Ever wondered what it’s really like to go through an Orange Corners incubation or acceleration programme? We can try to prepare you, but it’s probably even better to hear it from those who did it before you. Chuks Oteke, a recent graduate from our Orange Corners Nigeria programme, shared his experiences on LinkedIn. We didn’t want to withhold his beautiful evaluation, as this is exactly the kind of experience we’re aiming for.
“The longest six months of my life” – By Chuks Oteke
I was surprised when I was selected to join cohort 9 of the Orange Corners Nigeria incubation programme. I didn’t think I had it in me when I applied, I just poured out my heart and sent in my application like I always do for programmes like this.
I’m still surprised I was selected, because when I went in for the bootcamp I met 29 brilliant minds doing amazing things in various spaces. The amazing thing about their business ideas was how they’ve been able to leverage tech to deliver value. I knew I was in the right space because this entrepreneurship thing can be very lonely most times. I was so happy I was selected, but I didn’t really know that the programme was going to stretch me. It felt like I went back to school.
The courses were intense, the schedule was very strict and tight. It was a mix of physical and virtual classes and we also had a couple of industry visits to Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sterling Bank and the Netherlands Consulate here in Nigeria. We had a well-grounded curriculum in business and entrepreneurship from business model canvas, to corporate governance, to financial modeling, human resource management to even content creation and storytelling. ‘My head is currently hot’ because the knowledge I’ve gained in just six months feels like six years of business school.
I now have a well put together business plan for my business and a clear road map to sustainable manufacturing. I’ve been mentored by the best minds in the entrepreneurship space. The most interesting part is the friends I’ve made – my network is now stronger than ever. Now that class has ended I miss seeing them every week😭😭😭😭😭.
And to crown it all, I came out of the programme with a prize. I still don’t believe it!
Special thanks to Orange Corners for this initiative.
