What do you do when you’re unsure of your next career move?
If you’re Adedoyin Jaiyesimi, you create The Comms Avenue — a thriving Pan-African community of over 1,700 communications professionals across 35 African countries.
The Comms Avenue is now the biggest community and go-to ecosystem for African communicators seeking mentorship, resources, and a seat at the table.
She has hosted 8 cohorts of her Comms Mentorship Programme and trained top-tier organizations across the continent, and now she’s gearing up for the first of its kind, The Comms Mentorship Conference.
She recently published ‘A is for Audacity’, a deeply personal book for anyone who’s ever wondered if courage can coexist with uncertainty.
Adedoyin is real proof that alignment, not applause, is the real metric of success, and she talks about it in the interview below.
First of all, congratulations on all the incredible work you’re doing with The Comms Avenue. It has become a hugely respected and recognized platform for Comms Professionals in Africa and beyond. How did that journey start?
The journey started after I shut down my brand communications agency in 2019. I found myself in a transition period and I wasn’t quite clear about what was next for me. As a result, I also did not know what to post on LinkedIn which I had been using actively to promote my work.
Since I didn’t have any new client projects to showcase, in January 2020 I decided to share behind the scenes content from work that I did in the past. As I posted about the things that didn’t work so well and the lessons that I learnt from the different projects, that content began to gain traction. There were several comments and DMs from people asking me questions about similar challenges they were facing.
I realized people wanted answers and since I didn’t have all the answers, I decided to put up a post asking if people would be interested in attending a brunch event where Comms and PR professionals could come together, share their experiences and challenges and get the answers they needed.
It turned out that people were interested and the plan was for the event to happen in March but the pandemic happened and the world went into lockdown mode. After some time of prayer, I followed the nudge to pivot that brunch event idea into a professional community for communications professionals and that’s pretty much how The Comms Avenue started.
Still on TCA – why communications in particular, and why the African continent as a launch pad. What problems were you looking to solve?
Through TCA, our goal is to equip the now and emerging generation of communications professionals with the knowledge, tools and resources they need to be high-performing professionals. We are focusing on communications because it is central to the success of any organisation. It is difficult for any organisation, institution or nation to build trust without communication. And without trust, there will be no license to operate.
We’ve started with Africa as our launch pad because first of all, we are proudly African. Secondly and perhaps most importantly, I strongly believe that communicators will play a crucial role in the national transformation that we desire to see within nations across the continent. Communicators are needed to craft a unified narrative for the African continent and to shape, influence and amplify powerful, homegrown stories, campaigns and policies.
I imagine that building TCA would have come with some very unique challenges, care to share what some of them are?
Yes, we’ve had several challenges along the way. When we first started in 2020, funding was a big challenge. We had to self-fund our activities and operations because it was difficult to get people to buy-into the vision. We frequently got feedback that what we were doing was too niche but we were convinced that there was a need. This conviction kept us going even when the burden of the vision became quite heavy.
We also had to deal with getting senior industry experts to come on board as mentors and resource persons. I pretty much had to send hundreds of DMs to senior professionals I did not know on LinkedIn and convince them to spend their time sharing their knowledge with our community members or become a mentor for our Comms Mentorship Programme. There were many no’s and many who didn’t respond but I am very grateful to all the senior professionals who gave us a yes.
Now let’s talk about the milestones and the wins. What impactful and meaningful moments have come from building TCA?
There have been so many impactful and meaningful moments over the last five years but for me, the biggest wins and milestones have come from our Comms Mentorship Programme (CMP).
We started the CMP in August 2020 because we spotted a mentorship gap within the African communications industry. Thanks to the conversations within the community, we had real insights on how young professionals desired and needed guidance from senior experts. We decided to provide a solution and we designed a mentorship model that we believed would make a huge difference across the continent.
Launching the pilot of the CMP was tough but we kicked off with eight mentees and six mentors. Today, over 400 young African professionals have been mentored by 300 senior professionals from within and outside the continent. And the stories of growth and transformation have been exceptional. Young professionals have received clarity, direction and support from the CMP and seeing the difference it has made to their career journeys is a big win for us. And the fact that we have implemented eight successful batches of the CMP is a huge milestone for us.
Another win is having the opportunity to collaborate with global organisations to develop resources and specialised programmes and events for African communications programmes. So far, we’ve collaborated with Luminate, Mastercard Foundation, Meta, Wimbart, Dalberg Media and we’re looking forward to collaborating with more organisations and agencies within and outside the continent as we amplify our footprint of impact
You’re a woman of many hats. Asides TCA, facilitating, leading and designing high-impact communications trainings, what else do you do?
Yes, I’m a woman of many hats. Aside from TCA and that high-impact communications training I so, I also provide communications advisory to organizations and business leaders across the continent. What that involves is advising them on strategy and providing counsel on proposed plans and emerging corporate issues.
In addition, I am also a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute For Internal Communication Africa (IFICA) and the Africa Board of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) where I play my role to influence and advocate for best practices in strategic communications among practitioners and within organisations across the continent.
Finally, I also do things that people would describe as ministry. In many ways, I support people to fulfill their God-given purpose and understand their true identity in God.
In a few weeks, your organization is hosting the first ever Comms Mentorship Conference. Who is it for, and what sort of convening will it be?
The Comms Mentorship Conference is essentially a gathering for young communicators where they can receive answers to pressing career questions and gain professional guidance from senior industry experts. Although we’re calling it a Conference, it’s pretty much an experience sharing, knowledge exchange and networking event.
