Interview with Google Star Ambassador.

Entrepreneurship is not trade. It’s more about spotting opportunities and matching them up with a course of study, a vocation or an idea to create value. Adepoju Emmanuel Abiodun’s story basically exemplifies that. Popularly called “Biggy” among his pears, he has been able to rise from the average student status to being a model to so many students in Nigeria and beyond its shores. Biggy is a 400 level student of the Department of Computer Science, University of Ibadan and is the Google Star Ambassador for the 2012 class.

In this interview, he shares with us his experiences, his drive, his passion, and his thirst for more than the average.

How did you become a Google Ambassador?

(Laughs) Everybody asks me that question every day. A friend of mine came to me and said ‘I know you like to do stuff like this, will you check this out?’ And I seized the opportunity. I was chosen because of the quality of my application and they wanted to know who I was.

What was the criteria, was it just an essay?

Apart from the essay, one was required to be text savvy and know a lot about Google products, read a lot and be able to lead, be able to organize events and carry a whole lot of people along.

How was the experience being the Google ambassador?

It’s been good working with Google, but there are a lot of sacrifices involved. A part of the good is that you are famous. If you work hard, you get to travel a lot, meet the elite, and if you learn to optimize your opportunities well you’ll get the best out of it. The bad part of it is that you get to sacrifice a lot because the truth is, before you make significant impact at anything, sacrifice must come in, and that’s how it works.

What does a Google ambassador do?

Basically, Google ambassadors are links between various Universities and Google. Google realized that universities are usually where potentials are, and so we are currently focusing on Universities in Africa, analyzing, developing and maximizing the potentials. It’s the same way diplomats serve as a link between two countries. So everything the ambassador does is all about Google-hold events around Google, bring opportunities close to lecturers about Google and so on.

In the last one year, my area of jurisdiction was the University of Ibadan and its environs but now I’m a mentor to all Google Ambassadors in Africa and some parts of the world.

Does being a Google Ambassador automatically make you an entrepreneur?

Yeah. At that point you get exposure that you never thought about. You see how people use technology to make a whole lot of money, and no matter how little you are you are encouraged to start your own business, because if you are working as a Google ambassador you get to meet many young entrepreneurs. So gradually, you are encouraged to be an entrepreneur.

Would you say that you had developed enough competence to have become a Google ambassador or becoming the Google ambassador was quite easy?

To an extent being a Google ambassador is easy but sustaining the ambassadorship isn’t as easy.  Like why should they have picked me as the Google star ambassador for Africa when we have over 98 ambassadors all over the world? So it all depends on hard work, sacrifice, creativity and your leadership skills. The ability to carry people along and the ability to do a lot of things makes you what you are. We have people, who were Google ambassadors for a year and did nothing, but mine was different because I worked hard and was creative enough. They saw my ideas and marveled, and they were like ‘wow! Someone in Nigeria is thinking up these ideas?’

Did you have any business venture or anything you were doing before you became the Google ambassador?

Really, I’ve always been a businessman. I.T is my passion and I’m into online marketing, using the internet as my advertising space. Presently, I’m thinking of doing some startups with a couple of my friends. I’m helping people startup too all over Africa and beyond.

When is your Google ambassadorship expiring?

My Google ambassadorship has expired already but my star ambassadorship still goes on for a year. I’m a mentor to other ambassadors. Right now, I have a new position- the Google map advocate for Nigeria, head of all the Google Digital Mappers all over Nigeria and so on. I lead a lot of teams in Nigeria, discussing at many events around the globe, this runs for a year too. But right now, I serve as a mentor to all of Africa.

In 5 to 10 years what will you be doing, will you still be with Google?

In 5 to 10 years, I’m sure I would have had one of the biggest companies in Nigeria and one of the biggest online advertising companies in Africa.

Using Google as leverage?

Yeah, maybe… because that’s what I have.

