As part of my MBA programme, I was introduced to #IamRemarkable and to Akua! That 90-minute session was the most incredible experience for me. Finding opportunities daily to acknowledge and celebrate my successes and achievements has been one of the most pivotal lessons I have taken from that event.

I was determined to bring this experience to my team and colleagues at work, and again we had a memorable experience. We want to embed a culture that is constantly supportive, challenging and growing us individually and collectively, especially after the craziness that 2020 brought to our lives. Akua and this session does this. This is the one workshop you need for your team! Akua is the person you need to make it happen!! It is all the more incredible when you have it with your leadership teams.

Diana Gombe

Head of People & Culture, WWF International

As a result of attending Akua’s session on 'Leaders as Transformational Coaches' before I speak, I now first internally remind myself that the listener is not me and will not always know what I want or need. If you are thinking of bringing Akua in for your leadership session, you should hurry while there is still space on her calendar. She is geared to exceed your expectations.”

Blessing Stephen-Dada

Business Partner - Capability Development, International Breweries Plc (ABInBev Nigeria)

Thanks again for supporting FI Accra. Your presentation was absolutely one of the best thus far, and we’ve truly had some excellent ones over the couple of months the cohort has been underway.

Moving online set the cat amongst the pigeons, and often requires a different style of presentation skills to ensure engagement and alertness of the audience. I think in your case, you are naturally engaging, but regardless it was great to see how the Founders responded to your slides, to your questions, and your general interactiveness. It was a great lesson for them in general, but particularly given some were picked up during their Hotseats for being dull/unenthusiastic. The content was very good too, and as you were so open and frank in balancing theory and practise with personal experiences you found the absolute sweet spot.

Simon R Turner

Director, Founder Institute Accra

If you are thinking about selecting Akua as a speaker, you should go for it! She's high energy, warm, impactful! After her session, I felt inspired. ”

Marilyn Maduka

People Director, ABInBev West Africa

It has been such a pleasure working with Akua, she has been a vital part of multiple informative events which tackled pressing issues in the payments, fintech and banking sector. Her willingness to engage with other conference attendees and speakers, have honest conversations, and pledge to work together with other players to provide effective payment solutions will have a lasting effect on the industry.

Akua’s positive attitude, professionalism, and enthusiasm has made our time together productive and fun.”

Molly Newman

Conference Director, Terrapinn Ltd

I am very comfortable with Akua’s style, knowledge, and delivery. We work as a wonderful team together when delivering workshops. I would describe Akua as an engaging, knowledgeable and open presenter and speaker.

Charles Ojei

CEO, HYBR Group

From the session, I received Insights on what other teams are doing to motivate their team members. And the need to bond more. My favorite part of the session was that it was interactive. I would recommend Akua’s coaching because it is eye-opening, you realize the need to talk to someone and you get more insights on what makes folks tick.”

David Doe

Jumia Ghana, Jumia Manager Group Coaching Session

I had no concerns asking Akua to host a session for the Wine & Whine community. Akua delivered the session with a lot of patience and guidance. She was very insightful and knowledgeable. The session was perfect for my community and I would recommend that you attend one of her sessions if you have a chance.”

Damilola Odufuwa

Co-Founder, Wine & Whine

I love learning and was looking forward to the class. From the session, I learned that there is no such thing as work-life balance and that you are allowed to define balance yourself. I enjoyed all parts of the session because it was really interactive and would recommend it.”

Sobowale Kehinde

Participant at Women Will Workshop on Balance

Everything in Akua’s session on Procrastination was useful. If you are thinking about attending one of her sessions, you should because she has great energy, is a good listener, and is real. After attending Akua’s session I was energized.”

Itumeleng Ralebitso

Innovation Mentorship Programme Session

From Akua’s session, I will start reflecting on my beliefs about the areas I’m procrastinating on and setting clear goals on what to do first. I will stop doubting myself, thinking I have to do more research before I start. After the session, I felt happy and empowered and would recommend to anyone thinking of working with Akua to go for it!”

Likeleli Monyamane

Director, Inspire Innovation Business Consultants

As a result of attending Akua’s session on goal setting, I will start visualizing the future. The process was great. Akua guided us through the process and the experience and outcome was very meaningful. After the session, I felt aware and purposeful.”

Faderr Johm

Entrepreneur

I first discovered Akua's services in March 2021 during a debrief on the #IamRemarkable workshop she had just completed for us. The workshop was very valuable and well-received, so we wanted to explore what else she could do. During the pandemic, it has been difficult for our students to manage their responsibilities of taking the MBA online, taking care of their families, and working from home. With this time management training, we were hoping to help the students tackle burnout and increase productivity by better using their time. [It] has been a very smooth and enjoyable experience. With her full-fledged time management program, Akua took ownership all the logistics and communications with the students which made the process so much easier. Access to the platform with all the content and the Q&A chat box was a big plus. [She has introduced our students to] tools such as the Pomodoro technique and email and calendar management tools such as MixMax have been widely adopted by the students and with that, they have been showing up more energized and on time. [The MBA students have enjoyed] the training platform. Having access to Akua after the sessions made the experience personal and gave an opportunity for students to ask questions as they go through the activities. This service is worthwhile for anyone struggling with productivity, prioritization, or simply if you want to learn how to make the best use of your time. Akua is one of the best facilitators I have come across. She is relatable and brings great energy and commitment to her trainings.”

