A
speech delivered at the Annual Student’s Entrepreneurship Summit for the Center for
Entrepreneurship and Development Research, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Topic:
Entrepreneurship:
The Path To Grace From The Grass
The
road to wealth is not paved by gold. Every wealthy entrepreneur labored from scratch before they rose to stardom, except those who are entrepreneurs by
inheritance.
I
was born into a poor family and my father died when I was 13 years. After his
death, the pangs of poverty became unbearable, and being the first child of my
parent’s 7 children, the mantle of taking care of the family fell on me. From
then, I dedicated my life to doing all sorts of jobs that came my way, to take
care of myself and younger ones. Even when a man of God prophesied to my mother
that God will send him a helper, I decided to work very hard because I saw
myself as that helper.
Hustling
started when I was in primary school; I had to climb mango and cashew trees
until the trees knew me by name. When I pluck the fruits, I sell them to
support the little money my mother gives me.
I
was pushed to the wall when after my secondary school; I lost a teaching job I
applied for because I didn’t have N2.00 to bribe a messenger for him to allow
me to enter the zonal commissioner’s office for my appointment letter.
Challenges and humiliations should build us and not destroy us – We ought to
see them as a push to prosperity and not an excuse for failure or an excuse to
engage in illegal activities.
Afterward,
I became a bus conductor and later became an apprentice to an electronics
dealer. But after the apprenticeship, I had no money to start my own so I
traveled to Kano and joined a construction company as a laborer. Along the
line, I had to quit laboring job because they don’t pay me a full salary.
Fortunately for me, my mother gave me the N1, 200.00 that the University of Nigeria
paid as compensation for our cash crops and I used it to start second-hand
clothing business in Kano. With enough savings in my account, I decided to
learn motor spare parts trade; afterward, I decided to go back to school.
When
I started school in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, I noticed I had plenty of
time that shouldn’t go to waste so I went and withdrew the N260, 000.00 in my
account and purchased two buses. I gave out one of the buses to someone to drive
for me while I drove one myself after classes and on Saturdays. Before my
graduation in 1999, I already had 45-second hand buses and I kept nurturing the
business until it became a household name. Today, Peace Mass Transit is one of
the foremost companies in Nigeria that has given birth to other companies.
I
will not fail to share one of my major keys to success which is prayer. My
mother taught me and my siblings how to fast and pray when we were little. She
helped us to develop faith and trust in the almighty God and I have never left
that path, as prayer has been my foundation for success.
Unlike
our own time, this generation is blessed with the generosity of information
technocrats. Anybody who claims to be in the dark in this age is not saying the
truth because even if you don’t have access to information through internet
resources, someone around you who have such access must share useful information with you. If I could do it back then, you can do better now but you
have to start early.
The solution to unemployment,
which is the major problem Nigeria has today, is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is the act of
initiating or financing new commercial enterprise; creating a business idea and
nurturing it to reality.
My
Entrepreneurial Ladder
I started small – with
whatever I can lay my hands on; even in the transport business, I started with just
two buses, then it grew into a medium scale enterprise and today it has grown
into a large scale business or conglomerate. Start by doing what you can and
with what you have. Start small and grow rich.
How
I navigated into the World of Entrepreneurship
I started by trying my hands-on
different petty businesses before I stumbled on the business that I fit in
most. You can start by venturing into petty money-making activities, especially
now that you are still in school so that before you graduate, you must have
discovered your abilities. The more you engage yourself with petty businesses,
the more you also expose yourself to the world of business.
How
I managed my Cross Roads
The blame game could not have led me anywhere - When we focus on
reasons why we should not do what we are supposed to do, it kills the ability
in us. I did not blame my dead father for not living to carter for us, neither
did I blame my uncles and aunties for not looking out for us; instead, I made a
move and did whatever my hands find to do in order to help my mother with our
family financial difficulties.
