General background information?
My name is Rotimi Olabamijo. I am the last of 8 children. I graduated in 2009 from Covenant University and I am currently a serial entrepreneur involved in several businesses. I am a Christian entrepreneur who has a vision to promote Christian living and enable qualitative living and I am currently running my MBA. I am an author also and I have authored the book Forex trading: the 11 pitfalls of traders and it will soon be in its 2nd print.
You started business as a student…can you tell us more about it?
Yeah…It’s really a long story, but I will tell you nevertheless.
Like you said, I started business as a student in Covenant University, in my 200 level. I started with 2000 naira that I saved up by eating 1 meal per day for a period. My quest into business was not an ad-hoc event. It started when I realized that it was important for me to start raising capital for myself, seeing that I was being raised by a single parent and didn’t want to work for anybody after graduation. With the little money I saved up, I bought some cartons of biscuits that I sold during the period of youth-alive that year. This was my humble beginning, and through prudence, focus and hard work in three months I was able to multiply my sales to about 27 cartons per week. I then decided it was time to expand my purview of business. I started pancake selling…I was the one who started that line of business in Covenant University. It wasn’t long before I also started selling drinks. And then my strategy changed again. I discovered that it was time to move into some form of professional business…so I ventured into multi-level marketing. I was the one that brought quest net to Covenant University. For those of you that remember the bio-disc era, I was the student that brought it to Covenant University. And then during the heat of that period, I took time out to meditate and re-strategize. I discovered that I was investing so much into other people’s ideas, and neglecting mine. It was then that I decided to start my own business, and this was towards the end of my stay in the university. I began Forex whiz kid consult, a training, trading and investment outfit. That was the beginning of my business quest.
You will agree with me that doing business as a student is quite different from doing business out there. What is the most difficult challenge you faced transiting?
The most difficult challenge I faced was generating credence and credibility all over again. When you get out there, people want you to prove your capabilities to them, irrespective of your exploits while being a student. It doesn’t really matter how much you had achieved before…they want you to prove yourself some more. It was a major challenge initially, but I was able to conquer it quickly because found out what I had to do and did it.
How did you solve it?
I made sure I was humble and I developed my networking skills. I networked with those who were leaders in the fields I desired to dominate. I attended conferences and seminars and developed myself…this got me much of the endorsements I later got, especially for my clothing line. I also had to work very hard and I made sure I seized every opportunity there was to prove myself and my abilities.
Tell us a bit about your clothing line?
The name of my clothing line is Christian casual wear. It started as an idea in 2007…from an assignment given to me by my Entrepreneurial Development Studies (EDS) lecturer to write a business plan. But the idea didn’t start until 2010, after I had done much research and preparations.
Your clothing line has received so many endorsements by so many great personalities within and outside the country. Can you tell us about how that happened?
Every business has a competitive strategy. Our strategy at Christian casual wear is to use our endorsements to gain global prominence, and that has worked. When your idea solves a big problem in the society, you will get the right endorsements from the right people. And that was what happened to me.
You were successful Forex trader and investor. What motivated you into fashion?
At the initial stage of my business, I had 7 ways I conceived of to promote Christian faith and fashion was one of them. So it wasn’t an adhoc event that led me into fashion…It was deliberately mapped out and executed.
You have been into trading, training, investing, fashion, network marketing…and a host of other businesses. What should we expect from you in the nearest future?
Expect more media to promote Christian faith and quality living. There is a lot in the process…
What is your guiding philosophy?
My guiding philosophy is from a quote by Dorothy brown, ‘ No matter how far-fetched or unattainable your dream may be, if you have faith In God and in yourself enough to stay at work, God will bring into your life those who out of love for him and for you will help you make the dream come true’. I think about these words every time…
What is the most priceless book you have ever read?
How to win friends and influence people, by Dale Carnegie.
In 2009, you were in your final year at Covenant University, what advice do you have for students in this category in the different Nigerian Universities?
My advice is Love yourselves and network with each other. You will need each other when you get out there….No matter what you think right now.
Parting words?
Whether in business or career, life is full of ups and downs. No matter what faces you in life, whether the Joy of Triumph or the Pain of regret, never lose sight of the big picture. Focus and humility are the fastest routes to success.
About the Author
Everyone is born great.
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