I’m ChiDubem aka Dubem Menakaya.
I’m a leadership advisor, creative partner, and transformation catalyst for underrepresented founders ready to lead from who they truly are.

My journey didn’t begin in boardrooms or high-growth companies—it began on the floor of my mum’s living room.

In 2010, after failing my first year of university, I dropped out. For months, I lay in the same spot watching daytime TV, convinced I had no mental strength. One day, I picked up a book called Mental Strength. A single line gripped me:

“Everything that is around us was once a thought in someone’s head.”

That idea planted a seed in me—that maybe, just maybe, I could create something too.

I returned to university, followed a quiet inner voice, and eventually became president of the Enterprise Society, winning national awards and recognition. But even with all that, I still felt like I was on a mission to “fix” myself.

I went deep into personal development, therapy, 12-step programs, silent retreats, recovery groups, and every form of transformation work I could find. Searching. Listening. Healing. Trying to answer one question: What’s getting in the way of my brilliance?

That question has shaped my life and the work I do now.

Since attending my first in-person transformation event in 2015, I’ve spent thousands of hours in intimate, high-stakes conversations. I’ve supported over 200 founders and changemakers in stepping into their true voice, power, and leadership.

These are founders who look great on paper—but secretly feel stuck, frustrated, or afraid to own how powerful they really are. And I know that feeling intimately.

If you’re called to create something extraordinary—and you refuse to lose your essence in the process—I’m here to walk with you.