Last Thursday, June 19, I had the honour of delivering the keynote at the Development Bank of Nigeria (@devbankng ) Techpreneur Summit, themed ‘Ctrl + Shift: A Tech-Empowered Movement for Naija.’
I spoke about the paradox of over 200 million people, mostly young, brilliant, ambitious yet many remain offline, underbanked, and underestimated.
Every overlooked dream that deserves a dignified infrastructure.
I shared my Ctrl+Shift story, HerVest (@hervestng ) and how we are leveraging technology, people and partnerships to close the wealth gap for women.
This wasn’t just another keynote for me.
It was a call to build locally intelligent, intentionally inclusive, and boldly African systems.
Congratulations to the start-ups who made it to the finals with their innovative solutions. 🎉🎉
Great thanks to the board and management team of Development Bank of Nigeria (@devbankng ).
#africainnovation #zerotoone #keynote #solapeakinpelu #hervest
🎈I have been researching, working, taking notes on gender finance since 2015. @hervestng officially began its operations in 2020.
🎈With a front row seat at working, observing and documenting women's patterns at wealth creation, I was spurred by your positive energies and constant questions on several 'hows' - how to make money, grow it, preserve it and more.
🎈The enthusiasm to become better economically is not surprising as Sub-Saharan Africa alone has the world's highest rate of female entrepreneurship, at 27%. We've never been short of gas 😉
🎈While actively building @hervestng with the most passionate and resilient team ever, I have devoted some time in the past 14 months to a project that means a lot to me, to HerVest's vision, to the shared prosperity of Africa and her women.
🎈🎈Ladies and gentlemen, today, I present to you - Stripped: An African Woman's Guide To Generational Wealth.
🎈Stripped serves to answer the burning questions and allay the commonest fears that most African women have when it comes to managing their money and building wealth.
🎈Stripped: An African Woman's Guide To Building Generational Wealth, is written to inspire African women to move past their barriers and create wealth, with a view to making a positive impact in their societies and the world at large that will transcend generations to come.
🎈To be released December 1st, 2022 to bookstores around you, pre-order your copies now on @rovingheights 🚀 at my bio link.
📸 @kolaoshalusi 🚀🚀🚀
#strippedthebook
Myself and @HerVestng all up in lights 💡💡💡 on the iconic NASDAQ Tower, Times Square, New York.
Main Character Energy! 🔥🔥🔥
🎈You see, building @hervestng is not a walk in the park. It's been darn tough, daunting and teary even.
Chai! This one hits different. It means the world to me to see my face and HerVest's logo all up in the lights of #TimesSquare I give God the Glory. I give God the Glory! Oba Alara ire!
🎈The Nasdaq Milestone Maker Program has been impactful - from working with an executive coach to having a mentor focused on helping us develop a scaling strategy.
🎈Thank you to the amazing @nasdaqcenter team, my loving family, my darling @hervestng dream team, ALL of our esteemed users, you reading this, the female farmer across states, the female trader, our allies, our lovers, our critics. Together, we are building a global brand lifting financial participation for women all from the heart of Africa.🚀
We’re just getting started. Naija to the Empire State, let’s get it❤️
#HerVest #HerVestInNYC #FoundersView #womenintech #Africanfounders
FULL BLOODED ÌJẸ̀BÚ BIRTHDAY
DEACONESS OMOBOLA ASABI OSISANYA
Today, we celebrate a woman whose life has become a legacy of strength, sacrifice, wisdom, elegance, and unwavering faith.
At 70, Mama Holy Cross remains a symbol of resilience - a storyteller, mentor, prayer warrior, teacher, and matriarch whose impact continues to shape generations.
A woman whose words carry wisdom, whose presence commands warmth, and whose journey reflects grace through every season of life.
Happy 70th Birthday to an extraordinary woman
May your new chapter be filled with continued joy, peace, honour, and abundant blessings.
Happy Birthday, Mama Holy Cross. .
Celebrated by
Full Blooded Ìjẹ̀bú
Proudly Rooted. Globally Celebrated.
Ladies and Gentlemen...HER at 70! 😍😍😍
To many people, you are “Mama Holy Cross.”
To some, “Proprietress.”
To others, “Teacher.”
But to me? You are the greatest study in resilience. My prophet. My map. My biggest ally. My biggest buddy in love and out of it.
A prayer warrior.
A storyteller.
A nation builder.
A woman with endless one-liners, proverbs, bars, wisdom, and drama.
A woman who taught me very early that:
Breadwinning has no gender.
Education is dignity.
And hard work is holy.
And if I have even one-tenth of your courage, grit, generosity, and fire, then life has already been kind to me.
Happy Birthday to Mama Holy Cross. The Baby girl.
The original main character. ❤️
📸: @deronkeshittuphotography
Real gemstone jewels by @okutaiyebiye
An interesting conversation yesterday on #BusinessHub981 with Joy and special guest Solape Akinpelu.
Topic: Getting More Women Entrepreneurs Into The Investment Space.
Full video on YouTube - link in bio
❤️💙🤍
#Smooth981 #Business #Women #Entrepreneurs
I wake up to requests almost every day from people far and near.
“I’m hungry.”
“My children have not eaten.”
“Please help me with school fees.”
“Please send something.”
And honestly?
As much as I try to be charitable within my budget, I would be lying if I said it does not weigh on me sometimes.
Because the truth is, I didn't see my mom do that.
Yes, there were difficult seasons.
Seasons we borrowed money from people and even financial institutions. Imowo Microfinance Bank and the defunct Gateway Bank were her banks. I learnt building financial history from mom first hand. Everything must go through her cheques.
