Temple alum featured on ‘Today Show’ seven times discusses his journey

Have you ever dreamed of being on the Today Show? Well, Temple Alum Ofo Ezeugwu was featured on the show seven times and has been in the spotlight for his amazing journey after graduating.

Ofo is the CEO and co-founder of WhoseYourLandlord (WYL), the CEO of Untapped, and also has worked as a model/actor. Ofo is a graduate of Temple University, majoring in entrepreneurship and minoring in management information systems. While in school he was the VP of the student body, VP of Marketing for the Entrepreneurial Student Association, VP of the Handball club, and was also involved in intramural basketball and football. So, as you can see, Ofo kept himself busy here and strove to get the best experience he could while at Temple.

“I chose Temple because it was top five ranked in entrepreneurship at the time I applied,” Ofo said.  “And because when I visited for the first time the vibes, people, and views just felt right.”

Ofo is originally from Paterson, NJ, but grew up in Ellicott City, MD, though Ofo’s parents are from Nigeria and Barbados. Ofo currently inspires students around the Philly community, speaking at numerous schools, giving advice on different aspects of life.

We asked Ofo a few questions about how he started up his career and what advice he can give to students here at Temple.

How would you describe your college experience?

I just wanted to get involved and have a great time. I had gatherings at my house all the time, started two companies, became and actor and model with several agencies, was on the executive board of all the orgs I participated in, and connected with amazing people through every bit of the journey. I wanted to live those four years to the max and I absolutely did that.

Do you feel that your time here at Temple prepared you for the real world?

My Temple experience helped shaped the way I view the world today. Temple is a school of workhorses. It brings out the most eclectic, hard working, and diverse group of people I’d ever been around. People literally come from all over to attend Temple and it’s been so amazing watching so many peers, friends, and siblings attend or, at least, take serious looks at Temple when it comes to attaining their degrees, because of my experiences there.

How did you get the idea to start your own business?

During my senior year at Temple, I was the VP of the student body. In that role, I had students and friends complaining about the issues they were facing with their landlords and property managers. I was no stranger to the complexities of that relationship because I had lived off campus all four years. During the campaign I thought, “What if students could review their landlords?” That way, those coming in behind them would know what to expect before signing their lease.

How do you balance your time between your own business and Untapped?

I’m still CEO of Untapped, Inc., but, at this point in time it remains dormant. Initially, Untapped was a brand development firm focused on putting artists and businesses in front of their desired audience. Once WYL started going, we shifted all focus to that. In the future, we’re going to repurpose Untapped to focus more on investing capital and providing mentorship to minority- and women-led companies.

Can you describe the experience of being featured on the Today Show, as well as other networks?

Sure, I’ve been on the Today Show seven times now. It was an amazing experience because it’s literally live. I’ve gotten to meet some amazing people backstage — Tamron Hall, Olympians, Carson Daly — the list goes on and on. I also did some early work with the show Power, shot commercials with Nike, Dicks Sporting Goods, and ESPN. I’ve also starred as the lead role in a short film that aired at the Lincoln Center in NYC.

How do you get the inspiration to do what you do every single day?

I love what I do. This is my life — not just my work. Every day I pray, get ready for the day, and then get after it. I get to work with awesome people all the time, people who really care about making their mark on this world. I can dig that.

If you had to give students a bit of advice, what would you tell them?

Find your purpose and then do whatever it takes to achieve it. You only get one life, so maximize it for you. We have a tendency to jump into a 9-5 because of fear that we need money, need security, and need to keep up with the Joneses. Well, why not encourage people to keep up with you instead?

If you could go back to your college experience, is there anything that you would change? What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self?

I wouldn’t change anything. Moments of pain, sadness, happiness, discovery, etc. were all needed to shape who I am today. Without hard times I wouldn’t understand and cherish how great the great times are. In terms of advice, I would have told myself to read more, learn more, and explore Philly more- I want to grow forever.

How did it feel when you were invited back to Temple to be the speaker of the freshmen orientation two years ago?

I enjoyed the opportunity and was thankful that Temple reached out to me to deliver that speech. I’m not big time yet, so I had to highlight my journey a bit to help the students understand why a 23 year old was up here giving a speech on life, while also encouraging them to create their future. I had to do it all in three minutes. I loved every moment of it, because I always saw myself up there doing just that.

What are your goals for the future?

Career wise I want to continue growing WhoseYourLandlord, get into real estate development, do more in entertainment, invest in other people’s dreams, and I’m sure there’s more, but I just haven’t nailed it down yet. From a personal perspective, I have a lot of work to do in my parents’ home countries of Nigeria and Barbados. I also want to help build communities right here in the U.S., and to be able to grow my family and give back to it is huge. Simply put — I want everything this life has to offer.

@morgkola