Hi, I'm Adebanji Oluwatoni, I love tech, games, animals, nature and good energy. I would like to believe that I am a success story in light of what the expectations for me were. See, I've always been perceived as lazy, unserious and not smart. It's funny because this was true but only for the things I had no love for, but then I thought this was who I was as a person. I attended Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana and spent 6 years on a 4 years course/college degree (Political Studies). Why? because I just couldn't be passionate about what I did not love. I was the guy in the class everyone would point out as the failure in the future. Fast forward to now, I lead an amazing tech company GrowlyGo valued at over $2M and $18M+ in partnership value. It's amazing how everything changed when I met @Okoro Claire, the one person that believed in me when others didn't, even myself. She taught me to see the magic in myself and fight for the things I love, big surprise she's my partner here at GrowlyGo. I can say for sure my life would be entirely different if I didn't meet her. Who I am now is thanks to who I was then.
One key experience I've learnt about my 'journey' is that it's never a fixed path. At different stages in my life I've had different paths and each has been just as valid as the previous, just the same as I've had the taste for different kinds of food at different stages of my growth. The key point here is, explore and holding nothing back. You're not a label, you're multidimensional.
What were the biggest initial hurdles and how did you overcome them?
The biggest for me was (and is) the self-doubt. That voice in my head telling me I can't handle it, I'll fail, I'm not good enough or smart enough. I still face it every single day but what helps is to keep going. Just keep going into the darkness, that's where the gold is. If it scares you, that's where your growth is.
What books are you currently reading?
Seth Speaks, The Nature of personal reality (honestly every Seth book by JANE ROBERTS) is a good read. Warning: It challenges a lot of belief systems and ideas.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started?
That everything would be fine and I'm good enough (knowing it is one thing and believing it is another).
What advice would you give to an upcoming youth or talents locally and internationally?
YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH, SMART ENOUGH, EVERYTHING ENOUGH. You don't have to do a single thing to be good enough, you always are and it never changes. You are unique in all of existence and the entire universe would be 100% different if you did not exist. Follow your joy and the money will come. A lot of times your joy may seem silly but it's your joy for a reason, explore it, build it and watch the magic!