Nigeria-born author and cybersecurity leader, Ismail Sogbade, has decried the challenges youths face in building careers, overcoming business bottlenecks and navigating workplace issues.

This was at the launch of his book titled “The Set-Piece Strategy,” aimed at addressing career uncertainty, business growth challenges and workplace issues confronting young professionals and entrepreneurs across Nigeria and Africa.

Sogbade lamented that many graduates and aspiring entrepreneurs enter the market yearly without clear direction, often moving between industries, jobs and business ideas without a defined strategy that aligns their skills with market opportunities.

Drawing inspiration from football tactics, he argues that success in career and business is rarely accidental, stressing that preparation, positioning and timing are critical to achieving long-term results.

The book he said offers a practical framework for navigating career development, entrepreneurship and personal growth amid rising unemployment, workplace toxicity and widening skill gaps in the labour market.

According to the author, the publication was inspired by growing concerns over the confusion many young people face while trying to build meaningful careers and sustainable businesses in a rapidly changing economy.

His words: “The publication identifies unemployment and underemployment as major challenges affecting young people across Nigeria and the continent, despite increasing levels of education and qualifications.
“It also highlighted workplace toxicity as a growing concern forcing many talented individuals out of organisations and industries, thereby limiting long-term career growth and productivity.

“The book further examined the widening gap between employer expectations and the skills possessed by job seekers and startup founders, a development it said has left several positions unfilled while businesses struggle to deliver value.

“It also addressed the difficulties many entrepreneurs face in moving from ideas to sustainable enterprises capable of attracting customers, retaining talent and scaling operations.”

According to the author, “The Set-Piece Strategy” provides readers with actionable steps for career development, strategic networking, cold pitching and building businesses that create lasting value.

Speaking on the motivation behind the book, Sogbade said: “For too long I have watched brilliant young people in Nigeria and across Africa get stuck between confusion and missed chances. The problem is not always talent. It is preparation.

“I wrote The Set-Piece Strategy because I wanted to give people a clear way to prepare before the opportunity comes, whether they are applying for a job or building a business from scratch. When you prepare well, a single moment can change the entire direction of your life and work.”

He explained that the book combines lessons from career coaching, human resource practice, business development and real-life case studies to help readers identify transferable skills, validate business ideas and position themselves for opportunities aligned with market demand.

Sogbade, who has over a decade of experience in technology, business management and coaching entry-level professionals and startup founders, said the goal of the book is to equip a generation with tools to create opportunities and build careers and businesses intentionally.

The book is currently available on Amazon.