Professional of the Week – Mr Dayo Peters

Its been nineteen years since I was called to bar in Nigeria. Nineteen years of practicing law in Nigeria. Few people are actually aware that I studied Law as a second degree. A Bachelors in English language was my first degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Class of ‘93.

My first work experience as a Law graduate was with ‘Strachan Partners’ (a full service and highly sought after leading commercial law firm, headed by Yemi Candid-Johnson). The pay wasn’t fantastic but I had a clear perspective of what I wanted to be and I knew the value of having a good foundation and this firm was a great starting point for me. Looking back now, I must say I’m better for it.

Over the years, one of my goals was to set up my own practice but there was never enough capital for a startup. I did my research and found a few professionals who had the same vision and partnered with them. It was no use sitting on my hands waiting for sufficient funds in order to achieve my goals. Somehow I knew the longer I waited, the more farfetched my goal was going to become.

I have lived in a Lagos for over 40 years and there are a few life lessons I had to pick up along the way. Here are a few survival tips I believe every Lagosian needs to achieve some of success;
Tenacity! The world generally has become a tougher place to survive. It is really a ‘dog eat dog’ world. To achieve one’s goals you need to be more persistent and determined.
Do not be afraid to take more risks, face challenges confidently and refuse to accept NO.
One very important skill for survival is the ability to listen more and speak less. There’s a lot to learn when you use your ears more frequently than your mouth (sounds like something an elder will say yeah?)
Pray. Pray to whomever or whatever you believe in. Having belief or faith in a higher authority keeps you grounded and strengthens your core. Just knowing some higher power is guiding you and understands it all.
Having a great support system cannot be overemphasised. I have a strong family unit, good friends and a good team at work. Knowing I am loved, trusted and supported gives me a certain strength to face each day and the challenges it brings. I’d like to think I am admired by the people around me and that propels me to continue to strive confidently. I hope that I would have affected the people around me positively to the point that they become better by my positive interactions with them.

Entrepreneur of The Week – Ms Yomi Odutola

1) Can you introduce yourself briefly?

My name is Yomi Odutola and I work in the Leather crafts industry designing ladies hand bags and other small leather goods such as wallets and pouches.

2) What inspired you to start your business?

I got requests at the children’s shoe store I ran to make replicas of the bags we had for little girls for ladies, and after making a few on requests, we decided to launch a collection.

3) How has living in Lagos influenced you and your brand?

I was born in Lagos at Island Maternity… There has never a dull moment here. While I don’t understand some excesses, I truly appreciate others and it has definitely influenced my creativity amongst other things.

4) Can you name a few Challenges you’ve encountered along the way and how you overcame them?

One of the major challenge I’ve had is not having a bricks and mortar store. I’ve had to organize pop ups and tea parties which fortunately have been successful. To overcome that, I’m having a concession with a popular Lagos based clothing line. Will keep you posted.

5) In your opinion what skill sets do you think every Lagosian should possess to attain a level of success?

I think if you identify where your core skills lie, improve on them as often as you can and put in your very best, you’ll succeed. Yes, people will disappoint you, government policies and officials may turn some progress on its head. However, as long as it’s a core skill you thoroughly enjoy, the joy will keep sending you back.

6) What are your biggest achievements?

My most fulfilling achievement is being able to start an initiative where we give out new School shoes to less privileged children (foot.farm). I also love the fact that when women carry the Joela bag, they always come back to say the bags make them happy… people stop them to pay compliments. And we all know how that makes us feel

7) Where do you hope to see your business in the next 5- 10 years?

I love creating… that’s the sweetest part of this business. I would love to have Joela bags in stores across countries and also design for bigger labels.

9) What is your most memorable experience in Lagos?

One of my most memorable times will be my years at the University of Lagos (Unilag). I couldn’t even imagine going to another state. I got a sense of what real life would be and although it wasn’t all good, I had a great time there.

Professional of the Week – Dare Timilehin, A Physiotherapist

My name is Dare Timilehin Raphael and I am a physiotherapist and a part-time handbag designer.

My interest in physiotherapy stemmed from watching football as a kid and as a teenager. I would always watch intently whenever the medic team had to come pick up an injured player on the field, and always wondered about the kind and level of treatment used on the players to restore them back to shape. I’ve always known I was going to go down the medical path but I knew being a doctor was out of the question. This resulted in me studying physiotherapy in Unilag.

I’ve been a physiotherapist for 4 years now and from my experience, it seems most people still don’t know what exactly we do, even doctors – well some of them – are oblivious as to what we do. During my NYSC service at a military hospital, after relating with several of the doctors on ground, the general consensus was that all we do is to shift dislocated bones. I received so many questions from Doctors who wondered what physiologists do for a living which is quite sad. Most are clueless when it comes to physiotherapy and think of us as inferior health service providers while they are the Kings and Queens of medicine.

This job has made me appreciate every part of my body. As I continued to work, the more amazed and awed I was by how wonderfully made our bodies are. Seeing patients in pain makes me realise how we often take even the smallest part of our body for granted. For example, I once had to help a 67 year old patient with stiff knees with her healing process. It was probably one of the most difficult times of my professional career as I often had to watch her cry as she tried to make strides with her recover. Regardless, the mere fact that I’m helping several people heal both physically, emotionally and mentally is the reason why I love what I do and keep doing it. It’s a profession where I’m constantly learning new things and helping people, as well as bring movement and smiles back to the lives of the patients. My dream is for increased recognition on the importance of my profession and I believe in the next few years, this dream will come to pass because now more than ever, managing pain and rehabilitating those in recovery is increasingly important

I dabbled into fashion designing sometime last year as a means to augment my income at the time and one thing that living in Lagos has taught me is that one should never rely on just one stream of income, but rather to multitask.

I went with a friend to the market to buy African made souvenirs for her trip to Europe and I came across very vibrant bags made out of aso oke and I immediately fell in love with them. So I bought a couple of them and started selling them to immediate family and friends. Further down the line, I started designing the bags and selecting fabrics I thought would look best for each design.  I also joined Instagram to further create an online presence for my merchandise and so far the response has been positive. My big dream is to expand to shoes, dresses, hats and own my own store.

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Entrepreneur of the Week – Ayobola Kekere-Ekun, A very talented Visual Artist

1) What is your name, what do you do for a living and how long have you been engaged in this line of business?

My name is Ayobola Kekere-Ekun. I’m a visual artist who predominantly works with a variety of materials and I’ve been practising for almost five years

 

2) What inspired you to become an artist and was this what you studied at the university?

