In this interview, Okare Shaba (Founder & Director of Product Engineering, Padocare) shares his entrepreneurial journey, his philosophy on personal branding, the power of strategic networking & the mission behind his HealthTech platform.
The Entrepreneur’s Journey: Resilience & Impact
Founded in 2024, Okare’s Padocare platform is dedicated to the digital transformation of care homes & domiciliary care services in the UK.
- Early Resilience: After graduating with distinction & being initially denied a Global Talent Visa, Okare was motivated to define his personal brand. He previously founded Orbi, a social network app that was a top-two startup in Nigeria (2013/2014) but ultimately failed due to a lack of funding for being “ahead of its time.”
- Passion for Skills: Following the failure of Orbi, he started the Tych Zoe initiative to teach young kids digital skills, which led to him running African Code Week.
Personal Branding: The Power of Consistency on LinkedIn
Okare views a personal brand as an irreplaceable asset that will outlast any CV or technical skill, especially with the rise of AI. For this reason, he shared his approach to building a large following on LinkedIn as follows:
- 365 Days of Consistency: To build his brand, he posted every day on LinkedIn for 365 days non-stop, focusing on consistency & engagement.
- Reverse-Engineering the Algorithm: He treats LinkedIn as a networking environment that never sleeps. His strategy involves focusing on conversation, commenting & crafting a powerful ‘hook’ in the first line of a post to grab attention before the ‘see more’ cut-off.
- The Credibility Factor: He shares an anecdote about an investment banker friend whose book publishers wouldn’t accept his manuscript until he grew his following, demonstrating how an online audience adds necessary credibility.
(You can Follow / Connect with Okare on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/okareshaba).
Networking Strategy: The ‘SuperConnector’ Tip
The conversation highlights the value of strategic introductions & the supportive community in the North East of England:
- The Killer Question: Okare’s top networking tip is to seek out the most connected person at an event (often the organiser, like Paul Lancaster at his PLATFORM events) & ask, “Who do you think I should speak to?”
- A Crucial Introduction: Okare credits Paul with a pivotal introduction that solved a critical challenge for Padocare. When his business was struggling, he directly asked Paul for help, which led to a ‘killer pass’ introduction & a new client that prompted a successful minor pivot into the high-demand healthcare recruiting market.
- Local but Global: While celebrating the North East of England’s close-knit business community & genuine support, both Okare & Paul agree on the necessity to expand Padocare’s focus to the whole of the UK & eventually to international markets like the US.
Padocare’s Solution & Mission
Padocare is pushing past the difficult barrier to entry in the HealthTech sector by focusing on market validation & solving real problems.
- Product Focus: Padocare is a Digital Social Record (DSR) solution that moves care operations from paper-based to digital. It includes:
- Care plans and shift scheduling.
- Clock-in/out systems for carers with geocoding & geo-fencing to ensure they are on location.
- A 47-factor AI matching model for healthcare recruiting to connect the right carer with the right shift based on skills, language & other needs.
- Future Vision: Okare is laser-focused on market validation & growing his client base. His ultimate goal is to get Padocare listed as an approved supplier on the NHS Digital Social Record solution framework.
Want to know more & support Okare’s mission?
Okare is focused on growing the Padocare business & is open to introductions to business owners or leaders in domiciliary care or healthcare organisations. If this sounds like you or you think you can help, please take a look at https://padocare.com & / or email okare@padocare.com
ps You can also listen to this interview (& more) on Paul’s ‘SuperConnector Show’ podcast which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible or Spreaker via our ‘Podcasts‘ page.