Vicky Mugisha

Operations and Student Affairs Associate, ALU School of Business

Akua is a wonderful facilitator who brings energy and enthusiasm into her conversations. When we hosted an alumni of color event with Akua, it felt like she was sitting in the room with us. I could see folks engaging, taking notes, and getting excited to apply her coaching prompts immediately. As a program creator for alumni events, I appreciate that she delivered on what was advertised.

Additionally, Akua spoke to a diverse age group with varied professional careers. I was impressed, and received similar feedback from those in attendance, that she found a way to connect with everyone. ”

Gabrielle Gary

Associate Director of Affinity Programming, Bryn Mawr College

I have known Akua both as a coach and lecturer during her time as an MBA student. But most recently I brought her on board my firm as a colleague. Akua stood out in her MBA program as incredibly diligent, organized, and excellent. I remember when the seeds of becoming an executive coach started to percolate and I was so impressed with the clarity and purpose she has demonstrated in becoming such an outspoken leader in the field.

When I began expanding my coaching practice and needed outstanding professionals with a powerful blend of real-world business leadership experience plus the emotional intelligence to guide senior leaders through change management, Akua was at the top of my list. Akua is efficient, communicative, and proactive in her part-time role with us and that is a great asset to our team and our work with clients. Maybe the best compliment we can give is that we simply would love her to do more work with us -- I'm sure you will feel the same.

Segun Olagunju

Partner, Fearless Guides

As a result of having a business development session with Akua, I will start putting together my coaching programmes based on the pain points of my ideal clients. I also decided I will stop ignoring the value of direct messaging on LinkedIn. I felt invigorated after our conversation and if you are thinking of working with her she has such experience to share.  

Taaka Awori

CEO, Busara Africa

Akua's energy and overall enthusiasm for startups is contagious! We were so lucky to have her mentor some of our female founders recently. I know that the founders walked away with clear action items to improve their company and tons of inspiration. 

Rachel Sheppard

Director of Global Marketing at Founder Institute and Co-Creator of the Female Founder Initiative

Akua's passion for mentoring founders is obvious! From SaaS startups to supply chain management questions, I heard her give actionable feedback to a group of founders. Her rare, global experience gives her the ability to consult on a wide range of topics that is otherwise hard to find. Akua’s feedback is ideal for startup success because she serves what founders need: energy and motivation with a side of reality. She’s able to steer founders in the right direction with her tailored constructive feedback without slowing down their momentum. If you can schedule a time with her, you'll be grateful for her expertise.

Virginia Graham

Marketing Associate at the Founder Institute and Contributor at the Female Founder Initiative

After my conversation with Akua I felt energized. As a result of my session, I decided I would start working a SWOT analysis followed by understanding the pain points of my clients to help provide solutions and that I would stop undermining my ability to do more and quit making excuses. Akua is a warm and charismatic coach that comes from a place of understanding you and leading you through counsel to find answers to your concerns.

Roseline Eyenike

Business Manager at Truppr

I first heard of Akua at a Piggyvest event and wanted to speak with her about coping during the COVID-19 lockdown. Before our conversation, I was anxious and had issues concentrating. After the conversation, I felt calm, intentional, and aware.  If you are thinking about working with Akua you should try it out.

Omotosho Busayomi

I spoke with Akua because I wanted to brainstorm on relevant business ideas.  Before our session, I was skeptical but wanted to speak with someone about the general negative demand trend and changes for our services.  I had tried traditional marketing but after my conversation with Akua, I felt great and talked through opportunities for diversification, collaboration, and partnerships.  Get in touch with Akua if you want to get ideas for a great change.

Peter Clay

Country Manager, ICS Outsourcing

Akua and I worked closely together at Jumia House. She is a strong people leader with a rare talent for both crafting strategy and ensuring excellence in execution. Her collaborative communication style coupled with diligent work ethic makes her a highly valuable asset to growing organizations.  She brings vibrancy and integrity to her teams and was a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend her skills to companies & individuals looking to find solutions to difficult problems and have a lasting impact on the world.

Allie Morse

Director, Launch & Expansion at Postmates

I have worked with Akua during her time at Jumia. For 4 years, we were sharing learnings while leading the growth of Classifieds platforms in the countries we were each responsible for.

Akua has shown outstanding leadership skills, and has been an inspiration for her grit and resilience. 

Leading diverse teams in Africa's most complex markets, she has a definite human approach to growing collaborators, but is also capable of taking tough business decisions when needed. She anticipates the implications on her teams, and leads personally business transitions to ensure they are smoothly executed. Always focused on doing what is right, she does not back away from delicate issues, but puts people at the heart of her strategy framework. In addition, Akua values conciseness and clarity in her communication, which allows her to address very different types of stakeholders.

Finally, she is a proven thought-leader with extensive operations experience. 

My favorite part of working with her were the feedback sessions we shared, and her capacity to articulate constructive advice, as well as seek criticism to grow in her professional life. 

I highly recommend anyone looking to set up or scale fast-paced businesses to reach out to Akua. Looking back, you will find it is the best decision you have taken for your project and to grow as a leader.

Gustave de Campigneulles

Managing Director, Classifieds Africa at Jumia Group

I've worked with Akua for three years at Jumia and she has made significant progress as a leader but also had a strong impact on the business. She started as Country Manager for our Real Estate Classifieds business in Ghana, building a successful business from scratch and ramping up all the key functions: marketing, operations, sales, product and building a strong team culture. After this first success, she was promoted to lead our classifieds business in Nigeria (real estate and car verticals) on top of Ghana. Later she successfully helped to sell both businesses to competitors and was instrumental in the transition due to her seniority and maturity.

