Early Life
Tope Awotona was born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1981. He moved to the United States at age 12 after his father passed away. Growing up, Awotona witnessed his father’s entrepreneurial spirit, which inspired him. He attended Wheeler High School and later the University of Georgia, where he earned a degree in Management Information Systems in 2002.
Rise to Success
After graduation, Awotona held roles at IBM and other companies before becoming an account executive at Perceptive Software. There he gained insights into the software business. Frustrated with the difficulty of scheduling meetings, he used his savings to create Calendly in 2013. Calendly quickly became popular, and Awotona bootstrapped the company for several years. In 2021, he secured a $350 million investment, valuing Calendly at $3 billion. The company has grown to serve over 10 million users.
Key Business Strategies
Awotona's leadership is defined by building from experience, remote-first culture, and a focus on solving real problems. He initially bootstrapped Calendly, prioritizing product quality. His company has maintained profitability since 2016.
Philanthropy
Information on Tope Awotona's specific philanthropic endeavors is not readily available in the search results. However, his commitment to mentorship reflects a desire to give back and support others.
