He built $30 million in deals from a mud hut. I was his student for ten years.
Of Ambition and Grind is the true story of Mr. Dodzi, and the mentorship that turned one entrepreneur's decade of proximity into a survival guide for anyone building without a map.
Endorsed by founders and CEOs across West Africa
"Something about Yao IDDO has caused several great writers to pause, clear their throats, and switch tactics. Of Ambition and Grind delivers what Yao's fans are looking for and is the author's best book yet. This book is a great investment. Of Ambition and Grind is really not a book to rush. It deserves time and will reward the patient reader amply."
"Bestselling author Yao IDDO skillfully makes you understand the rudiments of building a lasting company. Don't start a business without reading this first because it is everything an entrepreneurship book ought to be. I can't recommend Yao enough. If you are unemployed, this book is not an option, it's a necessity."
"One of the best entrepreneurship manuals to come out of Africa in a long time. Illuminating, and fascinating, filled with wonderful wisdom, by a writer whose brilliant understanding of entrepreneurship has allowed him to come this far. Yao's writing is lyrical and elegant. So awesome it ought to be a movie."
The ebook
Own the story that built an empire
Every edition is available as a Personal license (one reader) or a Team license (shareable across your organization).
Standard eBook
Both formats included, watermarked to you and delivered by email. The EPUB sends straight to your Kindle.
- PDF and EPUB, both formats
- Watermarked, delivered by email
- Yours to keep, read at your own pace
Autographed Edition
The same files, with a personalized digital signature page from Iddo Yao Collins. A keepsake edition that makes a great gift.
Digital Flipbook
An interactive, page-turning read right in your browser. No download, no app.
Paperback
Prefer a physical copy? Also available in paperback, shipped by Amazon.
For ten years, I sat across from the man behind $30 million in deals across West Africa. This is what he taught me, and what it cost.
Built in the dark. Made for the light.
The hardest lesson wasn't the work. It was the waiting. The hardest question wasn't "how." It was "why should anyone join you, stay with you, bet on you?"
Born with nothing. Built an empire while recessions broke everyone else.
Mr. Dodzi lost his father at 9 and grew up without shoes, water, or power. By 23 he'd built his own company in Accra. By 26, a multimillionaire, while West Africa's toughest business tycoons went under around him.
In 2010, I asked him to coach me. He said yes. This book is everything that decade taught me: the tactics, the waiting, and the question that mattered more than "how."
10
years of mentorship$30M
in deals witnessed1976
the year he made itPart memoir, part battle manual, written in the fire of building in Africa.
The mentor's mind
The tactics and mentality of a secretive man who moves capital most entrepreneurs never see.
The mentee's decade
Ten years of proximity, patience, and the friendship that shaped both men in return.
The battle-tested playbook
Lessons for entrepreneurs building in volatile economies, with no map, no generational wealth, and no permission.
Iddo Yao Collins
Iddo Yao Collins spent a decade as the student of one of West Africa's most secretive tycoons. That mentorship became Of Ambition and Grind.
FAQ
What format will I receive?
PDF and EPUB, delivered to your email shortly after your purchase completes.
Why isn't it an instant download?
Each copy is digitally watermarked with your name and order details before it's sent. This is a quick, automatic step that protects the book from piracy, and it takes a few minutes, which is why it arrives by email rather than downloading instantly.
Is this a print book too?
This page sells the ebook edition. A paperback edition is also available on Amazon.
Who is this book for?
Entrepreneurs building in volatile economies, readers of mentor-mentee stories, and anyone drawn to honest accounts of ambition.
What's the difference between the two options?
Your Copy is licensed for one reader. The Team & Mentorship Bundle carries the same files with the right to share them across your team or organization.
What happens to my flipbook access if the service ever goes offline?
We intend for flipbook access to last as long as this service is available. If we ever permanently discontinue it, every buyer gets a one-time watermarked downloadable copy at no extra charge, so your purchase is never left without a usable copy.