What makes Akua stand according to me are her rare entrepreneurship skills: strong leadership skills, inspiring team management (followership built with team members is amazing) and a spike in marketing & communication. For instance, she was very strong in establishing our brand in the markets she operated through creative and well-executed offline marketing initiatives as well as public relations. 

As a country manager of multiple tech businesses across 2 countries, Akua has also learned and made strong progress on several key functions of a tech leader: online marketing, SEO, product improvement and business intelligence.

Eric Lauer

CEO Jumia Global, Jumia Group

I’ve known Akua for 5 years.  She was the Managing Director while I was working for Lamudi/ Jumia House.  I consider Akua’s strengths to be planning and great leadership. She is consistent in her work style and ethic.  While at Lamudi, one specific result she was able to deliver was giving us a path to follow to become successful in migrating the free platform to become a paid service. 

Akua has an amazing communication style.  From team meetings, to how emails should be drafted Akua will give you direct feedback and make it a point to ask how things are going and how you can help.

 I learnt a lot from working Akua including how to negotiate.  I enjoyed going to meetings with her and us presenting the company together.

 To get the most from Akua, you have to engage her. Ask questions and she will give you her honest feedback which will transform your career growth!

Felix Dugbartey

Head of Brokerage Services, Coldwell Banker Commercial Ghana

Akua and I used to be colleagues at Jumia Group. I’ve known her for over four years.  One of her strengths is her ability to guide people through their ‘mess.’ She helps people understand what they should be focusing on and how to move forward.  Akua also understands who is who, especially in the technology space where she is still active.

Since I have left Jumia, talking to Akua helps me sort through my ideas.  She gives me suggestions on who I should be networking with and how to approach them.   Having a conversation with Akua will help you bring out your thoughts and structure them.  She will provide you with alternative perspectives, tools, software, information and suggest people you can connect with.  

Akua is a highly ethical person... Even while at Jumia, I was impressed with Akua’s ability to handle issues that were not clear cut or straight forward. She would find a way to address it without compromising her values.   

Similar to what Akua was able to accomplish at Jumia, she continues to be able to provide value to different stakeholders through partnerships.  If it needs to be done, Akua will get it done, even if she does not get compensation for the service. 

Akua’s communication skills have come a long way...She has come to see the importance of the bigger picture and has always been effective at communicating what she was thinking, where she is coming from, what is expected of others, in addition to the overall goal.  Though she continues to keep people’s feelings in mind, she uses it to ensure her decision making and actions are hurting as few people as possible.

Akua does a good job of communicating what she wants and how something should be done.  She does it in a very professional and supportive way. For example, when she is working with someone, she will explain what needs to happen and model or teach that person directly.  In addition, she will back up the coaching with tools and information. If she has had a conversation with an employee, she will ensure she provides them with the feedback and what was discussed will be put in an email.  In addition, she will provide that person with a checklist or online tool to ensure that whatever was taught was absorbed. Akua always goes the extra mile to ensure that people have references to back up what was communicated or expected.  

My favorite part about being around Akua is that I am always learning something new.  Akua is always sharing things in passing and trying to help. She is always providing a new article, opportunity, sector news or tools.  For example, when I was looking for accounting software, she introduced me to Wave.

If you are thinking of working with Akua you should keep in mind that she doesn’t cut corners.  She has the energy to finish any project she starts but if you come in with bullshit, try to cut corners, do something substandard, ‘smush’ over the truth or play with numbers Akua is NOT your person.

Amara (Amy) Muoneke

Tech Entrepreneur & Business Strategist

In my almost two years of working with and reporting directly to Akua who was then Country Manager of Jumia Classifieds, I came to view her as an intelligent, systematic, strategic and inspiring individual. Working with Akua was a refreshing and rewarding experience because she not only cared about meeting company goals but also my personal growth. She had weekly check-ins not only to follow up on my work but to discuss articles, workshops or events she believed would help improve upon my skills. Despite her schedule, she was always readily available to give advice, answer questions and give feedback when needed. What I like the most about working with Akua was her mid-month check up on my KPI progress and if she noticed I was behind on tasks she would ask how best she could help in order to ensure by end of moth my KPI’s were met.  Anyone who has worked with Akua would agree that she is an efficient and effective communicator, an inspiring and pleasant person to work with “

Ohui A Kwao

Communications and Social Media Expert

I met Akua in June 2018 and I have been in regular contact with her since. We worked together at Haussmann Group, a design company located in Nairobi, Kenya. She was hired by Haussmann as West Africa regional manager, and spent a couple of months in Nairobi as part of her onboarding process. During this time, I worked with Akua on many topics and on a daily. Our tasks were essentially focused on human resources issues, including the onboarding process of the company or the writing of an employee manual.

Akua was very involved from day one, always showing great energy and positivity with the team. She naturally bonded with many employees demonstrating great social skills. Her experience and her ‘hands-on’ attitude were incredibly helpful in the tasks were worked on together, in a couple of weeks she managed to put together a complete employee manual although she had just joined the company. Later, she took the lead on a beautiful internal newsletter that helped bring the team together.

On a personal level, I connected very well with Akua’s working style. She has great communication skills; she was always willing to share her knowledge and insights with me or our colleagues. I loved working in groups or duos with her, as she usually was a driving force, while always valuing one’s opinion and work. She adapted to each and everyone’s personality, making sure that the work she would do with someone was the most efficient but also the most enjoyable for her counterpart. Akua is a terrific listener, she was always willing to lend an ear for me, while never trying to influence my decisions in any way.

