The NextBillion.net team is happy to welcome Tayo Akinyemi as our newest Staff Writer.  Tayo is a soon-to-be MBA with domestic and international experience working with nonprofits, for-profit companies, and start ups. She has hands-on knowledge in the areas of direct mail marketing, event planning, strategy creation, collateral development, and website management.

Prior to becoming a NextBillion blogger, Tayo worked in business development for a Chicago-based consulting firm, Burke & Partners.  She currently works as a Content Analyst for Cymfony, a market influence analytics company.  Tayo started her career at Catalyst, a New York-based research and advisory organization working with businesses to build inclusive environments and expand opportunities for women at work.  After nearly four years with Catalyst, she accepted a Princeton in Africa Fellowship to do democracy and governance work with an international NGO in Abuja, Nigeria.  At the conclusion of her fellowship, she joined the marketing department of an emerging telecommunications company in Nigeria, Suburban Telecom.

Tayo holds a degree from Princeton University.

I have to admit, when I first encountered Karnani’s initial critique of BoP, entitled “Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: A Mirage” I was beside myself with excitement. Although I had read much of NextBillion’s content with interest and hope, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where is the other side of the debate?” Karnani introduced a dissenting opinion, which is invaluable. However, Karnani’s use of inductive reasoning via case study method, while illustrative, limits the degree to which his assertions are generalizable.

As a result, I’ve decided to dedicate my blogging activities to constructing, facilitating and fomenting (heavy emphasis on the latter), a multi-faceted debate. I truly believe that BOP business development is on to something. But defining that “something” is a continual process to which I intend to contribute. Right now, the “who, what, where, why and how” of BOP thinking is coming into focus, due in no small part to the work of your friendly neighborhood NextBillionaires. What I’d like to explore are alternate forms of those questions: “What for, who for, why so, and how the heck is that possible, really?”

“How will you do that?” you ask. Great question! I knew that you readers were a smart bunch. There are several questions that I’d like to tackle over the course of this blogquest, but I am not foolhardy enough to believe that I have the answers. That’s where you come in. Each week I will pose a question and attempt (note the word ATTEMPT) to answer it. I welcome those of you who have an opinion, an insight, a complaint, or a completely random yet witty comment, to chime in. With no further ado, the questions are as follows. Let’s get ready to rumble.

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