A year in Docneto’s life — 2023
This was the 2022 edition.
2023 was a year where I had more things to do than time to do them. This review for instance is being written on the first of January and my annual health tech review for 2023 is yet to be written. I now realize that I don’t have to do it all and if something is important it will get done eventually. I’m learning to identify the things that matter the most and devote time to them. Along side this is learning to improve my ability to communicate clearly, delegate and better rely on the people I work with. Valuable lessons as 2024 is starting with the prospects of 2 exciting new projects that are a perfect culmination of the learnings from my last 10 years of entrepreneurship. I’m convinced that one’s experiences prepares them for future challenges and opportunities.
I began the year by focusing on being a better dad and did a decent job being present physically and emotionally. I started a private podcast with my daughters and attended many of their recitals and events. School runs, bedtime stories and ice cream dates were a steady feature of the year. The Nigerian elections happened and left me feeling disillusioned that the cynics have taken over the country. I realized the folly in projecting one’s own positive values on to others, because as it turns out, not all of us want the same egalitarian society. The Nigerian elites and people around them are sadly rather unscrupulous. Many are happy with being oppressors and others delight at the prospects of switching sides from oppressed to oppressors. I moved on from that disappointment and took the positives that there is latent energy for change within Nigeria’s youth in particular. Peter Obi getting six million votes is all the evidence you need that change is near.
The second half of the year saw me get back on the road with lots of travel, speaking events and meetings. I did London, Lagos, Kigali, Nairobi, Accra, Ibadan, Lome, Uyo, and Manchester. I missed out on events in Munich, Stockholm and Paris. Schengen visas were a nightmare to get in 2023. I was delighted to round the year off with access to a second passport that will make travel much easier. Our business at Wellahealth grew consistently and we ended the year with 2x growth in revenue on the previous year. The year culminated in me winning Africa business heroes, a wild outcome that still feels surreal.
2024 is jampacked with trips to Nairobi, Tokyo, China, Boston, Paris already on the cards. I also have 2 new and exciting projects I’m working on while continuing to give all my best efforts to growing Wellahealth. I hope to invest more in people by teaching, training and mentoring as many people as I can this year. It was 10 years ago in 2014 that I formally switched track from medicine to entrepreneurship. In that time I’ve learned a great deal and feel more motivated to pass on my learnings and inspire more people to build worthwhile things that make our world a better place.
Happy new year! Let’s go get it!