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The founder of IndulgeCakes, Pogoson Esesua, 21, says high unemployment rate in Nigeria drove her into starting her business. The National Youth Service Corps member shares the experience with MOTUNRAYO JOEL

Tell us about your business?

I own and run a cake business. I sell all types of cake. I bake cake for all occasions — birthdays, engagements, weddings, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Christmas among other numerous celebrations. I started my cake business three years ago and the business has grown significantly over that period.

How did you acquire the training for the business?

I come from a long line of bakers. So, I have always had the background knowledge of cake making and cake decoration. My late grandmother was a reputable baker in Ibadan, especially on the University of Ibadan campus where she lived. My mother learnt from her. Both of them were involved in commercial cake baking at different times in their lives. I grew up watching and helping my grandmother and my mum bake all kinds of cake.

I later became an apprentice under Exquisito Confectionaries, one of the famous bakers in Ibadan. There, I sharpened my initial skills in cake decoration. I also got further comprehensive training in the United Kingdom. Apart from these formal forms of learning, I also keep abreast of cake decoration methods through the Internet; I have learnt quite a lot from this source too.

Have you always been entrepreneurial?

Not really. But I come from a family where skills acquisition is encouraged and that probably some hold on me and encouraged my entrepreneurship. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Ibadan. During my early period in school as an undergraduate, cake baking was not on my mind. However, along the line, I realised how high the unemployment rate in Nigeria was and still is, I began to give a thought to setting up a business. My parents also persistently advised and encouraged me to start a business. Luckily, I had started to earn some money from baking for friends on campus.

What really inspired you to start the business?

In my second year at the university, during one of the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ strikes, I didn’t want to sit idle at home. I just started the cake making business.

What were the main challenges you faced early in the business and do you still encounter them today?

The main challenge was that of time management. I was in my third year in the university when I started and it was difficult to balance the time between my education and the business of beautifying people events with my cake. However, as time went on, I was able to strike a balance between the two. Although there were still strong constraints on my social life, I simply saw this as a sacrifice that I needed to make for the business.

Today, I think I have been able to strike a balance between business and my social life since I am presently out of school.

How much did you use in starting the business?

I cannot give an exact amount because I started with the basic baking equipment I acquired from my grandmother and mother. Thereafter, I have been acquiring new facilities with the proceeds from the business.

Do you offer training?

As a National Youth Service Corps member presently, it is still somewhat difficult to offer structured training programmes. But I have this in the pipeline for the future. However, I have a number of cake enthusiasts who I am constantly mentoring when baking for my clients.

Have you received any support from any groups or government to expand the business?

No, I haven’t. I have applied to a number of organisations for funds to grow my business but I have not been lucky. And there are very few of such organisations. Besides, we all know how difficult it is to get money from banks with their high interest rates. The biggest support I have got for my business as a young entrepreneur has been from my family.

What is your advice for unemployed graduates?

In an ideal world, no new graduate will have to deal with unemployment. In Nigeria, the transition from a higher institution to the real world of work to earn a living is tough. The key to survival is learning how to cope in a difficult situation such as ours- one coping mechanism that has helped me is trying my hands on a business in which I have the background knowledge. I will therefore advise unemployed graduates to venture into the business in which they have the skill and passion. Entrepreneurship is a good way to develop financial independence. Most individuals shy away from competition but I hold dearly to the adage that says: “The sky is big enough for all the birds to fly.” All you need is a consciousness to add value to whatever endeavour you are engaged in. Once these businesses have been set up, you must continually acquire new skills to improve and become leaders. I advise all unemployed graduates to acquire skills that they can sell.

Looking back to when you were just getting started, what would you have done differently?

If I were to go back in time, I would have started my business much earlier than I did.

Would you say you have inborn entrepreneurship skills?

As it concerns me, I don’t think I was inborn with the ability but I was introduced to entrepreneurship at a very early age. My grandmother started early. She baked, ran a thriving shop and didn’t need to seek employment because she was doing well. She passed this unto me. However, I believe that skills can be learned at any time in life if you have the right passion, drive and motivation.

What are your plans for the future?

I have been operating my business in the last three years from my home kitchen but the business is fast outgrowing the space. I am now looking to owning my own cake shop. Even though I currently do considerable business outside Ibadan, I hope to take the name IndulgeCakes to many places in the country. I look forward someday to selling cake decorating equipment and other baking tools. Ultimately, I hope to establish an institute of confectionary studies to cater for all the related specialised training. I hope to do this training at a subsidised rate and reach out to people who cannot readily afford to pay to learn. This will be my own little way of giving back to the society.

