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From Burnout To Beyond: Building Africa’s Leading Wellness Brand

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Show Notes

What happens when a private equity executive in London hits burnout at 26 and decides to reinvent herself by moving back to Nigeria to build a world-class wellness brand?

In this inspiring conversation, Simisola Williams shares her journey from high finance to founding Beyond Fitness, Africa’s fastest growing wellness movement. From landing in hospital with a feeding tube, to losing investors because of pregnancy, to building a community where billionaires and everyday Nigerians sweat side by side — this is the raw truth about entrepreneurship, resilience, and purpose.

Simisola is the Founder and CEO of Beyond Fitness, redefining fitness across Africa through immersive experiences. With a background in private equity and corporate finance, she blends business acumen with wellness passion.

Her career includes roles at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and Helios Investment Partners. She’s led major investment and value-creation projects across key industries. Now, she’s merging fitness, tech, and inclusion to drive lasting change in Africa

💡 In this episode:
→ The brutal reality of burnout in high finance
→ Why investors pulled out when they saw she was pregnant
→ Building Beyond Fitness from scratch in Lagos
→ Balancing marriage, kids, and double-entrepreneurship
→ Reinventing identity after leaving finance
→ Navigating Nigeria’s cultural and business shocks
→ Running retreats and building wellness beyond the gym
→ Why motherhood made her a stronger leader
→ The future of wellness in Africa and building a global brand

To get the PITCH DECK mentioned in our fundraising episode, join our telegram channel here: https://t.me/+DI_hdyqrlDpmNDMx 

🔗 Follow Simi

Instagram – @simi_williams
Beyond Fitness – @beyondfitnessng

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Website – https://afropolitan.io
Instagram – @afropolitan
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LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/afropolitannation/ 

This episode is sponsored by Inverroche Gin, South Africa’s premium craft gin that fuses heritage botanicals with innovation.

Discover more: https://www.inverroche 

Want to connect 1:1 with Africa's boldest thinkers? Book a 15-minute convo on Convo: https://convo.vip/ with leaders like Tunde Onakoya, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Asa Asika, and more.

Listen to more Afropolitan Podcast episodes:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Afropolitan   

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YwRlkSOq8e35xU6bOp9pU?si=b3a132f9afb3459f&nd=1&dlsi=32c01e3224ac4c64 

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/afropolitan/id1808954585 

Hosted by

Eche — https://www.linkedin.com/in/eemole/   

Chika — https://www.linkedin.com/in/chikauwazie/   

Stay connected with Afropolitan: 

Twitter: https://x.com/afropolitan

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