Lagos has a way of pulling people in different directions at once. One minute you’re writing, the next you’re analyzing data, managing campaigns, shaping culture, and still finding time to create. That’s the kind of city this is, and that’s exactly the kind of career Joseph Awujoola has built within it.
In this episode of Lagos Hustle Diaries, we sit with a marketer and creative director whose journey didn’t follow a straight line. Joseph started out as a writer, grew into content marketing, and eventually expanded into campaign strategy, brand management, and data analysis. Along the way, he learned that in Lagos, survival often depends on your ability to evolve.
From working on marketing campaigns to collaborating with music collectives like 44DB, Joseph’s work lives at the intersection of creativity and structure. And beyond the data and dashboards, there’s poetry, performance, and a deep belief that storytelling, when done right, can move both people and numbers.
This is a conversation about growth, curiosity, and building relevance in a city that never slows down.
1. Before we get into work and hustle, let’s start simple. Who is Joseph Awujoola-Kalohun, and how do you usually explain what you do to someone who just met you in Lagos traffic?
Joseph: Honestly, I’ve learned to say I’m a Content Marketer and Brand Manager, but that doesn’t capture everything. There’s only so much you can say in Lagos traffic before someone gets frustrated though.
2. You didn’t start where you are now. You began as a writer, moved into technical writing, and later, full-scale marketing. What did that evolution teach you about growth and patience in a city like Lagos?
Joseph: You can’t remain stagnant. Living in Lagos comes with different challenges, experiences, and most importantly opportunities to expand your reach and desire to do more, be more, just so you can keep up with the demands of thriving here. It is crazy how as a young adult in Lagos you’ve got to be extremely proactive to make a headway or even find your path because life here has a way of throwing you off your trajectory if you’re not careful.
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3. At what point did you realize writing alone wasn’t enough for you, that you wanted to influence strategy, campaigns, and outcomes, not just words on a page?
Joseph: I’ve always had the propensity to do more, and I’m the kind of person who says yes first and then finds a way to execute. So while writing poetry, I got an opportunity to help a friend with an article on HR in 2019, and that was how I got into content writing. After years of taking outsourced jobs, I felt confident enough to seek more direct opportunities for myself, and that was how I became a Technical Content Writer for a Marketing Reports and Analytics company.
I think that was the turning point for me because everything aligned with that role. While I had always been a writer, at the time I got the job in 2022, I was also in my 300L studying Computer Science in Joseph Ayo Babalola University, and during the course of writing and researching, I fell in love with Marketing and Analytics so I took interest in Data Analysis as the branch of CS I wanted to explore and Content Marketing just came naturally as my evolution progressed.
Four years on, I now lead marketing campaigns, strategies, and brand management for a number of clients, and I’m also in the pre-launch phase of my Marketing Agency specializing in Brand Management, Web Development, and AI Automations. Exciting times ahead.
4. You work with music collectives like 44DB, brands, and campaigns that shape culture in real time. How does working at the intersection of marketing and music change the way you see storytelling and influence?
Joseph: Hmm, that’s a good one because they are both powerful instruments that shape our daily lives. I think it’s mostly a cultural thing. I’m working with the people behind the scenes, the ones soundtracking our lives, and it’s my job to put the spotlight on them so they can receive the flowers and recognition they deserve for the incredible work they’re doing. There’s untold influence, and it’s my job to show it.
Working at that intersection has taught me that great marketing isn’t about creating hype from nothing. It’s about finding what’s already resonating, what’s already moving people, and amplifying it in a way that feels authentic. Music doesn’t lie; people either connect or they don’t. Same with marketing. You can’t force culture; you can only help it reach the people who need to hear it.
5. Lagos has a way of stretching people. How has the city shaped your work ethic, creativity, and decision-making as a marketer and creative director?
