The Kraft | Podcast on RSS.com

The Kraft

by Emeka Okonkwo

Season 1

On smart engineering trade-offs, Mono’s bet on junior talent, and building resilient systems | Ahmad Alfawwaz Timehin (Software Engineering Manager, Mono)

Ahmad Alfawwaz Timehin has spent the last few years building—and rebuilding—the financial systems that power Mono’s infrastructure across Africa. In this conversation, he opens up about the hard trade-offs of engineering at a fast-paced startup, why Mono continues to bet on junior talent, and the qualities he looks for when hiring. We also get into the philosophy behind building resilient systems, how to cultivate taste as an engineer, the real value of mentorship, and the mindset shifts that accelerated his path from reverse engineer to engineering manager.

Product at Chowdeck: One of Nigeria’s fastest-growing delivery startups; local nuance, design leadership & the PM essentials | Precious Lamina (Head of Product, Chowdeck)

Precious Lamina is Head of Product at Chowdeck, where she’s obsessed with protecting one simple promise: open the app, order your food, and get out of the way. In this episode, we get into how her team runs a three-sided marketplace on hour-by-hour data, filters customer requests to solve root problems instead of quick fixes, and knows when to kill a shiny new feature that isn’t working. Precious also shares the design culture behind Chowdeck’s brand, what they’ve learned launching in Ghana, her path from agency designer to product leader, and why early-career builders should stop chasing visibility and focus on actually learning the work.

Marketing that shifts behavior and the “secret sauce” myth; on experimentation at speed, idea triage, and career proofing | Ugo Iwuchukwu (Head of Marketing, Bamboo)

Ugo Iwuchukwu has spent over a decade shaping the growth stories of brands like Helium Health and Bamboo, helping startups evolve into trusted names through sharp strategy, relentless experimentation, and storytelling that converts. In this conversation, he opens up about building Bamboo’s marketing engine from scratch, why good ideas have short shelf lives, and how to decide when to persist or pivot. We also dive into what makes influencer marketing in Nigeria “a hot mess,” why the best marketers obsess over execution, and how to build the courage — and preparation — to challenge ideas in a culture that often discourages it.

Design with regard for users, standards that hold you accountable; on product sense, filtering noise, and finding your signature style | Oyeleye Ogunsanya (Design Lead, Risevest; Mentor, ADPList)

Oyeleye Ogunsanya (widely known as Leye Connect) is a multidisciplinary designer and Head of Design at Risevest, where he shapes how thousands experience one of Africa’s most trusted wealth-building platforms. In this conversation, he shares why the best designs are “love letters” to users, how honesty accelerates growth, and why detaching ego from your work is essential. We dive into the phases of growth for designers: tracing and muscle memory, developing a distinct design style, how to filter signal from noise in feedback, and why long-term progress requires patience, curiosity, and intellectual honesty.

On strategy, ownership, playing the long game, and thinking beyond the code | Kolapo Kolawole (Senior Payment Operations Specialist, Rafiki; ex-Staff Engineer, Flutterwave)

Kolapo’s career has been anything but linear, starting in customer success at Flutterwave, moving through product and engineering, and now leading operations and strategy at NALA. In this conversation, he shares why he once took a pay cut to follow his passion, how cross-functional exposure prepared him to operate like a CEO, and the underrated skills—ownership, communication, and empathy—that set apart great operators and engineers. We also dive into what strategy actually means in a startup context, why curiosity beats clout, and how to invest in yourself to stay relevant in the age of AI.

Marketing with (and without) leadership buy-in, escaping the do-it-all trap, and grounding in data to earn trust | Lade Falobi (Fractional PMM; Creator, Marketing for Geeks)

Lade Falobi has built a career at the intersection of storytelling and strategy, shaping growth for early-stage B2B SaaS startups and running Marketing for Geeks, a newsletter trusted by thousands of marketers at companies like Google, PiggyVest, and Flutterwave. In this conversation, she shares lessons on balancing clarity and creativity in conversion marketing, earning leadership trust through small wins, and navigating the chaos of “everyone has an idea” marketing teams. We also dive into her philosophy on intentional career building, why junior marketers should master clarity of thought, and how building in public can accelerate both growth and confidence.

Taste vs. skill gaps, and the mindset of mastery; on design leadership, AI tools, and working better with engineers | Dumebi Iwuchukwu (Head of Design, Stears; Mentor, ADPList; ex-Big Cabal Media)

Dumebi Iwuchukwu, Head of Design at Stears, has built a career at the intersection of craft, taste, and business impact—shaping design for global brands, startups, and media companies across Africa. In this conversation, he unpacks how taste works as aesthetic judgment, why care and attention to detail are his biggest hiring green flags, and the role of critique in raising your own creative bar. We also explore how to work better with engineers, avoid over-reliance on AI, and stay energized on long-term products. Along the way, Dumebi shares his unconventional path from radiography to design leadership, the non-technical skills that elevate creative careers, and why joy is a quiet superpower in collaborative work.

PM mindsets & skills, what our education system needs, and building a culture of excellence | Ope Bukola (EdTech leader; ex-Kibo, Google, Amplify)

Ope Bukola has spent over a decade building products that open doors to knowledge and opportunity—from leading Google Classroom’s growth to over 40 million monthly users to founding Kibo School, an online university offering accredited computer science degrees to African students. In this conversation, she shares practical lessons from leading teams in both startups and big tech, her favorite product philosophies, and hard-won insights on testing ideas, knowing when to pivot, and aiming for world-class standards. We also dive into why writing is a superpower for clarity and leadership, and what it really takes to excel as a new PM today.

Welcome to The Kraft

Conversations with senior professionals on the mindsets, mental models, and systems behind how they work and lead, to help you grow stronger in your own craft.