Very true. You use what you have to get what you want. So, do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Let me start by saying the university has not really given us what we need and a lot of us have missed this from the start. A lot of us have worshipped books enough to make us mediocre. Normally, books should make us something else, but what books are turning us to in Nigeria is not what it used to be. So my advice to everyone is; no matter what you are doing, even as students follow your passion. It’s very important that you follow your passion as that will make way for you. Fine, it’s good to learn and read books but your passion is still the most important. The truth is that there are jobs and there are jobs, the best job is your own job not anyone’s job. Africa is an emerging market, everyone wants to invest here. The sad story is that so many foreigners are coming in to invest and we are not investing in Nigeria, or Africa. So we shouldn’t just watch while outsiders come in to invest. If we, as the future are not ready to stand up and be the future, then there is a problem somewhere. So work on your passion, follow your dreams. Adequate preparation is another key factor. When I applied, I knew close to nothing about Google but immediately I applied, I knew that my task was to read up all I could about Google, so there is nothing right now, within a year, that you’ll ask me about Google that I won’t be able to answer. So what I tell people is that everyone has opportunities, we just don’t see them. The first step is going on line to read blogs about what you are doing. What you are doing is not new, there are people who are doing the same thing and are sharing their experiences every day. So find blogs about what you do and read them. Make sure that what you are reading is about how you can do it better. Right now, one of the ways to succeed in this part of the world is climbing on someone’s shoulders. This doesn’t always mean you see these people face to face; all you might have of them is their blogs or their experiences in books.  It’s all about developing your passions consciously.

So you believe that Nigeria will be great again?

Yeah! Africa and Nigeria will rise again. I say it every day and everywhere I talk, Africa will rise again no matter the challenges we are facing. We all just have to make conscious effort at making it grow then it will. It might not be anytime soon but I believe that Africa and Nigeria will rise again.   

    

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The reality of an Entrepreneur.

You'll never make anything good and sustainable in one day. You'll start in unbelief. You'll be disrespected. You'll go broke for weeks, though most likely, months. You'll eat foods that will normally disgust you. You'll sleep in very uncomfortable places. You may not experience this much but you'll surely come across some.

Suddenly, you'll discover that you are beginning to know quite much, and then due to consistency, hard work, prayer, and other legits that work for you, unexpected invitations, calls, account alerts, e.t.c. just begin to stroll in in crescendo.

Through your phase of growth, when there was nothing to hold on to expect your vision and integrity, certain investments that you've made like some key friendships that you never undermined, the trust you never betrayed, the responsibilities that you took seriously, the woman, man or child you helped some way, the slap or punch or insult that you never returned all begin to pay back.

You'll suddenly discover that the Man you gave some money for his child's school fee some months back is a driver to the Company Manager that you've been dying to meet, and he just sets up an appointment for you.

Your car got faulty on your way to that crucial interview to get a life transforming endorsement. There are no cabs around to pick you up as you are almost getting late. No one in the world seems to be responding to your plight and unrest. Suddenly, the man that you never returned his slap is fast coming towards you on a bike. He immediately recognizes you. He's in full conviction that you are never a trouble maker. He sees your desperation to get on transit and then he picks you up and delivers you exactly at the venue of the endorsement, right on time.

Many are the travails of an entrepreneur. She's pregnant with a vision. She carries it for months. She tends, cares and sings to it. She walks gently, mostly staying away from familiar things - familiar foods, familiar friends, familiar many things.

However, it's never bad all day for the entrepreneur. In difficulty, she celebrates her intact vision.
She'll never abort this one. She's aborted so many before. Maybe if she had birthed the early ones, there'd be, at least, a child rendering a helping hand at this period of travail. She's learnt her lesson. "I'll surely deliver this one", that's her new dog head attitude. She's never missing a counseling session with her qualified doctors. She's duly following their prescriptions, and she calls their attention immediately she notices an unfamiliar experience.

She's fond of taking gifts, no matter how small, to her doctors; her unique way of appreciating their efforts. In return they thank her and give her adequate attention and patience.

Few months to go and she'll be delivered of a bouncing baby. No matter what she's gone through, everyone quickly forgets to celebrate the birthing of her baby. They'll all take turns to carry the baby.

Many are the travails of an entrepreneur, but in the end it seems like she's always lived with the Queen.



'seyiALBERT

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Interview with the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Ibadan.

