Lola Eniolorunda’s path to becoming the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at VG Platform Inc. is rooted in a deep-seated passion for technology’s transformative power. From the outset of her 17-year career, she recognized the immense potential technology held for solving complex challenges and reshaping entire industries. This realization fueled her drive to explore the intersection of tech innovation and business leadership. Throughout her journey, Lola has built successful products and learned valuable lessons from others who didn’t meet their mark. Reflecting on her career, Lola says, “Some of the best career moves I’ve made came when I was least confident in my abilities. Taking on roles that pushed me outside my comfort zone taught me that growth isn’t about always knowing the answers; it’s about being willing to learn on the go.”
Her unique perspective on the highs and lows of tech innovation eventually inspired the creation of Exequi.io—a platform designed to help corporate professionals transition into the startup world without leaving their day jobs. This venture exemplifies her commitment to bridging the gap between established industries and the entrepreneurial tech space, empowering others to harness the power of technology for impactful change.
In this exclusive feature, we delve into Lola’s profound impact on the technology sector. Her extensive experience provides insightful perspectives that offer invaluable guidance for aspiring leaders seeking to forge their own unique paths to success. It is a tale of thriving in the face of doubt and her take on stepping outside one’s comfort zone. Join us as we explore a trailblazer’s pioneering vision and resilience, redefining business leadership and inspiring the next generation of innovators to embrace challenges and seize opportunities in an agile marketplace.
Turning Challenges into Growth
One of the most significant hurdles she faced in her career was navigating the tech industry as a woman, frequently stepping into roles where she initially doubted her own qualifications. The weight of imposter syndrome often left her questioning whether she truly belonged or had the capability to lead at the level required. However, rather than succumbing to self-doubt, Lola made a crucial mindset shift—choosing to view her perceived gaps not as weaknesses but as opportunities for growth.
She embraced learning on the job, leaned on the guidance of mentors, and built her confidence through incremental wins. “Growth often happens when you step out of your comfort zone,” she reflects, adding that the roles she once thought were beyond her reach became the most rewarding. Today, this never-give-up attitude has earned her a spot among the “Top 10 Visionary Business Leaders Shaping the Future in 2024.” And we cannot gainsay her remarkable accomplishments. Lola’s story proves that the most significant personal and professional breakthroughs sometimes come when you’re willing to leap into the unknown.
Steering Work-Life Integration with Purpose
Balancing personal life with the demands of being a Chief Operating Officer has been a deliberate practice for Lola, which she has refined over time. Rather than aiming for a strict separation, she believes in work-life integration—recognizing that there will be moments when work requires more focus and other times when personal priorities take center stage. “I can’t have it all, all the time,” she candidly reflects. “But if I look at the bigger picture, my goal is to ensure the overall trajectory is always trending upwards.”
To maintain this balance, she sets non-negotiable times for family and self-care, plans her days with intention, and leverages technology to streamline tasks. Conscious delegation has also been key, allowing her to tap into the resourcefulness of her team to achieve desired outcomes without burning out. Anchoring herself in daily rituals—like avoiding her phone until she has a clear plan for the day—helps her stay grounded. For Lola, the key to effective work-life integration is understanding that success in both areas requires flexibility, prioritizing quality over quantity, and having a solid support system at home and work to manage the ebb and flow of daily demands.
Keeping Burnout at Bay
In the fast-paced world of tech leadership, this dynamic entrepreneur knows that managing stress is not just important—it’s essential. For her, it begins with prioritizing both mental and physical well-being. Lola has learned that taking regular breaks, even brief ones, can be the key to recharging and staying focused. She also emphasizes the importance of making swift decisions. Pushing off choices only leads to mounting pressure, so addressing tasks head-on keeps her stress in check. Delegation plays a crucial role as well. By empowering her team to make decisions and take ownership of their roles, she lightens her own load and helps foster their professional growth.
Lola’s approach to guiding her team mirrors her belief, “The most powerful transformation in business happens when you align strategy with execution while never losing sight of the people who make it all possible. Success is driven by both the plan and the passion of the team behind it.” Recognizing the early signs of burnout and taking proactive steps—adjusting her pace, seeking support, or reassessing priorities—has become an integral part of her leadership strategy.
The True Measure of Success
This inspirational trailblazer defines success as a diligent journey that blends strategic accomplishments with a thriving, empowering work environment. She firmly believes that true success arises when her team delivers impactful business results while embarking on continuous professional and personal growth.
This resolve to development is central to her own definition of success, as she measures her effectiveness by the growth of her team. By aligning Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) with both business objectives and individual milestones, she ensures that every step forward is recognized and celebrated. Lola emphasizes the importance of acknowledging small wins to sustain momentum and invigorate her team’s spirit.
