Ized Uanikhehi
Years in Tech
5
Current Role
Co-founder, TORA Africa
Core Skills
Product design, Product management, User interface + User Experience Design
Interview Date
14th December, 2018
Ized Uanikhehi is Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at TORA Africa. She is a graduate of Biochemistry, with 13 years post-college experience in marketing, who has spent the last 5 years changing the digital landscape through her work, using digital for advocacy and helping startups promote their businesses through digital. She has worked for and with multi-billion naira brands, international and local, developing and working on a number of creative digital and offline marketing strategies to propel their brands forward.
Personal Links
What experiences led you to technology and how did you develop the skills to compete in the industry?
Technology is the future. I was fascinated by marketing initially, turning skeptics into believers, technology via digital marketing just made it a global tool, from being able to affect those in my immediate environment to reaching people that I would ordinarily not be able to reach. I am intrigued by how fast paced it is, constantly evolving and changing and the rush to keep learning so one can keep up with all of it is the best part of being a tech-girl.
I networked, I read online, I went for classes, I swapped information with people who knew, I went for events, I read books that mattered. I still do every day, it is tech, you snooze, you will lose.
How has your background helped/differentiated you in the tech industry?
I am more driven. I am not fazed by a “NO,” or failures, I see those as “please take another route.” I do not like mediocrity or averages. Be the best you can be. Not necessarily for other people, so that at the end of the day you can sleep well knowing you gave it your all.
What advice would you give to women considering a career in technology? What do you wish you had known?
Network, Network, Network- In this industry, “Ubuntu” is critical. Alone you can go, but you won’t get far, together however, you will get very far. You can’t know everything and that is where your community is important in bringing you up to speed.