When a person begins to grow intellectually, they tend to inspire others and their surroundings. As there are many aspects of a person’s life that one can gain inspiration from, one such individual is Michael Ede, who has a multifaceted career. Ede is a sports enthusiast, entrepreneur, mentor, and investor who has been working in sports for more than a decade. Born on March 3, 1975, Ede is based in the UK and is originally from Nigeria. Ede completed his degree of B.Sc. Honours in Biochemistry from the University of Jos, Nigeria. Even though Ede had a keen interest in sports, he completely stayed focused on completing his studies. In 2011, Ede obtained his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Manchester Metropolitan University Business School (MMUBS), United Kingdom.
Wealth of knowledge“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” ― Robertson Davies
Ede founded Uplift11 in 2020, which grooms young talent and prepares them to become professional athletes. The parent company of Uplift11 is Maigmike Consulting, where Ede serves as a CEO. Maigmike Consulting helps business executives overcome challenges in their organisations by providing them insights into the industry and helping them transform their organisational strategies. After completing his education, Ede began his career in September 2004 as a Project Support Officer as a Contractor at Southend University Hospital and NHS Foundation Trust. When Ede completed the contract after a year, he joined T-Mobile as a Junior Finance Analyst. Ede has a wide range of career accomplishments as he has been proficient in every task given to him and has proven to be an asset. Ede has spent a huge part of his career as a Project Manager by showcasing his skills working in various companies, facing different situations, which enabled Ede to absorb and acquire understanding.
Ede has worked in organisations such as eBay Enterprise, Lehman Brothers, Atlantic Asset Management Bank, RBS, Satander Global Banking and Marketing, Lloyds Banking Group, and Willis Towers Watson throughout his career. Ede has worked as a Senior Consultant for over three years for Capgemini. He has also served as a Pega Project Manager and Programme Manager for HSBC and Lead Scrum Master for Barclays Investment Banking, Anglian Water Services, and the Bank of Ireland (BoI). He then served as a Global Release Lead at HSBC Commercial Banking. Due to his wide-ranging knowledge and background, he was contracted as a Deployment Lead for seven months at AstraZeneca in 2019. Currently, Ede serves as Director of Training and Development with Brighter Connect. Ede carries out workshops, webinars, training, and online/onsite classes with individuals, corporate sectors and government agencies by providing them with end-to-end training workshops.
A family man
“I sustain myself with the love of family.” ― Maya Angelou
In September 2016, Ede got married to Sarah Ede, and they have two children; a daughter, Anne Elizabeth, and a son, Jason Asher-Michael. When Uplift11 and Maigmike Consulting began to boom, Ede asked his wife to join him as chief operating officer (COO). There are instances when individuals begin to wonder if all they have done is paying off, yet Ede has remained determined with his passion and devotion. Ede has been relentlessly working hard to work on his skills and talent. When Ede began Uplift11, his goal was to promote emerging and upcoming talent to become the greatest version of themselves. Uplift11 is a sports management agency that helps in contract negotiation, financial management, and even landing endorsements and commercials. By bringing his wife onboard, Ede has seen more success coming his way. Ede is close with his children and envisions them to pursue their dreams diligently.
Ede is a licensed Football Association (FA) Registered Intermediary and a member of Professional Football Agents Association (ProFAA) - the sole global body representing the interests of football agents worldwide. He has collaborated with top football players like Charlevy Mabiala, Lewis Horner, Tonći Kukoč, and Lugiani Gallardo. Ede has worked with coaching maestros Sergey Matveyev and Emanuele Ferraro, known for their outstanding coaching. As the world has been jolted with the COVID-19 pandemic, the game of football suffered as matches in stadiums were halted. Ede remained resolute and decided to power through all the adversities which were stopping him. With the pandemic leaving the world unbalanced, the future of football was in turmoil. Yet, Ede did his part in working tirelessly to keep the game thriving and bringing in more young athletes than before.
Success with a positive attitude“First steps are always the hardest, but until they are taken, the notion of progress remains only a notion and not an achievement.” ― Aberjhani
When people begin to succeed, they need to retain a positive attitude as others may try to bring them down. There are instances when a person may feel demotivated, yet Ede has been immaculate in exercising his abilities to remain positive. When people begin to see that their contribution to the world is bringing in change, they tend to get a little overwhelmed. Yet, Ede let the feelings of apprehension fuel him and support him in making decisions that would benefit all those around him. There are instances when a person feels that there will be predicaments, yet it is crucial to remain optimistic. Success only comes to those who avoid negative thoughts and envision themselves to succeed. It is important to keep a goal in mind to allow an individual to remain organised and focused.
As a person, every individual should at least let their creativity flow and not be constrained, they should also practice humility. Success does not come easy, and to truly retain it, a person should practice resilience and determination. Ede, with his intellect, has been a source of inspiration and added- value to others and his surroundings. Ede has been a pioneer in educating and enlightening individuals to find their motivation as he has conducted numerous workshops to train them. It is important to be vigilant and not allow external factors to dull down a person’s light. Ede has been a guiding light for individuals who needed a little push in determining their passion. He has been working nonstop to provide direction to young, passionate talents, which helps the sports industry at large.