To her, borrowing with a repayment plan still carried more dignity than helplessness without effort.
Call it pride.
Call it ego.
Call it self-respect.
Whatever it is, my mother would rather bend than beg.
Till today, she fiercely protects her financial independence.
If my mother asks me for something, just know the matter has reached ground level 😭
Because that woman will exhaust every possible option before asking anybody for help.
Maybe that is why certain things unsettle me deeply in my work.
In gender finance work at Hervest, women seeking loans sometimes spend more time narrating the tragic history of men and heartbreak than explaining what the loan is actually for.
I understand but I often have to gently redirect the conversation:
“What exactly is the business model?”
“How will the funds be used?”
“Can we objectively assess repayment capacity?”
Because somewhere inside me, I carry my mother’s voice:
Work first.
Dignity first.
Agency first.
My mother has been a full-time educator for decades.
Yet alongside teaching, she has sold:
Clothes.
Shoes.
Palm oil.
Firewood.
Zobo.
Pure water.
(I will probably remember more products later)
As I type this, she is currently selling one multivitamin she strongly believes everybody on earth should buy.
Honestly, I do not fully understand the business model.
But my mother is convinced it will heal nations. Lmao
Whenever I tease her:
“Kí lẹ ń wá kiri gan-an?”
“What exactly are you chasing up and down like this?”
She always answers dramatically:
“Aìní owó, bàbá ìjàyà!”
Lack is the height of fear.
E je ko face e. O ti bere tie niyen
This is one of mum's popular statements. It would later mean a lot for me through the lows and ebbs of this thing called life.
Mom ran a school for the longest time post retirement from the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.
Now, if you are familiar with playschool and creches especially during morning drop-offs, the scene is a mesh of cries from toddlers being separated from their parents/carers for the first time or first few times.
While there are some who brace up after few minutes or hours sobbing to sleep on school nannies’ shoulders or in their cribs, there are some who just never stop crying. They will wail hoarse…throw physical tantrums…refuse to stay in the classrooms while they roam their withdrawal anxiety away.
At some point, my mum would look at them and say jokingly:
“O ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ tìẹ̀ niyẹn… ẹ jẹ́ ko face e.”
Loosely translated:
“This little one has started their own life journey already… leave them to face it.”
Beneath mom's humour was wisdom.
Life will test you.
Life will stretch you.
And the earlier you build resilience, courage, and the ability to face things head-on, the better for you.
I find myself repeating that line often these days, sometimes to myself, sometimes even to the little ones around me.
My mum is a character.
A joke factory.
A storyteller.
A woman with endless bars, wisdom, proverbs, and unforgettable one-liners.
And this month, our Amazon turns 70 💛
So I’m committing to sharing little lessons and memories from Mama Holy Cross all through this month.
God help me keep up the write ups.
Photographed by the absolute best and one of momma's daughters: @deronkeshittuphotography
Thank you for capturing her so elegantly.❤️
📸: @deronkeshittuphotography
💄: @beebee_makeover
The financial habits you build in your 20s shape the future you step into later.
👉Swipe through to read Esther’s story.
Ready to build your wealth? Download the HerVest app and start building your savings and investment plan today.
Click the link in bio!
#hervest #hereforher #financialgoals #financialplanning #womenandmoney
E je ko face e. O ti bere tie niyen
This is one of mum's popular statements.
A line that sounded funny growing up… but would later mean so much more to me through the highs, lows, twists, and ebbs of this thing called life.
Mom ran a primary and Junior High school for the longest time post retirement from the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.
If you are familiar with playschool and creches especially during morning drop-offs, the scene is a mesh of cries from toddlers being separated from their parents/carers for the first time or first few times.
While there are some who brace up after few minutes or hours sobbing to sleep on school nannies’ shoulders or in their cribs, there are some who just never stop crying. They will wail hoarse…throw physical tantrums…refuse to stay in the classrooms while they roam their withdrawal anxiety away.
At some point, my mum would look at them and say jokingly:
“O ti bẹ̀rẹ̀ tìẹ̀ niyẹn… ẹ jẹ́ ko face e.”
Loosely translated:
“This little one has started their own life journey already… leave them to face it.”
Beneath mum's humour was wisdom.
Life will test and stretch you.
The earlier you build resilience, courage, and the ability to face things head-on, the better for you.
I find myself repeating that line often these days, sometimes to myself, sometimes to people around me. Face it. Face it.
My mum is a character.
A joke factory.
A storyteller.
A woman with endless bars, wisdom, proverbs, and unforgettable one-liners.
And this month, our Amazon turns 70 ❤️😍😍😍
So I’m committing to sharing little lessons and memories from Mama Holy Cross all through this month.
God help me keep up the write ups.
Celebrating a gem. 💎
Video credit: Grandma's fave lil human. Miss Mo! 😍
There’s a different kind of growth that happens when you’re in the right circle.
The kind where you’re not second-guessing everything alone, but surrounded by women who support you, share opportunities, and grow with you.
That’s what the HerVest community is about.
Join the HerVest community today where women connect, learn, and grow together.
🔗 Click the link in bio!
#hervest #hereforher #hervestwomencommunity #womencommunity #womeninspiringwomen
1. Being ambitious.
2. Negotiating my worth.
3. Saying No to expenses misaligned with my goals
4. Talking about money openly.
5. Designing systems that prioritize financial access for women.
6. Prioritizing rest and recreation.
Which one can you relate to?
#solapeakinpelu #genderfinance #womenandwealth #womencan #womenleadership
