundamentals of banking sales swiftly during the training phase but graduated as the third-best among my cohort of over 30 trainees. Upon completion of the training, I assumed the role of a business development lead at one of GTB’s prominent branches where I skilfully nurtured the growth and advancement of the organization. I evolved from merely pinpointing and securing small to medium-sized enterprises to cultivating viable partnerships with a substantial portfolio of over 2,500 businesses operating within the service and logistics sector. In 2 years, I was able to bring more than 500 new businesses on board by strategically leveraging GTB’s digital platforms – mobile banking and internet banking platform while managing existing businesses. Additionally, I secured the highest loan within the organization through GTB's digital loan product, surpassing £1 million. This achievement not only boosted GTB’s revenue but also empowered my client’s business expansions through the financial resources accessed. Due to my dedicated efforts, I quickly ascended to the fast track of promotion, becoming the Business Development Manager.

In a quest to work closely with organizations pioneering technological advancements, I joined Okra Technologies, an innovative open banking software company. As a Sales Development Representative, I have led about 700 startups in Nigeria through the intricacies of open banking technology allowing these companies to recognize the benefits of the digital product, leading to growth. I have extended my commitment to additional value to my customers by self-learning JavaScript with a focus on NodeJS which allows me to assist my clients in seamlessly integrating APIs, thereby streamlining the entire process. By offering this hands-on technical support, I have been able to enhance my customers’ experiences and deliver more value beyond monetary transactions. I have honed my sales pitch to effectively guide clients who were unfamiliar with Okra’s services to a point where they understand the product and how it can help them optimize and scale faster. Over 100 businesses have been signed up by me including some of Okra’s largest clients with a sales pipeline of more than £46,000 which have contributed significantly to the organization’s revenue.

Starting out to become a Certified Project Management Professional was a strategic move aimed at enhancing my sales operational efficiency and cultivating improved client expectation management. With this qualification, I have contributed my expertise and time volunteering for the Project Management Institute on a local, regional, and global level in seven strategic positions. My project management and sales skills have helped me to strategically boost customer acquisition, drive revenue expansion, and market penetration for the various startups I have engaged with. As the Business Development Lead at Assurdly, I established the entire business development team from the ground up. Leveraging my sales engineering skills, I orchestrated the sales of Assurdly's diversified range of services, including our digital product, NIBBS-in-a-box, a streamlined iteration of Nigeria's largest inter-bank transfer services provider. In this role, I spearheaded diverse initiatives including fundraising, partnership cultivation, and enhancing our social presence using my project coordination expertise. With my efforts, Assurdly’s revenue figures have quadrupled since I joined. I transferred these skills to the launch of my startup, Detty Finance, an effective debt management platform that helps individuals and businesses to navigate their debt portfolios across diverse financial entities. Six months after the beta testing phase, over 200 people are currently on the waitlist for this product.

Eight successful local and global startups later and I am not tired. The positive impact I have made in sales assisting businesses and people while building business development teams has been my driving force over the years.