Akua holds her values at her very high level, and I respect her a lot for this reason. She demonstrated high ethical standards from the start, not hesitating to speak out against management if she felt that the company’s direction or actions were contradicting her values. To me, the values that reflected in her actions were transparency, honesty, kindness and trust.

200% would recommend! Akua is highly dedicated to others and to giving the best she can. She is also great fun to be around!

Mateo Blanc

Business Developer at Ignition Program

I have known Akua for about a year now. I first met her during her final interview stage when she visited Kenya to meet the team for Haussmann Group. On the first day, we knew that we had to have her join the team as she showed signs of great leadership and confidence.

The first few months of her joining the team, she was working remotely as the Country Manager for all our West Africa operations. At that time we never really interacted until 5 months later when she came back to Kenya for the team building trip. I got know Akua the person, not just the colleague. She showed great leadership, including making sure we stayed on track for the team building even though we were at the beach, supporting fellow colleagues and conflict management.

Akua is immensely intelligent, which meant we could broach any subject matter with great intellect, and yet she was equally humorous and very easy going. During my interactions with Akua, I would say skills are definitely her creative & organisational skills. Her independence also compliments her leadership skills.

When Akua joined the company, I would say that we had no structured way of communicating within the different departments in different countries. She managed to streamline the communication templates that were needed for us to have a clear view of every department deliverables and KPIs.

Kgalalelo Mosime

Head of Interior Design & New Business Lead for Southern Africa, Haussmann Group

I have known Akua for close to 5 years, and during that period she has been my boss, my mentor, my friend, and my go-to person. Her strengths are in leadership. She's a strong and passionate leader who's interested in the development of the team or individual she works with. Akua believes strongly that anything can be achieved if everyone works to their full ability.

 Akua always professionally approaches her work. I have seen Akua contribute to the real estate industry in Ghana by reducing information asymmetry problems in the industry. In terms of team management, I found her style allowed me to be able to express myself freely. She was always asking my opinion about things rather than command or impose her thoughts.

My favorite part of working with Akua was how she allowed us to brainstorm most ideas and got us all involved in making the projects work. " All hands on deck" was our slogan and what I carry on with me.

I would tell whoever is looking to work with Akua to start looking forward to happy work days. You will leave work buzzing and want to work extra. You will be getting a boss ready to listen, encourage and help you accomplish your goals and targets.

Paapa Dennis

Former Jumia House Employee

Before working with Akua, I was unsure, hesitant, afraid. [The goal was to be] more confident, [have] better systems in place [and be] excited for the future. Through our working together, I learned that it is important to have processes in place to make all facets of the business process run smoothly!

I see now that I do not have to implement a research project to provide value! I have consistently been told since completing my Ph.D. that I could only provide value by being a cog in a wheel and working like a dog on research projects. Now, I know that I can leverage my expertise to help others strategize how to conduct research projects without dealing with the stress of implementation.

I also realized honestly...that I can be a successful business owner. This sounds terrible, but I was filled with a lot of doubt before working together. Now, I am excited for all that will come, ups and downs alike. I realize that I do not have to have everything figured out right away, [and that] pivoting leads to new ways of doing and learning.

By working with Akua, I:

• Secured my first client in 2 months (from contact to contract) who will be a repeat customer.
• Have gotten the most restful sleep by going to bed at or before 9:45 PM EVERY NIGHT.
• Have learned that I can charge per project what the true value of my contribution is, and THE RIGHT CLIENT WILL SEE THAT VALUE AND PAY ME FOR IT!
  

Ama Nyame-Mensah

Ph.D., Founder, Analytics Made Accessible LLC

Working with Akua has enabled me to:

• Have tough conversations with my manager. I prepared a ton and felt extremely confident in the conversations.
• Own my strength of connecting to and serving other people - including for building 
• relationships, partnerships, diplomacy, negotiation, and influence.
• Finally, settle on a clear vision that makes me proud and I find motivating.

I’ve acquired tools like:

• A tough conversations template
• Accountability and space for working through issues at work.
• A space where I can focus only on what's best for me.

My favorite accomplishments since working with Akua have been crafting a weekly reflection process that gives me a lot of energy and motivation.

L.S.

When we started I was recovering from a bad burnout as a result of heavy organizational and relationship debt. And at the time, I wanted us to focus on one goal: raising the seed round. That's because that goal meant a lot:

• It would mean cash to stay alive (and pay salaries)
• Build trust & confidence in the team and exec
• Achieve important milestones with our customers and goals

We had most of our calls towards the very beginning of the fundraising process. Just as I was preparing. The timing was perfect. Working with [Akua] at the beginning allowed me to [firstly] understand that I wasn't alone - Most people face these issues when building companies, and secondly, some of these behaviors and instances of organizational debt can be tackled with tough conversations and restating values, missions and goals.

A lot of that worked over the last few months. Hard conversations, focusing on the values, and building from a mission-driven place. And that gave energy. With that energy, we powered through team goals, and I powered through this seed round as my main deliverable for this year. We stopped our regular sessions just as I started the actual fundraising, publicly. What the sessions helped me understand is the long term vision of Raise, and [that] making it a reality required commitment, focus, and also doing things in my own way. That [allowed me] to go out, sell, and build the narrative, and in that process, I also had the opportunity to build and paint the narrative of the future.

