Episode 25: “Changing 1 Billion Lives, 1 Ride at a Time” with Adetayo Bamiduro, Co-Founder and CEO of MAX
Article by Josh Park
“It’s not just our era, it’s the era for the African people.”
Meet Adetayo “Tayo” Bamiduro. He’s the Co-Founder and CEO of MAX Delivery NG, an innovative motorcycle ride-sharing platform with a mission to make transportation safe, accessible, and affordable to 1 Billion (with a capital B) Africans.
In this episode, Alexander Star and Tayo talk about the importance of successful entrepreneurship. That is, finding a problem that people face and delivering value that would address it. For Tayo, he was able to identify a critical problem faced by many of the developing societies that severely limited the success of his fellow Africans: transportation.
Unlike here in the U.S. and other developed countries with well-maintained transportation systems and enforced regulations, many Africans have no choice but to take unpredictable, dangerous motor-taxis with unvetted, inexperienced drivers. Recognizing the need for his people to have a reliable transportation system that brings in a positive ride-sharing experience with customers, Tayo set out to change the way his people get to their destinations.
In terms of entrepreneurship, Tayo’s story of how he was able to nurture and grow a simple idea from when he was a MIT MBA student into an incredibly profound startup business is inspiring to say the least.
For the first half of this episode, he discusses more in depth the different parts of his business model that help create the entire infrastructure to make his company successful. From developing a trusted licensing vetting process, to partnering with banking institutions to create a financier network for his drivers, to incorporating tracking technology to maintain the transportation inventory, and so much more, Tayo’s visionary and strategic thinking helped create a thriving ecosystem that is beneficial to all. The goal in mind for these different components is “to unlock the full potential and productive capabilities of our people,” he discusses, where “we need to provide the infrastructure that would help them succeed.”
With so many priorities managing a fast-paced, high-growth company, Tayo was able to share some of his insights as to how he maintains productivity and how he is able to accomplish so much while working as a team. One such key advice is to focus on what he calls the “big rocks,” identifying specific targets and goals that are simple to understand. If you would like to apply Tayo’s productivity tips to start changing your life, check out TIME’s 90 Day Planner to help you get started!
Listen in to this episode to learn more about Tayo’s story and take notes on his insightful tips on productivity and time management.
Pull quotes:
- “If you want to be successful, figure out how to provide value to the people”
- “You’ve got to start somewhere, and that’s what matters most.”
Connect with Tayo at Max.ng:
Connect with #ThisIsMyEra:
Join the conversation across all platforms with the hashtag #ThisIsMyEra
Episode Outline:
(0:55) Start of Episode
(1:25) Guest Introduction: Adetayo Bamiduro
(2:40) What is Max.NG
(4:30) Advantages of motortaxis
(5:55) Weaknesses in the System
(6:05) First weakness: license system
(8:45) Second weakness: finance system
(11:05) Challenges from competitors
(12:50) Third weakness: Tracking all the bikes
(14:05) Entrepreneur’s mindset in overcoming obstacles
(16:20) Relationship building with stakeholders and competitors
(17:55) Fourth weakness: cash system
(19:25) Developing an idea into a business
(21:10) Focusing and balancing priorities
(24:45) Why is this Adetayo’s era?