I’ve always had creative tendencies. I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. Luckily I had parents who actively encouraged their children’s interests. I have a B.A. and M.A. in Graphic design from the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos where I also teach, but I stumbled into my practice as a studio artist accidentally. I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Art and Design at the University of Johannesburg.

 

3) How has living in Lagos influenced you and your brand?

I don’t think it’s possible to live and work in Lagos and escape its influence. Sometimes it almost feels like a formless main character constantly breathing down your neck. I’d say working in Lagos has forced me to be a relentless but flexible worker. It’s almost like playing a video game that’s ruthlessly programmed against you and you often have to play the same level several times to move ahead. It’s not impossible; it’s just difficult.

 

4) Where do you get your inspiration from and what do you do when you experience artist’s block?

I’m inspired by everything I come in contact with. Things I see or read; stories I overhear; people I interact with. The list is endless.

I have a ritual for getting over artist’s block. First I log off all social media. Then I reread a book. It has to be a book I’ve read and enjoyed before. It’s like catching up with an old friend. Then I watch Beyonce’s “I Am” world tour. Works every time.

 

5) Can you name a few Challenges you’ve encountered along the way and how you overcame them?

This probably sounds really dramatic, but I think just daring to thrive in a country like Nigeria and a city like Lagos is the biggest challenge ever. I try my best to overcome it every day by being ruthlessly single-minded and not allowing myself to make excuses.

 

6) What is your biggest achievement?

It hasn’t happened yet.

 

7) Where do you hope to see your brand in the next 5- 10 years?

I’d like to see my practice evolve into something more than a footnote in history.

 

8) What is your most memorable experience in Lagos (good or bad)?

This is a weird one, but it has to be the day I saw a Danfo driver use his indicator. I almost passed out in shock.

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Entrepreneur of the Week – Kizito Eyu, CEO Kex Services

I am Victory Kizito Eyu, mostly referred to as Kizito; and I am an event consultant with Kex Services…. I have been in the industry for a little above two years.

My inspiration for starting my business stemmed from my need to break out of the 9-5 routine. I was tired of doing the same thing over and over again while I was a banker at GTB and although it was paying the bills, I didn’t genuinely enjoy it and felt like I wasn’t making good use of the skills and knowledge I had. So while thinking of how best to earn a living, my cousin suggested trying a business that was more like a hobby. Something I would do effortlessly and not get bored with. I thought long about it and decided to put my passion for improving client’s satisfaction and organizing into event planning.

I wouldn’t say it has been easy. My biggest initial challenge was myself. It took me a while to get used to that fact that I’m solely responsible for bringing all my client’s dreams and fantasies to reality without any hitches. In the past I have had ideas that I thought were over the top, too much or unimaginable but I have since changed my mind-set as I’ve seen other planners successfully execute these same ideas over the years. So right now once I think it, it’s as good as done.

I remember one time during an event I planned some months back, the bride realized she hadn’t bought the right foundation garments and decided she no longer liked the bridesmaid’s earrings at about 8pm the night before her wedding. She asked I find her the right fitting undergarments and 10 new earrings before 8 am the next day. It was a difficult challenge but I came through eventually as I always endeavour to satisfy my clients by giving them everything they might want and need.

The fact that I haven’t given up despite the difficulties that come with setting up a business in this industry, especially being a man in a female dominated industry is definitely one of my biggest achievements. It’s rewarding when people you don’t know recognise you as that event planner they hope to work with some day. My most memorable experience would be the first time my mom visited one of my events. Prior to this, she had told me she couldn’t understand why a graduate of Psychology will become a “glorified errand boy” at weddings. As a PhD holder in accounting it just didn’t make sense to her.  But at the end of the event in her own words she said “Boy, Na WA o, I didn’t realised how much weddings have evolved. All the guests around me kept commending your attention to detail and how smooth the event went. It made me very proud of you”

In conclusion, Lagos has been very good to me and has really helped my business. Coming from the south of Nigeria where things are relatively calm, laid back and easy, Lagos has pushed me to be more aggressive and made me believe that words like “can’t”, “won’t”, “impossible” and “tired” do not exist. I call it the city for the next global creatives as it promotes diversity, culture and creativity.

 

 

Entrepreneur of the Week – Mr Lekan Akinseye, Founder of HFC Clothing Ventures

I own and run a social enterprise called HFC Clothing which was started in 2013 in the UK but is now focused on growth in the Nigerian market. HFC Clothing Ventures is a social enterprise with a mission to position the HFC brand as a forerunner in the fight against cancer through the sale of apparel products and secure trust of customers for the purpose of expanding into other products and service categories. Our mission is backed by a vision to collaboratively help provide solutions for affected individuals backed by the HFC brand with every product purchase made by you.

A discussion with a friend inspired me to start this company. We hear about people suffering and dying from cancer but I never taught I would meet someone indirectly affected by cancer. My friend lost her mum to cancer but told me what she and sister were went through in terms of emotional and physiological stress. Helping people is what I really enjoy in the business coupled with the evolving nature of the apparel market.

My business has been influenced by the Lagos community due to the rapidly evolving nature of the society. The increasing use of social media by Nigerians, especially Lagosian, has helped position the business for further growth as a result of effectively utilizing various social media platforms. As an individual, Lagos has influenced me tremendously because I have lived all my life in Lagos and that doesn’t go without overlooking the stress of Lagos. Personally, my time management and planning skills were influenced by living in Lagos because of the uncertainty that surrounds the streets like going out and being stuck in traffic for 3 hours straight just to say the least.

Over the next 10 years, with proper work, partnerships and dedication I see HFC Clothing making a significant impact in not just Nigeria but also the African continent.

 

 

 

Entrepreneur of the Week – The Founder & CEO of 5 Businesses in Nigeria

My name is Olamijuwon Ajiboye and I am the CEO of Lacremecustomised Popcorn, a gourmet popcorn enterprise which makes and supplies scrumptious popcorn for all kinds of events within the state. I have been doing this for close to 3 years now and in addition to my popcorn business, I also run 4 other businesses – an apparel clothing store, a hamper and gift store, a management consulting firm and a child care safety consultancy but I’ll be focusing majorly on my popcorn business in this interview.

I knew I was going to go into business right from being a graduate but I needed the corporate exposure which has helped a great deal in structuring my businesses. I ran my first business simultaneously with my paid job for about 2 years, selling from home and my car in order to keep my operating cost as low as possible. When I felt the business was growing, I quit my job after weighing the pros and cons for a few months and decided to rebrand to attract more customers.

Over the years I discovered avid popcorn lovers such as myself could not readily access freshly popped popcorn at a moment’s notice. This inspired me to start-up my own gourmet popcorn business, and so far the reception has been very encouraging partly because there is already an existing market for our product. I am currently working on 10 different flavours of popcorn and I cannot wait for it to hit the markets.

The biggest initial challenge for me was marketing – i.e. getting my product to my target audience, but thankfully with the help of social media our client base has been growing considerably. I often tell young entrepreneurs to never underestimate the power of social media. It is the biggest and most valuable tool at ones disposal needed to take businesses to the next level. Another initial challenge that readily comes to mind was getting the right staff to work with, but I was able to overcome this by providing thorough orientation exercises and trainings.

There are a few things that I can attribute to me being able to run 5 businesses at the same time. Firstly, I try to learn from people who successfully run multiple businesses on a large scale, understanding the crucial steps taken to ensure such businesses stay afloat. Another is prioritization, being able to decide what project needs my attention at a particular time is something I have been learning from great business pioneers like Richard Branson and Aliko Dangote. They have been able to optimise their time by prioritizing what has to be done at a particular hour of the day. Also, I have a great team that ensures the smooth running of the business. They work with me on the business and have relieved me of a lot of responsibilities in order for me to achieve a good work life balance.

Soft skills such as being resilient is another skill I attribute to the success of my business. I have received so many ‘Nos’ in my life but I keep pushing till I achieve my desired result. I have come to the realisation that nothing in this life comes easy, so I work hard and work smart to achieve my goals. Good customer relations is also another thing I will attribute to running a thriving business in Lagos.

My dream for the next few years is to be a household name at all the major events in Nigeria and Africa. Not just with my popcorn business but with all five (5) business.

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Billionaire Entrepreneur and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu writes an inspiring letter to the next generation.

“Letter to the next generation ;
Young African, You are brave, you are resilient. You are savvy, you are entrepreneurial, and unlike the generations that have come before you, you are much hungrier for success.

You call your ambition, “your hustle”, and you have several of them because you are tireless and eager to achieve financial independence – no matter how elusive it appears. You are optimistic but you are also anxious.

You have seen others toil long and hard for economic security in vain, decades of labour without fruit. Some of your friends may have discussed emigrating with you – legally or illegally, and some may have lost their young lives crossing the Mediterranean in search of a future overseas where their talents are recognized and rewarded.

You may even know a few in Libya, unsuspecting victims to the ugly acts of slave trade. A combination of these factors has left you disillusioned and disconnected. You don’t believe in politics. There is no use in getting involved.

You have seldom experienced good governance, so you think, “What’s the point?” But despite the gloom, there actually is indeed a point.

My generation and the ones before may have failed you, and the infrastructure for success glaringly absent – a persistent darkness in place of electricity, a stifling business environment that discourages enterprise and innovation, debilitating bureaucracy, inaccessible public officials who remain oblivious to your needs, an outdated education system in urgent need of reform– and the list goes on, but, if there’s anyone with the power to transform our continent and reshape our economic and social trajectory, it is YOU.

There is formidable power in your intellect and creativity, your talent and ingenuity are rare, and your resolve and determination against all odds, can drive great change. But most importantly, the greatest force is in your numbers.

Together, all 600 million of you that are under 30 years old, have the potential to be the most influential bloc on this continent. The indescribable influence that you can collectively wield, I hope that you soon fully understand and hopefully, deploy.

Today, I’d like to discuss the inescapable reality of politics with you. It has been a busy week of traveling from Lagos to Boston, to Los Angeles, and in a few hours to New York, to receive BCIU’s inaugural Dwight Eisenhower Entrepreneurship Award, but I thought to take time out this evening to share a few thoughts with you.

I have been inspired to share this with you after listening to my former professor at Harvard, Prof Michael Porter, whose session during our leadership council meeting of the Harvard Kennedy School Center of Public Leadership, was insightful, powerful, and very thought provoking.
His well-articulated argument emphasized that as a people we cannot afford to remain passive about politics. Though his reference region was America, there are strong parallels with our own situation in Africa.

The main root cause of our continent’s underlying failure to pull the majority of its citizens from the unyielding clutches of poverty is poor leadership, so then why do we continue to tell ourselves that politics exists in a realm outside our own realities?

Why do we refuse to engage in the political process of identifying and supporting visionary candidates, instead we remain at the mercy of political leadership committed to putting private interest ahead of public interest.

Leaders who are beholden to the ideology that political parties come before citizens. Leaders who are private gain-seeking actors.

What we desperately need is a continent-wide awakening. We must grow to become active citizens who are committed to getting involved. The system is not self-correcting, there are no market forces at play to ensure that it corrects itself.

It will require human actors – me and you – to identify and dismantle the structural impediments that fuel the status quo of bad leadership. We must address this issue both systemically and systematically. Our democracy has become very disconnected from being democratic, we must bring power back to the people.

We must reform the rules of our electoral processes to inject more transparency. We must transform politics from being an industry for a few interests, to being about the people and addressing the public needs. We must change the oligopoly nature of our politics today to being one for the majority.

The barriers to entry are high in politics, and very often, our best brains and talent are discouraged from running for office. We must dismantle these systems that keep away talented, individuals from joining the race.

We must open the door for generations knocking after us. We must take advantage of our demographic dividend, millions of young people who are ready to make a change. We must welcome this new generation of new ideas and we must democratize access to opportunity for all.

We must get more women involved in the process because when you empower women you empower communities. Structural reforms mean that no one individual can make this change alone, but with our collective voices and the realization that this is our time and that no one but us can save our continent, we can achieve change.

We can no longer outsource politics or governance to people we do not trust. We must understand the inextricable link between governance, economic growth and national security. To pretend that politics does not influence the entirety of our lives harms us more than it benefits us.

We must change the rules of the game. We must put up a coordinated front to reorient our values and bring power back to the people. Our leaders must be the best amongst us – those with the most transformative ideas and the capacity to deliver. .

It should be the best amongst us leading us in government, in the military, in our judiciary and of course the corporate sector. We must instill accountability in our processes, but also hold ourselves accountable.

We must play our own role in identifying and empowering those amongst us best placed to make this difference. To abscond from this duty is to be negligent of our responsibility to our continent.
It won’t be easy, but nothing good comes easy. A famous man once said you should learn to categorize all your problems in three sections: Easy, Impossible and HARD but doable. When it’s easy, you should give it to someone else to handle. When it’s impossible, you shouldn’t bother with it.

But when it’s hard but doable, you should go straight to work to make it happen. My fellow Africans, I appeal to you that though this task seems hard, it is entirely doable and we must begin this journey.

Let us rise to this challenge and begin to elect leaders who we trust in and are confident will help us realize the social and economic hopes of our continent.

TOE”

 

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Entrepreneur of the Week – Dr. Akintonwa Oluwayemisi, Founder of Dentist At Your Door Dental Clinic

My name is Dr Akintonwa Oluwayemisi. I am the head dentist and founder of DentistAtYourDoor dental clinic, the first mobile dental clinic in Lagos which brings dental care and oral hygiene needs right to the doorsteps of many Nigerians.

I founded this company about a year ago and I was inspired by the need to be a better and more effective dental professional. The idea came to me when I was trying to provide a solution to the existing problem of patients having to reschedule their appointments due to traffic and impromptu business meetings. Also, I realised over the years that sometimes clients feel lazy and do not want to make the trip to go see the dentist. So I set up DentistAtYourDoor and as a result eliminated the need for patients to go to the clinic for dental appointments and instead, bring dental services right to them in the comfort of their homes.

We currently provide the basic dental care which include scaling and polishing, treatment of gum disease, treatment of cavities (fillings), child dental care, dentures, teeth whitening etc. We hope to provide more services over the next few years.

So far, my business has received a lot of positive attention and remarks by Lagosians and Nigerians at large. The clients I have treated so far tend to be more relaxed once convinced that I am a well-trained dental professional and give into the service. Once a certain level of trust has been achieved between me and the client, they often refer me to their friends and family. Lagosians are generally more welcoming and receptive to change and innovative ideas so I was very optimistic when I started the business that it would thrive.

Living and growing up in Lagos has given me the can-do attitude to life. I love the throbbing pulse of the city which makes me feel energised and makes me feel anything is possible.  Lagos is also my state of origin which often made me think that if outsiders can come make a better life for themselves here, what’s stopping me from doing exactly the same thing. Spending my entire life in Lagos brought out the true hustle in me by taking me way beyond my comfort zone and challenging me in several ways I didn’t imagine possible. It has definitely nurtured and prepared me for being an entrepreneur.

I have been faced by several challenges that arise when starting a business and they range from funding to structuring, staffing and branding. The most pressing challenge however was brand awareness and positioning as I needed to convince Nigerians about this unprecedented, yet affordable and accessible practise which will see to all their dental needs. I overcame these challenges mostly by trial and error. I was not afraid of falling and failing as I saw it as part of my road to success and thus embraced it. Most successful entrepreneurs I know have failed at one point or the other but that didn’t stop them from moving on. They stood up and tried again time after time until it yielded results they were aiming for. I have over other the years tried to emulate this behaviour and mind-set and it has proven very effective in managing my business.

My greatest achievement will definitely have to be the numerous compliments and referrals I have received from my clients. For me it is just indicative of the excellent work and service we provide as we always ensure utmost compliance with the highest possible hygiene standards.

Over the next few years we hope Dentist at your Door would be a household name that bridges the gap between the dentist and patients, and the go to clinic for busy professionals, entrepreneurs and all kinds of people looking for quality dental service in the comfort of their homes.

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Professional of the Week – Chef Olatunji Onisarotu

My name is Olatunji Onisarotu and I am a chef!

Believe it or not but I graduated from the University of Lagos with a degree in Law, and completed law school sometime last year but I’ve always had a keen interest and passion for gourmet food. As a kid I watched shows like Ready Steady Cook, Can’t Cook, Won’t cook and several others on the Food Network channel however, I didn’t start cooking and experimenting with different kinds of food till I was 19. I started more intense practical sessions with my mother and then proceeded to learning how to cook more traditional dishes from our family caterer which felt like my very own internship. A few years later a friend convinced me to enter into a cooking competition which I reluctantly did and I told no one about it except for my siblings. My parents later found out when a friend of theirs called to inform them their son was cooking on TV which according to them, came as a surprise.

Both my parents have been very supportive and my mom was my biggest cheerleader and the harshest food critic I’ve ever had. She used to be a caterer so she was very particular when it came to food. The cooking competition lasted for 3 months and it was without a doubt one of the most challenging moments of my life. There were days I cut myself, burnt myself, cried and almost gave up but my family was there to always support me. Before she passed on my mom bought me several books on cooking and taught me to have the mindset that it’s not always about the money but for me to create an opportunity for people to have a unique experience enjoying my food. I came in 3^rd place out of over 500 participants although I think I could have done better. The one thing I learnt from the show was that it cleared whatever doubt I had about cooking, thus cementing my love affair with it.

I have since then been growing my business and brand which like any other startup, came with its own set of challenges but I have been able to overcome them all with the help of my family and friends. I worked for a couple of restaurants, make homemade deliveries, cater birthdays, parties, conferences, business workshops, company retreats and all kind of events, and the expressions on the faces of the guests when they eat my food is the most rewarding thing I could ever ask for.

I recently secured admission to the culinary school I’ve always wanted to attend in France which I’ll be leaving for in a few months in hopes of one day becoming a great chef with Michelin stars, and I hope to be back in Lagos a better and more innovative professional chef.

PS, try French toast with flambéed bananas in a little brown sugar and brandy and some ice cream on top and thank me later.

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Professional of the Week – Mr Gbenga Aborowa

My name is Gbenga Aborowa, I am a Broadcast Journalist and I work with Nigeria info FM (99.3 FM) and Wazobia Max TV. I also do voice overs and Master compere corporate events and conferences. I have been doing these for about 6 years now. For one to attain professionalism in my field there are a wide range of skills one needs to have which I attribute to the success of my career. They include having a good personality, being highly efficient, and an inquisitive mind with a penchant for a high level of accuracy among others.

Lagos has also had a huge influence in my career. I’ve lived here all my life and I’ll say the extraordinary energy of this city has prepared me for the good, bad and ugly. It is home to the happiest set of people in the world. Suffering and always finding a reason to smile in the midst of all the chaos and this has helped in shaping my outlook of life, which is that there is always hope for better days. As the saying goes ‘we are a product of our environment’ so if you make it in Lagos you can make it anywhere in the world. However, it shouldn’t always be about work. It is imperative for people to have a good work life balance, just like the city we live in; busy and very active during the day and when the sun goes down, the vibrant and more exciting nightlife comes alive. I personally enjoy surfing at Tarkwa bay on Sundays with friends, it is such a relaxing and nice place to hang out and is relatively clean.

My advice for those still trying to find their feet in Journalism is to be persistent. You’ll hear ‘No’ a ton. Don’t listen to it, be open minded to opportunity and collaboration. Get on the air any way you can. Move up in the field by finding new positions in bigger markets, work hard to find the assignments you are passionate about. Improve on yourself and most importantly never give up and keep striving.

 

 

 

Entrepreneur of The Week – Ms Oyindamola, A Creative Designer and Renovation Consultant

 

My name is Oyindamola, I am a Creative Designer and Renovation Consultant and I’ve been in this line of business for 8 years.

I have always had a passion for interior decoration and restoration since I was young. I guess this can be traced to the fact that I was always around my mother who was one of the foremost furniture manufacturers and designers in the 80’s. I loved watching the artisans work and create objects from wood and how she would put together the pieces in the homes and offices of her clients. So when I exited from the corporate sector, I decided to tread the dicey path of entrepreneurship in the design and construction sector.  I must say it is a decision I don’t regret.

Lagos is a cosmopolitan state with diverse cultures which affects the needs of individuals. It is full of life and always keeps me on my toes. It has its downsides, but I choose to use both negative and positive energy to fuel my drive for being the best I can be in my work and private life. This has enabled my organization to become very versatile in design and construction.  We developed the art of giving clients what they want as well as incorporating what they need to enhance their lifestyle.  The interior of a home or office is a reflection of the person and the kind of image that they want to portray.  We try to achieve this at all times

That being said, one of the major challenges I experienced was getting qualified workers and artisans as most are very impatient in learning the skills of the trade properly. However I have managed to surmount it by employing and appropriately training my staff, all of whom I form a good working relationship with.

For me, the scale for assessing my achievements is my client’s satisfaction. Once they are happy and satisfied with the final product, I am fulfilled.  So each work I do and succeed in delivering is a great achievement given the various difficult issues that trail manufacturers – high overhead costs, semi-skilled workers etc.

When asked about my most memorable encounter in Lagos, it has to be the night my sister and I were on our way home and noticed armed robbers attacking cars at a distance. There was a lot of traffic, people left their cars and ran. We too got out and started running or more like crawl-running. There was a lot of shooting going on so we were trying to lay low and run at the same time. We managed to find somewhere to hide until the attack was over. Got back to our car and they had stolen all our personal stuff. Good thing we didn’t bother locking up, because those that did had their windows broken. It was indeed a very scary experience.

In conclusion, to survive in Lagos one needs to be focused and goal oriented, be skilled in your area of expertise and be passionate about it because at the end of the day it is your passion that will sustain you during the difficult times.

Over the next 5-10 years I see my organisation in the forefront of supplying exquisite designs for homes and offices, as well as for renovations both nationally and internationally.  It is my belief that once there is creativity, the redesign of a building can be quite exciting – from start to finish

 

 

Professional of the Week – Mr Folorunsho Ashcroft

My name is Folorunsho Ashcroft and I’m a senior business development manager with the Transportation division of General Electric in Nigeria. I’ve been working on a concession project with the federal government (through the Ministry of Transport and Nigerian Railway Corporation NRC) to actively resuscitate and rehabilitate 3500km of existing track across Nigeria on the Narrow gauge rail infrastructure. With the right level of commitment from the government, we hope to provide alternative logistics and transportation solutions for the citizenry.

Lagos to me is the heartbeat of Nigeria. You really are not in business if you don’t think of how to incorporate the latent demand in Lagos into your business model. Lagos helps you develop a “can-do”, “everything is possible” spirit. Although I studied outside of Lagos for most of my education, I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to start my career in Lagos, and I must say that its been quite a journey.

Whoever gave Lagos the moniker – “Centre of Excellence” was spot on. I am very proud of the wealth and depth of expertise you can find in Lagos for just about everything. The self- assurance of the average Lagosian that his hustle would yield benefits as long as he perseveres is one of the things I love about Lagos. I find it very astonishing that despite the fact that Lagos is the smallest state in Nigeria, it’s considered to be the 5th largest economy in Africa (as of 2016). Now oil has been discovered in Lagos state, which means things can only get better – at least for the few years until oil goes out of fashion.

However, as with most big cities, there are also a number of negatives; e.g. poor city planning, traffic gridlocks, poor sanitation, security challenges etc. Nevertheless, I am of the belief that with the right building blocks we will gradually arrive at the Lagos of our dreams.

In my day job, I am currently committed to solving the logistics and traffic problems we experience in Lagos. I believe most will agree with me when I say it’s one of the major challenges plaguing the state. I am working tirelessly with a team of professionals to mitigate traffic congestion in Lagos. For example, I believe we can solve the Apapa gridlock if we use trains to get cargo/freight out of the ports to a multi-modal location further inland, where trucks can then haul the cargo/freight to their final destinations.

The one thing I would change if I could about Lagos would definitely be the small group of people (who consider themselves the Elite) who believe they reserve the right to solely determine and control the affairs of the state. Every now and then we get to see someone who isn’t a part of the establishment defy status-quo and we get a bandwagon effect with these folks, but we still get left with the structural problems of how governance is being administered in the state.

My dream would be for Lagos to use this newly found oil and opportunities to pivot and adequately position Lagos for the next generation. We need to get on board with new ideas and technological advancements. I imagine a Lagos that would dictate the pace for Africa in the 4th Industrial revolution. The only sticky point is that we need a new and committed breed of leaders. We also need to lend our support by coaching and inspiring the leaders in other states in Nigeria, otherwise – we would succeed in building a cathedral in the desert and the over dependence on Lagos would make it crumble under its weight.

 

 

Entrepreneur of The Week –

Mrs Mary Dogun, Founder of May’s Chills

My name is Mary Dogun, I run a 100% Organic Smoothie and Juice Business called MAYSCHILLS. I started it as a side business a year ago while still working in a bank, but resigned this year March to concentrate on growing the brand.

