It is amazing how young trailblazers, who never had someone to emulate, were able to create and chart courses for themselves, became role models and ended up successful.
Jimmy Ofuoyan, a Nigerian who was raised in a family of nine, is a guidepost in this regard.
Despite the extremely difficult childhood Ofuoyan, CEO of 360Kuts and Khalilimages, endured, he tailored his life after certain principles that played critical role in his journey to global stardom. From childhood, those attributes helped him get through even the toughest of days and left him in absolute control of all his life.
Jimmy Ofuoyan is one of seven siblings raised in a very challenging circumstances. He had no memories of enjoying his childhood, as it was burdened with having to cater to himself and prepare for his future. At 12, he had no access to formal education but enrolled at his brother’s unisex salon to learn braiding and fixing of women’s hair.
The 360Kuts, also known as Khalilimages owner added acquiring skills in trendy men’s haircut to his resume, by virtue of watching videos on YouTube. Few years later, he got his certificate of independence and to chase his ‘big dream’, he relocated to Libya with a relative and two other friends in 2016.
Jimmy Ofuoyan’s journey to the strange land was further clouded in uncertainties. He fell into the hands of human trafficking syndicate profiting from the ongoing civil war in the North African country. But in the midst of the adversity, his gift lighted up while in the prison camp where his captors held him. He became the hairstylist of his jailers and other trafficked victims.
Jimmy Ofuoyan broke from jail after spending one year and six months and made it to Italy in another treacherous journey. He continued his passion of hairstyling in a camp where he was later relocated to from Sicily, in a reception centre called LAPISS (Laboratorio per le Aree Protette Italiane e lo Sviluppo Sostenibile) in Abruzzo. While in the camp, he also worked as a disc jockey.
He later moved to Pescara–the land where he began to prosper in 2018. He offered home services as a hairstylist, and his astonishing talent caught the attention of footballers, entertainers and celebrities, who became his clients. He won the Blurriest/Fasted Fade Technique Barber Battle against other incredible hairstylists and barbers in the region, and bagged a reputation as the number 1 celebrity hairstylist in his region, spanning up to Milan.
Offering some word of advice to young entrepreneurs, Jimmy Ofuoyan
shared what appeared to be the secret weapons that propelled him into international dominance as an entrepreneur.
“I would encourage them to dream big and never limit themselves. It’s crucial to have a clear vision and pursue it relentlessly. Don’t be discouraged by initial setbacks or the fear of failure. Instead, embrace social media as a powerful tool for self-expression, branding, and connecting with your audience. Most importantly, be passionate about what you do and never underestimate the value of hard work and dedication,” he said.
