Companies fail because they hesitate, says Bella Disu at TEDx Ikoyi

Bella Disu, executive vice-chairman of Globacom, says companies fail because they hesitate.

Disu spoke at the TEDx Ikoyi event, where she warned organisations and executives that hesitation is costing companies their future.

In her speech titled ‘Say Yes Now: Why Readiness is a Myth’, she argued that businesses collapse not from lack of capability but from delaying decisions when it matters most.

Disu illustrated the cost of inaction with famous global examples. She said Kodak spotted the rise of digital photography but froze.

She said Blockbuster saw Netflix and dismissed it, adding that Apple faced the same disruption but moved quickly.

“The difference? Two companies protected their past, while one created its future,” she said.

She noted that Nigeria is no exception, adding that a once-popular quick-service restaurant chain faded from relevance as it failed to evolve, while fast-growing brands like Chicken Republic and Kilimanjaro surged by adapting to shifting consumer tastes.

She also pointed to fintechs, whose rapid innovation forced traditional banks to abandon long-held practices and rethink how they serve customers.

Disu said effective leadership requires recognising opportunity early and acting before the moment feels comfortable.

She said companies do not crumble due to lack of capacity, but because they cling to the familiar and wait too long to change.

“Leadership is seeing what could be and moving towards it. Urgency, when grounded in clarity, is not chaos — it is direction. Doing creates readiness,” she said.

The full TEDx Ikoyi talk can be watched here: https://youtu.be/msW3ysulAGg