Hello! Please, I will appreciate an honest review of my evidence for GTV Exceptional Promise and feedback. Thank you.
The Brief: My Pivot to Product-Led
While my background is in digital marketing, and I have extensive public work as an agency CEO which got me the O1A Visa Approval for the U.S when I applied (A Talent Visa also)…I am unable to use most of them (lots of publications, client contracts, works with reputable organisations, etc.) for GTV because GTV is focused on Product-Led.
I am applying for the UK GTV under the Exceptional Promise category with a focus on Product-Led Growth (PLG)/Product Management.
Since late 2023, I have pivoted from services to products. I spent a year as a Product Manager and Growth Lead for a PLG company before founding my own Product-Led company in 2025. It is a talent-tech infrastructure that manages project matching, workflows, and payments. Between April and November 2025, the platform generated over $100,000 in revenue. My goal is to demonstrate that my work from 2023 to the present day meets the high technical and commercial standards required for this visa.
My GTV Evidence Profile: Exceptional Promise
Mandatory Criteria (MC)
The GTV Requirement: Show that I am recognised as having the potential to be a leading talent in the digital tech sector.
- Evidence 1: Growth Leadership in a Product-Led Company
- This is about my time as a Product Manager and Growth Lead (2023-2024).
- What I’m providing: Product dashboards showing growth, media proof from that period, and a strong reference letter from the CEO confirming I led those growth initiatives.
Evidence 2: Published Material in Major Media
- GTV requires proof of being an author in major trade publications.
- What I’m providing: My 12+ tech articles from 2023/2024 published on platforms like TechCabal, Vanguard, BusinessDay, The Guardian and Tech Economy. I’m also including the reach/readership data for these platforms to show their significance.
Evidence 3: Expert Role as a Judge (Peer Review)
- GTV requires proof of participating on panels or judging the work of others in the tech sector.
- What I’m providing: Proof that I judged tech experts alongside leaders from Amazon and other UK/Global CEOs (4 of us in total). Since it was virtual, I’m packing this with the invitation letter, contract, selection criteria, media mentions, significance of work judged document, appreciation letter and the “Bye-laws” of the programme to show how rigorous the process was.
Evidence 4: High Salary & Benchmarking
- Proof that my compensation is at a high level compared to the industry standard.
- What I’m providing: My Paystub backed by industry benchmarks to show I am performing at a top-tier level.
Optional Criterion 3 (OC3): Commercial & Technical Contribution
The GTV Requirement: Demonstrate significant technical or commercial contributions as a founder of a product-led tech company.
Evidence 1: Commercial Success & Revenue Growth
- Dashboard Proof: Screenshots showing $100k+ in revenue from April to November 2025. I’m showing the paid invoices and a Month-over-Month (MoM) platform growth chart showing how much we made.
- Scale: A screen showing the Total Processed Volume (TPV) to prove how much money the platform actually moves.
- Verification: An Accountant’s Letter from a chartered firm to verify every single invoice and number I’ve shown on the platform.
Evidence 2: Technical Contribution
- This proves I didn’t just build a website, I built a product.
- What I’m providing: Database schema, key API endpoints, system architecture, logic flowcharts, API documentation and backend code snippets. This shows exactly how the platform automates the vetting and deployment of talents.
Evidence 3: Operational Scale & Market Adoption
- Real-world usage: Screenshots of the project dashboard showing ongoing projects and the chat engagements between client success managers and me discussing the tech projects.
- Validation: Reference letters from the actual clients confirming they are working with talents on our platform, using the platform to run their projects.
Optional Criterion 2 (OC2): Recognition Outside Immediate Occupation
The GTV Requirement: Show recognition for work that contributed to the advancement of the tech sector outside of my daily job.
Evidence 1: Impact of my AI Book
- I have written 4 books, but one of them was about Artificial Intelligence. To prove its impact, I have a media interview from The Nation where a mobile app CEO explains how my book helped his company grow in 2025.
- Scale of Impact: Proof (screenshot of where he mentioned this in the interview) that he bought over 100 copies for his team, plus a letter from my publisher confirming multiple print runs of the book.
- Future Evidences:
- I am currently working on two additional pieces of evidence to round this out (likely mentorship or speaking engagements).
Recommenders.
- A Machine and AI Engineer in a global company in the U.K with HQ in the U.S. He also has his PhD in AI and Machine Learning. A first-class student from a Nigerian University and currently a British citizen, resident in the U.K…
- A Global Solutions Architect at AWS with over 15 years of experience. Awarded the Best Honourable of the Parliament. He is a resident in the U.S. His certifications: Certifications; MCTS: Windows Server 2008, Network Infrastructure, Configuration, MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuration and AWS Certified Security – Speciality
- A Tech CEO…the company is in the U.K. It’s a startup with good traction and they are in the news.
I will appreciate a review of all of these and feedback…maybe what I need to do more or take out …whatever it is. Thank you.. @Raphael Thank you so much for all you do here…God bless you. I will really appreciate your feedback.