My Tech Transition: How Olufolake Onasanya Went From Lawyer To Brand Storyteller
After working as a lawyer for two years, Olufolake decided to transition into brand storytelling for tech companies. Here's how she did it.
My Tech Transition is a monthly ConTech series that shines a spotlight on Africans who have successfully transitioned into tech.
Written by David Onugha.
After a two-year stint as a lawyer, Olufolake Onasanya decided to change lanes and pursue a career path that allowed her to flex her creative muscles.
She’s currently a Brand Storyteller at Payday, and has worked for companies like Dukka and EnergiHub. She talks about her career journey and shares tips for people looking to transition into tech.
What's your current role in tech, and how long have you been in it?
I work as a Brand Storyteller for Payday. I transitioned into this role in November 2021.
What does a Brand Storyteller do?
A brand storyteller is responsible for telling stories that shape the public’s perception of a brand. The storyteller’s work is visible in social media, advertising, PR, and various other channels used to shape a brand’s visibility.
What were you doing before your transition into tech?
I was a lawyer employed by an energy corporation. I spent five years in the university, a year in law school, did my national service, and practised as a lawyer for two years before transitioning into tech.
What influenced your decision to transition?
I think my transition into tech was a long time coming. This is because I realised in my second year that I didn’t really enjoy studying law. I just went through with it because I wanted a degree and could not afford to fail.
Can you walk us through your tech transition process?
I always knew I wanted to do something writing or communications related because I have a passion for it. I’ve been writing since I was young, and I held various writing and editing positions at university and in secondary school.
So, at the time I was transitioning into tech, I knew I wanted a job that would afford me the opportunity to channel my creative side. I looked out for entry-level roles in communication because, while I knew the basics, I wasn’t formally trained as a communicator. I wanted to learn on the job while expressing my creativity.
I looked out for jobs in fields like communication, content creation, content writing, and brand storytelling. Interestingly, I got the first job I applied for. I saw that Dukka, a fintech company, needed a brand storyteller, and I applied for the role. In my cover letter, I explained that I was trying to transition from law to tech and gave my reasons. I also included links to projects I’d worked on and mentioned the value I’d be bringing to the company.
What skills from your legal career do you find useful in brand storytelling?
In law, you have to know how to tell believable stories. People say that lawyers are liars, but that’s not true. It all depends on how you present your argument. The truth is that, in life, the best storyteller wins and the best lawyers are incredible storytellers.
My background in law made me understand the need to catch people’s attention on the first read. This has made it easy for me to arrange words in a way that arouses the reader’s sense of empathy and whets their appetite for more.
I also think that law sharpens your research skills, and this is important in content writing. You can’t write a compelling story about a subject if you don’t know anything about it.
Did you have to learn any new skills while transitioning to tech?
Yes, I did. Even now, I still take writing courses. I also had to learn new soft skills, like team management and teamwork
From your experience, what would you say is peculiar to working in tech?
I think tech is a different world of its own, as tech companies have a brand personality different from other corporate organisations. Also, my work as a lawyer did not give room for creativity, but there’s a lot of room for creativity in tech.
When you enter the tech space, you’ll realise that tech companies want to engage their audience and build communities with customers. The tech space is also very fast-paced and it requires you to think on your feet and come up with ideas as quickly as possible. It tasks you to be more productive because things can switch up at any time, and you have to be ready for anything.
Do you think you’ll return to practising law?
My parents think I’m just exploring my passions and will go back to what I studied, but no, I don’t think I’ll go back to practising law. I never really had a passion for it, and I’ve really grown in my career since I transitioned into the tech space. I want to see how much further I can grow from here. So, I’ll keep pushing.
What’s something you think anyone transitioning into tech should know?
It is important to create a community of people you can run to. When I started at Dukka, I created a WhatsApp group full of professionals who were seniors in my industry. I had friends who were content marketers, digital marketers, and growth marketers. They were years ahead of me professionally, and I‘d run to them for help on projects I was not familiar with.
Another thing I’ll say is to read every day and be open to learning. When I’m working on a project or campaign, I search for companies that have done something similar so I see what made them successful. Read industry-related topics even if they won’t help you immediately. You’ll find that when you stack up knowledge like this, the time will always present itself for you to apply them in real-life situations.
Do you have any job search advice for anyone looking to transition into tech?
Learn how to sell yourself and tell stories via your LinkedIn, CV, and cover letter. This can be done by writing or resharing relevant content on your LinkedIn, as well as using action words on your CV and cover letter.