Meet Olanrewaju Babalola, building pathways for entrepreneurial success

Olanrewaju Babalola’s career is a masterclass in transforming personal experience into global impact. As an entrepreneurial consultant, ecosystem builder, and thought leader, he has dedicated himself to ensuring that entrepreneurship is seen as a sustainable engine for growth, resilience, and community transformation across continents.

Roots of a Lifelong Mission

Raised in Nigeria, Olanrewaju witnessed the fragile nature of financial stability. When his father lost his corporate job, the family’s future became uncertain. However, his mother’s small business, launched without formal entrepreneurial training, sustained them.

Watching her navigate overwhelming challenges sparked a deep, enduring question in him: What if entrepreneurs like my mother had access to structured entrepreneurial education? Could their small businesses thrive and even transform generations?

This inquiry became the cornerstone of his life’s work. Determined to find answers, Olanrewaju pursued a degree in Entrepreneurship at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. While on campus, he co-founded BROS Project Consultancy, a boutique firm providing feasibility studies, business plans, and academic support services to college students, with three other colleagues in 2017.

After graduation, Olanrewaju expanded his expertise through client-facing roles across retail, financial services, and education sectors. In 2021, he was selected for the highly competitive Young Talent Programme at Lagos Business School, an initiative reserved for Africa’s most promising emerging professionals.

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Scaling Global Impact

Determined to amplify his impact globally, Olanrewaju transitioned to the United States to pursue an MBA at the University of Nebraska Omaha. While completing his degree, he concurrently served as a Business Consultant at the Nebraska Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

At the SBDC, he provided strategic advisory services to a diverse portfolio of small businesses, refining business models that guided clients to develop fundable and scalable business plans, conducting market research, preparing financial projections, and helping entrepreneurs secure essential funding.

In addition to client consulting, he collaborated with other organisations in the ecosystem to advance broader entrepreneurship initiatives. A standout contribution during this time was his involvement in the Pitch Black Competition by the Midlands African Chamber, a platform designed to amplify the voices of BIPOC entrepreneurs.

Recognising the unique challenges these entrepreneurs face, Olanrewaju coached a few finalists to refine their pitches and strengthen their value propositions as they prepare for high-stakes funding opportunities.

Redefining Entrepreneurial Education

Recognising persistent gaps between traditional business education and real-world entrepreneurial demands, Olanrewaju developed the MASK Model, an innovative framework emphasising Mindset, Abilities, Skills, and Knowledge as pillars of entrepreneurial success.

In late 2024, he launched The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (TEB) based on this model and core business analysis techniques, offering aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs a transformative, hands-on learning experience. The program attracted participants from Nigeria, Ghana, and beyond, receiving widespread acclaim for its practical, holistic approach.

Deepening Entrepreneurial-led Economic Development

Today, Olanrewaju serves as a Loan Officer and Business Mentor at the Nebraska Enterprise Fund, helping small businesses access capital, training and technical assistance to achieve sustainable growth.

He also previously served as Programs Coordinator for the Midlands African Chamber, where he supported inclusive economic development initiatives across Nebraska. Beyond direct client work, he contributes entrepreneurial thought leadership as an expert author for AllBusiness.com, with his insights also published on Forbes and other respected platforms. His articles explore entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, and business education.

A Vision for Generational Transformation

Olanrewaju’s vision remains focused: equipping entrepreneurs with the holistic infrastructure needed to drive meaningful economic and social transformation.

“When we empower people with the right tools and education, we ignite transformations that ripple across communities and generations,” he said.