How I Overcame From Joblessness To Entrepreneurship

Starting so small and solely was never the path Adesanmi Ekundayo had envisioned for his adulthood. In his secondary school days, he was well guided on subject combinations for particular courses.

He was also groomed on job opportunities, career prospects and the impact one could have on society.
Consequently, Ekundayo resolved to be a chemist, having been told that virtually every product on the shelf, in the market, at the shopping mall and in the office had the input of a chemist.

With pictures of chemists in white robes in the laboratories and processing facilities of manufacturing concerns displayed in some companies’ calendars in his father’s sitting room, he opted to study Industrial Chemistry in one of the universities in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

After a few years of graduation with a good Bachelor’s degree, securing a job at any of the country’s manufacturing giants became a nightmare. Months of job hunting yielded nothing – just silence or “we’ll keep your CV on file” responses. Others said, “You will hear from us” and nothing ever came from them.
The blunt enterprises sent text messages, “We are not recruiting now!”

The pressure mounted; his parents were worried, friends were getting jobs and he was still grinding.
Tired and fed up, he began searching for alternatives, especially those he could do alone. During the search, Ekundayo discovered that he could sell others’ products on social media without producing any himself.

He stumbled upon a small, thriving fashion brand online. He made further enquiries, which revealed that four businesses thrive in Nigeria, to start with: food, drugs, communication, vending, and fashion. And he loved clothes.

Ekundayo approached major textile dealers and began posting Ankara prints and other brands on social media, specifying quality and cost. He added home delivery services. For months, there was no serious response.

A few who called were wary of parting with their money as he had no office address.
But he was undaunted. He added pictures of English and local attire that he had shot at a local tailor’s shop.

No office? No problem. His bedroom and a laptop were all he needed. No customers? No worries. She marketed on WhatsApp, Instagram and Twitter. Slowly, orders trickled in. ₦500 profit turned into ₦5,000, then ₦50,000.

Fast-forward two years, Ekuns Fashion, blew up. The local tailor handled the sewing while he took care of the marketing. He caught the attention of local celebs, sold to a few Nigerians abroad, who placed orders.

As the business boomed, Ekundayo said, “The local tailor was no longer meeting the demand—pressure mounted on me. Intending couples and families planning major events, such as weddings, wedding anniversaries, burials and remembrance anniversaries for their loved ones became my patrons.

“Consequently, I acquired my machines and got a shop in a strategic place in Lagos. I, who was once a job seeker, now employ others. My income status has improved and I am comfortable,” he narrated.

His advice: “Don’t wait for a job; create one. Start small, start ugly and start now. Your degree isn’t your only path. Sometimes, the path finds you, or you find the path.”