How should the government handle unemployment?

I must commend the Nigerian government for introducing Skill Acquisitions and Entrepreneurial Programme to the National Youth Service Corps Programme. It has begun to equip young graduates with skills that can be developed and that can grow into successful businesses. The government can do a number of other things to significantly reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. These will include spending more on education and training in order to increase the skills of workers. Government should also integrate skills acquisition into the curriculum of higher institutions so that from an early age, we all can begin to develop entrepreneurial skills.

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The Founder of the Starlight Book Reading Club for Children, 27-year-old Adunola Macaulay, shares with TOBI AWORINDE her passion for educating and inspiring children through books

Tell us a bit about your childhood interests, educational background and how you developed interest in teaching children good reading habits?

I studied Mass Communication at Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State. After my mandatory one year of the National Youth Service Corps, I worked with an Information Technology company for two years as a business analyst and project manager. Working with the IT company was great.

However, I knew that I would be more productive working with children. It is a fact that my heart belongs to them. In 2013, I started working with my church as the children’s church coordinator – a role I still play till date. I organise and manage the various activities that take place in the children’s church. Prior to working full time in church, I was a volunteer for two years as a children’s Sunday school teacher.

I have always had a passion and love for children, even as a child. It seems so amazing that my passion for children has been with me for as long as I can remember. And, even now, it seems to increase each time I partake in activities that help children to become better.

Why children?

Children are very significant. The Bible says, ‘Children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward.’ It is so important for children to be brought up with the right values and mind-set. They say once a foundation is strong, it can never be broken. This applies to children too. Once their foundation is set right, they will grow to become healthy adults eventually. I am extremely passionate about ensuring that their foundations are right.

How did you establish the book club?

Starlight Book Club started in May 2014. I saw the need for children to imbibe the culture of reading, which is gradually fading away. Children aren’t encouraged to read wide enough. So this is basically what inspired me to start the kids’ club.

I started the club with about 20 children within the first two months. The book sessions are held at my church, Guiding Light Assembly, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi. Starting the club made me to realise that parents have also seen the need for their children to read more. What we do is to read a book a month.

Books are chosen based on the values they teach. We have previously read books on leadership, integrity, honesty, gratitude and kindness. A non-governmental organisation called KAWE sponsored us during the first month by donating books for the children. We are also looking to get more sponsorship so that more children can benefit from this initiative.

What were some of the challenges you encountered while starting up?

The first challenge was in the area of finance. I wanted the club to be free of charge. I still want the club to be free. However, the cost of running the club could be enormous. At present, the children’s parents pay a token for the month, which covers the cost of the book, writing materials and snacks.

Do you have a day job?

I have a day job. I work as the Children’s Church Coordinator at the Guiding Light Assembly. I have been working there for two years now. I basically organise and manage the affairs of the children’s department.

Relatively, book clubs are a rarity in this part of the world. What are some of the misconceptions you have encountered?

The truth is most parents have been looking for this kind of opportunity and experience for their children. The response and feedback I have got regarding the book club have been overwhelming. I am encouraged to do more and to expand the club to several locations within Lagos and beyond.

There is a need and necessity for children to have the culture of reading, especially in this century where there are many distractions such as the Internet, inappropriate cartoons, and video games, among others. There has been no misconception so far.

What is the distinguishing factor about your book club?

My book club runs every Saturday except on the last Saturday. The idea behind holding weekly sessions is to further reinforce the importance of reading to the children. Most book clubs meet once a month.

If you want to hide something from an African, you should put it in a book. With your experience running the book club, is this saying still true?

Sadly, I believe we do not read enough in this part of the world. We do not read enough, and most people don’t encourage their children to read. Most of us don’t invest in books. We should challenge ourselves to read one good book every month. We would be better for it, if we go through this lane.

How exactly do you run this venture?

It is not-for-profit. As I mentioned earlier, we charge a token monthly, which covers the cost for the book, writing materials and snacks. We are hopeful that more sponsorships and endorsements will be available to us.

Do you consider it necessary to have mentors?

Mentorship is extremely important for growth of individuals. We need someone to look up to and be accountable to. I sincerely believe that a good mentor will help you attain your set goals and dreams.

So who are your mentors?

I have a personal life coach in the person of Mrs. Lillian Adegbola, the Chief Executive Officer of 360 Degrees. Also, Jesus Christ is my ultimate mentor. He is the driving force in all that I do.

Do you think government is doing enough to encourage entrepreneurship among the youths?

I believe the government can do more. There are a lot of bright ideas and innovators out there but there is no capital for them to start their businesses. They need to be encouraged and given some sort of grants.

