Korede Akinsete is not just living the dream—she’s designing it. A Nigerian-American creative strategist, writer, and founder of Ko Concepts, Korede has carved a unique space where strategy meets soul, and storytelling fuels transformation. With roots in Lagos and wings in New York, her career has spanned global philanthropy, cultural writing, and purpose-led communications.
In this exclusive interview, Korede opens up about her backstory, the power of narrative, and the bold vision behind Ko Concepts—a brand studio that helps creatives and change makers show up powerfully in the world.
"I’m a creative strategist, writer, and founder, but each of those roles feeds the others."
Q: You’re a Nigerian-American living the dream in New York. What’s your backstory?
I’ve always been curious – about people, ideas and how the world works. This curiosity has shaped everything I do. Some describe me as a multihyphenate, and I think that’s fair. I’m a creative strategist, writer, and founder, but each of those roles feeds the others.
Whether I’m supporting a purpose-driven organisation through Ko Concepts or writing about music and identity across the diaspora, my work is always rooted in the power of storytelling. I studied Foreign Affairs at University of Virginia (UVA) and later Strategic Communications at Columbia University, which both shaped my global lens.
I’ve worked across philanthropy, policy, and culture. From leading global communications for a billion-dollar initiative to penning stories that highlight African creatives, I’m driven by impact. To me, living the dream means doing meaningful work and doing it with originality, imagination, and good taste.
“Lagos and New York are unending pools of inspiration… Even when things feel bleak, both cities carry the magic of possibility.”
Q: How has your cultural heritage shaped the way you navigate both corporate and creative spaces in the U.S.?
I was raised in Lagos but grew up in New York. I often joke that both cities are iterations of each other. Perhaps close cousins that could pass for siblings? On the surface, both carry a creative energy and breed a kind of hustle that can’t be duplicated. But for me, as someone who works with stories, I’m deeply in awe of the wealth of journeys that exist on these two islands. Lagos and New York are unending pools of inspiration. The stories that already exist, and the sheer amount of opportunities to create new ones every single day, keep me energized. Even when things feel bleak, both cities carry the magic of possibility. That glimmer of “what if?” has kept many a dream alive.
“The narrative is not the soft part. In fact, it’s often the sharpest tool in the room.”
Q: You’ve worked for major philanthropists like Mark Zuckerberg and Eric Schmidt. What did that experience teach you about strategy and storytelling at a global level?
Stories are some of the earliest expressions of human genius. And while they seem whimsical, there is a trusted technique, a science even, to telling a strong story. A compelling story is the difference between disconnected slides full of numbers and a winning pitch. In philanthropy, the stakes are even higher. Stories decide which people are heard, what causes are worthy of our attention and ultimately, where resources flow. Working for major philanthropists taught me that at a global level, strategy and storytelling are inseparable. The narrative is not the soft part. In fact, it’s often the sharpest tool in the room.
“It’s less about leaving something behind and more about stepping fully into what I’m here to do.”
Q: What made you decide to step away from that world and focus on building something of your own?
I don’t really consider this stepping away but more of a natural evolution. At this moment in time, I feel called to use my skillset to elevate the wealth of ideas, products, organisations, people and policies that are born each day. I also believe my unique perspective allows me to bring a level of nuance and cultural fluency, especially when working with clients from the continent. It’s less about leaving something behind and more about stepping fully into what I’m here to do.
“Our client mix defines how we show up—but the throughline is always impact.”
Q: Tell us about your business, Ko Concepts. What exactly do you do, and what kinds of clients do you work with?
Ko Concepts is a multidisciplinary brand strategy and communications studio that partners with big dreamers to bring their ideas to life. Our client mix really defines how we show up but the throughline is always impact. We work with people and organizations who are building something meaningful, and we tailor our services to meet them where they are. Having worked across the full suite of communications, we adapt based on need.
Our clients generally fall into three buckets. First, creatives across the African diaspora. As an arts and culture writer, I have my pulse on that world, and we love helping creatives bring one-off projects to life. Second, mission-driven organizations and initiatives. With my background in policy communications and philanthropy, I care deeply about supporting work that drives societal change. And third, senior leaders and C-suite executives looking to define their personal brands or elevate their thought leadership. Often, they’re too busy doing the work to make time for “show and tell”, that’s where we come in.
“Staying true to your ethos always pays off in the long run.”
