Meet Nana Agyapong! Who Built While Everyone Doubted Her!

Every so often, a founder story reminds us why starting early isn’t the advantage, believing early is.

Nana Agyapong was just 17 years old, studying for her A Levels, when she self-funded an idea that would later become Investate.Today, that idea has grown into a youth-led community supporting over 10,000 young people nationwide, from all walks of life.A year ago, Nana was largely unknown a student with a vision and a quiet determination to build something meaningful for people who looked like her, thought like her, and dreamed like her. Today, she’s stepping into rooms she once only imagined, not just to speak, but to inspire.

“I’m building a legacy with my name as the foundation.”

But the journey wasn’t smooth and it definitely wasn’t supported. The Doubt No One Talks About. One of Nana’s biggest challenges wasn’t money or resources.

“It was doubt.” Teachers told her to quit and “focus on school.”

Peers laughed, dismissed the idea, and discouraged her behind the scenes. Balancing studies while building something people didn’t believe in started to take its toll, and yet  she kept going.

What’s striking is what happened next.

The same people who once called the idea “silly” are now doing similar things themselves. The lesson? Most people only believe after it starts working  or once it benefits them personally.

Building Without Permission

Investate was 100% self-funded. Nana co founded by Lenon Muna used profits from a small business she was running and money earned working part-time at Tesco. Every penny mattered. Every skill had to be learned. From graphics to websites to coding  the business was built from the ground up. No investors. No shortcuts. Just belief, consistency, and purpose.

The Real Highlight

Ask Nana what success looks like, and she won’t talk about numbers first.

It’s the messages.

The conversations after events.

The young people who say, “You helped me,” or “You inspired me to go for it.” That’s the reward.

The Founder Lesson

Nana lives by one simple truth:

Closed mouths don’t get fed.

Opportunities don’t come to those who stay silent. You have to speak up for your vision, even when your voice shakes. Too many founders chase validation instead of building value  but when you build with purpose, everything else follows.

At The Forty60 Club, we tell real founder stories the doubt, the pressure, the learning curve, and the growth. Nana’s journey is a reminder that your beginning does not define your potential.

Sometimes, the people who start the earliest are the ones brave enough to build without permission.