In what ways are schools succeeding and/or failing in the area of literacy?

Some schools, especially private ones, have ways that they enhance the level of literacy of their students. For instance, they have reading clubs, literacy competitions and debates. Sadly, the public schools are way behind them and need to have proper schemes to address this issue.

Considering the recent mass failure of students in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations and at the Nigerian Law School; what would you say has gone wrong in the nation’s education sector?

Government needs to pay more attention to the education sector. These children are the future of Nigeria. They need to be given top priority in national affairs. The teachers also need to be adequately trained and taken care of so that they will be equipped to pass on the much needed values to the children. More so, our schools need to have higher developmental standards.

Are there any physical, emotional, developmental or social challenges to children’s learning abilities, which have not been thoroughly addressed?

The major challenge that I see is that children do not have enough role models to look up to in terms of reading. Children are prone to imitate what they see around them. If they do not see reading patterns and behaviours demonstrated by those around them, they may not value reading as they should.

What are the most significant lessons you have learnt as a young entrepreneur?

I have learnt that whatever it is that you chose to do, make sure that it adds value to the people receiving the product or service. It is so important that what you do makes people become better and that it adds something positive to their lives. For me, that’s my driving force for the Starlight Book Club. The fact that I want to see more responsible, intellectual and bright kids in our society challenges me to push on, to keep my dreams alive and never stop believing.

What are your greatest achievements so far?

In less than a year, I have seen the children that attend my book club become better readers. I have got incredible testimonials and referrals from parents of the children who attend the club. It gives me great joy that I am touching the lives of children positively.

How do you balance work with your personal life?

I ensure that work stays at work. Once I am done with work, I focus on other areas of my life. I try not to juggle between work and my personal life. There is usually a demarcation between the two.

What are your goals for this enterprise?

My short-term goal is to increase awareness for the book club, while my medium-term goal is to attract more sponsorships and endorsements. In the long term, I will like to have book club sessions across the country.

Contact: editor@punchng.com

Thirty-year-old Jennifer Jemedafe is the Chief Executive Officer of Jaytech Global Concepts Limited, a social media management company. She spoke with COMFORT OSEGHALE on the challenges of being self-employed

Why your interest in social media management?

I stumbled on it. Prior to that, I had already tried my hands on information technology. During my youth service, I had worked with a distributor for HP. I saw it as a profitable business and since I had always wanted to be an entrepreneur, I decided to run my own IT company. That was in 2011.

Soon after I started, I realised that I was going nowhere with it. I didn’t really know the business of computers. This is what happens when you venture into a business because somebody else is doing it; without knowing where your true passion lies.

Although I got contracts with computers and other supplies, I was still losing money. This was not because the contract wasn’t good but because I did not make the right quotation. I did not factor the right things into it and at the end, I didn’t make the profit I was supposed to make. These were the failures I made but the experience was a valuable one. So soon after I registered my company, I stopped the business.

It was during this period I discovered that I had a flair for using social media for business purposes. I learned from my mentors you could turn whatever you had a passion for into a business. It doesn’t have to be the biggest thing or something everyone is doing. As long as your chosen business was adding value to society, you would eventually make money out of it.

From my interactions with my connections on the social media, I realised that if you wanted to get a company’s attention or perhaps that of a celebrity; all you need to do was say the right thing. I tried it

I began to study and to research and I discovered that people don’t say the right things on social media sometimes. I felt that they could get the right attention if they said certain things. I decided to try it myself and to my surprise, I realised the companies or personalities that I had tweeted something about either re-tweeted it, responded to me or connected with me. Through research I discovered, there was something like social media management although it is not so popular in Nigeria. I decided to try it.

How would you describe your experience?

It has been good so far. I did a lot of research before I started out. I studied history in the university and you do a lot of research in history. This helped when I needed information about social media management. Research came easily to me and I was able to use it to my advantage.

I approached some companies and discovered that they actually needed my services. There were companies that needed somebody to manage their social media platform; somebody who would organise the social media events and manage the giveaways so they don’t have to think about it. Right now, I have on board three major clients and I am trying to close a deal with another.

The market is an interesting one. There are so many companies on social media that are not doing the right things. What I do is manage social media accounts for corporate organisations and personalities thereby reducing their overhead costs. That means you don’t have to employ someone in your company for that, pay health care insurance and so on but you would still get the same value.

I have yet to reach break-even point but my company has discovered itself and I have discovered myself. I realised that when you get to that point, things that you have struggled with for ten years, you can do in one year.

Is it expensive to be a social media manager?

