Akin Monehin Urges SMEs to Embed Strategy in Daily Operations

Corporate strategist and board adviser Akin Monehin told entrepreneurs at the BusinessDay Top 100 Promising SMEs Awards in Lagos that business strategies fail without disciplined, daily execution.

“A strategy is worthless unless it’s woven into the daily rhythm of operations,” Monehin said. “Execution isn’t just about who does what — it’s about building systems that hold each other accountable.”

He said businesses should treat metrics as “narratives” that align teams around clear priorities: “When everyone knows what matters, the business becomes a living organism fuelled by purpose and precision.”

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, Monehin outlined three operational practices for SMEs:

Define success in short, three-month cycles instead of long-term five-year targets.

Link incentives to daily value creation, not only quarterly results.

Maintain leadership consistency through periods of transition.

A fellow judge at the event said Monehin’s approach offered “a practical framework SME founders can implement immediately.”