"Within every problem, there is always an opportunity to create." | Breaking into Tech: Meet Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher

Oreoluwa Ayo-Fisher is a Believer, Nigerian and soon-to-be graduate from the African Leadership University, Rwanda. She is a product marketer at heart, as she loves working with technology and helping people. Through her career, Oreoluwa is able to ensure people’s needs are met through technology and innovation. Due to the struggles she faced navigating the tech industry as a business student, Oreoluwa has a passion for helping young people from diverse backgrounds in Africa navigate the exciting world of tech.?Through her initiative, Break into Tech, Oreoluwa connects students with mentors, resources and workshops, empowering over 300 students from across Africa and building a network of 20+ active mentors from leading tech companies. Oreoluwa's dedication is evident in her achievements, including the prestigious 萬事達卡 Foundation Scholarship, winning the 欧莱雅 Brandstorm Competition for Sub-Saharan Africa, being featured on Pulse Nigeria, and speaking at various youth events across Africa.

Miss EmpowHer: What does women's empowerment mean to you? Why is it important?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: Women empowerment is providing resources, opportunities and a community that allows women to fully achieve their potential whether in their communities, careers, academics, businesses or life in general. By nature, women are nurturing and have the potential to reproduce whatever seed they’re given (as seen biologically) and so when we equip one woman with the skills, resources, and opportunities she requires, she doesn’t just keep that fruit to herself, she reproduces it in the lives of all others around her. This is why women empowerment is important; because it's not just about empowering one woman but about?empowering her family, her community, her nation. Change one woman's life, you change many lives.

"Change one woman's life, you change many lives."

Miss EmpowHer: What advice would you give to other women looking to succeed in your industry? What qualities are the most important and what skills should they focus on developing?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: Women who are looking to succeed in the tech industry should always believe and see themselves as equal contenders with others and never inferior or less. A mantra I hold onto strongly is that we become what we believe, and this means that if we believe we have much value to offer and contribute, then we would become a person of value in the industry. In terms of skills, you should focus on growing basic soft skills that can help you grow within any company in the industry; communication, networking, teamwork, and leadership skills. However, growing your self awareness and esteem should come above the rest.

Miss EmpowHer: Tell us about a woman who has influenced your career and how their guidance has impacted your professional growth.

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: My capstone supervisor and university professor, Dr. Theresa Lisita, has been an amazing influence in my life especially when I was developing the Break into Tech prototype for my capstone project. Her influence wasn’t solely through the advice and resources she shared with me but also through the character and qualities I observed in her life. She was very thorough and detailed when giving me feedback on my work and although she knew very little about the tech industry, she would do research just so she could properly guide me. She encouraged me to execute the idea from just an assignment to a real life enterprise. I saw the spirit of excellence in her as a professional and I desired to develop the same in my life.?

Miss EmpowHer: How do you handle work-related stress and pressure, and what techniques or practices do you use to maintain your well-being while pursuing a successful career?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: I take a holistic rest (mind, body, soul) from work, do something to relax myself (like watching The Office) so I detach from the stress. I also vent to God (through prayer), my family members and friends as a way to release the steam from within. This helps me clear my thoughts and get a fresh perspective on dealing with work.?

Miss EmpowHer: Can you share any lessons or insights you have gained from failures or setbacks in your career, and how you have turned them into opportunities for growth and learning?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: Within every problem, there is always an opportunity to create. In my first year at university, I struggled to get an internship and instead of putting the fate of my career in the hands of the others, I paved my own path. I started my first business venture and through it I built my resume, earned income and even hired some other students at my university. Then in my second year at university, I struggled to break into the tech industry as a business student and when I eventually succeeded, I transformed my struggle into an opportunity for myself and other students to have seamless entry into the industry through Break into Tech. The setbacks in my career have helped me further discover and develop my entrepreneurial capabilities. I have learned to take ownership of my professional growth and create the experiences I seek.

