From growing up in a single parent family in Washington, DC to writing speeches for President Obama and then creating two of the most important radio innovations of the last decade, undoubtedly, prominent black entrepreneur Ayinde Alakoye has come a long way in a short period of time before the age of 40.
Who is Ayinde Alakoye
The name doesn’t ring a bell but his works speaks volumes.
In 2007 Alakoye created the mobile app that made iHeartRadio possible. iHeartRadio is Clear Channel’s Internet radio platform with 70 million users.
Three years later, in 2010, he launched Hitch Radio, which pioneered the integration of social media and music to connect people around the world.
With Obama
In between these two accomplishments, he wrote speeches for President Obama. Wow!
Traumatic experience at a young age
Like most African-Americans, Alakoye was raised in a single parent household after his father was murdered when he was only 7 years old. Music, family and friends are what inspired him to continue in spite of all the odds. He graduated from Juniata College and eventually ended up at Clear Channel and CBS. But his desire to make a difference in radio was a strong calling. His love of music and technology skill led to his inventing a way for radio stations to stream on mobile platforms.
Alakoye attributes his success to his mother whom he said “showed me entrepreneurship at a young age.” He goes on to explain how she had her own Amway business, “I got the bug at a very young age because she taught me about freedom. She taught me about living the life of your dreams.”
Nowadays, Alakoye is a frequent technology panelist for the National Association of Broadcasters, RadioInk Magazine, DigitalLA, CEDIA and USC’s Marshall School of Business. He was awarded the “2013 Emerging Emancipator” (New Media/ Digital) by the 50th Anniversary March on Washington Board of Directors alongside Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Congressman John Lewis, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the Reverend Al Sharpton.
With Hip-hop star Nas
According to his website: Ayinde O. Alakoye, is the CEO of Hitch Radio, the world’s 1st instant messaging app for Radio. He was awarded the “2013 Emerging Emancipator” (New Media/ Digital) by the 50th Anniversary March on Washington Board of Directors alongside Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Congressman John Lewis (GA), Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the Reverend Al Sharpton.
Ayinde’s been a live satellite guest on AriseTV (reaching 120M households in NYC, Johannesburg and London); a panelist at USC’s Marshall School of Business discussing Brand and Content Marketing; an on-air guest for KFWB; a guest of The Bill Handel Show (KFI-Los Angeles); an in-studio guest with Dr. Drew’s Loveline Show; and a frequent technology panelist (RadioInk C13, DigitalLA, CEDIA).
Before Hitch Radio, Ayinde was a speech contributor and advisor to Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama, and managed a GOTV office in the crucial battle ground state Ohio for the general election in 2008.
A decade prior, he began his media career as the #1 ad sales executive at the #1 billing Radio station in the country, WTOP, and was then recruited by Clear Channel and CBS (Howard Stern), respectively.
Ayinde went on to be one of the original creators of iHeartRadio after founding Thumb Radio in 2003.
Watch his interview on CBS below:
