Isaac Y. Addae
Adjunct Professor of Management
Small and Minority Business Liaison Nashville Mayor’s Office
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise
Entrepreneurship; Strategy Consulting; Technology Systems Development
Biography
Biography
Professor Addae is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and strategist. He serves as the Small & Minority Business Liaison in the Nashville Mayor's Office. Previously, he served as the Chief Strategy Officer of Pivot Technology School (a workforce development firm). Professor Addae possesses a wealth of experience in strategy consulting and technology systems development across the automotive, defense, and information technology industries (IBM, Booz Allen Hamilton, CACI, Ford, Raytheon).
As an engaged servant leader, Professor Addae is a board member of Corner To Corner, Knowledge Bank, Nashville Entrepreneur Center, and former chair of the Nashville Health and Educational Facilities board. In Fall 2021, Isaac released his first book, Black Boy Fly: Embracing My Ancestry, Blackness, and Purpose in the African Diaspora. The book documents his life as a 1st-generation Ghanaian-American and serves as a tool to empower Black males to overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
Awards & Accomplishments
Because of his impact, Professor Addae has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Nashville Business Journal Top 40 Under 40 Award, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Connect Program, and the NAACP Nashville Branch Legacy Award.
Consulting
Professor Addae has a unique skill set and bi-cultural perspective that he leverages as a trusted strategist to executives and organizations facing complex challenges. He is experienced in the public, private, and non-profit sectors, helping C-suite executives and organizations achieve desired outcomes through 1) formulating effective strategic plans, 2) improving engagement with relevant customers/stakeholders, and 3) developing organizational cultures that will help them thrive. Professor Addae has engaged a wide array of firms, including Nissan, Ingram Industries, and Terracon.
Teaching
Professor Addae has more than a decade of experience as a business professor, primarily teaching courses in business strategy and entrepreneurship to undergraduate and graduate students. He teaches the MBA Introduction to Entrepreneurship course for the Owen Graduate School of Management.
Research Interests
Professor Addae’s research examines social entrepreneurs and impact-driven startups. He also studies entrepreneurial ecosystems and the role of small businesses in economic development.
Education
Ph.D., Business Administration, Morgan State University, 2021
M.Sc., Systems Engineering, Tennessee State University, 2006
B.Sc., Electrical & Computer Engineering, Tennessee State University, 2004