No; it is not. This is something an unemployed youth can use positively and make money out of. You only need a smart phone with a data plan and you can do your work from wherever you are. What you really need is lots of knowledge.

There is a lot to learn and this is not what everybody can do. You have to know how to write and communicate effectively, how and when to speak. You have to know how to manage crisis. Once you have that knowledge then you don’t need so much money.

Nigerians are not making good use of the social media. A lot of people and businesses are on social media but sometimes they are using it for the wrong reasons. They are not getting as much as they should get and that is either due to ignorance or mismanagement.

Nigerians do not yet understand the impact of social media on their businesses, brands and personal life. I don’t even think the youths know because they sometimes use social media for frivolous things.

Right now, I don’t have anyone in my employment; I do everything myself. In fact, to augment what I make being an entrepreneur; I have some part-time job I do on the side. It is not easy though working and running a company. It is time consuming and you feel as if you don’t have time of your own. It is not easy being self-employed.

When you have a start-up, you don’t have the luxury of employing people to work for you. Most of the responsibilities rest on my shoulders. Sometimes I get discouraged and wonder if I would ever succeed but the vision and bigger picture keeps you growing. Once I started seeing things come together as at early last year, I knew that there was no giving up.

What prompted you to promote entrepreneurship programmes?

I wanted to do something that would help youths who wanted to become entrepreneurs. I launched a project last year; JGC Scholarship for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. It promotes entrepreneurship in Africa. Since I was financially handicapped to sponsor a reasonable number of people into business, I decided to get other people to be sponsors. I approached individuals and companies with my idea.

At first, I thought it was not going to work but later I got a lot of support. The United Nations supported with the venue and gave me logistics; I had the launch at their office in Ikoyi. I also got support from Elvina Ibru who sponsored four people at the same time and from MI too. I had support from Intel too; they partnered with me in terms of giving entrepreneurship talks to students at the University of Lagos. I was even able to get the Vice Chancellor of LASU to come and speak on the project.

We gave scholarship to five graduating students from UNILAG and Lagos State University to take a course in entrepreneurship and innovation on the Beni-American University online platform; they also got laptops. I will like to have bigger success on the project in Nigeria and I also plan to take it to Kenya and other countries in Africa.

It will be better if we can have our youths, after finishing with school, start up their own businesses rather than join the large number of the unemployed. I am still trying to get more companies to come on board. It will also be good to be able to help those currently taking the programme to start up their businesses when they are through.

What advice do you have for budding entrepreneurs?

Remove the fear factor; don’t be scared. The only way you can actually start what you want to do is to begin. Start something no matter how small. There are graduates who have been unemployed for upwards of five years and they say they need capital to start a business. Now I know that starting a business is not all about money. Ask yourself what value you plan to add to society. The minute you are adding value, money will come. You wouldn’t need to look for it.

Be ready to take up the challenge; entrepreneurship is not child’s play. You have to be ready to face challenges. Don’t expect to make profit immediately. You must be ready to go through the journey. Understand and know your passion. Don’t run a business because somebody is doing it. Where your passion lies, therein is your success. Be prayerful.

Having a mentor is important; I have some people I run to when things are tough. That used to be my father before he passed on last year. When things were not working out, I would ask him how he went about running his own company.

He was so supportive and would have preferred I worked with him. He would laugh at my worries and tell me every client was not my client. You win some and lose some but as long as you keep on winning, you are on the right track. Never forget to give back to society. My mother too was also supportive.

Contact: editor@punchng.com

In this interview with IFEANYI ONUBA, the Managing Director, November Cubes Grills and Take Out, Mr. Anifowoshe Habeeb, 29, speaks on the challenges of operating a fast food restaurant in a highly competitive environment:

What kind of business are you engaged in?

I am an entrepreneur with a huge vision, endless dreams and great passion. However, I am at present engaged in fast food business and construction. I am also looking at making some investments in real estate in the near future.

How did you become an entrepreneur?

I didn’t start off doing business. I was in paid employment for some years. However, I always knew entrepreneurship offers a greater possibility of achieving significant financial rewards than working for someone else. It gives an individual the opportunity to build equity, which can be kept, sold, or passed on to the next generation.

I also figured that in a city like Abuja where you have a lot of young professionals and a vibrant night life, getting into the fast food business will be a good investment.

There are people who look for paid job and it is because a lot of them don’t have confidence in themselves. There is this fear factor in them and this is what is preventing many people from starting business.

Second; there is also the issue of preparation. If you don’t prepare adequately, your chances of success as a business person will be very slim. But in my own case, I know what I wanted right from the beginning

How long have you been in this business?

