From Mechanical Engineer to Marketing Expert: How Benjamin Shotola forged his own path

In Nigeria, participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is compulsory for every graduate. But for Benjamin Olamide Shotola, that one-year period became an opportunity to do something different. He chose to forgo the scheme and, in doing so, changed the course of his life.

Using platforms like HubSpot, Udemy, and Coursera, Benjamin taught himself email marketing. Having the skills didn’t translate to instant income, though. Still, he kept showing up and putting in the work. “My biggest motivation was the desire to make it,” he says.

Then one day, the opportunity he had been waiting for finally came. Someone referred him for a gig—and the rest, as they say, is history.

The payoff of persistence 

Since his first project, Benjamine has scaled from a one-man team to an email marketing agency. In his current role as founder of inbox2cash, he helps brands increase revenue through emails and SMS. The agency uses the three-step AMPLIFY™ framework to improve open rates and boost sales.

“First, we review your current email setup and customer journey. Then we create the right flows, campaigns, and strategy for your audience. We keep improving your emails based on data, to maximize engagement and repeat business.”

The highlight of the mechanical engineer turned email marketing guru’s career is working with several international companies, bringing in over $15, 000 in a year. That’s quite an accomplishment for someone who “came from a humble background.”

We rise when we lift others up 

Benjamin’s main motivation is surprisingly altruistic. “ I’m the first child of my parents and it’s important to set an example for my siblings. I need to take care of my family, that’s what motivates me.”

Beyond his family, he mentors aspiring techies, freelancers and remote workers through his community. “I teach them how to position themselves strategically, show up consistently, and network with the right audience for their various services.” His Twitter spaces have helped hundreds of people get their foot in the door and access opportunities.

Through his work in tech, he hopes to “create an ecosystem, a space that helps upcoming remote workers to achieve their goals in the tech.” As the curator of the Broke Man Strategy (BMS) on X, Benjamin—popularly known as Technical Ben—is making a meaningful impact on Nigeria’s tech community, empowering one newbie at a time.