“If you don’t launch fast, someone else will. And you might end up working for the very company that built your idea.”

Tenotea.

At SpotlightHub, we caught up with Adelakun Emmanuel, known as Tenotea, the founder of ExpressLab, the company behind SMTP Express and Subbit.

From starting out as a young entrepreneur selling downloaded movies to becoming a young developer frustrated with the job market, Emmanuel has now moved on to building SaaS products for African businesses. His story is filled with lessons on persistence, clarity, and why speed matters more than perfection.

Catch up with the interview details and learn from Emmanuel's story;

SpotlightHub Team: Emmanuel, let’s start from the beginning. Who are you, and what inspired you to become a founder?

Adelakun Emmanuel (Tenotea):

I’m Adelakun Emmanuel, the founder of ExpressLab, where we build SaaS tools to help African businesses communicate and scale, with two of our products already launched (SMTP Express and Subbit).

Meanwhile, I never had the plan to be a founder. The push came from frustration of being broke as a developer. I saw how poorly developers were treated in the job market and how startups struggled because most global tools weren’t designed for Africa.

Instead of complaining, I decided to build. And with encouragement from other friends and founders, I realized I could actually create solutions for these problems. That’s how ExpressLab began.

SpotlightHub Team: What were some of the early challenges you faced while building SMTP Express?

Adelakun Emmanuel:

The biggest challenge was user onboarding. Email infrastructure is messy, most people don’t want to touch DNS records or configurations. We thought users would set things up, but 90% never did.

That’s why we introduced default sender addresses. It removed the friction and made sign-up simple. Another tough one was spam filtering, we built a system that blocked phishing but also flagged legit emails. Customers were furious. We had to quickly adjust, finding that balance between safety and usability.

Those experiences taught me that an MVP must be practical, not just functional.

SpotlightHub Team: How do you handle negative feedback from users?

Adelakun Emmanuel:

I see feedback as data, not judgment. Yes, it stings when someone criticizes your work, but if you don’t listen, you’ll build in a vacuum.

When customers complain, my first instinct is frustration, but I step back and ask, “What’s actually wrong here, and how do we fix it?” Objectivity is key; otherwise, you’ll overreact or ignore the issue.

SpotlightHub Team: What’s your take on branding and marketing?

Adelakun Emmanuel:

Branding is critical. When we started, “SMTP Express” worked for developers, but now our users are mostly businesses and influencers. For the devrlopers, “SMTP” means nothing. That’s why we’re working on a rebrand that speaks directly to non-technical users.

On marketing, content has been our strongest channel. Our developer articles from 2024 still bring international sign-ups, even after we added a paywall. It showed us that good content pays long-term.

Balancing personal life and startup building is tough. How do you manage it?

Adelakun Emmanuel:

I don’t believe in strict balance. Life is unpredictable. For me, it’s about handling what matters most at the moment.

If work is urgent, I give it my all. If I’m burnt out, I pause and recharge. The key is not tying your entire identity to the startup; otherwise, you’ll drown in the pressure.

SpotlightHub Team: From your journey so far, what advice would you give aspiring founders?

Adelakun Emmanuel:

Don’t wait. I’ve had ideas that stayed in Figma for years, only to see someone else launch them.

AI has lowered the barrier to building, which means if you’re not moving fast, someone else is. Have an anchor point for your vision, but don’t chase perfection. Build, launch, learn, iterate.

The founders who win are not always the smartest, but the ones who keep going.

Get to know more about SMTP Express here

SpotlightHub Closing Note:

From selling movies in school to building SaaS tools powering businesses across Africa, Emmanuel’s journey shows that progress doesn’t come from waiting; it comes from building, learning, and never quitting.

As he puts it, “Everything won’t look nice at the start. But it always gets better if you don’t stop.”

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji co-founded Andela and Flutterwave before turning 30. Andela started by training software engineers in Africa and hiring them out globally.

Lesson? You don’t need a huge product to start. Sometimes, people are the product. Build with people first. Tech will follow.

In case you missed the previous founder’s story we shared, check it out here.

"I Wasn’t Inspired to Become a Founder”.

Spotlighthub·May 21, 2025Read full story

Here is a chance for you to catch up with the previous episode of our Friday Founder’s Kitchen newsletter series, where we share tips. Another episode drops this Friday; do well to subscribe

Your First 10 Users Matter More Than Your First 1000

Spotlighthub· August 15, 2025 Read full story

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