This Investor Who Has Seen 500M+ in Deals Explains Why Startups Shouldn't Take VC | Nichole Yembra

This Investor Who Has Seen 500M+ in Deals Explains Why Startups Shouldn't Take VC | Nichole Yembra

Nichole Yembra is a force of nature in the African tech ecosystem. As a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and an Obama Foundation Leader, she has overseen over $500 million in capital raises and fostered the growth of giants like Flutterwave and Max. In this deep-dive interview on Found Connect, Nichole shares the raw, unfiltered reality of what it takes to build, fail, and scale in Nigeria and beyond.Nichole discusses her transition from a high-flying career at EY in Atlanta and Brazil to becoming the "Chief Problem Solver" in Lagos. She opens up about the "Mamba Mentality" she adopted from Kobe Bryant—a relentless, competitive drive that pushed her to leave her comfort zone and redefine success. She explains why she dropped "loyalty" as a top value after facing a betrayal that forced her to start from scratch, and why she now prioritizes authenticity and curiosity above all else.This conversation goes beyond business metrics. Nichole talks about the physiological nature of emotions, the "cognitive loneliness" of leadership, and the power of female friendships. She breaks down why most businesses are actually not "venture-backable" and provides a masterclass for founders on the importance of timing, execution, and customer money over investor funding. Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, an investor, or someone looking for the motivation to "craft your life," this episode is packed with gems.From her early days as a "terrible child" jumping gates in Lagos to building 143—a wellness and Pilates sanctuary—Nichole’s story is one of evolution. Learn how she balances being a mother of twins, a managing partner, and a creative spirit while maintaining a deep sense of gratitude and peace in the chaos of Nigeria. Subscribe to Found Connect for more stories of the founders shaping Africa’s future.Timestamps00:00 - Intro03:38 - Growing up as a creative and competitive child in Lagos06:01 - A childhood lesson on earning money and honesty10:51 - Turning 39 and the legacy of her mother12:11 - Why being in Nigeria is more liberating than the US14:42 - Breaking down core values: Freedom and Authenticity20:43 - The Mamba Mentality: How Kobe Bryant influenced her drive22:54 - The mindset of greatness vs. mediocrity33:25 - Moving back to Nigeria36:34 - Building Greenhouse Lab and the Google partnership37:42 - The truth about raising your first $1M in Africa43:55 - Why Venture Capital often "makes no sense"56:29 - What Chrysalis Capital actually does for companies1:07:02 - Transitioning into the wellness industry with 1431:11:15 - Losing everything and starting over from scratch1:20:47 - The Trust Equation: Competence, Reliability, and Authenticity1:26:19 - The importance of ambitious female friendships

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What Nobody Tells You About Building a Fintech in Nigeria | Babatunde Akin-Moses of Sycamore NG

What Nobody Tells You About Building a Fintech in Nigeria | Babatunde Akin-Moses of Sycamore NG

What does it actually take to build a fintech company in Nigeria for five years with almost no visibility, no big splash, and no shortcut — and still come out standing?Babatunde Akin-Moses had a plan....

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He Turned an MIT Class Project Into One of Africa's Most Ambitious Bets on Transportation | Adetayo Bamiduro of MAX.ng

He Turned an MIT Class Project Into One of Africa's Most Ambitious Bets on Transportation | Adetayo Bamiduro of MAX.ng

What does it actually take to build one of Africa's most ambitious infrastructure companies from scratch and keep building through a regulatory shutdown, a global pandemic, and a currency collapse tha...

23 Touko 1h 1min

This Is How a Multipotentialite Builds an Empire Without Losing Her Mind, Her Health, or Integrity | Adaora Mbelu on Founders Connect

This Is How a Multipotentialite Builds an Empire Without Losing Her Mind, Her Health, or Integrity | Adaora Mbelu on Founders Connect

She once walked into Badagry, found Babas with trucks parked on the side of the road, convinced twelve of them to show up at a location in Surulere for an inspection — and won a contract she had no eq...

19 Touko 1h 44min

Paystack, Piggyvest, Moniepoint — The Investor Behind Africa's Biggest Exits Tells All | Kola Aina

Paystack, Piggyvest, Moniepoint — The Investor Behind Africa's Biggest Exits Tells All | Kola Aina

What does it actually take to back Africa's most consequential companies — and what does it cost you personally to get there? Kola Aina is the founder and managing partner of Ventures Platform, the fu...

12 Touko 1h 52min

How to Invest Through Inflation, Clear Debt and Still Build Wealth : A Financial Masterclass

How to Invest Through Inflation, Clear Debt and Still Build Wealth : A Financial Masterclass

What does it actually cost to build wealth in Nigeria right now — when purchasing power is shrinking, the Naira is under pressure, and the standard financial advice was written for a completely differ...

5 Touko 1h

Grief, Growth and $4.4M: What Five Years of Showing Up Really Looks Like for a Nigerian Founder

Grief, Growth and $4.4M: What Five Years of Showing Up Really Looks Like for a Nigerian Founder

Kelvin saves his name in people's phones as "Kelvin Bumpa." Not as a stunt. Not as a branding exercise. It is just what happens when you spend five years pouring yourself so completely into something ...

27 Huhti 1h 24min

Paul Onwuanibe on Building a $150M Empire: The Secret Most African Founders Will Never Know!

Paul Onwuanibe on Building a $150M Empire: The Secret Most African Founders Will Never Know!

Send money with Sendwave from the US, UK and Canada to Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana. Fast and easy. Use the code FoundersConnect when you make your first transfer from the US, UK, or Canada to Nigeria or...

22 Huhti 1h 48min

How Olumide Akintola Built Three Completely Different Business Models for Three African Markets

How Olumide Akintola Built Three Completely Different Business Models for Three African Markets

What does it actually take to go from walking Ibadan markets in sandals - because your shoe size didn't exist in Nigeria — to scaling a brand to 800,000 customers while spending less than 30% of your ...

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