Introducing Ladi Ayoola

Ladi Ayoola has witnessed many sides of life and business in his 32 years – experiences that have shaped his relationship with money and his financial priorities.

Today Ladi, A Wharton School MBA, lives in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. with his wife Mosun Ayoola, and he works at Visa, managing revenue optimization, marketing, cost optimization, and operations for various clients. He and Mosun, both with steady jobs and incomes, are growing roots in their new community and preparing to start a family together, excited for the future.

Ladi has had a fascinating journey to stability, beginning with his humble childhood in a simple neighborhood of Lagos, Nigeria in Africa. After the passing of his mother, he and his five siblings were raised by his father in a modest apartment. As is often the practice in Nigeria, Ladi’s father supported an extended family in the community – and Ladi’s neighbors also helped to raise him.

While a lower-middle-class upbringing limited Ladi’s opportunities, his father’s strong work ethic and the family’s belief in education were powerful motivators. He and his siblings excelled academically, earning scholarships to attend university. Ladi graduated at the top of his class from the University of Lagos with a degree in electrical engineering, and he also discovered a passion for entrepreneurship.

Ladi first brought his entrepreneurial mindset to big business, joining Procter & Gamble’s sales team as an analyst after college and working his way up to senior marketing manager. He developed and implemented million-dollar advertising strategies for six consumer-goods brands in sub-Saharan Africa – and he was hooked. Business was the best fit for this success-driven engineer.

In 2020 Ladi was accepted into the MBA program at the Wharton School, where he was a McNulty Leadership Fellow. McNulty Leadership fellowships provide intensive, year-long experiences for students to develop through action and reflection in service roles at Wharton, the surrounding community, and worldwide. He graduated in 2022 with dual majors in operations, information and decisions, and entrepreneurship and innovation – and new ideas about pursuing a career that balanced achievement with personal fulfillment and giving back to his native Nigeria.

Inspired by a fascination with modeling (he participated in the Penn Charity Fashion Show while at Wharton), Ladi and a friend identified a market need: it’s difficult to partner with fashion brands when you’re not a big social media influencer. They have since co-founded Plugtent, a platform that, in part, simplifies engagement between brands and influencers. The venture has grown steadily since its January 2024 launch.

Ladi’s Financial Goals

“When I’m working or doing anything, I want to feel like I’m making an impact, either directly or indirectly, in people’s lives.”

While Ladi’s mind grows through new experiences, his heart is often back home. His financial priorities are increasingly impact-driven as he explores ways to invest in the lives of Nigerian youth. Economic and infrastructure challenges and weak government support hinder investment and development in his home country. Fortunate to have pushed past these barriers with help, Ladi acknowledges that it truly takes a village to prosper – and he aspires to be part of that support network for others.

Ladi considers his $100,000 investment a baseline to begin planning and hopes to generate a return on the initial investment to achieve a larger vision. While he is focusing on family and his job for the next five years, longer-term plans are beginning to take shape.

Ladi believes that stable housing is an important opportunity driver for Nigerian families. With that in mind, he and his wife purchased property in Lugbe, Abuja, Nigeria for potential real estate development. In addition to residential spaces, their vision involves building a multi-use hub that will bring vibrancy to the region and, by extension, nurture and empower Nigerian youth. This community will include affordable housing options for families, retail and restaurant storefronts for small business owners, and the construction and operation of a youth training and workforce development center.

Ladi is proposing the rollout of this plan in three phases. Phase One of property development will require financing the construction of at least five modest-income housing units by 2030. Ladi believes it will cost about $10,000 USD per housing unit; however, material costs and market dynamics are always changing.

Phase Two will roll out in 2040 with the construction of one signature storefront and the youth training and workforce development center at the heart of the community, estimated to cost at least $50,000. Ladi’s budget plan also calls for supporting one year of operation costs as the youth center hires staff and begins to develop job-skill and business-related training. Operating the youth center for one year should cost at least a quarter of your original $100,000 investment or more. How your team achieves these investment goals depends on your financial analysis and customized guidance for Ladi.

Ladi anticipates that WGAM will generate enough return in the next 15 years (by 2040) to expand his thriving multi-use hub in Phase Three. He is excited to learn more from your team about what this could include.