With an entrepreneur father, launching her own business was a no brainer for Mary Olushoga. In fact, she considers it her calling. Mary is a small business advocate and founder of AWP Network, an online platform powering small business success for African entrepreneurs that provides business resources, educational tools and community support. This internationally recognized award-winning small business platform is dedicated to showcasing the entrepreneurial stories, business challenges and successes of African women and youth. It received honorable distinction at the 2012 World Summit Youth Award, an Apps4Africa Innovation Award and received coverage on media platforms including BBC World Have your Say, Columbia University Africa Economic Forum, W!se Institute, United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, United Nations ECOSOC Youth Forum and the Rockefeller Foundation Tech Salon.
Mary, on the other hand, is a GOOD Maker/Oxfam America International Women’s Day Challenge Winner, has received a Community Service Award from the New York State Bar Foundation and a President’s Commission on the Status of Women Community Service Award, among other accolades. With AWP Network, she provides business education content she passionately believes in – from webinars and competitions to interviews about the startup culture. Each has a particular focus on African women and youth entrepreneurs. It’s Mary’s mission to provide inspiration by sharing these stories and help promote the “I can do” mentality. In her words, “It’s our goal to help turn dreams into a reality.”