Level Up: How Obasola Akintola built his design career through visibility

Obasola Akintola’s design journey is a story of persistence, creativity, and the power of putting yourself out there. From experimenting with visuals in his church to designing for major brands, his path has been anything but linear. After facing multiple career setbacks, he doubled down on his craft, consistently putting his work out there until the right opportunity found him.

Now a brand designer at Cowrywise, Obasola shares insights on breaking into the industry, building a personal brand, and why visibility is just as important as skill. In this conversation, he talks about his creative process, the role of culture in design, and the dream projects he hopes to bring to life.

If your career journey were a movie, what would the title be and why?

I’d call it “The Art of Showing Up’’ because everything I’ve done right came from putting myself out there.

Last updated: March 21, 2025