Since working with Akua, I have:

• Saved 3 hours per week
• Grew customer onboarding by 600%
• Hired senior lead product manager
• Closed $2.1m seed round with Carta Ventures, CRE VC, Plug and Play Ventures
• Launched our website & 200% increase in sales within the 3 months

I'm super ready for next year, the team is pumped. Magic is going to happen.

Marvin Coleby

CEO, Raise

Working with Akua has shown me that I can be organized, for example, I can prep for meetings, show up to meetings on time, and can take notes, I am great at coordinating, I can get rid of distractions in my life to focus on what's really important, I can manage a team!

Before working with Akua, I was:

• Overwhelmed by my work
• Feeling demotivated and stuck
• I had no time or energy to focus on my personal and social life. I felt guilty taking time to myself
• I felt guilty self-promoting or recognizing my accomplishments
• I felt that I did not deserve my role at the time
• I lacked the discipline to focus on one thing at a time

Working with Akua allowed me to:

• Get a promotion at work in August, receiving a 46% pay bump. Moving away from day-to-day fire fighting to more of a strategic planning role.
• Reduce my number of working hours from >50 hours/week, down to a max of 42 hours/week
• Develop a way of working process/structure on how I interact with cross-functional teams
• Lead the organization in developing profitability strategies, twice within 6 months. I analysed multiple scenarios, created multiple models, worked on presenting the solutions to senior management, got them to make a decision, and now we are on track to be a profitable organization by the end of the year, pulling back the timeline by 1 quarter.
• Coach a member of my team to unlock their productivity [allowing] them to move from consistently underperforming and being demotivated to a valued team contributor.
• Move into my own place!!
• Learn to stand up a bit more for myself, both at work and in my personal life
• Feel less stressed
• Be more intentional about taking time to prioritize my personal needs
  

Melody

Operations Manager

Akua has helped me see that praise is good, but equally as important is constructive feedback. I am now aware of the importance of positive and negative feedback being regularly shared and allowing those conversations to create depth.
Before meeting with Akua I was not fully aware of what I needed to personally be doing to fully "show up" for my team. The accountability helped me to prioritize important aspects of my personal and professional life. I was more aware of the importance of goal setting and achievement. Specifically when it comes to my company. I was able to have important conversations with team members that allowed us to move forward in a manner that will greatly benefit the company long term including top executive conversations and hires.

I was able to:

• Avoid a company shake-up and hire by having hard conversations with my executive team.
• Secure term sheets for our series A capital raise in less than 2 months.

It has always been a goal of mine to hire a coach that can help me improve my leadership skills. This successfully checks that off my list.

Jeremy Stringham

Chief Executive Officer, Versured.com

Akua is a fantastic person to work with! Her high level of energy and enthusiasm was matched by her thoughtfulness in working with me to identify ways that I could become a stronger leader. Instead of coming into our discussions with a pre-conceived “one-size-fits-all” solution, her process helped me to identify the key elements I wanted and needed to improve, as well to create a methodology to do so. It gave me the ability to focus on and those things that were either out-of- or back-of-mind, as well as take those bold personal steps that I otherwise would not have been willing to do on my own. Together, we developed and strengthened skills like a more conscious process for deciding what I need to work on, an improved comfort with delegation, and better fostering my relationships with my colleagues. Most importantly, we improved my level of self-awareness, which will allow me to continue to improve in the years to come.

John H. Cluver

AIA, LEED AP, Partner, Voith & Mactavish Architects LLP

Prior to working with Akua I felt very overwhelmed and stuck in unproductive patterns, needed someone to help me strategize and prioritize my way of working.

 [Through working with Akua] I gained a thought partner, someone who understands the entrepreneurial struggles and day-to-day wins, someone to help me rethink my week and focus on the positives, understanding how to practice compassion towards [myself] in the face of negative self-talk.

 In my business:

• I've hired technical experts who have the skills I needed to get to the next stage and continue to reach out to experts.
• I've put management structures in place to create a more systematic process and hired an operations assistant to support these structures
• I increased sales through events and focused on e-commerce strategies
• Finally, I've identified and begun new goals for 2022 and a manageable approach towards meeting them 

I was also able to spend 2 months managing my team in Ghana remotely. I never thought that would be possible and it really worked.

Internally:

• I feel less overwhelmed and more confident because I've put a plan in place for myself and feel better about taking breaks and planning fun.
• I've been able to solidify our product offering through this and begin focusing on what sells. 

Morgan Kret

Founder & CEO, Geometric 

When I first started coaching, I was very unsure of myself. I had inklings of what I wanted, but I was so attached to external validation that I was waiting for other people to confirm or deny things for me. I felt like so much was happening to me as a passive observer to my own life. I wanted to have the ‘right’ answers but was hoping for an easy fix of "I should do this" rather than really sitting and reflecting on that.

Externally I have:

• Hosted an in-person workshop with incredible results
• Hosted a virtual workshop with participants in 3 countries
• Booked an NGO client and requested payment for the first 1:1 session
• Communicated with my current employer that I'm investing in my business and want to transition to a consulting contract.
• Posted more on LinkedIn.
• Set up the launch page for my website.

Internally:

• I've really committed to my reflection time in and out of coaching sessions.
• Set boundaries in a whole new way that includes rescheduling meetings, making time for exercise, and being vulnerable with friends and family about what I'm dealing with.
• More imaginative about what I can accomplish and how my business will thrive

I also loved the insider access to the day-to-day process of entrepreneurship and some strategy development alongside the coaching.  Being able to nail down my values has been critical to moving forward. I now have a framework for understanding why certain things do or don't align with what I want.  