Professor Gbemisola Oke is the Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Ibadan. As regards series of event piling up towards the maiden edition of The Nigerian Campus Enterprise Challenge, holding fast at the University of Ibadan this month (September), we deemed it fit to hear from her.

What purpose does the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation serve?

The centre for entrepreneurship and innovation of the University of Ibadan is that coordinating body that enables students and staff entrepreneurial trainings and it cuts across the entire university.We are not limited to any Faculty or discipline, we take everybody within the university, we encourage and nurture entrepreneurs in this centre through training, courses and we are actually in the process of developing masters and PHD degree courses in Entrepreneurship.

How long has this centre been in existence?

The centre was established in 2002 though as a committee christened The Committee for University Private Sector Collaboration. The University realized that a University should not stand alone, they should occupy their positions as being able to influence the society positively, and if you look at a part of the mission statement of the University of Ibadan, it says ‘to be that body which enables and impacts positively, the society. That is what this centre is assisting the university to do.

Considering your background in medicine, how were you able to translate that into entrepreneurship and how have been able to take thiscentre to where it is presently?

I think the fact that somebody from the medical background would assume this position says a lot about what entrepreneurship is all about. Entrepreneurship is not discipline based, it’s an attitude, it is a way of doing things a better way. I have not found being the director of this place a challenge; it is just being like a second nature.

What can you say have been the challenges of the centre in the past two years?

I would say awareness is not as good as it ought to be. You said that many students are still not aware that thiscentre exists and for those who know a bit about the centre, they still don’t have a deep understanding of what we do and the extent at which we can carry them in becoming better and self-reliant.

How have you been able to tackle these challenges?

Well, we are still not there but we have increased our outreach and visibility in many ways, particularly encouraging the youth to take ownership of some of the programs like what Inceptum is doing as Part of our strategy. Otherwise, if it doesn’t fit into our strategy, we would not have encouraged it.

So far, what are the achievements of CEI and what are the plans for the immediate future?

I would say we are taking giant steps. Like I said we started from just a committee, a committee that was trying to sensitize the community, but from that point on we started from being able to float the ETR 301, a course available as an elective to every student, and it ends with a business plan which the university is determined and committed to funding.

We are also in the process of having higher degrees in entrepreneurship. Apart from that, and more significantly, is the impact that we have on our students in transforming them from mere students who think they qualify as graduates and are looking for employment to students who are actually competent for the real world. Right now, many of our students feel comfortable and confident to come in here and discuss their business ideas and we encourage them. We now also run courses that support businesses, we have business support services which we make open to our students as well as staff, we run free retirement programs, trainings to enable our staffs that are planning to retire to be better equipped to face retirement.

What kind of help does the centre render to student entrepreneurs?Is it in form of advisory, financial or in terms of putting them through the rudiment of what they are trying to do? Is the centre looking at running a first degree in entrepreneurship?

The Federal Government has given a directive that Universities should start first degrees in entrepreneurship; they have further given Universities the privilege of choosing to run the degrees at the Undergraduate and Postgraduate level.

The University of Ibadan as a Postgraduate institution therefore has opted to run the degrees at the Postgraduate level because for us, it’s about maintaining the prestige of producingentrepreneurship educators for other universities. Apart from the fact that if we make entrepreneurship an Undergraduate degree at this time, we stand the risk of graduating students with degree in entrepreneurship who will still go out and start looking for jobs.Secondly, we run trainings and our training for business is ‘the SET’ Sustainable Enterprise Training. It’s a training that spans over five weeks and it teaches all that a business owner would require running a good business successfully. We also get students who are affiliated with our centre to attend this training and we are planning to have the training soon.

In our future trainings we would make those students that are already in incubation to attend for free, it is part of the support, even though the training cost one hundred and fifty thousand naira. As part of the package for training, you are qualified to be recommended for certain business support loans, like those from the bank of Industry. We will provide opportunity for our students to also have investors look at their businesses and decide how much they want to invest in such businesses. Also, the university has set aside some money to support the students businesses.

Why did CEI decide to partner with inceptum services for the Nigeria Campus Entrepreneurship Challenge?

