From growing up in a single parent family in Washington, DC to writing speeches for President Obama and then creating two of the most important radio innovations of the last decade, there is no question black entrepreneur Ayinde Alakoye has come a long way in a short period of time. Why? He did all this before he turned 40.
Who is Ayinde Alakoye
You may not remember his name, but you will certainly know what he did. Alakoye created the mobile app that made iHeartRadio possible. iHeartRadio is Clear Channel's Internet radio platform with 70 million users. That was in 2007. Three years later, in 2010, he launched Hitch Radio, which was the first to combine social media and music to connect people around the world. In between the two, he wrote speeches for President Obama.
Shaky beginnings did not deter this black entrepreneur
At the young age of 7, Alakoye's father was murdered, and he was raised in a single parent household. Music, family and friends are what inspired him to continue in spite of all the odds. He graduated from Juniata College and eventually ended up at Clear Channel and CBS. But his desire to make a difference in radio was a strong calling. His love of music and technology skill led to his inventing a way for radio stations to stream on mobile platforms.
Alakoye attributes his success to his mother whom he said "showed me entrepreneurship at a young age.” He goes on to explain how she had her own Amway business, "I got the bug at a very young age because she taught me about freedom. She taught me about living the life of your dreams.”
Nowadays, Alakoye is a frequent technology panelist for the National Association of Broadcasters, RadioInk Magazine, DigitalLA, CEDIA and USC's Marshall School of Business. He was awarded the "2013 Emerging Emancipator” (New Media/ Digital) by the 50th Anniversary March on Washington Board of Directors alongside Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Congressman John Lewis, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the Reverend Al Sharpton.
Watch his interview on CBS below:
Find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IamAyinde/ or visit his web site at www.ayinde.tv