After coaching, I am not no longer driven by fear.  The fear of rejection, fear of failure, and fear of the unknown. While it still plays a role, it doesn't determine what I will or won't do.

Kandasi Griffiths

Founder & Chief Curator, SR Collaborative

Before we began working together, I felt anxious and stressed about work. Even though I was busy all the time, I knew I was not motivated to do what I was doing. I was working for my work and unsure about what goal or vision I had for myself.

I asked my colleagues that I manage to provide feedback about me. It was a good exercise because I now know what I'm good at and areas that I should improve. I know people appreciate how direct and structured I am. However, I can work on the way I provide feedback. When I delegate things to teammates, sometimes I overhaul what they worked and end up doing it myself, without saying why I changed it. I realize that this is also part of why I feel stressed, I feel that I can do it better and faster.

Through working with Akua I have recognized I have outgrown my current job and have accepted that I should find something that's better suited for me. I understand that I am responsible for defining my vision and I am responsible for mapping out a plan that aligns with my vision…I am excited about the fact that I can summarize my overall vision into a statement: I am in control of my career, personal life, and quality of life all of which I am working towards achieving peace of mind… Over the last few months, I've reflected on where I have come from, my current state, and where I would like to go. In the beginning I mostly had questions, now I feel like I have filled in many blanks.  I have also learned the importance of developing milestones for each of my goals. This was an aha moment for me because it was when I realized that for me to achieve anything, I want I actually need to do something, be more intentional about my decisions and actions.

I left my current job on a good note. I am now focused on finding that next opportunity that aligns my vision and can get me closer to my longer-term goals.

Hauwa Okorie

International Development Consultant

I wanted to get some tools and clarity on moving forward after a change in career direction. My main concern was that we had known each other prior to beginning a coaching journey, so I was hesitant to begin a coaching relationship because it involves being completely open and vulnerable in order to get to the root of the issue. Before our conversation, I had shut down operations on my business. Even though it had some limited success, I was unsure how to parlay that experience into a new career. I was also unsure of how to approach and navigate the job search process. I felt anxious, confused, discouraged, a little isolated but also excited about what potentially lay ahead. I had a clear vision of what I wanted to do prior to pivoting away from my business and into the corporate workforce. After I shut down operations, coaching was one of the first things I decided to try in order to gain some clarity and direction moving forward.

From our conversations, I am:

1) learning how to be calm and manage anxiety; channeling that energy to be productive as opposed to counterproductive through positive visualization

2) more effective at time management; using tools like google calendar to ensure tasks are completed in a timely manner

Consequently, I feel more confident in talking about my professional experiences and what I have already achieved. I also feel equipped with the right toolkit for my future endeavors. Even though the big goal is still yet to be manifested, I have achieved most of the mini-goals that I set for myself from the homework tasks between sessions, such as being comfortable with being vulnerable and not being hesitant to make new connections with people.

I would encourage you to work with Akua because her coaching is effective. You have to be ready to put in the hard work yourself, but working with a coach (Akua) will help provide clarity and narrow down the tasks required to reach your goal, whatever that may be. By working with a coach, it is easier to determine a roadmap to success.

Immanuel Mahmoud

I sought out your services at a time when I had a lot of anxiety around my professional life, particularly with feeling like a “jack of all trades, master of none,” and I also felt stuck. I really wanted to transition from my current job and company. You helped me understand that being a “Generalist” is a totally acceptable, empowering, and something to be proud of...I started getting so much traction...and recently accepted an offer…[I also landed] a part-time remote role with...managing their investor relations function. These are all roles I know I am going to thoroughly enjoy.

Intrapreneur

I got in touch with Akua because I wanted to get guidance, tools, and resources on starting my business consulting.  

My main concern was whether I could make the time to do all the sessions.

First of all, before our conversation, I had never engaged the services of a coach before. But I would say, my main issues were actually not going deeper into who I am to find the right answers. Also, I had just conceptualized my idea of going the entrepreneurial route and really did not know how to articulate how to pitch myself. I was anxious and had not really tried any approach other than listening to podcasts, reading books, and intuition.

After our sessions, I was empowered.  I understood myself better. I recognized I had value that could be exchanged for money. I acquired the ability to pitch myself and to clarify how my business consulting will be to potential clients.  I now have the ability to talk to potential clients, clearly tell people what my business is about, and personally, understand myself better.

Akua will make you go deep to do the work. She will challenge you to think and come up with creative ideas.

Edna Osei

All the points were useful. I'm so grateful and after a conversation with Akua, I felt super pumped.  As a result of the session, I've started to show up more and be productive. I've gotten a clearer vision of what I want to do.  Akua will give you more value for your money and time. The way she breaks complex ideas into a step by step guide is super amazing.

D.S.

If I need to ‘get things’ done, Akua is my ‘go-to’ coach. I come to Akua because I know that with her, I will leave with a clear action plan that I am willing and excited (maybe scared) to pursue.  Consider selecting Akua as a coach if you are stuck and need to move forward. She is focused, creative and a ninja-coach."

Marlene P. Lowe

Leadership Coach & Consultant

After attending her workshop, I got in touch with Akua because I wanted to get additional insight on how to get and keep my employees motivated.  Before our conversations, I had low employee engagement and was feeling frustrated.  I had tried to ensure my staff was more engaged through weekly and monthly review meetings. After speaking with Akua I was enlightened and more knowledgeable.  I have been able to leverage knowledge about my staff’s personality traits and what they care about into higher engagement. If you are thinking about working with Akua, I would definitely recommend you go ahead and do just that. There's a lot to learn from her.

