Meet Olamide Alowooja, the dynamic Director of Product Design and co-founder of Virtual Core Creative.

From a curious young adult discovering the internet in a dusty Nigerian cybercafé to a globally recognized leader in product design, Olamide’s journey is one of passion, hard work, and incredible determination.

His love for human-centered design has fueled his rise to the top, and along the way, he’s inspired and mentored hundreds of aspiring designers across the globe.

Olamide’s career has taken him from working in Africa to the UAE, the US, and beyond, with his influence stretching far and wide. His story is a testament to the power of empathy, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in design.

Alongside shaping the design world, Olamide has mentored over 386 designers from 25 countries and is on a mission to make human-centered design the standard, not the exception.

His path hasn’t been without its challenges, but Olamide’s commitment to building with purpose and leaving a positive impact is unwavering.

In this interview, Olamide shares insights into his journey, the lessons he’s learned, and the values that continue to guide his work. Let’s dive in!

CA: Olamide, your journey as a Director of Product Design and co-founder of Virtual Core Creative is truly inspiring. Can you take us back to how it all began? What initially sparked your passion for human-centered design?

Olamide: It started in the hum of a dusty cybercafé in Nigeria, where I spent nearly every weekend as a young adult, not gaming, but exploring.

I was endlessly curious about the internet: how pressing a few keys could summon information from around the world, even if it took five minutes for a single page to load. That wonder soon turned into obsession.

I began teaching myself programming languages, BASIC, HTML, Fortran, Python, Visual Basic, C#. But even then, something deeper tugged at me.

I wasn’t just fascinated by how things worked, I was drawn to how they were experienced. I noticed I cared far more about the feel of what I built with friends than the back-end logic. I didn’t know it yet, but I was already living and breathing user-centered design.

While in university, I co-founded Virtual Core Creative with two friends. Our mission was simple but bold, help African SMEs go digital in a way that’s not just functional, but meaningful.

We expanded into work with NGOs, local startups, and eventually partnered with companies across Africa and the diaspora. But the heart of it never changed: crafting products that respect, empower, and include.

That fire, to build with empathy, and to design with people at the center, has guided me every step of the way.

CA: Truly inspiring! Carving out a path in the world of product design and innovation takes vision and grit. What was your journey like, and were there any key mentors that helped shape the leader you are today?

Olamide: The journey wasn’t a straight road, it was a winding one filled with detours, bootstrapped beginnings, and bold pivots.

I started as a solo freelancer designing for local businesses, teaching myself through free resources and pirated software. But I learned to fail forward.

My breakthrough came when I landed a contract with a fintech startup. Suddenly, I was designing for millions, not just thousands.

Mentorship came in many forms. I never met some of them in person, people like Chris Do, Dieter Rams, Don Norman, and later, real-life giants, Samuel Obadina, Victor Fatanmi and others, they all played a part.

They taught me that great design begins with listening, and leadership is about making space for others to thrive.

CA: The digital product design space is fast-paced and constantly evolving. What major challenges have you faced along the way, and how did you navigate and overcome them?

Olamide: One of the biggest challenges was imposter syndrome, walking into global rooms where no one looked or sounded like me.

Early in my career, I was often the only African designer on international teams. I had to prove I belonged, not just by design quality, but through cultural fluency and emotional intelligence.

Another major challenge was building products in under-resourced environments, no research budget, no user data, just instincts and conversations with real users.

Those constraints became creative fuel. I learned to be resourceful, lean, and human-first. Over time, I developed a playbook that combined empathy with efficiency, something that became a unique value I now bring to top-tier organizations globally.

CA: Absolutely incredible! Your career is built on a foundation of hard work, empathy, and persistence. What kept you motivated, especially during the early stages when the journey wasn’t always easy?

Olamide: I kept thinking about the people on the other side of the screen, the mother trying to register for school programs, the entrepreneur launching a digital product with zero budget, the student trying to find a remote job. They kept me going.

