Ep #102 Forging Her Own Path: Shadé Akande on Resilience, Leadership, and the Power of ONE X LEAGUE

Living Inside Out with Toks

In this episode, I had an incredible conversation with Shadé Akande, founder of ONE X LEAGUE. Shadé, raised as a first-generation American by Nigerian parents, shares her experiences of navigating culture clashes, embracing risk, and learning to trust herself—lessons that shaped her personal and professional journey.

You can watch this episode on YouTube

We dive into:

•Growing Up Nigerian-American: Shadé talks about the culture clashes of being raised by Nigerian parents in the United States and how those experiences influenced her career choices and personal growth.

•Career Evolution: From the fashion industry to HR at some of the biggest global companies like Google and Verizon, Shadé explains how each step in her career taught her more about people and herself.

•Launching ONE X LEAGUE: Shadé shares the mission behind ONE X LEAGUE, a private membership for Black and Afro-Latina executive women, and the upcoming ONE SUITE RETREAT, a retreat for Black executives, both male and female, happening in February next year.

•Risk-Taking and Resilience: We discuss the importance of taking risks, learning from failures, and building resilience in the face of entrepreneurship challenges.

•Building Your Tribe: A major theme of our conversation revolves around creating a supportive network. Shadé shares insights on how to build a tribe of mentors and supporters and reflects on our own trip to the Amalfi Coast, where we strengthened our community of women.

•Mentorship: We also explore how mentorship plays a vital role in personal and professional growth, and how to find the right mentors if you’re just starting out.

Shadé’s story is filled with practical insights and powerful lessons for anyone looking to take charge of their career, build resilience, and create a supportive network.

Next Steps:

If you loved this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review! You can connect with Shadé and learn more about ONE X LEAGUE at onexleague.com. Stay tuned for more insightful conversations, and follow us on @toksa to never miss an episode!