Being expelled from Paystack as the co-founder is not the end of fintech.
Life happens. You do not always expect things to go as planned. Being a co-founder of a fintech unicorn is not a walk in the park. It comes with its pressure and deliverables. If you did not meet up, you have failed. In life, you deserve whatever comes to you. You have earned the co-founder label. You have earned the expulsion, too.
On the one hand
The following ousted founders and co-founders deserved what they got. Whatever they got came through internal conflicts, ethical issues, and market pressures. Steve Jobs. Travis Kalanick [Uber]. Jack Dorsey [Twitter]. Andrew Mason [Groupon]. Some, like Jobs and Dorsey, made triumphant comebacks. Others moved on. Created something bigger.
On the other hand
Entrepreneur.com reported that Elon Musk dismissed his Tesla CEO and co-founder, Martin Eberhard. American Apparel’s Dov Charney was fired for inappropriate behaviour and sexual misconduct. Ezra Olubi was expelled from Paystack as the co-founder.
In the long term
If I were Ezra, I would take a retreat and come back rejuvenated. Face the world anew. Develop an excellent product that will not compete with Paystack but outclass it. Pitch it to discerning venture capitalists. I will build a top-tier product. For instance, if Paystack builds rail tracks, I will pave the sky with concrete. I would not compete in the same market.
If I were Ezra, I would create my own niche and nurture it. Remember, living well is the best revenge. I will not pursue a legal action against Paystack. It is draining. I will not hold a grudge. It is unprofitable. Instead, I will focus on my work. I will recruit a talented team to complement me. I am a priest. If one of them is an LGBTQ funder, oho, super. If not, no worries. Bring strawberries. As an eccentric, I would release my intellectual capacity. A passion for learning. I will learn about many subjects. Go to Harvard for a year. Enrol at MIT for a three-month course. Find the right connection. Get into the venture capitalist networks. Bury my head. Emerge anew.
If I were Ezra, I would take the expulsion on the chin and roll with it. I will extract the positive from the negative. After all, being expelled from Paystack as a co-founder will not be the end of fintech for me. It is the beginning. Life is not about perfection. It is about progress. I will keep moving forward. I will choose my companions carefully. I will continue to excel. I will be me. E.Z.R.A.
If I were Ezra, I would not exit the fintech ecosystem. I would choose to dominate it unusually. There are many areas needing innovation outside of the payment system. That will be the job description of my eccentric team. When I find it, fintech will not be the same again. As Ezra, the priest and a scribe who re-enacted Jewish law among the Jews, I will re-enact fintech!
In the short term
Unfortunately, I am not Ezra Olubi. That is how life rolls.
*Olaegbe ([email protected])
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