After my second child, I gained a lot of weight which I desperately tried to lose but instead, gained more due to the sedentary lifestyle of the banking industry. With this, I started researching on easy healthy lifestyle changes that will help me lose weight but not break the bank. It was in this process I came across a program called “Smoothie Fast”, where one goes on a detox taking just green smoothies for a period of time. I did the 7 day challenge and noticed about a 6.8kg loss in weight. Everyone around me saw the noticeable change and pleaded with me to help them lose weight. I did this for a few weeks and then it dawned on me that this is the PLAN B I had been looking for!

Lagos has really influenced my brand a great deal. For example it was somewhat easy to get like-minded people who had tried all means to lose weight, but kept being handed fad diets and needed something sustainable. Also, in Lagos there are lots of business communities on social media I draw inspiration from and this has helped my growth tremendously.

My biggest achievement so far in the course of this business would be the testimonies I receive on a daily from my clients. Asides the weight loss, I’ve had someone who has been healed of chronic ulcer and another whose asthmatic symptoms have reduced greatly since starting the green smoothie lifestyle with us.

Our goal for the next 5 – 10 years is to have a presence in every major city in Nigeria, preaching the good tidings of fruits and vegetables.

 

 

 

 

   

Professional of The Week –

Mr Michael Fashina,  

A Corporate Strategist.

1) What is your name, what do you do for a living and how long have you been in this profession?

I am Michael Fashina, a Corporate Strategist with an indigenous oil company. I have had over 8 years corporate experience with the last 5 veering towards Strategy, Planning, research and business development.

2)  What did you study at the university level and what made you decide to go into this profession?

I studied Chemistry for my first Degree, but I never had the privilege of pursuing that practice further, despite finishing in the top 5 percentile in my set and having an overwhelming amount of counsel to pursue a Masters degree immediately in that line. I had my first corporate experience as a Graduate Trainee in a foremost financial institution, which proved very useful in helping me harness some tacit competencies I had displayed in various forms during my university days. Some of these competencies bothered around People Management, interpersonal skills, organizational and co-ordination skills as well as communication and questioning skills (I was privileged to be the Class representative of my class, a tutorial master, the President of my department as well as the chairman of the organizing committee for the National Chemistry convention hosted in the University of Lagos, to mention a few). During my time in the bank’s training school, I was saddled also with the responsibility of class representative and I perceived that I resonated a lot with roles that involved people management and organisation of resources. This informed my decision to join the Human Capital Development unit of the Bank. I continued in my career as an HR Professional and progressed into HR Consulting with a Big-Four multi-national Professional Services firm which exposed me to proper Business/Management Consulting working with various clients across several industries/sectors. This invariably ensured my interest and skill set increasingly gyrated towards Strategy & Operations, thereby firming my decision to pursue an MBA abroad and working in my current role as a Corporate Strategist. Overall, my interest in improving people, harnessing resources to add value to lives and businesses informed my career projectile, wittingly or unwittingly.

3) What sacrifices have you made to get ahead and were they all worth it? 

To be honest, I have been graciously blessed with great friends and loved ones. However, it appeared as a daunting task initially, coming out of school as an erudite science scholar and being thrown into the wild, unforgiving corporate banking world. Invariably, I realized that applying your mind with enormous dedication and commitment can transform you to whoever you want to be, personally and professionally. Some opportunity costs vary from not keeping constantly in touch with friends, peers and loved ones, fractured relationships which overtime become mechanical (more logic and objectivity, less emotional tendencies in a bid to shield the heart from the undulating relationship landscape). Looking back in hindsight, I could have done a couple of things differently from the perspectives of relationships and friendships. An effective professional should be able to discern the trade-offs personal life and work demands and should strive to balance both in order to have a much more fulfilling life, depending on their value orientations.

4) Can you name a few Challenges you’ve encountered along the way and how you overcame them? 

You will encounter professionals who do not think highly of you, or would act in ways to ensure you question your capability. Do no fret, Self-belief is key. You do not need to know or have all the answers, just ask the right questions, apply Neuro-linguistic Programming in ensuring you positively project yourself mentally and body-language wise. Be Consistent.

Some will not always agree with anything you suggest, seek to understand their positions and then explain your position succinctly, learn fact-based case making, develop Issues based Problem Solving techniques. Remember, you do not always have to strive to be liked by everyone. Be firm and fair.

You will encounter bosses who do not resonate with your persona, perception of things, working of your mind, methodology or approach to getting things done. The fact that people do not agree to your views does not always make them wrong. Learn to view the world from other people’s lenses. Understand your boss’s personality orientation/ personality colour coding. Typically, there are tenses and terminologies that humour them or work methodologies that capture their attention, learn what they resonate with proper influencing skills, you can gain their buy-in on what your approaches are.

You may encounter challenges with presentation and trust me, your ability to present business cases can be a fore-telling of how far you might go. Humans are perceptive beings, but we so easily forget that. It is imperative that you are mindful of your body language and how you come across during presentation. Focusing on the Content is good, however words do not account for more than 7% in presentations, tone accounting for 38% while body language accounts for a whopping 58%. It is important to carryout consistent practice to hone in on your presentation skills.

5) In your opinion what skill sets do you think every Lagosian should possess to survive/ be successful in this very competitive city?

Adaptability: Lagos, as they say, is home to all and sundry. You will meet people from various orientations and backgrounds. To be successful in Lagos, you must come across as being able to understand the various settings you find yourself per-time and blend as though you were ‘the son of the soil’. You should be able to go from your high ranking Queen’s English to our renowned pidgin English lingua-franca and even a bit of ‘jagged-edge’ yoruba phrases in some instances, within seconds.

Negotiation Skills: To survive in Lagos, you will need to learn how to negotiate your way in transactions. An average Lagosian is ‘slicker than your average’ in their daily life dealings. Your ability to understand their mindsets quickly and beat them to their nuances can be key to whether you’ll buy a ‘congo of rice’ for 150 naira or 1000 naira.

Tenacity: Given the boisterous nature of the Lagos metropolis, one may be forgiven for almost always making excuses and developing very bad habits such as poor time management, tardiness, procrastination and invariably corner-cutting (the lazy man’s folly). It is essential to note that almost nothing comes easy in Lagos, hence for you to be successful, you must drive yourself to achieving whatever you set out to achieve, even in the face of challenges. Be tenacious.

6) What is your biggest achievement? 

Quite a number of achievements I must say, especially from mentoring & coaching sessions with young and budding entrepreneurs and professionals. However, I will say helping my company to transit from a downstream ‘independent’ to a foremost Local Oil Producing Company is up there too.

7) Where do you hope to see yourself in the next 5- 10 years? 

