Posts tagged Entrepreneurship

Kintrace Merch Has Landed!

Stuff

Where to begin? First off, a huge shoutout to the talented designers at Greyscale Design Co., led by Jide Akinlabi – they did an absolute madness with the brand identity! I still remember the excitement when I first saw the logo; it instantly stood out from the pack.

Now, seeing it on the merch, I’m convinced we made the right choice. The design just pops!

See if you can interpret the logo. There are at least two visual representations in it—Bonus points if you get the third one that recently emerged (because good things always work in 3’s 😉).

Special thanks to my friend CAN LIAO for making this happen. Your support means the world!

Also, I’m thrilled to say that 2025 is off to a flyer – exciting things are already in motion, and the Kintrace journey is just getting started. 🚀

Stay tuned for more updates from the Kintrace community. Let’s make this year unforgettable!

2024 LinkedIn Rewind by Coauthor

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In 2024, I discovered that reinvention isn’t just about changing direction – it’s about having the courage to bring your whole story.

When I shared my story about having a “toxic relationship with entrepreneurship” early this year, I didn’t expect it to become a transformation catalyst. Yet here we are, with Kintrace officially incorporated and a community of 3,000+ followers joining our mission to ensure no story is lost.

Key moments that shaped our journey:

→ Successfully completed the Communitech Startup Bootcamp
→ Spoke at the 1st UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit
→ Advanced through the MBET program at the University of Waterloo
→ Built Kintrace from concept to incorporated company
→ Grew LinkedIn community by 150% (mostly on days when nothing seemed to happen)

Three posts that resonated deeply with our community:

“Toxic Relationship with Entrepreneurship”
On the courage to start again in a new country
“After over a decade of hard work, I was exhausted. I felt like I had little to show for it regarding success…”
https://lnkd.in/gGPtC8sR

“Loss, Love, and Legacy”
On honoring my father’s memory through purposeful work
“My father was the embodiment of integrity, compassion, and strength…”
https://lnkd.in/gGNK7MG9

“KintraceAI is Now Officially Incorporated!”
On persistence leads to momentum
“Through consistency, I managed to grow by over 150% followers this year…”
https://lnkd.in/g6AM9dpf

Looking ahead: 2025 is about scaling Kintrace’s impact while staying true to our mission – helping families preserve their stories and cultural heritage. We’re not just building a platform; we’re creating a legacy.

To every immigrant carrying their story across borders, to every entrepreneur rebuilding after setbacks, and to my father whose legacy guides every step – our stories matter. They deserve to be preserved, shared and celebrated.

Join us: www.kintrace.ai

Exciting Updates Ahead

Life

I’ve got a couple of updates to share!

✨ KintraceAI is now officially incorporated! Whoop whoop! 🎉

Yesterday, we reached out to 75 of our earliest supporters, those who’ve helped shape our product with invaluable feedback. Your input has been crucial, and we’re so grateful for your support!

Now, let’s dive into something I’ve been reflecting on: Has my LinkedIn activity paid off? 🤔

At first, I said “Yes” without hesitation, but I decided to back it up with data. Here’s what I found:

📈 I’m about to hit 3,000 followers (up from 2,994 when I started drafting this post). While that might not sound huge, over 1,200 followers joined this year alone, averaging 100 new followers per month.

What’s fascinating? Most days, I gained zero followers. But through consistent posting, I grew by 150% this year, proving that persistence pays off.

This mirrors the entrepreneurial journey, with lots of ups and downs, but with steady effort, growth is inevitable.

But beyond the numbers, LinkedIn has opened incredible doors for me:
🌍 A private conversation with the Chief Brand Officer of one of the world’s most valuable companies, a surreal moment.
🎯 Found a reliable assistant after years of struggling with recruitment. A true game-changer.

Here’s the kicker: I’m not a LinkedIn guru. I’ve simply committed to posting at least once a week (sometimes more, sometimes less). Imagine if I developed an actual strategy. That’s definitely on my 2025 to-do list.

So, yes, LinkedIn has brought both quantitative and qualitative benefits. Thank you to my 3,000+ followers for being part of this amazing journey. Here’s to the next 3,000 and beyond!

🚀 Join our waitlist if you haven’t already: www.kintrace.ai

Graduation Day

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After an incredible 6 weeks, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve completed the Communitech #StartupBootcamp! The journey concluded with Storytelling Pitches to an amazing panel of experts:

  • Steve Currie, VP at Graphite Ventures
  • Andrew Moss, Founder of Circle of Impact Community
  • Ellen Johnson, Founder Success Manager, Communitech
  • Matthew Robertson, Director of Capital Services, Communitech

From pitching KintraceAI at the University of Waterloo (8 pitches, 10 minutes each) to this 3-minute, no-slides challenge. I’ve grown immensely (even if I went 6 seconds over 👀).

The bootcamp was a game-changer, thanks to:
✅ Top-notch programming and curriculum
✅ Brilliant growth coaches and advisors
✅ Unparalleled support from Communitech

Special thanks to Angela Bruce and Justine Leblanc for their stellar leadership, and to my incredible cohort—you’ve set the bar high!

💡 Can’t wait for our January pitch event with family and friends. Stay tuned!

Here’s to building community and pushing boundaries. Here’s to Communitech! 🙌

A Lesson from My Morning Routine

Life Stuff

My grooming routine every morning usually involves combing out my hair first, followed by applying hair mousse and finally using a Big Twist Sponge to achieve the Afro Curl Coil.

As I carried out the routine this morning, I noticed my almost 4-year-old son by my side waiting for school drop. As he watched, he had a comment for each process. For the first one, it was “Daddy I like your hair”. For the second one, “Daddy what is that and why apply so much”. I had a response ready for each of his questions up to this point, but nothing prepared me for the last one, “Daddy why are you scattering your hair?”

I mean, he just passed a compliment when he saw me comb it out, only to watch in horror as I scattered the same hair 🤦‍♂️

This brings me to the why of this post. During a recent class at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, one of the professors Dean Pacey talked about the concept of #creativedestruction. Being someone who is fascinated by paradoxes, I found this very interesting. Even more so when he shared an example of its use – during Steve’s Jobs second stint at Apple, which ultimately turned the fortunes of the company around, making it the most valuable company in the world.

The more I explored, the more I found it relatable to my professional journey up to this point – First it was Design, then Photography, then Branding, then Advertising, then Websites and Digital Marketing, then Events, then Software Development. Today I’m embracing Sales. The outcome for me is that each iteration sets you up for innovation.

So I’m curious about why more companies are not open to adopting a concept that could exponentially change their outlook. Could it be fear? comfort? or just having their head in the sand. Let me know in the comments section.

Just in case you’re wondering what I told my son, let’s just say that I told him the truth. That was his first lesson in Creative Destruction 😎

 

Retired, not tired

Food Life Stuff Travel

As a toddler, if you had asked me what my mum did for a living, I probably would have mouthed “cake” and I wouldn’t have been far from the truth. You see, the earliest images I had of my mum were rather doughy, not the money kind though. I’m talking lots of flour, butter, eggs, milk, nutmeg and baking powder. Read More