Konnected Minds Podcast
Episode: He Built Nigeria's Biggest Creator Business from $0 to Multimillion Dollars
Host: Derrick Abaitey
Guest: Best Amehia, Creative Director and Founder of Glitch Africa
Date: March 27, 2026

Episode Overview

In this lively and deeply insightful conversation, Derrick Abaitey delves into the remarkable journey of Best Amehia, the visionary behind Glitch Africa—a media company running Nigeria’s (and Africa’s) biggest podcasts and content platforms. Best shares the struggles of his humble upbringing, the mindset shifts that propelled him to success, and essential lessons for aspiring creators and entrepreneurs in Africa and beyond. The discussion ranges from the nuances of the African creator economy, personal development and audacity, to discipline, learning from failure, and the importance of building unique, purpose-driven businesses.

Key Topics and Discussion Points

1. Origin Story: Humble Beginnings and Early Hustle

[02:45-07:14]

• Best recounts growing up poor in Edo State, Nigeria, always chased from school for unpaid fees.
• Early initiatives: learnt to play guitar, sang in church, started side jobs (primary school teaching, street selling).
• Dropped out of university, did technical diploma in multimedia design, hustled to improve his technical skills.
• Persistence despite setbacks: “I was saving, quite...reasonably. I was a teenager.”
• Quote [04:30]:

  “I saw myself like touring the world at that time. If I’m being honest...I was just waiting for whatever would really take me to Lagos, you know.” — Best Amehia

2. Breakthrough Moment: Betting on Himself

[07:14-12:45]

• Entry to Silverbed Group (major TV station) via audacious confidence in a practical interview—admitting lack of skill but promising to learn fast.
• Quote [10:17]:

  “The guy liked my confidence. So he took me upstairs to the boss’s office and he lied: ‘Oh yeah, I saw him. It’s not bad but just a little brush-up it will be very valuable here.’ That’s how I got my internship, bro.” — Best Amehia

• Key lesson: audacity and willingness to “take it by force,” but with integrity and hustle.

3. Audacity, Mindset, and the Role of Faith

[12:45-19:21]

• Audacity as a necessary trait for those lacking privilege in Nigeria and Africa.
• Distinction between audacity with principles vs. audacity for immorality.
• Quote [13:05]:

  “Audacity is a thing that you need to either learn or be born with. But you need it, especially if you’re like me, you come from maybe poor...family. You need a lot of guts.” — Best Amehia

• Discusses personal Christian faith, action vs. waiting for help, and the myth that prayer alone brings results.

4. Action over Waiting: The Doing Gap

[14:48-16:04]

• Most people dislike their situation but aren’t willing to do the work to change it.
• The importance of consistent thinking and iterative action.
• Quote [14:48]:

  “I don’t like my situation, but I don’t want to do the work that it takes to get out of that situation...You just need to keep trying. But many people try once maybe, and they feel like, ‘It’s not for me. Maybe someone will come.’” — Best Amehia

5. Faith, Clarity, and Taking Action

[16:04-24:25]

• The misinterpretation of religious dependence, the reality that action must precede divine assistance.
• Addressing Christian dilemmas around “honesty” and taking opportunities.
• Value of time as a major difference between wealthy and struggling people.
• Quote [23:12]:

  “What is it about rich people that poor people need to pick up? I think they are thinking...They understand the value of time. A typical rich man understands what an hour is.” — Best Amehia

6. Time, Risk, and Youth

[24:25-25:20]

• “Time is your only luxury as a young person.”
• Single period = best time to be creative, make mistakes, and take risks.
• Lost opportunities and burnout linked to chasing trends instead of knowing oneself.

7. Finding Purpose and Building a Unique Brand

[25:20-31:37]

• Find what you do effortlessly — your “native capability.”
• Research what works in other markets; adapt, don’t just copy.
• Glitch Africa’s story: Noticing global digital trends and localizing with unique strengths and deep expertise.
• Quote [26:48]:

  “Thank God for the Internet...Before Glitch started, I was always surfing the Internet, looking at what works in other markets and what no one is paying attention to locally.” — Best Amehia

• Many African startups are copycats—the danger of copying without deep understanding or adapting.

8. The Creator Economy: Attention, Experience & Quality

[31:37-41:46]

• Attention is modern currency, but it must be the right kind and sustainable.
• Don’t lie to yourself — don’t chase popular niches unless they align with natural strengths.
• Experience under established brands/mentors is invaluable: “I learned most about structure, systems, and monetization working for Lebanese-owned Cool FM.”
• Many new creators lack business structure and miss monetization opportunities due to inexperience.