Hanson Nnadi

Managing Director, Lukandi Digital

The specific results I saw in my team members after the coaching were:

1. My team members were more prepared to do a performance review with me, and
2. It felt easier to align company and team goals with their personal goals.

While as a company we have always believed in coaching, one of my main concerns with signing members of my team up for coaching was the inability to see the specific way that it would lead to impact.  I can see from the results as a team manager that my team members are more aligned and more accountable for their success.”

David Yen

Head of Strategic Growth, BitPesa

Akua is an amazing and a motivating coach. I met her during our coach training programme and I have observed how she has transformed into a confident, direct and passionate coach. Her passion for coaching is evident in her consistent desire to help her colleagues and clients as well as her consistency in developing and growing her knowledge especially in this field that is ever growing with research. She is very active in the International Coach Federation Nigeria Chapter and her presence has been felt across the Chapter, despite recently joining. I am really happy that our paths have crossed and I continue to look forward to further enhancing our relationship.”

Sochi K. Ilomechina

Managing Director and Lead Coach, TBA Consults

I think a lot of people underestimate the importance of thinking out loud with someone who is not biased and doesn't know you…From the session, I got an action plan on how I'm going to change my decision-making process and some great reflective questions that I can use daily.  After completing the session, I felt quite energized and clear-headed. Akua is a great person to think out loud with and a great listener.”

Arielle Nkanika Umwiza

Marketing and Communications Associate, ALU School of Business

The three words I would use to describe Akua's coaching is positive, proactive and energising.   I found my coaching sessions with Akua to be useful for accountability. Akua asked proactive questions which highlighted to me the next steps I needed to begin making as well as aspects I had already considered but not yet acted on. It was great to have this friendly voice keeping me to account!  Working with Akua energised me - giving me some of the necessary momentum and direction I needed to begin making some pretty life-altering decisions. Consider choosing her as a coach if you are… looking for an encouraging and proactive voice to keep you accountable.”

Mary Brace

From Akua’s coaching, I got tips for goal setting and prioritizing goals, for assessing impact and addressing the 'why' behind my goals and plans.  If you are thinking of working with Akua I would suggest you clarify your expectations of the coaching relationship and to get ready to pull your weight as opposed to leaving unknowns for her to figure out.  I would recommend Akua’s coaching because I enjoyed working with her and think she offers immense value especially for individuals who need help with goal-setting and managing productivity.”

Yewande Marquis

From Akua’s coaching, I got tips for goal setting and prioritizing goals, for assessing impact and addressing the 'why' behind my goals and plans.  If you are thinking of working with Akua I would suggest you clarify your expectations of the coaching relationship and to get ready to pull your weight as opposed to leaving unknowns for her to figure out.  I would recommend Akua’s coaching because I enjoyed working with her and think she offers immense value especially for individuals who need help with goal-setting and managing productivity.”

Yewande Marquis

As with most things, the answers to your questions or problems lie with you. All you need is a little direction from a great coach. What I enjoyed most about the session was the unobtrusive way she questioned and drew my attention to things. I would recommend coaching to anyone who can afford it. It helps provide guidance when making decisions.”

T.

Business & Communications Professional

As a result of coaching, I realized I was on the right path in achieving my dream goals and that my inability to secure a job isn't due to lack of experience as I have assumed. What I liked most about the session was the openness of the conversation and that I had the opportunity to freely express myself.

O.

Akua has been invaluable in my quest to gain confidence in compensation negotiation. She provokes you until you realize that the answers to your queries are within you. She is a strategist and uses tactics...to bring out clarity...your...desires, [something] that is often hard to realize on your own...

I could go on and on with superlatives, but suffice it to say that if you are looking for a coach to learn from about...compensation negotiation, career goals, interview skills, CV writing, and professional conduct look no further than Akua Nyame-Mensah.”

G.

The session was extremely beneficial to me. I particularly appreciated the resources and articles shared, which enabled me to gather evidence on tried-and-tested techniques. The coach shared her own personal experiences and examples, this made it very easy to relate with her and also helped me feel more relaxed and open. I would absolutely recommend coaching, it is a great boost, regardless of where you are in your career. It helps you to think about various perspectives which you may not have considered previously. “

B.

Coaching has been an interesting journey of discovering myself and finding some clarity around my personal challenges. I liked the questions asked, I found them relevant and I felt that the coach was really paying attention to me. Her encouragement was very helpful and she created a safe environment for me to safely acknowledge and face my uncertainties. I would recommend coaching to someone who is uncertain about the trajectory of his/her career and who is open to sharing his/her personal challenges.”

N.

Coaching helped me put together an actionable plan for my career in short, medium and long term. I enjoyed the brainstorming and discussions the most. I would recommend coaching because it helps you get a direction.”

B.

Sessions with Akua were very interesting as her questions helped me to become more self-aware. She has a way of making me feel comfortable, at the same time think deep. This has enabled me to come up with actionable options of a way forward in any area I am experiencing a block…”

Adetoro C.

Google Initiative Workshop focused on making self-promotion mainstream.  I have facilitated over 10 #IamRemarkable sessions for over 100 participants.

“It's very engaging and I wish there was more time.”

“She was very engaging and stirred the discussion in a very participatory manner.”

“In total honesty, Akua made it worthwhile right from the moment it started till we were done.”

“It was a really engaging workshop and the size allowed for adequate participation.”

