Young Entrepreneurs who inspired us in 2013

In the outgoing year, several Nigerian young entrepreneurs stood out, inspiring the younger ones and the would-bes to take up the baton and run. Below are the few we could feature. It is hoped that you’re as much inspired by them as we were.

Bola Fadina,CEO Blush Nigeria
Bola Fadina, the CEO of Blush Nigeria, an upscale beauty boutique and salon in Victoria Island, Lagos completed her primary education in Nigeria and then headed for the United Kingdom (UK) for secondary and university education, where she graduated with honours degree in Business Administration, after which she worked in investment banking for several years.
The company, which according to her, has an international standard salon, was founded in 2009, coming into being in response to the void she noticed in the “simple, flattering and wearable makeup that is readily available.
“I found that there was no store in Lagos that retailed any new, cutting edge or the latest products. Yes there are many beauty stores in Lagos but I couldn’t find one that was exciting or current enough for me.”
She said although her business is currently booming, like all businesses, it started small, saying “it took me about two years to really get to this point. You probably have read in the news that Moroccan Oil is the rave right now. It is actually here in Lagos because we have the franchise to sell it here.”
Fadina, through her desire to make a change in the everyday wearable makeup, created a company from which several Nigerians are now benefitting from.
Njoku, CEO iROKOtv
In 2012, Jason Njoku, CEO of iROKOtv, an internet based business, raised $8 million in venture capital from Tiger Global Management. Barely three months after, his company closed on another round of $2 million funding from Swedish-based Kinnevik, with the aim of using the money to grow iROKO Partners’ operations in New York, London and Lagos, as well as to purchase more content for iROKOtv, which launched three years ago. Njoku, who was on Forbes’ list of 10 young African millionaires to watch, revealed in an interview in this column in June this year, that venturing into internet entrepreneurship was born out of fascination for the internet.
But it doesn’t mean his success has not come with a lot of failures. “I tried several times to succeed in the internet business in the West, but failed.
However, when my interest was piqued by the internet scene in Africa, or the lack of it when I first started out back in 2010, I felt that there were some really massive opportunities for me,” he said.
As he put it, experiencing nothing but “failures in the years preceding the launch of iROKO” as “brutally tough” as it was, makes any success that comes his way now even sweeter, adding that “many of my peers would not be as open in discussing past failures, but, failure is failure. Once you’ve dealt with it and moved on, unless you’re really not that smart, you’ll learn your lessons the hard way and incorporate them into your next venture.”
The secret, behind successful entrepreneurs, in his opinion, is “never, ever stopping. I am always totally engaged with my work and my business.”


Adekunle, CEO, Caisse Creek
Ibilola Adekunle is the young CEO of Caisse Creek Consulting Ltd, a business management and consultation firm in Lagos State. The Badagry-born had a B.Sc in Chemical and Polymer Engineering from Lagos State University, and ditched her banking job, where she rose to the position of a branch manager, to start her company. Why? She felt dissatisfied with services rendered when she started a small food company and felt she could do better.
Her company offers financial services from record keeping, accounting services and funds management, business consultation to small scale businesses and financial advices for future investments.
Figuring out that most young businesses have issues with record keeping and funds management, she figured she should put something in place that could help young businesses out there. Armed with a strong belief that she could do better than most service providers in the country, she started her almost a year-old business and has been finding solutions to problems. “I am grateful that my clients have never been disappointed,” she said with a grin.
Adekunle is a testament to those who feel they could actually provide better service or products in contrast to ones already in the market. If Adekunle could, so could anyone.