And then there was legacy, I didn’t want to just build a career. I wanted to build a bridge for others. Coming from a place where opportunity is unevenly distributed, I saw design as both art and activism.

That mission, that deeper “why,” gave me the stamina to push through burnouts, rejections, and late nights filled with code, wireframes, and hope.

CA: Wow! You’ve come such a long way. How has your background and experience shaped the way you approach challenges and opportunities today?

Olamide: Growing up in Nigeria, a place of contradictions, creativity, and resilience, taught me to be a pragmatic optimist. I approach every challenge with three tools: empathy, systems thinking, and cultural intelligence.

My experience working across fintech in the UAE, crypto in Kenya, and SaaS in the U.S. has taught me that context is everything. A good designer adapts to trends; a great one adapts to people.

My multicultural background helps me build products that resonate across borders, not by assuming, but by engaging and listening deeply.

CA: Interesting! You’ve mentored over 386 designers across 25 countries, helping shape the next generation of design leaders. How does it feel knowing that your guidance is making a global impact in the design community?

Olamide: It’s humbling and surreal. Every time a mentee sends a message saying, “I got the job!” or “I finally understand user research,” it’s a reminder of why I started. It’s not about creating followers, it’s about creating multipliers.

I see mentorship as a ripple effect. If I help one designer thrive, they’ll go on to build inclusive, impactful products for thousands more.

That’s how we change the industry, not from the top, but through grassroots transformation. My goal has always been to leave the ladder down for others to climb.

CA: You’ve grown a strong presence as a thought leader and innovator in digital product design. What inspired you to start sharing your knowledge and championing human-centered design practices on such a large scale?

Olamide: Honestly, I started sharing because I didn’t see enough people who looked like me represented in design conversations. I wanted to demystify the journey for the next generation. I wanted a young African designer somewhere to see my posts and think, “If he can do it, so can I.”

But more than that, I believe human-centered design isn’t just a methodology, it’s a movement. A way to build ethical, inclusive, sustainable solutions. The more we talk about it, the more we normalize it. Thought leadership isn’t about ego. It’s about service.

CA: Powerful! What’s next for you at Virtual Core Creative and beyond? Are there any exciting projects, initiatives, or milestones on the horizon you can share with us?

Olamide: We’re about to re-launch Ddsgnr, a platform built to empower Africa’s creative economy with over 2000 existing members, blending community, commerce, and co-creation.

It’s part tool, part movement: a space where creatives can learn, earn, and build with purpose. Through built-in mentorship, hands-on projects, and an open-source design framework rooted in dignity and inclusion, we’re not just training talent, we’re unlocking it.

Meanwhile, WebLite under rebranding is built to help African SMEs scale digitally with simple, mobile-first solutions, already powering a few businesses.

And coming in Q2 2025, Zedo will debut as a PropTech platform redefining trust in real estate, using AI, escrow tools, and policy-driven features to streamline the entire value chain across Nigeria, with Ghana and Kenya next on the map. 2025 is about scale, systems, and serious impact.

CA: Wow! Something huge is coming. What’s one common misconception about product design, innovation, or digital strategy that you often come across, and would love to correct?

Olamide: A common misconception is that design is just about how things look. I say this all the time: design is how it works, feels, and empowers. It’s not just aesthetics, it’s architecture, psychology, and empathy rolled into one. Innovation isn’t always flashy either.

Sometimes, the most radical innovation is simply removing friction. Making something usable for a visually impaired user. Localizing a payment flow for a rural merchant. Real innovation is quiet, inclusive, and relentlessly human.

CA: Finally, if you could give just one piece of advice to someone dreaming of making a lasting impact in the world of design and digital innovation, what would it be?

Olamide: My advice would be.. Start where you are, with what you have, and build with people in mind. The tools will change. The platforms will evolve. But the need for empathy, clarity, and courage will never go out of style.

Fall in love with the problem, not the trend. And remember: You don’t need permission to lead, you just need purpose. The world needs your perspective. So speak up, design loud, and leave the door open for others.