I will be a Business Leader in the Energy Sector of the Nigerian Economy, shaping and influencing policies and practices that will drive efficiency of output across the sector including alternative energy sources, invariably creating optimum output for the country’s GDP.

8) What are you most passionate about and has living in Lagos enabled you explore that passion?

I am passionate about improving lives through mentoring and motivational speeches to birth dreams in budding young talents. As humans, we are expected to be purpose driven, however, a mega-city like lagos, inspite of the opportunities that it avails us from varied demands of its teeming population; can easily make people lose focus of the big picture perspective and get sucked into a ‘hustle and bustle’ without meaning for life. and one core principle of life remains extant: if you do not take control of your life’s purpose, someone or something will control it for you. It is why you see a lot of people ‘living with the Jonses’ or not being able to extricate themselves from the ‘rat-race’. My passion and what I stand for is to infuse ‘meaning’ to life and birth a dream in that young man or woman who may have been tossed about by the vagaries of life. Many people are disconnected from their true selves and life’s purpose hence they live inauthentic lives based on environmental/societal expectations, peer pressure, social media trends. Eventually, they would have only existed without having to fully live their true identities and purpose. I help bridge this gap in lagos.

9) What do you love the most about Lagos?

The energy in Lagos is second to none across Sub-saharan Africa and I dare say, across Africa. Lagos is a land filled with plethora of opportunities with the right business platforms, technological and financial infrastructure for business entrepreneurs to flourish; with an awesome market owing to its teeming population and rising middle-class. Increasingly, consumers in lagos are becoming discerning and would demand quality from service providers and manufacturers alike. Lagos is the commercial hub for West Africa, hence, an entrepreneur of product and services in Lagos enjoys an undue advantage in terms of market reach, as items produced in this trailblazer state is increasingly gaining wide acclaim and acceptance across West Africa. This Makes Lagos the Number 1 state in Sub-Saharan Africa. Of course, you will need to recognize Good Governance Practice and implementation of Proper Succession Plan by the Lagos State Government in striving to achieve the Lagos Mega-City Masterplan.

10) Any advice for those in your line of field struggling to find their feet

Firstly, worry not. More often than not, your fears are about the expectations of other people towards you or bench-marking yourself with the achievement of others, thereby tagging yourself a failure without even trying so hard. There is a purpose for You. Recognize the desire that got you into this field in the corporate world in the first place. It is not a mistake, it is not a ‘Stumble Upon’. Every step in your life has been calculated, wittingly or unwittingly. Look back into your life and draw strength and inspiration from your best-self: times when you had exuded attributes that are directly related to what you do currently, whether it be helping skills during Boy’s Scout, Presentation skills during debates, data mining skills in that project you aced, co-ordination skills, leadership skills e.t.c. Draw your strength and inspiration from within.

Align your thought process such that the various skills or attributes you displayed in your earlier life can be perceived as attributive to why you do what you do currently. In this way, you draw purpose for your life and you see what you do as your work, rather than just a job. Also, you will need to know yourself in order to become an effective person at work and other parts of your life. Intrinsic motivation will give you happiness and satisfaction in your work which is not tied to externalities. One way to draw this motivation is: Begin with the End in Mind. What do you envision as your ideal self? You will need to not only have a vision of yourself and work but also be convinced enough to have a buy-in into your vision to pursue it accordingly.

A lot of the fights and challenges people have which make them struggle are usually from within, especially in the mind. You need to change your perception of your capabilities and mental well-being. Trust me, it take practice and learning anything is dependent on the frequency of practice, duration of practice and intensity of practice. When you feed yourself with positive thoughts about your vision, it impacts directly on your body language, which in itself accounts for 58% of the human non-verbal communication.

Overall, re-discover yourself, have proper mentors, exude the right aura and belief in yourself. Be Happy.

 

 

 

Entrepreneur Of The Week –

Mrs Ade Hassan,  Founder of Nubian Skin

My name is Ade Hassan and I’m the founder and director of @Nubianskin, a fashion line set up almost 3 years ago.

Nubian Skin was essentially born out of my frustration of not being able to find what I was looking for in shops. I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt this way, so I decided to create it. The biggest initial challenge was finding a good quality manufacturer because a lot of the time they don’t want to work with smaller businesses and they have really high minimums. The most important challenge at the beginning was coming up with the colours – factories didn’t have the stock skin-tone colours, so this was something I had to come up with myself. I spent about a year researching and dying fabrics and ultimately dying a lot of hosiery with tea and coffee until I was happy with the hues.

As for my biggest achievements, there are so many I’m proud of. From when we were selected to provide underpinnings for Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour, to when Kerry Washington tweeted about us at the very start! But my biggest achievement so far is probably being named on the Queen’s birthday honours list to receive an MBE for services to fashion.

I love Lagos and I have so many wonderful childhood memories of this great city. My family and the very rich Lagos culture colour everything I do and believe. It’s a very entrepreneurial and competitive place. Everyone is hustling and most Lagosians are optimists, and I believe being surrounded by that definitely put the fire in me to want to be an entrepreneur. And let’s not forget the food!!! 😀

My goals for the next 5 – 10 years are endless. From making Nubian Skin a household name to setting up Nubian Skin Stores Worldwide.

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK 4

My name is Doyinsola @doyinsola_o and I am an environment enthusiast. I run a recycling and landscaping company in Lagos and also run an NGO whose sole purpose is to teach children about the environment. We are also involved in the replanting of trees and recycle specific waste materials. In addition, I run a tourism company which encourages people to visit shoreline destinations in West Africa and around the world.

I have always had the notion of making the world a better place and leaving it better than I met it, and where better to start from than the city I live in. I really wanted to change the way people managed their waste, so in 2009 I got involved in recycling which was about the time I set up my NGO. In 2015, I got introduced to eco-friendly products by my sister and that motivated me to venture into eco-cleaning and the small scale production of such products. Since setting up these initiatives, we have organized several successful cleaning exercises thanks to our ever-willing volunteers, and we have been able to educate a lot of people about the benefits of eco-friendly products which has been one of our biggest achievements.

 

 

 

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK 3

Our entrepreneur of the week is the CEO of the catering company @wus_cuisine. She is one of the most hardworking people we know and is also a very pleasant person. Here’s to @_queen_wu (the one wearing glasses just in case you were wondering).
Here’s a picture of her with her staff

 

 

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK 2

Our Entrepreneur of the Week is non other than Miss @tobijaiyesimi
She’s the founder and CEO of @thebookbanque an initiative committed to increasing access to Education in Nigeria by collecting, sorting and redistributing books to schools in disadvantaged communities in Nigeria.