9. Building to Last: Monetization, Differentiation, and the Pitfalls of Hype

[41:46-50:51]

• Monetization at Glitch (charging artists for sessions) comes from unique knowledge, not trend-chasing.
• Give your all, even in jobs that don’t pay much—habits of excellence translate to business success.
• The importance of working for small businesses or directly with leaders for hands-on learning.
• Quote [43:26]:

  “Habits are difficult to drop...If you’re a lazy person...it becomes a habit. Even your own company, you start putting bare minimum.” — Best Amehia

10. Scaling and Partnerships: Lessons Learned

[50:51-55:49]

• Honest discussion of the failed Ghana expansion: scaling without profitable growth is dangerous.
• Value in partnerships but with clear alignment and honesty—otherwise, solo investment may be better.
• Quote [51:20]:

  “Scaling looks like, ‘Oh, we are everywhere in new markets.’ We are not growing. Growth is only measured by, ‘Are you making money from this...?’”

11. Advice for African Creators: Format, Uniqueness, and Long-Term Thinking

[55:49-60:53]

• “Don’t do for doing’s sake”—build undeniable, original content formats.
• Long-term value is in unique formats that can be licensed and replicated.
• The Honest Bunch appeals to both educated and street audiences through simplified, local content with global taste.

12. Success, Self-Honesty & Discipline

[61:05-67:34]

• The danger for young people: chasing a flashy, online version of “success.”
• Tell yourself the truth about your abilities and pay your dues by learning before seeking the limelight.
• Quote [64:44]:

  “Tell yourself the truth. Oh, you’re not that smart. It’s fine. But you can be. The moment you realize that this is where I am, that’s the beginning of freedom.” — Best Amehia

• The relentless urge to “copy and catch up” is doomed if not built on deep experience and self-awareness.
• On motivation vs. discipline:

  “[67:34] Discipline, discipline, discipline. Because there are also things you know that discipline will help you when results start coming.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Audacity and poverty:
  “[13:05] Audacity is a thing that you need to either learn or be born with. But you need it, especially...if you come from maybe a poor...family.”
• On religious waiting:
  “[14:52] People think prayers and my helpers will come and meet me and take me to that level. No, I personally do not believe in that.”
• On time:
  “[23:12] A typical rich man understands what an hour is. Poor man is like five minutes. They don’t know what 3:00pm to 4:00pm is...If we all value time, we will achieve way more.”
• On authenticity:
  “[35:21] Never lie to yourself, no matter how strong that induce. Know your strength and be very comfortable there...Most people are competing in the field that is not their strength.”
• On experience:
  “[41:46] Give your best because you need it when you decide to manage people. All the places I worked I gave them my all.”
• On scaling:
  “[51:20] Scaling looks like, ‘Oh, we are everywhere in new markets.’ We are not growing. Growth is only measured by ‘Are you making money from this...?’”
• On honesty and growth:
  “[64:44] Tell yourself the truth...The moment you realize that this is where I am, that’s the beginning of freedom.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 02:45 – Best’s early struggles and hustling as a teen
• 07:14 – The pivotal internship interview and leap of faith
• 13:05 – Audacity and success in the African context
• 16:04 – Action vs. prayerful waiting
• 23:12 – Time management differences between rich and poor
• 26:48 – Spotting global trends and localizing content (Glitch’s origin)
• 35:21 – Building a brand based on strengths and unique attention
• 41:46 – The role of overdelivering and gaining deep experience
• 51:20 – The difference between scaling and profitable growth
• 55:49 – The need for unique formats in Africa’s creator economy
• 61:05 – Warning against the “flashy” definition of success for young people
• 67:34 – The crucial role of discipline vs. motivation

Final Thoughts and Takeaways

Best Amehia’s journey demonstrates that, for African creators and entrepreneurs, the formula is clear: audacity, self-honesty, deep work, relentless learning, and the ability to uniquely adapt and innovate are non-negotiable. The flashy rewards should never replace fundamental growth, discipline, and building with purpose. Experience matters—so does doing the “homework” others overlook.
Ultimately, bet on your strengths, build irreplaceable knowledge, and never define success solely by viral trends or surface-level validation.

For more, connect with Konnected Minds Podcast or follow Glitch Africa’s journey across Africa’s creator landscape.