I am quite young in business. November Cubes ‘Grills and Take out’ has been in existence for just about a year but God has been very faithful and our customers have been very loyal. In this short year we have experienced tremendous growth and already have two outlets in Abuja with plans for other states.

What did you study in school and how did it prepare you for entrepreneurship?

I am an alumnus of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology where I studied industrial chemistry. I have a post graduate diploma in information technology and I am an ORACLE certified professional.

People always find it funny because what I do now really has no connection with what I studied in school. However, my background in science helps me to think analytically and this has impacted my business greatly.

How do you manage your business?

As an entrepreneur, I try to understand, manage and take responsibility for every aspect of the business. I ensure my customers get high quality products.

We also develop and deploy strategies and business model to grow the business. We try as much as possible to maintain good relationships with customers and manage them well. We also develop and maintain winning business processes and procedures.

We have done our best to assemble a good team and we constantly train the team. We also have very good hands. So we are there every day working together as a team. We constantly assess ourselves and look for ways to improve tremendously. We believe it’s important to put good structure in place so the business can expand.

In the food industry, quality is very important. It is what makes the customers to continue to patronise you. I also ensure good financial management of the business to ensure profitability.

Who are your target clients and how do you get them?

Food is a necessity for every age group; so our target clients are practically everyone out there who love good and tasty food.

Is the business capital intensive and how much did you start with?

It doesn’t necessarily take a lot of cash to create a successful business. It really depends on what scale you decide to get into the business.

Our plan was to start small and expand along the way and of course we keep re-investing in the business so we can stay ahead of the competition and continue to maintain our high standard of quality.

How will you advise fresh graduates that are desperate for jobs?

The truth is that not everyone is going to be an entrepreneur. So for those who are not, I will say keep submitting your curriculum vitae and that dream job will come along soon. But for those who dare to dream and have the heart to take a chance, I will say just find what interests you and engage in it and don’t give up because with time success will come. They can also enrol in skill acquisition.

You can also identify someone who will serve as a mentor to you and get professional advice from them on how to develop your business plan and start up your business.

It is not all businesses that require large capital; you can start up a business with low capital and as time goes on, you expand.

You also have to understand that not all businesses will succeed at first trial. If you fail at the first attempt, go back to the drawing board. Learn from your mistakes and re-strategise. That is how you can become a successful entrepreneur.

How can the government encourage young people to embrace entrepreneurship?

Since entrepreneurship know is a necessary ingredient for stimulating economic growth and employment opportunities in all societies, the government can encourage young people to embrace it by making funds available to them through loans and providing basic amenities like constant electricity, water and good roads.

It’s the responsibility of the government to create an enabling environment for businesses. Government should also help by providing interest free loans and free capital for entrepreneurs. More vocational skills acquisition centres should be made available to the public for free.

What are the challenges you face in this line of business?

All businesses even the most established ones face challenges. So it is good to know we are not alone in this and it is all part of the business. The usual challenges include electricity, water supply, loans and finances.

I always say you are not the only one doing what you are doing so competition is stiff and we always have to do our best to stay ahead. We are constantly thinking of new products and of course ways to improve the quality of products we already have. Also getting dedicated works to understand our vision is challenging.

How have you been able to survive despite the challenges you face?

God’s help has seen us through all the way. Hard work, determination, flexibility, passion, self-confidence, tolerance and persistence have also been factors of success. And of course, we are grateful to loyal customers who continue to come back day after day.

What other key investment principles will you recommend to young entrepreneurs like you?

Don’t be afraid of taking calculated risks. Nobody can get anywhere by just staying in their comfort zone; go out and expand your comfort zone. Keep moving and learn from mistakes along the way.

Remember that success doesn’t just happen to anyone but it happens to those who are not afraid to work hard towards the realisation of their goals. Never take on more than you can handle. It is better to start small and grow with time than to build a skyscraper in a day and come crashing down the next day.

Contact: editor@punchng.com

In this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL, Founder, Ceunitonc Farms, Joseph Ukpong, 23, reveals how he started his poultry business

What university do you attend?

I am studying Petroleum Engineering at Madonna University, Okija, Anambra State.

How did you get trained for the type of business you are involved in at the moment?

I got trained in the poultry business at a young age. While I was living with my uncle who was into poultry farming, I used to help him out with minor activities on his farm. Every day I would follow him to the farm; it was always fun time for me. I was quite observant; I used to monitor all the operations of his poultry farm. It was there I got my first-hand knowledge and experience in poultry farming.