Olayemi Lawal, CEO, Gentleman’s Quarter Global Services
Although as an entrepreneur, you can’t always guarantee an outcome, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. At least that’s what Olayemi Lawal, CEO of Gentlemen’s Quarters Global Services Ltd, seems to tell us. As a Demographic and Social Statistics graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University and an entrepreneur of 10 years, dealing in oil and gas, entertainment and all sorts, the 30+ Osun State born tells it that surviving as an entrepreneur in Nigeria’s climate rife with kickbacks and all, is a serious business. He expressed confidence, though, that young entrepreneurs can make it without giving and taking bribes and government contract.
Of course, starting up a business will always give you the chills, Lawal said, but the trick is in not giving in to the fear. “There is always a sense of fear when you want to start anything, even when you want to get married there is some form of fear. I think everybody always gets scared when you want to start something new or move to an higher level but beyond this you have to be bold and convinced that what you are doing is the best you could at that time and always expect the best. In my own case, it was the fear of ‘what if it does not work out as planned or expected.’ There is no harm in trying again and again, you can always go back, start again with new strategies,” he advised.
His driving force, he said, comes from a “thirst for more. I always look for the next opportunity, what I can do; I always want to do something. I do not think I have ever been at a standstill, I am very restless, and I am always looking forward to doing one thing or another. I also like to help the society. I always say help the society because if you are making money, definitely you are getting something from the society so the best you can do for yourself and your future is to give back to the society.”
In conclusion, he advised that entrepreneurs need to make an impact on their society, as “generations to come must feel your impact ad I think this will also give you peace. Looking for areas where you can come in to help people, when you employ people then you are helping the society because you would have helped to reduce the dependent ratio on those that are working.”

Adegbite, CEO, Xtrim Clothing
Ola Adegbite, the Chief Executive Officer of XTRIM CLOTHING, a company that specialises in clothing and image consultancy, which he founded eight years ago in Lagos, is one young entrepreneur who has inspired us in the outgoing year.
Having started his business with just N10, 000, he has proved that where there is vision, action is inevitable, even in the face of challenges.
As a man who had always been so passionate about fashion, he chose to make a living doing what he loves and today, his company is one of the leading fashion outfits moving to take over the industry.




Ake, CEO, Shuuu Footwear
Olumayowa Ake started his business four years ago with only three pairs of shoes. The total sum was N7,500. The company, Shuuu Footwear, which deals in exclusive shoes production and importation, started when lots of people didn’t believe it would survive but today, the company is worth N15.5 million. The 30-something-year-old, who had a two-year stint in the banking industry, accredits his success to his optimism that has, partly, taken him thus far.
Although growing his business was not as easy as he had imagined, and he counsels that “success doesn’t come easily; you have to work hard for it. In order to succeed, you must first be willing to fail – and you must have the courage to go for it anyway. If you can have this mindset as an entrepreneur, then, there are no limits to what you can achieve.”
By creating employment in his own little way (20 staffers), he has helped grown the nation’s economy, and he hopes to do more as he expands.



Okusanya, CEO, Brand Connect Media
For Oladele Okusanya, a young entrepreneur and Creative Director, Brand Connect Media in Lagos, the will to do the impossible motivates him. As the creative director of his company, an integrated marketing firm established in November 2009, when he started, many people saw the impossible. But him? He chose to see the possibilities because he believed. “I always thought of the challenges, I knew there will be many mountains to cross with many failures but how can I expect to win if I never try. I’m motivated because it’s worth it,” he said.
Despite the challenges, his team grew with the company and they believe in the vision. Although he’s not keen on giving up the secret to this, he said he believed when a great understanding team is in place, it’s easier to deal with other inevitable challenges.
When asked to describe himself, despite being a company owner, he said he’s just “your regular guy; passionate about life and business. I don’t know what to say to you because people have different perceptions about me, so, I’d leave them to answer the question.”

Alabi, CEO, Cayssis Ltd
The CEO of Cayssis Ltd and Creative Director of Club Bar and Restaurant Awards (CBR) and Nightlife and Hospitality Awards, Oladimeji Alabi, schooled in Ibadan and the United Kingdom. His entrepreneurial journey began at age 16, doing business before studying Access to Media at NESCOT College, Epsom and BA(H) Film Production at the University of Creative Arts, Farnham, the United Kingdom (UK).
Giving a background, Alabi said he started as a teenager, selling meat pie. He would place orders with the producers and supply to retailers. Thankfully, his customers loved the meat pie and the demand grew, and from there, he partnered with a friend to supply artworks to corporate organisations. And yet, he continued schooling. Seeing opportunity in the nightlife industry, he took it.
His first concert was the UK Tour for Musiq Soulchild. Organising and managing concerts led into Storm-tickets. Currently, he does a whole lot of businesses, with Cayssis as a mother company to many of them, including, but not limited to event management, film production and contemporary photography.
He is an indication that anyone, irrespective of their age, could start business and see to its growth.