The Heart of Operational Excellence
As the Chief Operating Officer at VG Platform Inc., Lola embodies a dual role—both a strategic visionary and a meticulous executor. Each day begins with a pulse check on the company’s operations, where she dives into financial metrics, ensuring they align with the overarching goal of driving revenue growth. In this fast-paced environment, she’s not just watching the numbers; she’s orchestrating a symphony of sales and operational strategies that harmonize with the business’s long-term objectives. By leveraging her vast experience in technology, she crafts go-to-market strategies that enhance market share and improve cash flow, making every decision count.
Lola comprehends, “In today’s rapidly evolving market, the ability to adapt is more valuable than ever. Leaders who focus on building a culture of continuous learning and innovation will be the ones to not only survive but thrive in the face of uncertainty.”
As a leader, she’s shaping the market by inspiring her team with a clear vision. Every decision she makes is a step towards that goal, driven with purpose and precision. She knows success starts with people. She knows that the foundation of success lies in people. She prioritizes building a high-performance culture, actively recruiting top talent, and empowering them to lead. It’s not just about managing tasks; it’s about nurturing leaders who drive exceptional results. With an agile mindset, she tackles daily challenges by focusing on initiatives that yield the highest impact, ensuring that VG Platform Inc. remains adaptable to ever-changing market fluxes.
Bridging Vision and Execution
The COO stresses the need for a crystal-clear roadmap that uses Objectives and Key Results to turn VG Platform Inc.’s big dreams into doable steps. She understands that communication is vital. She gets a feel for their challenges by talking regularly with her team and keeps everyone on the same page. Lola creates a culture where feedback is not just okay but encouraged so they can adjust as needed. This approach, she explains, empowers her team to stay on course while tracking progress and making data-informed decisions that reinforce their collective vision.
Inspiring Future Generations
This visionary entrepreneur dreams of a world where tech pioneers propel business success and create a better future for all. She envisions a future where seasoned leaders tackle society’s most significant problems with innovative, sustainable solutions. She hopes to see these aspirants tackling significant challenges and leveraging their expertise to create impactful change on a grand scale. In her words: “As a leader, it’s not enough to simply react to the market; you have to shape it. That means setting a vision that others can rally behind and driving every decision toward achieving that vision with purpose and precision.”
Committed to leading by example, Lola aims to show that success in technology and business can harmoniously coexist with social responsibility. She is passionate about empowering more women and underrepresented groups to step into leadership roles within the tech industry. She aspires to foster a more inclusive and diverse industry landscape by bridging the gap between the corporate and entrepreneurial realms, inspiring others to follow suit.
Shaping Tomorrow’s Leaders
Lola sees mentoring as a cornerstone of her role and is passionate about promoting a space where emerging leaders can thrive. She believes in cultivating an environment that encourages critical thinking, challenges the status quo, and nurtures a lifelong love of learning. By intentionally pushing her mentees to step outside their comfort zones and take on challenging projects, she helps them grow from both their successes and failures. Lola’s approach is rooted in radical candor, offering honest feedback while always maintaining a genuine sense of care. Sharing her own personal journey, complete with its ups and downs, she motivates her mentees to develop resilience, adaptability, and a spirit of innovation.
Lola conveys, “Resilience in leadership isn’t just about weathering the storms; it’s about turning those storms into opportunities for reinvention and growth. Real success is measured by how quickly you can pivot and drive a turnaround without losing sight of your values or your people.” Ultimately, her goal is to equip her mentees with the tools and confidence they need to navigate their own paths with creativity and courage.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders
As an experienced businesswoman, Lola emphasizes the importance of curiosity and continuous learning for aspiring leaders in the technology and business sectors. She advises them to embrace the ever-evolving realm of these industries by being adaptable and open to new ideas. Building a robust network of mentors and peers is also crucial, as they provide invaluable guidance and support. Lola encourages taking calculated risks and viewing failures as stepping stones to success. She believes that maintaining a focus on the bigger picture is vital, stating, “Lead with love and courage; these qualities will set you apart and earn the trust of your team and stakeholders.”
Lola underscores the necessity for future business leaders to possess a harmonious blend of technical prowess, strategic acumen, and emotional intelligence to excel. She reminds everyone about the importance of a profound understanding of technology’s role in business, coupled with data-driven decision-making and a relentless pursuit of innovation, as essential components of maintaining a competitive edge. However, she also highlights the equal significance of soft skills, emphasizing the need for empathy, and effective communication. According to Lola, the capacity to lead diverse teams, handle change with agility, and inspire others while upholding ethical and sustainable practices will be paramount in differentiating successful leaders from the rest in the intricate domain of the modern marketplace.