Tell us a little about your business

The name of my business is Ceunitonc Farms. It is a poultry business which focuses on breeding chicks for egg and meat purposes.

Is poultry business profitable?

A number of factors make poultry farming business highly profitable. However, I will mention a few to ensure I don’t bore you with our lengthy and complex business operations. One of such is the fact that food is the number one basic need of man. Regardless of the economic situation, human beings must feed and since domestic birds are consumable; that makes poultry farming feasible.

With the increasing awareness on the health implications of red meat; there is an increased demand for white meat and birds are a source of white meat. In Nigeria, for instance, the population is well over 150 million and it is still growing. This therefore means that a huge population would amount to a high demand for food, most especially egg and meat.

Have you always been an entrepreneur?

From my early years, I have always seen myself proffering solutions to life threatening problems. During my secondary school days, I used to provide food for my colleagues. I used to buy large quantities of snacks to sell. I was also into the recharge card business; I used to buy recharge cards in large quantities and resell them to other sellers even outside my school environment. These are just a few of the little businesses I did as a young boy.

What exactly inspired creating your business?

God has always been the source of my inspiration in being creative and innovative, since God himself is creative in nature. Every day, He puts into us creative ideas to find solutions to our daily challenges or problems.

What were the main challenges you faced early in your business? And do you still encounter them now?

I consider failure in business as an important ladder one must climb in order to grow in knowledge and experience. Entrepreneurs see failures as part of personal and business processes. The most important thing is not to make the same mistakes over and over again.

There were times I battled with finances. I didn’t have enough money to employ people. There were other little challenges I faced, but lack of funds was one of the biggest challenges I have encountered as an entrepreneur.

How much did you use in starting the business?

I started my business with about five hundred thousand naira.

Do you offer trainings?

Yes we do, but we have only trained a few people. We are yet to entertain large numbers. We hope to improve on that with time.

Are young entrepreneurs receiving enough support from the government?

I will say no, but thanks to Africa Young Entrepreneurs. They have been of great support to young entrepreneurs. I consider it the largest non-political / non- religions independent organisation where young African entrepreneurs connect to the continent and the rest of the world.

A good number of young entrepreneurs like myself are where we are today because of the platform. This organisation has given their full support to the young entrepreneurs in Nigeria from the age of 18 years to 45 years by funding innovative and creative deals, mentoring young entrepreneurs and also making sure they grow to compete with the rest of the world in general.

What I love most is their slogan which says “If you can achieve this much alone, how much more can we achieve together.’

What is your piece of advice for unemployed graduates?

My best piece of advice to unemployed graduates is they should find and do something that they are passionate about. I see this as a starting point. They should focus on becoming an expert in one thing, not trying to be a jack of many trades. Every entrepreneur should be a leader in their particular product or service. Starting a business is not a difficult task; all one needs to do is take a close look at one’s environment and have a deep urge to add value to people’s lives by being a solution to their problems.

Endeavour to explore a niche. If one does what everyone else is doing; the clients would think they are doing them a favour. So one needs to be unique and stand out. Also, unemployed graduates should remember that in actualising their idea to do great things, they should turn deaf ears on scepticism, doubts and fear. They should work towards achieving their dreams.

If you could go back in a time machine to when you just started, what would you do differently?

I would seek for more funds and I would also use the best technology and techniques available in the world to build my poultry business. In addition, I would also advise myself to always remain focused on my business.

Do you think that entrepreneurship is something that is in one’s blood? Or is it something that one can learn?

Entrepreneurship is something one can learn and train oneself to be best at it.

What are your plans for the future?

My plans for the future are to create more employment opportunities for youths by establishing more branches across the country. I hope to establish in other countries. I know quite well that it won’t be an easy task, but I’m ready to work hard. Nothing good comes easy.

How should the government handle unemployment?

The government can deal with the issue of unemployment by creating more jobs. How can this be done? During the National Youth Service Corps scheme, various state governments should send more corps members to the different sections of the nation’s agricultural sector to boost food production.

Food is not just a necessity to man, it would also improve the economy of the country to a large extent. Agriculture remains a sector that has been poorly tapped. There are so many things youths can do for a living in the agricultural sector.

Contact: editor@punchng.com

Dolapo Babalola, 26 is the Managing Director of Dolapo Creations. She says her success in jewellery making has been through good management and service delivery in this interview with IFE ADEDAPO

Tell us more about yourself.

I am the first child from a family of six. I graduated from Tai Solarin University of Education where I studied Educational Management/Economics. And I have a Masters degree in Industrial Education from the University of Ibadan.

Why did you go into business instead of taking up a paid job?

