Sources

Exposing: Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, Forbes Contributor

Published

1 year ago

July 5, 2025

So what is Forbes? You’ve definitely heard about it if you are into Online Business or Online niche—whether it’s a headline screaming “30 Under 30” or one of those deep dives into how some startup founder turned ramen nights into millions. But beyond the buzz, Forbes.com is one of the highly credible media outlets in world. In short, it’s known for covering everything from leadership, innovation, lifestyle, global trend and business updates.The media outlet is very known around businesses that is built a reputation on informative journalism, strict editorial policy, and content that excites people. Whether it’s profiles of industry leaders, market trends, or spotlights on upcoming thing.

So why people are desperate to get featured on Forbes? This is where it gets interesting—being mentioned or featured on Forbes can seriously level up your credibility. Think about it: You’re pitching investors, chasing partnerships, or even just trying to get customers to trust your brand. A line that says “as featured in Forbes” instantly tells people, “Hey, someone legit thinks I’m worth paying attention to.” It’s like getting a gold star from the business gods.

And let’s not kid ourselves—perception matters. People Google you. They stalk your company before responding to your email. If they see that Forbes article pop up in the results? That’s instant trust. So why not invest get featured?

So, You Wanna Get Featured in Forbes? Let’s Talk About How It Really Works.

Okay, real talk—getting featured in Forbes sounds like the ultimate dream, right? It screams credibility, success, and that “I’ve made it” moment. But here’s the thing they don’t usually put on the brochure: not everyone who ends up on Forbes is there purely on merit or groundbreaking innovation. Yep, let’s rip the band-aid off—a lot of what you see is actually paid PR. Shocking? Maybe not, especially if you’ve spent even five minutes in the digital media or PR world.

Now, don’t get us wrong. Forbes does have legit strict editorial standards, and there are people who genuinely earn their spot through great work, wild success stories, or just being in the right place at the right time. But there’s also a whole underground (okay, semi-overground) ecosystem of PR agencies and service providers who offer what’s basically the golden ticket: a Forbes mention—for a fee.

These agencies usually work with contributors writers who have access to publish on Forbes and they arrange for clients to be “organically” mentioned in articles. The word “organic” here is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Typically, the client is featured in a paragraph, maybe with a quote from the founder or CEO. This is known in the biz as a brand mention. It looks like a natural part of the article, but behind the scenes, there’s a whole transaction that made it happen. Forbes does not support such type of inclusion, its contributor who does.

Want more than just a little shoutout? Something bigger, bolder, with your photo and a glowing write-up about how you built your empire from scratch? That’s a feature article—and yes, it comes with a bigger price tag. Surprise surprise: money talks.

At the end of the day, getting featured on Forbes isn’t some mystical, impossible thing. If you’ve got the budget and you find the right PR agency, getting your brand on there is totally doable. It’s just that no one really talks about the behind-the-scenes deal-making that makes it happen.

So if you’re an entrepreneur dreaming of that Forbes spotlight, just know: it’s not just about what you’ve built—it’s often about who you know and what you’re willing to pay. Well, to help you out with contributors whose column is filled with client mentions, we have compiled the list here while we will explore How Kolawole Samuel Adebayo is one of the such forbes contributor. Forbes has strictly banned / suspended lot of contributors in past whose writings were suspicious. Hatts off to Forbes.

If you’ve spent any time digging into tech media, chances are you’ve come across the Forbes Contributor Kolawole Adebayo. According to his digital footprint, Kolawole is a seasoned tech writer who’s been in the game for nearly a decade. Over the past few years, he’s honed his focus on all things AI, cybersecurity, 5G, and the ongoing energy transition—you know, the heavy-hitting stuff shaping our future. His bylines pop up in some seriously respected places: Fast Company, VentureBeat, Dark Reading, ITProToday, BuiltIn… just to name a few. But writing isn’t all he does. He offers Forbes Service may not to the client but through PR agency. Well we have identified lot of his articles that includes client mention under his Forbes column. Lets Explore his article and the suspicious client.

BRAND MENTION:
Brand mentions in Forbes are usually way more affordable than going all-in on a full-blown feature article. That’s why a lot of contributors pack multiple clients into a single piece—usually slipping them in as quotes or quick comments that blend naturally with the rest of the content. It keeps the article relevant while giving each brand a little spotlight. Take this piece by Kolawole Samuel Adebayo, for example: “Venture Capitalists Are Done With AI Hype — Now They Want Real Results.” If you scroll through it, you’ll notice how different businesses and founders are casually mentioned throughout the article. It all feels organic, almost like they were just part of the story all along. And here’s the kicker—some of these folks will proudly post screenshots on LinkedIn or Instagram with captions like “Grateful to be featured in Forbes 🙏” (you’ve seen it). But behind the scenes? Most of those mentions are paid placements. Not saying there’s anything wrong with it—it’s a PR strategy, plain and simple. But let’s just not pretend it’s always some magical, editorial fairy tale. It’s business. And in business, visibility comes at a cost.

Article : https://www.forbes.com/sites/kolawolesamueladebayo/2025/06/26/venture-capitalists-are-done-with-ai-hype—now-they-want-real-results/

Client:
– Alexander Assim, managing partner at venture capital firm Alicorn Venture Partners
– David Drai, CEO cloud cost management platform Umbrella
– Ido Wiesenberg, cofounder at predictive marketing startup Voyantis

FEATURE ARTICLE

Now, if you’re aiming for a full-blown feature article on Forbes, be ready to loosen those purse strings—because yeah, it’s not cheap. Unlike a simple brand mention, a feature piece dives deep into the client’s story. It’s all about them. More words, more exposure, and yep, even their photo gets a spot in the article.

You’ll find plenty of these kinds of write-ups under Forbes contributor Kolawole Samuel Adebayo’s column. Over the time, he has written lot of feature article and one can easily spot a pattern – relevancy in topic and client. The writing gives the impression that it is organic, although there is a hidden promotional agenda. We’ve highlighted a few examples below so you can see what these feature pieces actually look like. Spoiler: they’re polished, strategic, and yes—paid for.

It’s a great reminder that with the right story and the right budget, you can buy your way into a platform as prestigious as Forbes. Doesn’t make it any less impressive, but hey, transparency never hurts.

Article 1: How AI Could Reshape Global Education — And What Comes After
Client: Waqas Suhail — cofounder and CEO of DaMeta1
URL – https://www.forbes.com/sites/kolawolesamueladebayo/2025/06/27/how-ai-could-reshape-global-education—and-what-comes-after/