Ikechukwu: Redefining Cleaning Services

Agada Ikechukwu is the managing director of Hold It Limited. Hold It Limited is a  cleaning and janitorial services, as well as fumigation and pest control, facility management, and laundry and dry cleaning.

Motivation 

Ikechukwu said, the inspiration for starting the business came from the teachings of Daystar Christian Centre’s lead pastor, Rev. Sam Adeyemi, ‘who always advises us to start with whatever we have, and so I did without hesitation.’

Business History 

Ikechukwu said he got into the business after seeing a group of people cleaning the church auditorium where he worshipped and thinking to himself, why rush back to the house when he can serve in the Lord’s vineyard? “So, after I graduated from school in 2007, I just started doing small services for people in the church, and that’s how it started until today,” he said.

Lucrativity 

Ikechukwu thinks that the business is lucrative, however, “you need to find the right location to place yourself  because there are areas you can site your business where people do not put a premium on your kind of services.”

Challenges

“There are numerous business challenges, particularly for new businesses. In the beginning, we faced numerous challenges, including staff attrition. You just discovered that your employees abruptly leave the workplace after many resources have gone into their training. Another issue we encountered was with the equipment we used. The equipment is expensive, and the exchange rate fluctuates daily,” he stressed.

Advice For Upcoming Entrepreneurs

To him, “the market terrain is very tough and challenging. However, as an entrepreneur, you need to keep your hands on the grind because it takes a lot of hard work and commitment to rise to the top of the business world. 

“So, my advice to young entrepreneurs is to keep fighting and believing that all things will work out fine in due course.

“Also, ensure you put the right systems in place and hire the right people to the best of your ability, share your vision and make your team part of it, and watch them take it to new heights.”

Your biography

Agada Ikechukwu is the founder of Hold It Limited. Born and raised in Isale Eko, Lagos, Ikechukwu achieved success through perseverance and hard work. 

The native of Delta State began his career at 4Tees Nigeria Limited before moving to Zizi Technical Services in 2005 and rising to the position of Admin Manager.

He established Hold It Concept in 2008, a company that provides cleaning, fumigation, domestic, and ancillary services to both local and international clients, that includes: Rainoil Limited, Unilever Nigeria, Beiersdorf Nigeria, Daystar Christian Center, Precept Technologies, and others.

He is an electrical engineering student who graduated from Piri Piri University,  and with other diplomas in business, project management, digital media, and strategic management and currently enrolled at the University of London to study business and international business. 

He is a founder and pioneer of the Nigerian Prison Skill Acquisition Programme as well as a founding member of Daystar Business Academy and Daystar Advance Training Academy (NPSAP). 

Since he cares deeply about the nation’s youth, he and a few of his business associates launched the Speak to Youths Initiative. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria, and is wedded to Oluwaseun.