We all know that unemployment is a major problem affecting in Nigeria. But with the confidence that Nigeria will be a better place to live, I decided to start my own business. I believe everyone is gifted and talented in one way or the other and we all have something we are interested in.

We shouldn’t put all the blame on the government because we can as well help ourselves. After my first degree, I searched for jobs but none came my way. So, I had to enrol for a Masters programme. While doing this, things were still the same. Because I did not want to stay idle, I decided to go into business. This was what led to the establishment of Dolapo Creations. I detest staying idle, even when I was in school, I did different kinds of business.

What services do you render?

Dolapo Creations is all about creativity. We are into jewellery making, which includes; wire works and bead making. We design and make jewellery for brides, bridesmaid and individuals.

What makes your business different from others?

Well, no one is perfect, but I try my best to make my work different. I also hold on strongly to a common saying of my father that “Whatever you know how to do, do it well and diligently.” As a result, I ensure that my work is well designed and neat. I love researching into new designs that can help to upgrade my skill and my business. Also, we don’t disappoint our customers. There is also a cordial relationship or a bond between my customers and me.

How much was your startup capital?

I started with something good but not as much as I had wanted. And I thank God things are better than when I started.

How did you source for funds?

I thank God, my parents have been there for me and may God grant them long life. I sourced for funds from them, which I added to my little savings.

What lesson have you learnt as an entrepreneur?

As an entrepreneur, I have learnt to put my trust in God and also to be tolerant, patient, accommodating.

How do you market yourself?

When I first started, I went about telling friends and family about my business to show them different designs and what I had got.

Technology has also made everything easy. I also market myself through Internet and social media platforms like Facebook, BBM, Instagram and Twitter. Dolapo Creations is on all these social media.

How do you handle customers’ complaints?

Every time I receive any complaint, I remind myself that customers are always right. I listen attentively to their complaints and I ensure that they are attended to immediately. For example, some customers often request that their jewellery be delivered to them personally, which I oblige because it is part of the services we render. We make sure our customers are satisfied. For instance, there was a time a customer wanted her beads to be delivered to Lagos, where she resides. Thank God her work was done and delivered to her even before the day she wanted it but there was one mistake – her earrings were not packed and I did not notice.

It was only the necklace and hand bracelet that were packaged. When the package got to her and she noticed it, she was so furious that she called me and started complaining, and I told her that I was sorry, it was just a mistake and that I accepted my fault. She told me that if she didn’t get the earrings the next day she would send the package back to me. I had to calm her down, talked to her and promised her it would get to her the next day. And I kept my promise. Since then, she had been a very good customer, just because I was able to satisfy her and I did not disappoint her. We have been very good friends since then.

How challenging is the business?

Well, it is not too challenging, but there is no business that does not have its challenges. There are sometimes that there won’t be sales for a long period of time. There was a time I didn’t get sales for some work I had then; it got me so annoyed that I wanted to quit. And I had to give out the jewellery.

However, I had a feeling that I would not get my money back if I quit. I changed my mind and kept the items and I later got sales for them. I was happy when I got my money. Also, there were moments when there would be a lot of work to do that I would fall sick and some customers won’t understand what I was going through at the moment.

How do you manage the challenges?

Those periods that I faced challenges, it made me want to quit, but since it’s what I love doing, I tried to manage the situation. For instance, a client from Osogbo got my contact through a referral. She called me a day to the day she needed her jewellery. She called one Friday that she needed it on Saturday, the next day and I had got a lot of designs to finish and deliver the same weekend she wanted hers.

When she called, I had a feeling that I should turn down her request because the design she wanted would be time consuming. Again, I thought of how to design and get it delivered on a short notice considering the volume of work I had. But I told her that I would get back to her. I quickly thought of what I could do because I did not want to lose a client that I got through a referral. I felt I could reach her the following day because I also wanted to deliver some work same day outside Ibadan.

After a while, I called her back up, we negotiated and I agreed to do her job. Though, the pressure on me then got me chocked up and I fell sick after, I did that jewellery perfectly and it got to her very early on Saturday. She was so happy that she kept on calling to show appreciation. Ever since then, she has given my contacts to other people and she has been a good customer. I believe challenges will come and go but they are not permanent, I face them.

Do you consider finance as the most important input in a business?

Yes, I consider finance as one of the most important inputs in any business. But the most important thing is that we should put God first in anything we do and all other things will be added. Finance is very important, but you do not need a huge amount to start a small business.

What is your advice for young entrepreneurs?

I will advise young entrepreneurs to put God first. And we should not wait for huge funds. The little you have can start up something and it will later yield interest.

