The last video sparked a great conversation with the powerful message—”Just go for it!” And there’s more where that came from
We continue our I AM IN STEM, YOU TOO CAN JOIN series with this conversation.
We had an insightful discussion with Omolara Sanni, someone who has been vocal about her journey and is an early-stage startup builder. She shared her experience transitioning from the technical side to the non-technical side and what that shift has meant for her growth. We also talked about her journey in building and the lessons she learned along the way.
Read the full interview of Omolara Sanni with Oluwatoni Peter:
How has your role evolved over the years?
Well, I started in tech, doing cybersecurity through a bootcamp, but didn’t really love it and so moved to product/digital marketing which also afforded me the opportunity to work in the tech space. Be in STEM and do what you love.
What was one pivotal moment in your career that significantly shaped your journey?
My background in digital and product marketing inspired me to launch an e-commerce business with my partner. However, we faced several challenges, including payment restrictions (such as the lack of seamless dollar transactions) and customer trust issues, which limited our ability to scale. These experiences led to the creation of Middleman—a solution designed to address these pain points and bridge the gap in the e-commerce space.
There’s still a significant funding gap for female-led and co-owned startups, with women receiving a smaller share of venture capital. How has this impacted the journey for middle-man?
Nobody will outrightly say you won’t get funding because you’re female, but we know the bias exists, and there’s still a long way to go. I just keep showing up consistently, proving the value of what we’re building, and staying focused on growth. At the end of the day, results speak for themselves, and I’m committed to making our impact impossible to ignore.
Your co-founder and you are not the typical match we often see, as both of you come from non-technical backgrounds. How has that dynamic worked?
It’s true, and this setup works well for us—we have a team handling the technical aspects. My co-founder was also my partner when we ran the e-commerce business, so working together on Middleman made perfect sense. He already understood the problem we were solving and the vision behind it.
Many aspiring non-technical founders hesitate to start because they are looking for the complimentary technical co-founder. What’s your advice for them?
For non-technical founders waiting to acquire technical skills before launching their big idea, my advice is simple—start today. If you have funding, you can hire someone with the expertise you need. If not, look for someone with the right skills who believes in the vision and is willing to build with you, whether as a co-founder or founding employee. The key is to take action and get started.
What message do you have for women who feel it might be too late to start a career in STEM?
Keep learning there are resources. There are boot camps, accelerators, take advantage of this and be part of a community this will allow you to grow.
Did you miss the previous video from our “I AM IN STEM, YOU TOO CAN JOIN” series you can watch here.