Being an entrepreneur is no easy task. It is an adventurous venture that requires one to be on their toes always and be ready to face challenges at any time. There are hundreds of examples worldwide of entrepreneurs who have made it big in their specific industry. Unfortunately, only a few share their journey and talk about the struggles they experienced. But, Michael Ede, a serial entrepreneur, and a sports enthusiast and expert, openly talks about his journey to success.
Over his 16-year long career as an entrepreneur, investor, project manager, and football intermediary, Michael Ede has honed the skills and domain expertise needed to elevate the careers of high-performing football athletes.
Prior to starting his own company, Michael Ede worked as a Deployment Lead at AstraZeneca. He built synergies between business and technology operations: he integrated company data systems for the firm’s ‘Our Future Reimagined’ programme and mapped their deployment E2E business plan. He also developed business strategies across a diverse array of projects, helping top executives and business owners overcome organisational challenges. Michael Ede’s focus on client success has resulted in countless happy customers, all of whom attest to Mr. Ede’s expertise and dedication to business outcomes.
He then joined Barclays, where Michael Ede led the adoption of Agile project management philosophy while tackling challenges like CCSR compliance requirements. As a Global Release Lead at HSBC, he implemented a new centralised platform for BIB and Multi-Channel Business Account Opening by leveraging the DevOps framework.
As he kept on switching companies on the completion of his contracts, Ede learned a ton of skills that groomed his personality overall. He saw himself as a confident professional who could easily pull off a new venture.
Taking the plunge
Michael Ede laid the foundation for Maigmike Consulting, a business solutions firm built for the modern day. Maigmike Consulting leverages industry insights and experiences to transform business performance.
After stabilizing his first startup, Ede was ready to kickstart his second one. In September 2020, Michael Ede founded Uplift11, a sports talent management agency dedicated to fully maximising the potential of new and experienced sporting talent. He serves as the CEO and managing director of the company. He brings years of industry experience and nuance to the role. His qualifications include the Football Agent Pro certification, courtesy of the esteemed John Viola Academy, as well as the S4 Scouting Professional Football Recruitment and Players Scouting Level 1 Training. One of the main objectives that he tries to achieve through his company is highlighting the potential and talent of Africa.
As a multidisciplinary and FA-licensed football intermediary, Mr. Ede prioritizes and negotiates for the long-term success and sustainability of his clients’ careers above all else. As a result, Uplift11 now represents football athletes like Tonći Kukoč, Lugiani Gallardo, Lewis Horner, and Charlevy Mabiala. They also work with coaches Emanuele Ferraro and Sergey Matveyev. Michael Ede and Uplift11 have been featured in Haute Living, Tech Times, and the Jerusalem Post for their meticulous and thoughtful service to global sporting talent.
While managing his company, Ede was simultaneously involved with Brighter Connect as the Director of Training and Development. The firm is a training and consulting organization that offers courses and learning materials across various domains. At Brighter Connect, Mr. Ede conducts training around the corporate sector, government agencies, and more.
Overall, Michael Ede brings a level of experience, energy, and focus unmatched in the industry. As managing director of one of the fastest-growing sports talent management agencies in the UK. He is one of the best personnel to motivate and manage top-performing athletes from all corners of the world.