So, we want young professionals across Africa to attend, connect with industry experts and receive information for their professional success that isn’t widely available. We also want to provide them with access to books, resources and membership with global professional associations.
My desire is that young professionals from across the continent will leverage this Conference to get clarity about what working in this sector entails and build their confidence with regards to their ability to deliver the superior results within the organisations and agencies they work with.
Still on work, What inspires you to do the work you do Adedoyin? What is your “Why” in this world?
Honestly, my why is driven by my faith in God. Everything that I do, I do from a place of conviction that this is what God wants me to do per time, and that gives me the courage to go ahead, especially in the tough seasons.
I am very clear about the fact that everything I do in my career must be in alignment with God’s purpose for my life and this helps me to have a sense of direction. It guides my interactions, it guides the work that I do, and it continues to help me to maintain that sense of purpose in everything I do.
You refer to yourself as an “Avant-Garde” Missionary – what does that mean and how does that show up in your work?
Being an avant-garde missionary means being able to showcase the love, glory and excellency of God everywhere I go.
When you think about a missionary in the traditional sense of the word, you think about someone who goes into rural communities to tell people about the love of God. So for me, every platform — whether it’s in South Africa, Dubai, or the United Kingdom — is an opportunity for me to exemplify and show forth the excellency of God through the work I do, through the strategies I create, and through the impact I’m able to make.
So, how it shows up in my work is the sustained commitment to excellence which involves going the extra mile to ensure that I deliver quality work. And when people ask me, “How do you create your strategies? How do you do this or how do you do that?” I can show them my process which involves praying, asking God for direction, and co-creating with the Holy Spirit.
What is your idea of fun, and what do you do to unwind?
My idea of fun is anything that helps me to relax, unplug and introspect. I really like to unwind by connecting with nature which involves going for long walks in parks, especially when I’m outside Nigeria. I also unwind by going to the spa, having solo lunches or staycations where I can just be in solitude, listen to my own voice, and get proper rest. I know this is not the general idea of fun, but anything that helps me to chill and reflect is high on my ‘fun’ list.
Let’s talk about your new forthcoming book ‘A is for Audacity.’ What is it focused on and why should we read it?
My latest book, A is for Audacity, is a collection of my faith stories from my journey with God. It’s a book that encourages people to take audacious steps of faith. Many times, people come to me and say, “Adedoyin, you’ve done audacious things, you’re very bold, you’re very courageous.” But when I look at the things they’re making reference to, I didn’t feel courageous in those moments. In fact, a lot of the time, I felt uncertain and even scared. Despite the fear, I chose to take my baby steps of faith and even in times where it seemed like all hope was lost, I just kept moving.
So, A is for Audacity pretty much demystifies what audacity is. Audacity is not just about the big moments. It’s about taking the first step. It’s about stepping out of the boat and walking on water, trusting God every step of the way, and seeing things come together at the end of the day.
My desire is for this book to inspire faith in people, especially people who sense that God is calling them to do big things and they really cannot draw a straight line from where they currently are to where they believe God is calling them to be.
It appears that your faith is central to a lot of how you show up in life – is that a deliberate or intentional approach? And if so, why?
Yes, my faith is a very central part of how I show up in life. I have not been that person that compartmentalizes Adedoyin that goes to church, Adedoyin at home or Adedoyin at work. I don’t know how to cope with that. So, I do my best to show up as the same Adedoyin in every sphere and every area of my life, and I carry God into those different areas. It’s a very deliberate and intentional approach because God is at the foundation of who I am as a person and as a professional.
In many ways, I see myself as God’s ambassador on earth and in the marketplace and so, I want people to know that it is a good thing to believe in and have faith in God, especially as we’re increasingly living in a world where people find it easy to downplay the important role that God plays in our lives.
What does leadership mean to you, and how do you show up as a leader?
Leadership means service. It means being able to guide and positively influence people in a particular direction. As a leader, I always try to show up with a mindset of service and a deep sense of purpose because leadership is a privilege. For everyone that I have the opportunity to lead, it is important to me that they become better versions of themselves as a result of my leadership. So, I am intentional about providing the required mentorship and guidance.
I also show up confidently and authentically because sometimes as a female leader, there are many voices trying to tell you what kind of leader you should be to fit into the mold they have created. Finally, I show up with consistency. I don’t believe in being a good person outside and being a horrible person to those you lead. So, I have to show up consistently in how I engage with and honour people.
If you could sit down with your 18 year old self, what would you say to her?
If I could sit down with my 18-year-old self, I would say, “Adedoyin, just relax. Everything is under control. Life is not going to fall apart. You are on a good path. Yes, things are going to be rough. You’re going to question a lot of things, but truly, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
All of the doubting and second-guessing that you find yourself doing is actually going to lift, and a more confident and bolder version of yourself is going to emerge. Don’t be limited and constrained by the weight of people’s expectations and opinions. You’re going to do amazing things across Africa despite the negative voices, something that you didn’t dream about.
Adedoyin, you are strong, you are capable, you are beautiful, and you are destined for great things.”
Any last words for any girls or younger women trying to find their place in a world that doesn’t always give them the blueprint?
First of all, you have a purpose here on earth, so please do not accept or define yourself by the labels of the world and society.
Every dream you have is valid and important. Just because you have a dream and someone has never done it before does not mean that you cannot do it. So, do not be limited or constrained by the expectations or the failures of those who may have gone ahead of you or those around you.
Please believe in the power of your dreams. Believe in your vision and trust in God to bring every dream to life. You may not have a clear blueprint, but if you keep going, God will show you the way, and you will create the blueprint that will help other people to find their own place in the world too. I am rooting for you!
