Koromone “KAY” Asabe-Yobaere is a superstar. She recently joined the chief brand officer at Jamit, an audio entertainment company empowering diverse creators, podcasters, and audio storytellers. Before Jamit, Koromone was managing editor at TechCabal for two years where she managed the publication’s daily operations.
What exactly does a chief brand officer do?
A chief brand officer (CBO) creates and oversees the vision of a company’s brand. I say vision because brands aren’t static entities—they adapt to trends. Chief brand officer is used interchangeably with chief marketing officer (CMO) but both come with slightly different responsibilities. CBOs craft a brand’s principles, values, voice and tone, and brand guidelines; CMOs execute high-level marketing strategies and campaigns for a business.
You took a 3-month sabbatical this year. What did you learn from that experience?
I learned how to create, edit, and market my debut poetry album using Garageband, Canva, and Distrokid. It took about a month for me to figure out the technical bits and bobs, but I caught on eventually.
Rest is vital for high achievers like water is vital for the body. Rest isn’t about sleeping long hours or slipping into couch potato mode every weekend, it’s more about making a conscious decision to slow down and take note of how you feel in your mind, body, and soul. Do you wake up stressed and anxious? Have you worked weekends every month since the year started? High achievers must prioritize rest or risk burning out before they reach their career peak.
You went from writing about startups to joining a founding team. Is there any mindset change that’s happening for you?
I now have to take on the mindset of a senior leader, not a middle manager. Middle managers are the engine of a business—they act as intermediaries between top management and junior staffers and also translate a business’s vision into measurable assignments and activities. As a senior leader, I have to think about strategy, direction, people operations, profitability, etc. It’s big girl pants on season.
Are there any learnings you’re taking from your old role into your new one?
Definitely.
- Managing and growing hybrid and remote teams.
- Understanding business operations and getting my hands dirty when the going gets tough.
- Embracing creativity and moving at a quick but calculated pace.
What’s your vision for the future of your Jamit?
A fun and expressive audio entertainment brand that is home to Black and African voice creators. I want Jamit to work with the most diverse and gifted podcasters, talk show hosts, voice actors, and influencers.
What advice do you have for those that want to be birkin baddies?
- Say your prayers
- Drink more water
- Be kind to yourself
- Own a couple of Bottegas
What are you jamming to at the moment?
S2 Ep 3 of Long Story Short podcast hosted by Noah Banjo.
