Taking Charge of Your Startup Career

In the world of startups, the path to career growth is rarely linear.

It’s a journey of adaptation, learning, and seizing opportunities that often come disguised as challenges. For mid-career professionals, the stakes are higher, and the need for strategic navigation becomes even more crucial.

At Venture for Africa, we’ve seen firsthand how the right blend of skills, mindset, and proactive learning can transform a career from simply surviving to truly thriving in the startup ecosystem. But it’s ultimately up to the individual to own their career journey, understand what makes sense for them and put themselves out there to get in front of the right leaders.

We’ve put together a reflection of the insights we've gathered from professionals who have successfully navigated these waters, drawing on the expertise of six professionals whose experiences span the breadth of the startup ecosystem.?

Temiloluwa Adesina, Senior Product Manager at Flutterwave , and Olamide Akomolafe, Senior Product Manager at Carbon , offer strategies for enhancing technical skills and learning from peers, drawing on their extensive experience in fintech product management.?

Jasiel Martin-Odoom, Africa Investment Officer at Accion Venture Lab , and Mike McMillan, Product Leader at Interac Corp. , provide insights into researching opportunities and product leadership in the startup space.?

Meanwhile, Dennis Chang'ach, Data Scientist Consultant, and Catherine Wangechi, Senior Sales Director at Cellulant , delve into the importance of being proactive and filling gaps, whether through data science, AI or strategic sales leadership. Together, they paint a comprehensive picture of how to thrive in this fast-paced world.

Whether you're looking to deepen your technical expertise or find your niche as a cross-functional contributor, we hope the stories and insights shared here will offer you a roadmap to navigate your next career move.

Getting More Technical

When working within a startup, cultivating technical skills can significantly enhance your ability to contribute, even if you’re in a non-technical role. Temiloluwa Adesina, Senior Product Manager at Flutterwave, emphasises that “for product managers, for example, developing a basic understanding of the technology can significantly enhance collaboration and communication.” While coding may not be necessary, familiarity with technical documents such as API docs and an awareness of evolving tech trends empower you to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical teams, make more informed decisions and ultimately be part of the strategic conversation.

This technical insight should go beyond mere understanding. As Temiloluwa notes, “It helps you with skin in the game. You're able to visualise end-to-end what an experience looks like for a customer when you're building something.” This comprehension enables you to relate to engineers and senior leaders, address challenges more effectively, and ensure what you’re working on aligns with the company’s larger vision.

Ultimately, acquiring technical skills deepens your involvement and impact within a startup. As Temiloluwa puts it, “It helps you contribute more to how the work is actually being done, so you get more of the finished product resembling what the team has envisioned.”

“Sometimes, the best mentors are those who don't even know they are mentoring you. Observe their work, read their writings, and try to understand their thought processes.” - Olamide Akomolafe

Observing and Learning from Others

Staying up to date with the latest trends and technologies is crucial in the fast-paced tech industry. Olamide Akomolafe, Senior Product Manager at Carbon, highlights the importance of learning from peers and mentors, noting, “I spend a lot of time reading blog posts and articles written by industry leaders. These informal writings often provide more practical insights compared to structured books.”

Engaging in webinars, attending industry conferences, and seeking out mentors—both formal and informal—can prove really helpful. Olamide advises, “Sometimes, the best mentors are those who don't even know they are mentoring you. Observe their work, read their writings, and try to understand their thought processes.” He recalls a time when applying a strategy from a mentor’s article helped him navigate a complex problem at work, emphasising how practical insights from others can be pivotal.

Jasiel Martin-Odoom, Africa Investment Officer at Action Venture Lab, adds to this by emphasising the value of observation and proactive learning. He believes that observing colleagues and mentors can provide valuable insights into how they tackle challenges and seize opportunities. “It's about embracing a growth mindset and believing that abilities can be developed with [formal] education,” he says. Jasiel also mentioned that he often identifies skill gaps and seeks out individuals who are exceptional in those areas to learn from them. “I look at what gaps I have in my own skills and then who in my organization or outside can be helpful,” he emphasised.

Olamide's approach of learning from the community and adapting new ideas has been instrumental in his career growth. He concludes, “That's the key to staying relevant and successful in our ever-evolving industry.”

Researching New Opportunities

Understanding the team you’re about to join is important, but given the risk inherent in early stage startups, a smart candidate should also do their research in the broader space to understand the startup’s realistic chance at success, the investors and partners they’ve got around them and what challenges they might face as they grow. This will help to give a realistic picture of the situation they’re about to enter.?

Mike McMillan, Product Leader at Interac Corp, points out, “Understanding the market size, growth potential, and key players helps gauge the startup's chances of success.” He also emphasises the importance of evaluating the founders' backgrounds, the funding situation, and the product-market fit. “I want to know if there's real customer demand and early validation, or if it's still mostly theoretical,” he adds.

Mike’s research process begins with publicly available sources like the company’s website, press releases, and platforms such as Crunchbase and PitchBook for funding details. He also taps into his professional network for insider perspectives. “Speaking with current or former employees and reviewing customer testimonials provides unfiltered views about the startup,” Mike explains.

This comprehensive approach enables Mike to determine whether a startup is a good fit for his skills and aspirations. He once revealed significant gaps in a startup’s strategy by asking pointed questions about their data strategy and AI capabilities, ensuring that he joins ventures where he can make a meaningful impact.

It’s important for candidates to remember that the interview process is as much about the candidate evaluating whether the company is a fit for them as it is the other way around. The interviews and conversations themselves are just one available data point in the evaluation process.

Being a Gap Filler

In startups, being proactive and identifying gaps within a team is crucial for driving progress and personal growth. Dennis Chang'ach, Data Scientist Consultant, highlights the importance of interacting cross-functionally, stating, “I try as much as possible to interact with all departments or to be more cross-functional." This allows him to understand the challenges different teams face and how he might be able to plug in and add more value or potentially learn from others. Catherine Wangechi, Senior Sales Director at Cellulant, adds, “I observe a lot, and I'm also not afraid to ask questions,” emphasising that offering an outside perspective can often be key to moving things forward.

Their approaches to gap-filling have also paid off significantly.?

Dennis recalls a career transition that resulted from filling a gap: “During my time with VFA, I met the founder of the company I’m at currently. They needed someone to quickly create a dashboard, and by filling that gap, I ended up transitioning into that new startup.” Catherine similarly attributes her career progression to taking initiative and speaking up, noting, “The moment you're a helper, the moment you're speaking up, people can see that there's some expertise here.”

In the often unpredictable world of startups, the ability to adapt, learn, and take initiative can set you apart as a valuable contributor and leader.

The folks we've spoken with have shown that taking charge of your career isn’t just about climbing the ladder—it’s about finding where you can make the most impact, continually refining your skills, and being willing to step into roles that push you out of your comfort zone.

Get Support

At Venture for Africa, we’re here to support you on this journey. Whether you’re looking to upskill, find new opportunities or connect with a community that shares your passion for innovation and growth, we have the resources and networks to help you succeed.

Explore our bootcamps, mentorship programs, and open roles to find the next step in your career.

Your startup journey is unique, and it’s always in your hands. So take the leap today: https://rb.gy/k0t34q

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