Why Most Founders Build Products That Fail (and How You Can Avoid It)
Learn the principles of Design Thinking from Paystack’s founding designer, Opemipo Aikomo, in our upcoming session.
In 2015, online payments in Nigeria were a nightmare. In that same year, a group of innovators (Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi) saw an opportunity to revolutionize online payments and set out to solve this problem.
That startup they cofounded is what is Paystack today, and its approach to product development helped it become one of Africa’s biggest fintech successes. The Paystack team began conducted extensive customer research. They spoke with merchants, developers, and customers to understand their pain points, needs, and behaviors.
They deeply understood the frustrations of their users. They tested, iterated, and refined their product relentlessly. And in just a few years, Paystack became one of Africa’s biggest fintech successes, ultimately getting acquired by Stripe for over $200 million.
Every founder story today starts with a similar vision. You spot a problem, come up with a solution, and believe it will change everything. But here’s the harsh reality: most startups fail—not because they didn’t build a product, but because they built the wrong one.
The biggest mistake? Skipping the “understanding” phase and rushing into the “building” phase.
Too many founders invest months (or years) building a product, only to realize customers don’t actually want it. They misjudge the problem, make assumptions about user needs, and waste valuable time and money.
The Solution? Design Thinking
Design Thinking is the approach that separates successful products from failed ones. It helps founders:
Deeply understand users before writing a single line of code.
Identify real pain points, not just what they think is the problem.
Prototype and test ideas quickly, reducing wasted effort.
Build solutions that people actually want to use.
This Friday, we’re hosting a FREE session with Opemipo Aikomo, founding designer at Paystack, one of Africa’s biggest fintech unicorns. He will break down how to apply Design Thinking to product development so you can build with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Why You Can’t Afford to Miss This
✅ Learn from the mind behind Paystack’s product experience — a rare opportunity.
✅ Get practical, step-by-step insights on how to apply Design Thinking to your startup.
✅ Ask questions and get direct advice from an expert who has built at scale.
If you’re serious about building products that actually succeed, you should not miss this session.
📅 Date: Friday, February 28
🕔 Time: 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM GMT+1
Seats are filling up — secure yours now: https://lu.ma/ip9tzzzq