Check out our Interview with her.

1)   What you do and for how long you’ve been doing it

Recently asked the question ‘what do you do’ in the presence of a friend, she exclaimed ‘the question ought to be: what doesn’t she do?’ as quite frankly, I do a number of things! Ultimately, I am a (development) consultant. I am also Founder/Editor of a social enterprise named The Book Banque and a writer, among other things.

2) What inspired you to start your company

The Book Banque was inspired by an understanding of how much power knowledge holds, and the desire to make education accessible across Nigeria. I often found myself asking questions like: “what if others had the same opportunity [as I did]?” “what if they had access to quality of education?” “would that radically change the way we think as Nigerians, and chart a different trajectory for Nigeria?”

I found that one of the major deterrents of enrolment in Nigerian schools is the lack of access to books and materials. For those who do attend school religiously, critical thinking is extremely low. Thus, I founded The Book Banque with the aim of collecting and sorting academic and non-academic books, and redistributing them to schools in disadvantaged communities. By doing this, we hope that more children will be incentivised to attend school, and will also – by reading the non-academic books placed in the library units we create for them – be forced to broaden their horizon, and learn beyond the classroom.

The Book Banque was also inspired by the desire to improve the reading culture among Nigerians. This is achieved through our virtual book club which reviews two African Literature pieces a month; shares poetry, prose and articles on social, economics, political and cultural topics in Nigeria. Through this, we aim to also challenge young Nigerians to re-write Nigeria’s narrative – that is, by learning about history and understanding Nigeria’s diverse issues – and to genuinely appreciate and preserve our cultural heritage.

 

3) What your transition moving back home was like

On most days, I am excited to be back! I am bursting with ideas; I feel less constrained and I am doggedly chasing my dreams. On the other days, it is sheer frustration due to the lack of structure and respect for one’s time. Lagos has, indeed, lived up to its name – the carnivorous city; that is, a beast that tugs at you from many angles. This tugging is susceptible to make

you stronger or (commonly ignored), break you. I had mentally pre-conditioned myself for ‘home’ and I find that this, in addition to a great support unit and being plugged into a phenomenal church, has made transitioning relatively easy. Reading, reading, reading – this has been a life saver! I have escaped the noise and overwhelmingness of Lagos by simply indulging in a book.

4) How living in Lagos has influenced your business, your thought process and yourself as a person

Moving to Lagos has been great for The Book Banque. I am in closer contact with the project we work with in Ilasan, Lekki, and have been able to forge relationships with people in the literary world that share the same vision. It has forced me to stay on my toes, as ideas and opportunities are constantly thrown my way!

As far as my thought process, living in Lagos allows for me to be more in touch with the things I write about. Paraphrasing Achebe and as our politicians often do, one cannot sit in a fancy four-storey building, and say they understand the problems faced with by the average Nigerian. In this sense, being at home and thrust into the chaos, I am better able to synthesise and play my part as a Nigerian.

Beyond this, however, I have been rather “protectionist” about its influence on my thought process, as the city could very easily neutralise one, and reverse the hands one’s moral compass. I read to keep me rooted in my values, and surround myself with sound people. As a person, it forces me to be intentional about self-care; it forces me to do a thousand things but also, to slow down!

 

5) What you love the most about Lagos

The people! The people in Lagos, and in Nigeria as a whole, are simply a blessing! As a potpourri of diverse ethnicities and culture, Lagos bursts with such richness – this is carried by its people. I love wandering into new communities, and learning about the different journeys of its people, culture, beliefs, and its evolution. I am always so shocked and humbled by how happy its people can be, even on days when there is merely anything worth beating a drum for – it is so heartwarming!

 

6) Your most memorable memory of Lagos (whether good or bad)

I have two actually! The first would be from 2016 when I conducted research on the 1990 Maroko Slum clearance. The weeks I spent interacting with some of the evictees, and learning about the Lagos that existed before, its political and commercial relevance and its openness (or reluctance) to change are moments I look at so fondly. The second would be as a result of a historical walking tour of colonial Lagos hosted by The Book Banque recently – THE WAKA TOUR. It is always so inspiring to be able to see Lagos through multiple lens. It allows one appreciate the vast heritage of the city, and simultaneously forces one to think of ways to engrave its great stories in the palms of its residents, while embracing its massive urbanisation efforts.

 

7) Where you hope to see your business in the next 5-10 years

I am always so excited thinking about this – so much so that I often use ‘mmmph’ ‘aaaah’ to articulate the big vision that makes my eyes glisten and heart gladden. In 5-10 years, The Book Banque would have set up several functional library units for schools in disadvantaged communities across the nation. We would have contributed significantly to keeping children in school, and the strengthening educational curriculums.

The Book Banque would have mini libraries and creative hubs that will cater distinctively to different social classes. It would have hosted tons of events that would forge a new bond and identity among younger Nigerians – a bond of heritage and a collective responsibility to our nation. Can you now understand why I get excited about its 5-10 years plan?!

 

8) Certain things about Lagos/Nigeria that you think is lacking anywhere else

Again, the people! The culture. The unruliness and lack of structure – not that these are good things but these (un)fortunately are part of Lagos. The constant cycles of hustling. I realised this on visiting Jos, and seeing how laid back the people were – so laid back a commercial driver said my destination was too far for him! Where would that happen in Lagos?!

The food! Its heritage. There really is no place like Lagos.

 

 

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE WEEK  1

The Entrepreneur of the Week is the founder and CEO of the @mobilecoldroomng, the one and only @operunzy. He and his team run the Mobilecoldroom which is an online food service and business initiative established to supply a variety of frozen foods to various food service organisations and individuals.

“As a business owner It’s necessary to focus on your skill set whilst running your business. Many small business owners make the huge mistake of attempting to single-handedly carry out all the operations and processes required to run their businesses hereby leading to low productivity and efficiency killing the business in no time.

It is important to specialize in a designated role in the business process.For example if you are a fashion designer you need to focus on designing the clothes and designate the branding ,marketing and sales to actual experts .
This will result in :
*increased quality of product, the key to building a successful business alongside increased productivity and efficiency.
*Eliminate any distractions and headaches caused by these other processes .
*Increase In sales ;as the direct and indirect processes required to boost sales are being properly handled with adequate focus by professionals. A great product without great branding,marketing and a sales plan will only result in low revenue.