10 Years of Intense: What it takes to build a successful business from the ground up

Businesses are often born in one of two ways. Some begin with abundant capital, a network of investors, and the cushion of existing infrastructure. Others start with little more than conviction, discipline, and the determination to push through uncertainty. The company that is now Intense Group belongs firmly to the latter. It is a path that is less glamorous and more arduous, but one that demands intensity, the kind that transforms setbacks into lessons and limited resources into opportunities for reinvention.

The Intense story is inseparable from that of its founder, Leye Makanjuola, who believed that marketing could go beyond creativity and storytelling to deliver measurable and predictable growth powered by data and technology. The early years tested this conviction. Competing against better-funded firms meant Intense had to rely on clarity of purpose, sharper execution, and an uncompromising commitment to standards.

Every campaign had to justify its existence, every solution had to deliver tangible returns, and every client relationship had to be earned. This mindset created an organisation wired for resilience. Shortcuts were rejected, failures were examined rather than excused, and outcomes were prioritised above appearances.

Over time, that discipline began to pay off. Intense established itself as a trusted partner for businesses seeking more than vanity metrics. By combining data, technology, and AI-driven systems, the firm proved that marketing could be tracked, scaled, and sustained with precision. From its base in Lagos, the company expanded its influence, working with multinationals across industries. A decade on, Intense has evolved into a marketing technology group that now includes Intense Digital, Intense UK, Purple Stardust and Palet.

The journey has brought recognition. Industry accolades, including wins at the Pitcher Awards, highlight the company’s impact. Yet for Makanjuola, true validation lies in client results: stronger brands, bigger market share, and demonstrable return on investment. The firm’s 10th anniversary theme, A Decade of Unlocking Exceptional Growth for Business, reflects this philosophy. For Intense, the milestone is not a finish line but a checkpoint, a reminder that each stage of growth demands renewed intensity.

At the core of the company’s culture is that very principle. Expressed through the acronym TIGER O, which stands for Team Spirit, Innovation, Growth Orientation, Excellence, Responsibility, and Owner’s Mindset, these values are more than words on paper. They are daily practices. Collaboration drives urgency, innovation prevents stagnation, and accountability ensures that every challenge becomes an opportunity.

The lesson in the Intense story is clear. Building a successful business from scratch is not determined by the size of initial funding but by the intensity of execution. In environments marked by currency volatility, global competition, and constant disruption, what sustains vision and turns plans into performance is not luck or strategy alone but discipline and resilience.

From a Nigerian startup built on conviction to an international group with offices across two continents, Intense shows that building from the ground up is not only possible. Done with intensity, it can become the very advantage that drives lasting growth.

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