Q: What are the biggest challenges your clients face, and how do you help them show up more powerfully in the world?
We’re living in a world where the average attention span seems to shrink by the day. In the race to stay relevant, many brands end up drifting away from their core identity. That’s one of the biggest challenges we see: how do I cut through the noise while remaining authentic?. At Ko Concepts, we help clients clarify what makes them distinct and build strategies around that. It definitely isn’t the easy way out but staying true to your ethos always pays off in the long run.
“Our sauce lies in creating from the centre, for ourselves. The world will keep catching up.”
Q: Where do you see the greatest potential for the creative industry in Africa—and how can African creatives better tell their own stories on a global stage?
Africa is experiencing a cultural renaissance. From music to fashion to film, culture is fast becoming our most prized export. As someone who grew up on the continent, I’ve always been deeply proud of where I’m from and never believed we needed external validation to confirm what we already knew to be valuable. My life’s work is guided by a Toni Morrison quote: “I stood at the border, stood at the edge and claimed it as central. I claimed it as central and let the rest of the world move over to where I was.”
African creatives shouldn’t be preoccupied with telling stories for an outside audience. It takes the fun out of the creative process for both the creator and consumer. Let audiences research the meaning of our slang the way I looked up “blimey” when reading Enid Blyton books as a kid. Our sauce lies in creating from the center, for ourselves. The world will keep catching up.
“I strongly believe the Black diaspora is constantly in conversation with itself.”
Q: You're deeply connected to both Africa and the U.S. How do you see yourself building bridges between those two creative economies?
I strongly believe the Black diaspora is constantly in conversation with itself. Whether through film, music, or fashion, we borrow, exchange, and ideate with one another sometimes without even realizing it. While we haven’t always understood each other, leading to stereotypes and those infamous “diaspora wars” on social media, it’s been beautiful to see creativity bridging that gap more than ever before.
Through my writing, I try to offer glimpses into everyday life on the continent. What are Nigerians listening to? How do they speak? What art moves them? I think the more we see the commonality in our ordinary experiences, the more the work resonates across the board.
“It felt like a full-circle moment... a chance to channel a childhood fascination into work that connects us across the diaspora.”
Q: What’s a project or client win that made you feel like you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be?
Growing up, I was fascinated by the connections between Lagos, where I lived, and Brazil. I learned that Brazil had the largest population of Yoruba descendants outside Nigeria, and that formerly enslaved Africans had returned from Brazil to Lagos, bringing with them traditions still visible across the city today.
Years later, Ko Concepts led all communications and content strategy for Black Women in Executive Leadership (B-WEL) inaugural Global Women’s Summit in Bahia, Brazil. The summit brought together 100 women leaders from around the world to explore tangible ways to drive equity and build sustainable systems. I also published a personal essay in ESSENCE about visiting Bahia, the capital of Afro-Brazilian heritage, and uncovering my own lost traditions.
Less than a year later, Ko Concepts was brought on to oversee communications for the Lagos Fanti Carnival, a celebration of Afro-Brazilian descendants that’s been held since 1890 and was now supported by the ministry of tourism.
From Lagos to Bahia and back to Lagos again, it felt like a full-circle moment. A chance to channel a childhood fascination into work that connects us across the diaspora.
“Five years from now, I see Ko Concepts as a home for big ideas.”
Q: Looking five years ahead, what’s the dream for your business—and what legacy do you hope to leave behind?
I hope to have built a business that has shaped the way people see the role of communications and storytelling. This isn’t just about adding a finishing touch, it is a core driver of impact and revenue. Five years from now, I see Ko Concepts as a home for big ideas: a space where creatives, leaders, and changemakers come to make the seemingly impossible happen – all with a healthy dash of style and good taste.
Legacy is deeply important to me. I want Ko Concepts to be known for how our work made people feel and the ideas it inspired others to dream up and pursue. I hope we reframe who gets to be heard, how narratives travel, and what it means to lead with intention.
Korede Akinsete reminds us that the stories we tell—about ourselves, our work, and our communities—are not just reflections of the past, but blueprints for the future. Ko Concepts is more than a business; it’s a movement to reimagine impact through culture and communications.
In a world desperate for clarity and connection, she’s proof that the sharpest strategy often begins with the simplest truth: tell the right story, and the world will listen.
Comments