“One of my best workshops so far because of the level of interaction. Unlike most facilitators, she was an excellent listener.”

“Ability to get people talking. Initially, most of the attendees were not contributing, but later she was able to get everyone to contribute willingly.”

“It felt good to know that I was not alone and that there were practical ways to go about changing my mindset about self-promotion.”

“Excellent workshop!”

“The facilitator was engaging and the time allotted was perfect”

“I love the fact that we are very few in number and so we were able to share personal things and be more open with one another”

“The seamless way she carried everyone along”

“The session where we talked about our achievements was liberating”

“It made me rediscover myself.”

From our conversation, I decided to start focusing on the overall purpose of the MBA as a means to not get too focused on small struggles. After my conversation with Akua, I felt motivated and prepared for the intensive. I am more aware of my overall purpose and motivation in doing my MBA now.

Lara Dendy Young

At first, I didn't even know what coaching was and didn't even know if I needed it. Before speaking to Akua, I didn't have clarity of what I want to do and how my MBA was going to contribute to my vision. I was feeling nervous, anxious, and excited about my MBA program. After the conversation, I felt more confident about reaching my vision and more relaxed about my MBA journey at ALU. The conversation has helped me to see clearly what I want to achieve and get clarity on what I want to get from the MBA, I just started, that will contribute to my vision. I would highly encourage you to work on yourself, for I have found that in life, it is always good to know where you are going and understand how you want to get there. The clarity of where we want to go, tips on how we want to reach there all lie in us. Sometimes though, we need someone to hold our hand and help us reach there or at least help us see that light.

Arielle Gahigi Mugwaneza

Workshop focused on helping participants engage better and motivate their teams.

During the masterclass, I learned the importance of communicating my expectations and getting feedback on my performance. I also learned to be mindful of other people's communication styles to ensure that they receive what I am trying to communicate to them very well. After this session, I will be more intentional about how I deal with people, bearing in mind that they are not me, and I don't know them. I will also try to ensure that whoever works with me gets all they need from me to succeed at their job. After the session, I felt hopeful, motivated, and confident. Attending this masterclass is a no brainer. Sign up now!

Barbara Onyejose

Cedar Hive

From the masterclass, I learnt that every one that is motivated differently. It is very important to study each employee (if you can) to be able to keep them motivated. After the session, I felt very enlightened and assured that when I move to a bigger team, I will reach out for professional support for myself and the team. If you are thinking of attending, you should attend but ensure that you keep an open mind.

Feyi Sowunmi

"Though she didn't mention it directly, I learned about measures on how to sustain the creative balance between being an employer and an employee at the same time. I learned about S.E.E., the best approaches to motivating my employees, and even how to be motivated myself. I learned how to ask the right questions. The key insight I took away from the event was learning to remain human in most of my approaches and interactions with my employees. If you are thinking about attending her event, you should get your a** up and go learn from the expert!"

Paul Babafemi

“I was not sure what to expect and if it would be valuable, but the key messages are simple yet impactful. Sharing experiences with professionals from industries outside my sphere including creative and tech was my favorite part of the session.”

Yetunde Oladeji

PwC, Associate Director

“From the session, I learned the importance of remembering that my employees aren't me and setting clear expectations from the beginning. My favorite part of the session was exchanging opinions and ideas with other participants. If you are thinking about attending a session with Akua, I would suggest you do it! Her leadership masterclass was quite interactive, insightful, and laid back as well.”

Chuey Chu

Head of Creative Content, The Medium

“The discussions with people from various fields giving feedback on how we see the same situation differently was great. Her session reminds you of methods you have forgotten or may have not considered as a vital part of your company growth.”

Emeka Okocha

Nothing to do in Lagos, CEO

"My biggest take away from this session was that there is no one right way when trying to motivate people under our leadership. Taking the time to get to know our employees on an individual basis goes a long way toward improving organizational efficiency and growth. Recognizing unique talents and strengths as well as using those talents and strengths for the benefit of the organization can be as, if not more motivational for some people. The questions you raised in your presentation made me reflect on my leadership style. Also, being in a room full of managers/leaders allowed me to hear what others are doing around the topic of motivation."

Daphne Neal

Educator

"From attending the masterclass, I learned that seeing things from an employee's perspective can greatly help you motivate them.  You definitely should attend the masterclass if you can." 

Ayodele Kolawole

“The specific insights I got from the session include to really think about what I’m doing, and valuing what I do in life and applying it to my work life as well. My favorite part of the session was being taught and learning to consider what I value. If you were to attend a value session being run by Akua you will have to you think about your future for real.”

Adé Ayedun

Intern, Lost in Lagos

“My main concern when signing up for Akua’s session was not being sure if it would be worth my time. From her value session, I learned of the importance of communicating my values to those I work with early in order to get the best possible working relationship. My favorite part of the session was listening to real-life experiences of fellow attendees. I would I definitely recommend her values-focused session, it was highly insightful.”

Folabi Kuti

WorkBox

“One insight I gained from the session was that your values to a large extent determine how people see you and if they would like to work with you. If you have a chance to attend a value-focused session run by Akua, I would recommend it because I found it worth it.”

Onome Otudje Oshoke

Office Administrator, Workbox

“I was invited and had no prior information about Akua’s value-focused session. My favorite part of the session was being able to identify my core values and recognizing how it affects my life’s vision. I would recommend attending a session by Akua because I believe it will give you a sense of direction when making life-changing decisions.”

Tonye Ozoya