Nana kakyiri shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Nana, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I am most proud of building my company Equellence. What started as an equestrian creator network to support content creators has grown into a multifaceted company built to challenge and evolve the equestrian industry. In an industry deeply rooted in the old world, my goal has always been to create a sport where access is redefined. As the barrier to entry shrinks, the question becomes: can we preserve the traditions and elegance of the sport while creating a more open and inclusive playing field? Equellence exists to prove that we can. I began with the creator network because when I first entered equestrian content creation, I felt completely alone. There was little community, and the equestrian industry was far behind in understanding and leveraging the creator economy. In my second year at the University of Southern California, I joined a social media club and learned firsthand how the creator economy was reshaping entire industries by reaching audiences they had never reached before. I realized that if equestrian sport could be broadcast worldwide in the same way, it would fundamentally change how the industry operates. That realization led me to build Equellence as a support system for equestrians interested in content creation. Recently, we expanded to serve equestrians at every level, not just creators, and we hosted Polo Under the Stars, one of the largest equestrian influencer events to date, alongside my partner Agustin Arellano. That event was not just a celebration; it was a proof-of-concept. We intentionally brought together high-profile equestrians and people completely new to the sport, showing that equestrian culture can be elevated, media-driven, and inclusive at the same time. Polo Under the Stars represents our larger initiative to modernize the industry through storytelling, access, and community, while still honoring the sophistication and heritage that make the sport what it is.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Nana, an equestrian, creator, and the founder of Equellence. I started Equellence because I saw a massive disconnect between the equestrian world and the modern creator economy. Equestrian sport is one of the most historic and visually powerful sports in the world, yet it has remained closed-off, slow to change, and largely invisible to audiences outside its inner circle. I didn’t want to wait for the industry to catch up, so I built something that forces it to.
What makes Equellence different is that we don’t just work online, and we don’t just run influencer campaigns. We build real-world access points into an industry that has traditionally relied on legacy status, money, and gatekeeping. We bring creators, athletes, brands, and non-horsey audiences into the same room through high-impact events, media-first activations, and community-driven programming. Our goal is simple: modernize how equestrian sport is seen, shared, and experienced without stripping away its elegance or tradition.
My story is rooted in being the outsider. I grew up loving horses in a space where I rarely saw people who looked like me, and that pushed me to create the visibility and community I never had. I started creating content not to be an influencer, but to open the sport up and show what was possible. That mission is now fully realized through Equellence. Most recently, we hosted Polo Under the Stars alongside professional polo player Agustin Arellano, an event that blended elite polo, creators, media, and first-time spectators to prove that equestrian sport can thrive at the intersection of culture, access, and modern storytelling.
Right now, I’m focused on scaling Equellence through more events, broader community access, and deeper brand partnerships that bring new audiences into the sport. At its core, everything I’m building is about changing who gets to participate, who gets to be seen, and how equestrian sport evolves next.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Growing up as a first-generation equestrian from an immigrant family was not easy. On top of that, I grew up in Las Vegas, which people assume is a big city. Maybe for tourists, but how many people do you actually know who grew up there? The Las Vegas equestrian scene was extremely small, especially for show jumping, so there were very limited options for barns and programs. As a result, many of the environments I rode in were difficult and unstable. We also did not have the money to ride in a top show program, which meant I had to take whatever opportunities I could find just to stay in the saddle. That often meant riding at backyard barns with difficult horses, tough trainers, and dishonest situations that ultimately kept me from progressing. Over time, I watched my peers move up faster and faster while I felt completely stuck. For years, I felt trapped in my riding and unsure how to move forward.
When I was accepted into the University of Southern California, I was given the opportunity to spend my first year as a freshman abroad in Italy through the business school. Living in Rome, I decided to make the most of my time there by riding every single weekend. Riding in Europe is significantly more affordable than in the United States, and for the first time, consistent training felt possible. I would finish classes on Thursday, hop on a $25 train, travel three hours to Fermo, stay in the countryside, ride all weekend, and return to Rome in time for classes Sunday night. I did this almost every week. It was the first time in my life that I was able to ride consistently and finally start moving up.
That growth did not come easily. I had been trained in the hunter discipline, but in Europe, the focus is almost entirely on show jumping. Adjusting to the European riding style was far harder than I expected. At the same time, I was dealing with a deep confidence issue that I could not explain. Looking back, I now understand it was the result of years of negative training experiences, but at the time, I just felt broken. I remember one lesson in particular when it was pouring rain. I had already fallen earlier and was attempting another jump. I completely shut down and couldn’t bring myself to complete a simple exercise. I broke down out of pure frustration.
My Italian trainer said something to me that I will never forget. He looked at me and said, “Nana, I believe in you, and I see you going to the top of this sport. But you need to start believing it yourself, because my belief means nothing if you do not believe it too.” That moment shifted everything. I went back to the country house afterward and completely broke down. It was the first time I truly felt seen in riding and in the sport as a whole. From that point on, I realized that mentality is everything. It took time, but with a major shift in mindset and direction, I can now say that I fully believe in myself, and I am deeply grateful for that growth.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
“You are different, and that’s okay; you are supposed to be different. You’re not supposed to fit in. You will never fit in, and that’s what everyone will love about you. So please don’t try to be something you aren’t for the sake of validation. The people around you are not your people, you won’t even remmeber them, so it’s not worth trying to please them, you will find your people once you truly start embracing you!”
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
You are in control of your destiny, your life, and your path. You define who you are every single day. You can rewrite your story, change course, and reinvent yourself. I see each day as a “new year.” If I am not different than who I was yesterday, then that is not a day well spent. You can change yourself and who you are every single day; we are limitless beings at the end of the day.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m in the saddle or around horses! They keep me at ease!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nanakakyiri/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nana-sarfo-05b529122/