Miss EmpowHer: Can you share any strategies or tips for building a successful network and fostering meaningful professional relationships that have helped you in your career?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: A relationship is a two-way exchange of value and should be treated as such regardless of the setting. When it comes to building meaningful professional relationships, I have learnt that it’s best to approach it with the intention of giving value in as much as you want to receive value from the other person. Nowadays what we find especially on platforms like LinkedIn is that people connect with you with the aim of taking plenty (knowledge, experience, network) and giving very little in return. But a relationship can’t last long if there’s only one person carrying most of the weight of it.

Miss EmpowHer: What strategies or tactics do you use for setting and achieving your career goals, and how do you stay motivated and focused on your objectives?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: Firstly, I make sure that all my career goals are tied to my purpose. My purpose is the reason for my being and I ensure that everything I do aligns with it including my career. Having clearly defined this, I create SMART goals and list out all the steps I must take to achieve it. Then like a ladder, I start climbing each step every day until I get to the final step, which is the goal. Understanding my goals’ connection with my purpose keeps me motivated to keep going.?

"Like a ladder, I start climbing each step every day until I get to the final step, which is the goal."

Miss EmpowHer: What motivated you to choose your current career field, and what do you find most fulfilling about your work?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: I love helping people and technology allows me to do that on a wider scale.? As a Product Marketer, I am able to combine my love for people and technology by ensuring customers' needs are met through innovative tech solutions. What is most fulfilling is seeing the impact of my work in customer satisfaction. I love knowing that I had a part to play in helping a customer achieve their goals and meet their needs?

Miss EmpowHer: Can you discuss any specific trends or changes in your industry that you see impacting careers, and how you are preparing to adapt to these changes?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: There is an increase in the number of micro-influencers within the industry. I think it mainly stems from the fact that people are developing personal brands to distinguish themselves and create opportunities for themselves and so from content creators they become paid influencers. I think it is very creative especially because of how unstable the industry can be. Therefore, instead of relying on a company that can lay you off, build a brand for yourself that can potentially stand on its own and through which you would still be able to add value to the industry. I am definitely on this same wavelength.?

Miss EmpowHer: What advice do you have for individuals who are starting their careers or looking to make a career change, based on your own experiences and lessons learned?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: Nothing is new under the sun. Don’t isolate yourself and try to figure it out all on your own, when your neighbor has passed through the exact same thing, succeeded in it and can guide you on your journey. It is okay to ask for help when it comes to our careers so never see it as a weakness.?

"Don't isolate yourself and try to figure it out all on your own."

Miss EmpowHer: How do you approach professional development and continuous learning to enhance your skills and stay relevant in your industry??

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: I always stay curious. Even right now, I am finding various ways to learn more about my industry, through courses, online communities, conferences, webinars, workshops, and building practical experiences through my enterprise and other projects.

Miss EmpowHer: Can you discuss any significant achievements or accomplishments in your career that you are particularly proud of and what you learned from those experiences?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: A significant achievement I am proud of in my career was when I was promoted from a Product marketing intern to a Product marketer during my first tech internship. I had struggled to get the position and had pushed myself out of my comfort zone, learning a relatively new field on the job with little supervision. From this experience, I learnt that in order for us to grow, we need to be uncomfortable, and afterwards, I embraced challenging situations as a chance to grow, stretch myself, and release the potential lying within me.?

Miss EmpowHer: How do you balance your career ambitions with other aspects of your life, such as family, hobbies, and personal well-being?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: There is a time for everything and everyone; a time to play, a time to pay, a time to rest, a time to work. I ensure that I use my time wisely by prioritizing the most pressing needs to be met at a particular time and allocating time for my other needs. Each day, I ensure I allocate time to each aspect of my life and not let one overshadow the others. It can be challenging but striking a daily balance helps me.

Miss EmpowHer: Are there any specific books, podcasts, email newsletters, thought leaders/influencers, or training courses/programs that you would recommend for personal or professional growth?

Oreoluwa Ayo-fisher: For personal growth which I believe in turn affects professional growth, I would recommend reading books by Dr Myles Munroe like In Pursuit of Purpose, Understanding, Releasing and Maximizing Potential and then books by John C. Maxwell like The 15 invaluable laws of growth.?

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