Joseph: Honestly, I think it’s because I’m in Lagos, I’m working so hard. Also, I believe it’s because I’m in Lagos that I’m able to do ALL of the things I’ve dabbled in over the past few years, especially last year. Working with music collectives has allowed me to step into the back door of the entertainment industry, especially the Lagos Events and Nightlife scene. As a creative who excels in content creation, videography, and editing, the opportunities have been endless. There’s always something to do, sometimes something I’ve never actually done before, but when I get called to do it, and I’m given the brief, I realize, “Oh, this is right up my alley!”
6. You’re both analytical and creative, a certified data analyst who also builds campaigns. In a world that often separates numbers from creativity, why is it important for you to bridge both?
Joseph: Early on, I realized my unique skill sets, and I wanted to be the bridge between words and data because I strongly believe they go hand in hand.
It helps me a lot in my jobs because you can’t build a successful campaign without first understanding the underlying numbers, behavioral patterns, or even general insights pertaining to the brand/product/business you’re trying to market.
So with me, you’re always getting the best of both worlds, and I think that has given me an edge in certain situations.
7. How do you personally use data to make creative decisions without killing intuition, especially when managing campaigns and brand strategy?
Joseph: I think it shows up most in shaping the kind of content I create. Let me use 44DB as an example. In my first month with the collective, I had an idea for a specific type of content I felt would resonate with the audience, something that would help endear people to the producers, both as individuals and as a collective.
But before running with it, I did an audit. I reviewed everything that had been put out before, looked at what worked, and what people actually engaged with the most. Turns out, the idea I had in my head had only been done once before, and it was the post with the most impact and engagement. So I made it a content pillar, and it still delivers till tomorrow.
For me, that’s the sweet spot. Intuition gives you the idea, but data confirms whether it’s worth doubling down on. I don’t let the numbers tell me what to create, but I let them tell me what to amplify. There’s a difference.
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8. Beyond marketing, there’s poetry. You’ve performed at festivals and are working on a new book. What does poetry give you that marketing can’t, and how do both worlds feed each other?
Joseph: There’s this satisfaction from having your words reach an audience and seeing them connect and relate with it. Your personal experience becomes a shared one, and there’s no better feeling.
I primarily use poetry as a means of self-expression, but finding a community within the words that escaped my being brings solace to me in a way that marketing cannot.
This year, I want to do more poetry-wise. Forget chasing the bag and all of that for a moment, I would love to write more and perform more. Last week, I was honored to have graced the stage at the People of Poetry show, and I can’t even begin to describe how incredible it felt to be back on stage and have people holler and snap their fingers as they resonated with my poem.
9. On days when Lagos feels overwhelming, deadlines pile up, campaigns demand results, and creativity feels blocked, what keeps you grounded?
Joseph: My friends. I’m so grateful for them because I can crash out and they can lift me back up. I can confide in them, and they can support me through it. They also help me keep life interesting by indulging me in my spontaneous side quests to go bowling, escaping to the beach, watching a movie, or just hanging out and talking. You know, just forgetting about life’s pressures for a moment and giving ourselves grace because we’ve honestly tried, and it’s not easy being a hustler in Lagos.
10. Looking ahead, you’ve spoken about building a future where marketing decisions are backed by both insight and analytics. What does that vision look like for you in the next few years?
Joseph: In the next few years, my agency, Slate Labs, will be a force to reckon with. We’re almost there. What we’re building is a place where creative excellence meets technical precision, where we’re not just running social media or building websites, but actually helping businesses start fresh or start over the right way.
We offer a clean slate instead of patching over old problems or applying quick fixes. We start from scratch, and we build to last. That means brand development, web development, SaaS products, AI automation, social media management, all of it grounded in both insight and execution.
I’ve seen too many brands in Lagos launch with beautiful visuals but no strategy, or solid strategy with terrible execution. I want Slate Labs to be where those things finally come together. Where the person managing your socials understands your data, and the person building your website understands your story. That’s the vision: bridging the gap that’s been killing good ideas for too long.
11. Finally, complete this sentence for us: “Lagos hustle has taught me that…”
Joseph: You can’t do life alone. You need a community to help you wade through the madness, find joy in the sadness, and money too, else it’s all pointless.