Founder Fridays: Maiyo Febi & Associates

Leadership development across Africa is often framed as strategic, performance driven and heavily focused on outward results. This is especially true in executive environments where confidence is rewarded, vulnerability is hidden, and success is measured through targets rather than personal growth. For Maiyo Febi, this was not just a gap in the market but a pattern she saw repeatedly in the leaders around her. Instead of accepting that leadership development had to stay transactional, she chose to challenge it.

That decision led to the founding of Maiyo Febi & Associates a transformation consultancy built to help leaders become more self-aware, emotionally intelligent and intentional in how they lead. What began as a response to the unseen struggles behind leadership performance has evolved into a cross-regional practice supporting executives, emerging leaders and teams navigating growth, change and complexity.

Defining leadership transformation

Maiyo’s work is grounded in the belief that leadership is personal before it becomes organisational. She helps leaders understand that transformation does not start with a new strategy or a better framework. It starts with the internal work that shapes how leaders think, react, communicate and build culture. In her experience, many leaders do not fail because they lack competence. They struggle because they are disconnected from themselves. Triggers, limiting beliefs, unresolved inner barriers and unclear purpose often sit quietly beneath high performance. Her consultancy was created to bring those unseen drivers into the open and help leaders shift from reactive leadership to intentional leadership. She also believes transformation does not have to feel heavy. Fun is part of the process because relaxed minds learn faster, engage deeper and retain more.

Building credibility, finding her voice

Like many founders, Maiyo’s early journey involved building while learning. One of her biggest challenges was trusting that her human-first approach was not only valid but needed, especially in environments where leadership development is often delivered through rigid models and corporate language. She also had to navigate scepticism from organisations that were used to more transactional approaches. Those early experiences shaped how she works today. She leads with presence, listens deeply and co-creates spaces where leaders feel supported, but also challenged to grow. Access to opportunities did not come easily either, which pushed her to network intentionally, build her personal brand and share content that resonated with the people she wanted to serve. Over time, that visibility translated into stronger credibility and access to the right rooms.

From corporate communications to transformation work

Maiyo’s path into executive coaching and mindset work was not linear. Her corporate background was in Corporate Affairs with a focus on media relations, public relations and communications. Along the way, she realised that the most powerful leadership shifts happen when people integrate their lived experience, values and skills into purpose. Her corporate roles became a foundation rather than a detour, giving her insight into organisational dynamics, leadership behaviour and the pressure leaders carry behind polished performance. That understanding now informs how she supports leaders through change in a way that feels practical, grounded and lasting.

Leading across cultures, challenging old power systems

Working across different countries has shown Maiyo that the biggest factor in transformation is not geography. It is leadership intention. She sees a clear divide between organisations operating from old power and those embracing new power. Old power systems rely on hierarchy, fear, rigidity and transactional relationships. New power systems invite reflection, collaboration and psychological safety. Where leaders are held accountable not only for results but also for behaviour, culture shifts become sustainable. Where organisations remain siloed and purely performance-driven, transformation becomes difficult to embed. Across contexts, the pattern remains the same. Change becomes possible when leaders are willing to show up human, take responsibility for culture and lead with intentionality.

Growth, scale and the discipline

Maiyo defines growth as more than expansion or achievement. For her, growth is the ability to hold more space for yourself and for others. It is staying present under pressure, leading with empathy without losing authority and making decisions from clarity rather than reaction. She measures progress not only by what leaders accomplish but by how consistently they show up in a way that reflects their values and creates positive impact. That same discipline shapes how she approaches scale. She is intentional about ensuring her work does not become motivational theatre. Even when her work reaches hundreds, she focuses on whether leaders are doing the inner work and translating insight into action. Her programmes balance scale with depth by combining learning with coaching and accountability, supported by follow-ups that drive real behaviour change.

Balance, wellbeing and advice to the next generation

Supporting leaders through transitions is demanding work, so Maiyo protects her wellbeing through boundaries, reflection and deliberate replenishment. She makes time for family, downtime and practices that keep her grounded such as journaling, walking, reflection and small rituals that help her reset. She also believes in giving herself permission to feel fully. Because she holds space for other people’s emotional expression, she sees it as essential to model the same compassion inwardly. For young people, especially young women, who feel stuck in their confidence, mindset or environment, her advice is clear. Start with yourself. Self-awareness is the foundation of real change. Understand your values, identify your triggers and question the stories you tell yourself about what is possible. Surround yourself with people who stretch you, seek mentorship and take small consistent steps toward what you want. Leadership, she says, is not about fitting into someone else’s box. It is about owning your voice, your presence and your choices and using them to create the impact you want to see.

Read more about founder fridays HERE