Contact: editor@punchng.com

Simi Fajemirokun, 30, is a graduate of Political Science and International Relations from the University of Reading, United Kingdom. She tells IFEANYI ONUBA how she started her consulting firm at a young age and the challenges of the business

What really do you do at the ESFAJ & Partners and how long have you been in the business?

Our business is a management consulting firm that specialises in research, data analysis and design as well as general business development. I have been in the business for three years now.

Why did you decide to go into business rather than looking for paid employment?

There are people who look for paid jobs and it is because a lot of them don’t have confidence in themselves. There is this fear factor in them and this is what is preventing many people from starting up their business. Secondly, there is also the issue of preparation. If you don’t prepare adequately, your chances of success as a business person will be very slim. But in my own case, I knew what I wanted right from the beginning.

The choice to start the ESFAJ & Partners as a consulting firm was borne out of the detestation of seeing foreign firms providing half-hearted solutions to our government agencies. I had the opportunity of working on a committee four years ago as the local consultant while working under a foreign-based firm. It was an eye opener as the attitude of the firm when it came to providing service to Nigerians was very haphazard. And growing up abroad, I knew this was not the kind of service delivery they would provide in their home country.

I also ended up doing most of the work for the guys who were getting most of the pay. This didn’t make sense to me. So, I decided that I would set up my own firm to provide better services and more sustainable solutions that are akin to our landscape.

Also, I saw opportunities that I would not have been able to take advantage of if I was in paid employment. I had ideas that I felt I could execute and I saw a gap in consulting especially with the Small and Medium-scale Enterprises.

How do you manage your business?

I have developed a means of identifying people who have the right attitude and those that are highly trained in the area we are into. I can confidently say that I have a great team with a set of diverse skills that help to ensure that we get things done efficiently.

Who are your target clients and how do you get them?

Our target clients are mainly government agencies and owners of the SMEs. As a small company, referrals have been our main source of securing clients. In this business, relationships are everything and the most powerful form of advertising is the word of mouth. And that has really opened doors for us.

Is the business capital intensive and how do you source for capital?

It is not capital intensive but it does require a whole lot of time and energy without any guarantee of getting paid.

I started out with some funding from a family friend. As a young person, it will take someone who believes in your vision to buy into it or agree to fund your business. And I was very privileged to have that. Ideas are cheap and fleeting but it takes an ecosystem to make that vision a reality.

I did not take for granted every encouraging word, every vote of confidence, and my team that stuck to me through even when things were tough. I threw into the project all my energy, time and resources.

How are you encouraging young people to be self-employed?

We actually host an entrepreneurship workshop in the communities we work and it is called ‘Project – Get to work’. We provide an avenue where students can be taught how to write curriculum vitae, conduct an interview, market themselves and write a business plan. We advise fresh graduates to dream big and start small. It is important that they understand the stark reality of getting a job and staying resilient.

At the ESFAJ, we believe that talent is universal but opportunity is not. So our corporate social responsibility is to build the communities we work in and help to create platforms of learning that can lead to opportunities.

What should government do to encourage young people to go into business?

The best way to encourage entrepreneurship is to create platforms or incubator hubs where ideas can meet financing. Another major way is to reduce the barriers that discourage young entrepreneurs from carrying on with their business. In Nigeria, there is a cumbersome paperwork that a start-up business has to go through before being registered or provided financing from banks.

A major way to fostering entrepreneurship is education. Entrepreneurship workshop provides an opportunity to learn and gain access to a network.

According to recent studies, access to finance is not the number one challenge for young entrepreneurs but access to a market, which I have found to be true.

What are the challenges you face in this line of business?

The main challenge we face in consulting is actually getting paid for the job we do. The idea of intellectual property is not really respected and people in Nigeria tend to pay for products but not concept development.

How have you been able to survive despite the challenge?

We have been able to survive by being resilient. In this system of high risk and high reward, you either sink or swim. And once you choose to swim, you have to keep going, no matter the obstacles. It also helps us as a visual company; so, our creative designs have given us an edge in getting our foot on the ground.

What other key investment principles will you recommend for young entrepreneurs like you?

A key principle that I will recommend is for them to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way, no matter how small.

For us, our core principle has been prudence. Whenever any expense is to be made, we usually ask ourselves what is the value that that money is bringing in. If people operate like that constantly, there is no way their business will not grow and become profitable.

Most of the issues that make a business to crash, apart from not generating enough revenue, revolve around their inability to justify the expenses they have incurred. So, your financial outflow must not exceed your inflow without any strong justification of how that outflow will increase your revenue.

Contact: editor@punchng.com