Please can you introduce yourself and what you currently do?

My name is Joel Okpapi and currently, I am a Product Manager at Es Solo Holdings Ltd, an international fintech company. Their headquarters in Africa is in Abuja.

Interesting, you did a course with Utiva, which is Product Design. 

Have you been able to gain any experience in that field?

Yes, I have.

When I enrolled with Utiva in 2020, during the Covid era. I took that time for personal development. I enrolled in the product school, and everything I have learned from then till now has continued to be useful to me. Even as a product manager now, I have a sharper eye for product design.

In my session with the design team, I was able to pick out points that other team members can’t see because of what I learned at Utiva in 2020.

So you have two skills, product management, and product design, and you have been applying both effectively, how easy is that?

It is fun because they are related. When it comes to product management and product design, we are talking about pain points and empathy, we are talking about seeing the product from the customer's perspective, both of them complement each other, and as a product manager, you have an edge if you understand product design. 

And as a product designer, with your basic understanding, you also have an edge when it comes to building a product that meets customers' satisfaction. So both of them are complementary.

That sounds interesting, I noticed you have worked in lots of startups, can you tell us your experience and how it has helped you in your new place of employment?

Yes! 100% Actually, because I spent close to 9 years in Nigerian startups, it gave me depth and good experience as an entrepreneur. So looking back I just combine all these experiences into one and I think it has given me a better idea.

When it comes to being an employee, most people think it’s just a bed of roses, ice cream, and all. But, from my background, I can see what employers face and what they go through. I have been able to see the part of an employer and the part of an employee.

This has helped me take my job seriously, and it has helped me to be focused. When I am given a task, I do it quickly because I don’t want the business to lose money and also I don’t want to be ineffective.

All of this experience from where I started till now has helped me. 

Now I am a better individual, a better tech person, and I have a better understanding of the industry because of my past.

That’s an interesting one, do you have a background in tech before applying to Utiva’s product design program? 

I wasn’t blank coming into tech, I studied computer science and ICT in school, and I had the basic background. Still, I needed direction and Utiva started it for me professionally. There was information overload on the internet but Utiva gave me the clarity and precision I sought for.

What has largely motivated you over the years, for you to keep moving? What is your motivation?

My passion to see things take form and the impact they will have has been my greatest motivation. There is a joy I have when I see what I have worked on come to life.

That’s quite insightful, you have come a long way. What are your plans for the future?

I have a plan for an e-commerce startup in the near future. Hopefully, I can float this company and it can make the impact I plan for it to make.

 Thank you so much for your time, I appreciate you coming through, any final words?

When it comes to tech, people should not be scared. I have heard people saying 'It’s not for me, I am too old.' But, it’s not true. Some people say they don’t have the tools like a laptop.

I learned how to code using my phone, my Nokia Communicator, those days, I think if you remember it opens in the middle. I got my first car from coding, designing websites. The excuse of being old should not even exist.

With the way things are going, my best advice is that you come into tech, and learn how to do something. You don't have to always code. There are other fields like product management, product design, there’s quality assurance, there’s copywriting. There are lots of things you can do so there are no excuses.

Come into tech, learn, Utiva is here. Maximize what you have now and see how it turns out in the future. The future is tech and now we are in the future already, so no excuses.

Joel is a certified product manager with a background in software development. He is a Computer Science graduate with working experience in E-commerce - (B2B, B2C, Retail), Fintech (Payments, Lending), Agile Software Development, and Product Design-UI/UX). 

As a product manager, he keeps the interest of his stakeholders topmost on his list of priority list.

Connect with Joel on LinkedIn here