EXECUTION TURNS IDEAS INTO BUSINESSES
Dear Under 40 CEOs,
Planning is not the hard part. Most executives can map out where they want the business to go, but the real work begins with execution: the structure, clear priorities, measurable objectives, and timelines that force accountability to turn ambitions into progress.
This week, we’re talking about execution, leadership that builds systems beyond you, and the decisions that create markets where none existed before.
IWD MAGAZINE
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we are pleased to share our latest publication, the Under 40 CEOs IWD Magazine. This special edition features inspiring stories from remarkable women who have challenged limitations, built influence in their industries, and continue to create meaningful impact.
We invite you to explore the magazine and reflect on the powerful journeys captured within its pages. Please access the magazine here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14RFoqiRlvHmdN4BLfMn2y-VyXCYgURQb/view?usp=drive_link
IWD ATTENDEES: WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK
Thank you for being part of the Under 40 CEOs International Women’s Day Event – HERSTAGE 2026. 💜
Your feedback means a lot to us. Please take a moment to complete the short survey using the link below.
https://forms.gle/Cf7ZPB6wnwxEBRgB8
PLANS DON’T BUILD BUSINESSES. EXECUTION DOES.
Our Platinum member, Michael Ugwu, CEO of Freeme Digital, shares that sustainable growth comes from attaching smart objectives to every plan and committing to executing them consistently. Without clear objectives and discipline, strategy stays on paper, never becoming the business you envisioned.
Watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel.
LEADERSHIP IS NOT ABOUT BEING THE HERO
Leadership is not about dominating decisions or proving competence, but rather about creating an environment where stronger thinking, deeper expertise, and better execution can thrive beyond you. When everything starts and stops with one person, the business becomes fragile, and what feels like control is often a ceiling to growth.
The role of a leader evolves from doing to enabling, from speaking to listening, and from control to clarity. Your job is to curate talent, set direction, ask better questions, and build systems that outlive your daily presence. Don’t suffocate your business by trying to be everything to everyone; instead, build a culture where great people can run faster together than you ever could alone.
SHE CREATED A MARKET THAT DIDN’T EXIST
Maite Makgoba saw something missing in plain sight: African children growing up without seeing themselves in the toys they played with, with no representation, reflection, or stories that looked like them. She walked away from a respected military career and decided to build what didn’t yet exist: a brand, a market, and a new standard in the toy industry.
That decision came with risk, doubt, manufacturing challenges, retail barriers, and the pressure of proving that this vision could scale. What would you have done in her position?
Read how her story unfolded and how Momppy Mpoppy grew from an idea into an international brand in How We Made It in Africa Volume 2. Get the book here or at Rovingheights bookstores across Nigeria.
WOULD YOU RATHER?
Would you rather have a great product that nobody knows about, or an average product that everyone’s talking about?
🔴 Great product with weak marketing means slow growth where you rely on word of mouth and hope quality eventually spreads.
🔵 Average product with excellent marketing means fast traction, but retention becomes a problem when customers realise it’s overhyped.
The reality is that you need both, but if you had to choose one to start with, which would it be? Drop your answer and reasoning in the comments on our Instagram.
THIS IS WHAT OUR COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE
When one person wins, everyone celebrates with no ego and no competition, just people cheering each other on. Being part of Under 40 CEOs isn’t just about networking but about having a group of people who show up for you, where every milestone gets recognised and every win gets celebrated.
That’s the difference.
LEARNING RESOURCE FOR THE WEEK: SALES & MARKETING FOR BUSINESS GROWTH
You can’t improve what you don’t measure, and you can’t measure what you don’t understand.
Most African entrepreneurs are flying blind in sales because they don’t understand basic sales terminology. They don’t know their conversion rates, can’t calculate customer lifetime value, don’t track their close rate, and have no idea what their churn looks like. So they’re making decisions based on feelings instead of data.
Understanding key sales terms isn’t about sounding smart but about knowing which numbers to watch, what drives revenue, and where you’re losing money. When you know your conversion rate, you stop guessing why sales are low. When you understand customer lifetime value, you know how much to spend on acquisition. When you track the close rate, you know if your pitch works. When you monitor churn, you fix retention before it kills growth.
These are the foundation of every successful sales operation.
Ready to speak the language of sales and build systems that generate revenue? Enrol in Sales & Marketing for Business Growth. Link in bio.
WHAT’S NEXT?
This week, stop planning and start executing by building systems that work without you, making the decisions that create markets, and if you’re a woman building something that matters, registering for our International Women’s Day event. Execution is what turns ideas into businesses.
WHO WE ARE
Under 40 CEOs exists to connect Africa’s next generation of business leaders with the insights, community, and opportunities that accelerate growth.
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Until next week,
Under 40 CEOs
www.under40ceos.com
Building leaders for Africa’s future