BELIEVE: TAKING THE STEP TO BEING A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR.

Believe: Taking the Step to Being a Successful Entrepreneur.

BY: ANTHONY IYORSHE 14/2013.

I recently had an opportunity to talk to Oyenaike Adeniyi, a 21-year-old entrepreneur from Babcock University, studying computer science and in his third year. The opportunity to find out what goes on in the mind of a very young businessperson was alluring.

  L to R: Ogundipe Yinka and Oyenaike Adeniyi

Adeniyi currently runs an urban outfit brand called: KARMA. He calls himself “a kid who wants to express his creativity through the art of fashion”.

The start-up story behind his business is somewhat amusing, during the interview, he says, “I was 19 at the time and all I did with my spare period was make graphic designs on my laptop. I got bored and tired of doing just that and decided to channel my designs on to t-shirts. That’s how boredom inspired me to start up KARMA”. Thus began his venture into entrepreneurship. At the start, the path was not clear. Working towards getting a computer science degree and running, a business at the same time was not an easy task. To put it mildly, it was a horror.

It is necessary to set up your business in a familiar territory, set up a business that is in line with your area of expertise, new start-ups often have the problem of convincing customers and winning their trust by diving into unrelated industries.

He pretty much is a busy person, mixing his school and social life alongside his business. “My average day consists of me waking up early, heading to class, meeting up with friends or just keeping in touch on social media and working on a few designs for my brand when I am opportune. It can be tough, but that’s life”.

His ideas stem up from watching cartoons and observing his surroundings. Oyenaike further adds, “When I generate an idea, it stays with me for at least a year. I also have buddies who give me concepts once in a while”. However, this is just the first hurdle, you must prepare for entrepreneurship by researching your next step. This way you can outline a good business plan. You will also do yourself some good if you refrain from digging into your savings to fund your business, it should only serve as a cushion for when outside funds are not available.

Adeniyi’s business is a profitable one. “Being a student and this business also being somewhat of a part-time job, what I rake in from sales of my products is really reasonable for a young person. I have not kept track of my financial returns of late due to the economic situation in the country. However, I do not call my parents for money as I used to in the past. I’m somewhat self-dependent now and haven’t incurred any heavy-interest loans, thanks to my parents funding my project”. Desperation should not lead you to take out large loans without you carrying out your financial homework in the course of starting a business. It is more financially reasonable to seek out to family and friends at the start, while sometimes relying on your savings or income. Government-backed start-up grants are also obtainable.

Concerning his customer base, Oyenaike says, “The bulk of my customers are Babcock University students and they are ready to purchase quality products. My customer base is small and still growing, so I communicate with them via social media to know their feedback and what improvements they will love to see. This way I can boost my market potential, attract prospective customers and also be trendy”. It is necessary to be content with starting small, baby steps are vital. It is wise and safer to do a business as a side engagement and with minimal financial investments. Rome was not built in a day.

“Aside from KARMA, another start-up brand I really admire is TITAN’S EMPIRE. Owned and run by Ogundipe Yinka. He is a good friend and it’s great to see fellow young people putting in work, doing well and not just being unnecessarily idle”.

He names the late Apple Mogul, Steve Jobs as an inspiration. “For me, Steve’s story was really amazing. He went from being a hippie to the CEO of a 700-billion-dollar corporation against all odds. Nothing stopped him from achieving greatness, but death.” He further states, “I want to be able to make an impact in people’s lives just as he did”. It is good to have someone to look up to in the world of business. Learning from them betters your chance of being a successful entrepreneur. Acquire from them tactics, but do not ignore the distinctiveness that made you pursue your own idea. Do not change your vision.

His advice to fellow students who want to become entrepreneurs is, “Don’t let anyone discourage you, believe in God and yourself. Carry your schoolwork along with your part-time business and you’ll be successful.”

“The journey as a young entrepreneur has been good so far, I’m hoping for bigger things in the years that lie ahead"