Periscope Podcast

As startups grow, so should the finance function.In the early stages, one strong finance person can often cover a lot of ground. But as the business scales, so do the demands, from fundraising and accounting to audit and tax. At that point, specialized expertise becomes less of a nice-to-have and more of a necessity.In this conversation with Babatunde Akin-Moses, CEO of Sycamore, we unpack the shift from broad finance support to specialist finance roles and why it matters for sustainable growth.Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/_d0Pjz6HItA

What separates successful founders from struggling business owners? In this episode of Periscope, Lola Masha sits down with Babatunde Akin-Moses, CEO of Sycamore, to discuss financial fluency, cash flow management, fundraising, venture capital, debt financing, co-founder relationships, and the metrics every CEO should track.They explore why many businesses fail despite having great products, how founders can use finance as a competitive advantage, and the lessons learned from building one of Nigeria's leading fintech companies.Key moments from the conversation include:• Why many founders struggle with the business side of business• The role of finance in building and scaling a company• Lessons from raising venture capital• Choosing between equity and debt financing• Building Sycamore from an idea at Lagos Business School to a fintech group• The metrics every CEO should monitor• Why liquidity can be more important than profitability• How financial fluency becomes a competitive advantage#periscopepodcast #businessgrowth #fundraising #financialleadership

How do you build a world-class team when you can’t write world-class cheques?In this episode of the Periscope Podcast, Lola Masha sits down with Abimbola Adebakin, founder and CEO of Advantage Health Africa (a company now operating in every state in Nigeria across 1,000+ pharmacies) - to break down exactly how he’s done it.From dimensioning work for part-time contributors to making transparency a non-negotiable pillar of culture, Abimbola shares the hiring philosophy that took AHA from zero to a nationwide health access company in 9 years. Whether you’re hiring your first 10 people or scaling across multiple markets, this conversation is packed with practical, field-tested insight.🎙️ Periscope Podcast explores the stories, strategies, and hard-won lessons behind Africa’s most ambitious entrepreneurs and investors. 🔔Subscribe for new episodes every month.

In this episode of Periscope, our host Lola Masha sits down with Affiong Williams, Founder and CEO of ReelFruit, to explore the inner journey of entrepreneurship, the emotional, psychological, and identity shifts that come with building and scaling a company.Beyond strategy, funding, and operations, this conversation dives into what founders often experience but rarely talk about. From the pressure of decision-making to the quiet weight of responsibility, Affiong shares honest reflections on what it means to evolve as your business grows.This episode is a reminder that scaling a business is not just an external journey, it is an internal one, and sustainable leadership requires intention, self-awareness, and support.

In this episode of Periscope, we unpack one of the most important but misunderstood decisions founders make: what type of capital is right for your business.Our host, Lola Masha, is joined by Adetayo Bamiduro, Co-founder of MAX, for a grounded conversation on debt, equity, and grants and how each one shapes the way you build, scale, and survive.Not all money is created equal. For capital-intensive businesses especially, the wrong capital structure can slow you down, pressure your margins, or even kill the business before it proves itself.Follow Periscope on LinkedIn for major take away discussions: https://www.linkedin.com/company/periscope-podcast/

In this episode, our host, Lola Masha sits down with marketing guru Olajumoke Abiodun to break down why a launch without a clear strategy is just noise and how founders can move from one-off hype to building something that actually grows.If you’ve ever focused on posting, announcing, and “going live” without seeing real traction, this conversation will shift how you think about growth.Because it’s not just about showing up.It’s about showing up with intention.Watch till the end for practical insights on building a launch that converts, sustains, and scales.Subscribe for more conversations on business, growth, and building with clarity.

Everyone is adding AI to their pitch decks, but is that a strategy or just a trend?In this episode,Our host, Lola Masha sits down with Tarebi Alebiosu to unpack what founders are getting wrong about AI.From lazy integrations to overdependence, they explore the difference between using AI as a tool and hiding behind it as a business model. If you are building, raising, hiring, or pivoting, this conversation will challenge how you think about innovation.AI can accelerate execution, but it cannot replace clarity and without clarity, there is no strategy.Follow us on your favorite platforms here: https://linktr.ee/the.periscope.media

We’re live!In our first episode, Lola Masha and Tosin Faniro-Dada have an honest conversation about what makes a startup venture-backable in Africa. They unpack venture capital, alternative funding options, and the key things founders should understand before raising.Find more from Periscope across all our platforms: https://linktr.ee/the.periscope.media