I saw a need and focused on that - Before I ventured
into the transport business, I saw the need to convey people, especially students
to their destinations. I also noticed a void in transportation which is the
absence of an affordable mini-bus that will save people’s time. For a business
to thrive, make sure you are solving a problem.
I chose the right location for my business - My headquarters is
located in Enugu and I first established in South East before spreading to
other states because I discovered that south easterners travel more than
others. The wrong location can cripple your entrepreneurial zeal. Before setting up
a business, you need to know those that will benefit most, and then start in
the area where your customers are most likely to be found.
I targeted a particular audience and focused to meet their
needs -
Every business venture is competitive but if you come up with something unique
and of value to a certain category of people, and continue to develop
technologically, you will never lose their patronage and trust.
I focused on the glory and not the challenges - Economic climate of
Nigeria is harsh for start-ups, but remember that some people still worked hard
and succeeded. I have always focused on what I stand to gain and not the
numerous economic pitfalls, and today I have nothing to regret.
I looked within and started from somewhere - Insufficient capital
should not be the reason why you cannot go into the business of your choice. If
you have parents, siblings, uncles or aunties who are willing to give you
capital, you can approach and discuss with them but if not, start with what you
have. If you don’t have at all, there are petty businesses that require no
funding to start, like hair making, home laundry services, etc. – you can raise
money from them and go into a business of your choice. You can as well opt for
borrowing from the bank but I will advise, it is not a good option because I
never borrowed to finance any of my businesses.
The
Secrets that Kept me Climbing
I don’t joke with budget and I
buy the things I need and not all that I want. I didn’t just discipline myself
on how to make money; I disciplined myself to manage it.
I don’t waste my time fooling
around because I understood that time is money.
I don’t gamble into any
business without proper study and consultations.
I didn’t do a big boy by wasting
my money in expensive restaurants; Okpa and the likes were my best food when I
was starting because those were what I could afford.
I am passion driven when it
comes to running my business.
I didn’t answer CEO in the
early years of my business; I was then a driver, then a loader, a manager, etc.
and my wife was the cashier. I started answering CEO when my business grew.
I learned to save and I made
sure I disciplined myself to save.
I made mistakes along the line
and I learned from them.
I focused on the businesses that
I can do best.
I don’t just stumble into any
business; I draw my plans before I make a move. No matter how small the
business is, it requires planning. You need to strategize.
I followed God’s guidance and never
failed to pray – prayer has been my secret code.
In
conclusion, I didn’t waste my mina, I hope you will not waste yours
In
Jesus' parable of the ten minas, a master gave his servants some minas and told
them to occupy until he comes; then, he left to a faraway land. ‘Occupy Till I Come’ is translated ‘Do business till I come’ in New King
James Version. That means we are here
for a very serious business delegated to us by someone higher than us. Occupy
means take charge, inhabit, take possession of, take care of, live in, make use
of, put something to work. As in Luke
chapter 19, two out of the three servants traded their minas or money or
talents, etc and raised extra income for their master, while the servant who
received one mina hid it and when his master returned, he brought it out as it
is and gave him. Jesus is telling us today to occupy until He comes. We
shouldn’t waste our mina, gift, talent, etc., like the stingy servant in Jesus
parable, because those minas are God’s investments that shouldn’t go to waste –
if they are not important to God, he wouldn’t give them to us. God has endowed
us to serve Him and man and we need to make Him proud of us.
Don’t
be a doubting Thomas. Think Smart, Think Entrepreneurship. If you are bent on
getting a job to make a start from there, then train yourself in such a way
that employees will find you employable. It doesn’t matter if you are on salary
– who says you cannot work for salary and still manage a small business that
you can fall back on if in any case, something goes wrong with your paid Job.
Remember!
God said He will bless the works of our hands, not our fasting and praying.
Prayer controls the spiritual, but the works of our hands control the
physical. Pray more but work harder.
Written by Olive Chinyere Amajuoyi
For: Sam Maduka Onyishi
July 25, 2019
