Lanre Ajakaiye, a man whose journey from immigrant roots to transformative leadership serves as an inspiration for generations to come.
As we sit down for our interview, Lanre's presence fills the room with an energy that's both humble and electrifying. "I don't operate from the place that everybody knows who I am," he begins, his voice carrying the weight of his immigrant heritage. "I like to, first and foremost, always remember my roots."
Those roots, planted firmly in the soil of hard work and humility, trace back to the 1970s when Lanre's parents arrived in America. Their story - a narrative of sacrifice and determination - forms the bedrock of Lanre's ethos, keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground even as his accomplishments increase.
Lanre's journey into leadership began not in the boardrooms of Fortune 500 companies, but on the basketball courts of St. Mary's on Barton Street in Federal Hill. As a seventh-grader, he led his team to a state championship, learning the skill of inspiring teammates, distributing responsibilities, and creating cohesion. Little did he know, these early lessons in leadership would shape his future in profound ways.
His path took an unexpected turn when love led him to Manhattan. With nothing but determination and a dream, Lanre dove headfirst into the cutthroat world of New York real estate. "My first eight deals were horrible," he recalls, a rueful smile playing on his lips. "They didn't have a guarantor. Their credit was bad. For one reason or another, they didn't close."
But Lanre wasn't one to back down from a challenge. He persevered, arriving first and leaving last, his resolve strengthened by a dismissive comment from a colleague. "Oh honey, we heard you were so good at MetLife," she had said, "but this is the big city, honey." Those words lit a fire in Lanre's belly, propelling him forward with renewed determination.
His tenacity paid off. Within years, Lanre had climbed the ranks from struggling agent to Vice President of Sales, growing his team from 23 to over 200 agents. But for Lanre, business success was just the beginning. His true calling lies in leveraging his skills to uplift his community.
Returning to his beloved Providence, Lanre set about tackling social issues with the same innovative spirit that had propelled his business success. He launched the New England Family Fun Festival, drawing over 6,000 attendees and injecting much-needed life into the April school vacation week. He founded Team Providence Travel, breaking a 25-year absence of Providence youth in the Rhode Island Youth Basketball Association and coupling athletic development with crucial financial literacy education.
"We have too many problems in the city and the state to move in a status quo way," Lanre asserts, his voice filled with passion. His leadership style - avant-garde, forward-thinking, and results-oriented - has become his trademark. Whether it's empowering young athletes or spearheading the R.I.S.E. Women's Leadership Conference alongside his wife, Lanre's initiatives always carry a potent blend of community engagement and educational empowerment.
But even visionaries face setbacks. Lanre's voice grows somber as he recounts the recent challenges with his 25 Bow Street development project. Despite raising the full capital stack and meeting 22 out of 23 requirements, a single missing component - a payment and performance bond - caused the entire deal to crumble. The funding was temporarily withdrawn leaving Lanre to rebuild from scratch.
"The easier path right now," he admits, his eyes reflecting a mix of determination and vulnerability, "is just to sell it, cake up, get the bag as they say." But for Lanre, the easy path has never been an option. "I am sticking with it, being resilient," he declares, "because I know the services and what I'm bringing forth, and even just people seeing a person like me achieve it, are needed. That will change things. It's legacy. It will be generational."
As our conversation draws to a close, Lanre reflects on his responsibility to the community. "My responsibility," he says, his voice filled with conviction, "is to use the sum total of the gifts I've been given by God to better my community in a way that meets with my passion, my heart, for social impact."
In a significant step forward, Larne Ajakaiye has signed the purchase and sales agreement on two acres of land in Olneyville, setting the foundation for an ambitious new initiative called The Green District PVD. This development project aims to bring together multiple community benefits, including housing, economic and workforce development, agriculture, and sustainability, creating a comprehensive approach to neighborhood growth. “I am hoping the addition of housing to all the social impact use cases of education and community make it an easier proposition this time although still a 3-4 year time horizon of completion.”
In Lanre Ajakaiye, we see a leader who doesn't just dream of a better tomorrow - he works tirelessly to build it. From the basketball courts of his youth to the transformative projects reshaping Providence, Lanre's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and unwavering commitment to community. As he continues to push boundaries and challenge the status quo, one thing is clear: for Lanre Ajakaiye, the greatest achievements lie not in personal success, but in the lasting impact he leaves on the community he so deeply loves. Learn more about Lanre here.