At the beginning of this year, this centre set out to do some sort of strategic plan for the centre and part of what it is set to do was to increase all the activities that would boost entrepreneurship activities on campus, part of which is to also improve awareness. We have worked withEmekaOssai before. When he brought ‘Wake Up and Smell the Coffee’, we were impressed with the way he handled the programme, the turn out and the impact it had on the students. We are very choosy and as such, despite the number of proposals coming in daily, we chose to partner with the inceptum services. EmekaOssai already has track records of good performance and credibility. Also, his proposal was well articulated and we observed that it will definitely add value to our operations in reaching out to the youth as well as empowering them.

As regards partnership, what role does CEI play?

CEI is a representative of the Universityand this is taking place on campus, so, it was on the recommendation of the CEI that the university signed the MoU to partner with the inceptum,otherwise, the University will not be involved. Also, I have been talking to the School Management, Principal Officers and all the stakeholders on campus, informing them about the programme, thereby, getting their support.

In this partnership with the inceptum services, what is the Critical Success Indicator for CEI and how do you measure the productivity of the partnership after the whole project?

We are working with Diamond FM to pitch a Radio show that will run through the competition and feed the public necessary information about the Enterprise Challenge. We’ll also have the school bulletin to publicize the event at regular intervals. We expect a large turnout, so we will be measuring our impact by the number of students that are in attendance. Our sponsors’ tent will be at the GamalielOnosode Park so we will see how much interest and visit we get and how much traffic is on the social media and the network.

Speaking with EmekaOssaiearlier, I told him that I see no reason why this cannot be serialised on National Television, he said it depends on the quality of the production and I think we have all it takes on the university campus, including our network to be able to do a good production that the sponsors will feel proud of buying airtime to be on the show. By the time all these are actualised, I believe everyone will realise the essence of entrepreneurship. This will enable us to accomplish very major target on our plan of operation for the year.

One basic challenge that students echo all the time is, it’s difficult to be a student and an entrepreneur at the same time, so, based on your experience with student and your experience as an entrepreneur, do you think it is impossible for student to combine education with business?

It is absolutely possible and it can even be easy. Students oftentalk to me about fantastic business ideas, some of which they have already started,so it is very possible.Also, i can attest from my own experience because I became an entrepreneur when I was a student on this campus and realising that it may be a bit challenging, CEI is here to make that process a lot easier. Citing an example from our students who started a business on animal rearing and are also studying veterinary medicine, the board of CEI thought ofliaising with the students’ supervisors such that the students’ project would be tied to their businesses, that way, they are focused while they accomplish two purposes; the business is growing and the project gets done well. Therefore, our arrangement is working with the same singular purpose of building students who are vast and deep in their field of study and research. It is the researchoutput that now gets translated to commercial outfit.

However, other colleagues from different part of the nation confuse skill acquisition with entrepreneurship, for instance, people write books on soap making, hairdressing and so on, these are skills anyone can acquire but we centre our entrepreneurship on intellectual property. That is, in whatever field you find yourself or you choose to study, you can develop in that field, get to the depth of research in that area and see how that can be translated to economic value and for societal growth. That is what the UI model is about.

Thank you.

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Treading the unusual path - Interview with Ifeoluwa Olatayo Tryphena, CEO, Soupah Kitchen.

One of the students fronting unusual entrepreneurship at the University of Ibadan is Ifeoluwa Olatayo Tryphena; an English major and CEO of Soupah Kitchen. She's been able to make good use of her opportunities, ideas and leverage. As a student entrepreneur model, She shares with us her journey so far in sprouting a mountain from a magma.

What in the world inspired you to start a business like this?

Well, first is that I’ve always wanted to do something very relevant. Let me take you on my memory lane:  When I was quite young, before I sat for WAEC, my Dad bought Robert Kiyosaki’s book, Rich Dad Poor Dad and gave it to my brother, my brother in turn handed it over to me. I think that book was the spring board. I read it and never remained the same again. I just got hungry from then on. I think that was the genesis of my inspiration.

So your quest for relevance started then?

No. The thing is I’ve always had it in me from a very young age. My Dad is an entrepreneur. When I was about the age of 12, I’d sneak into his office, sit on the desk and act like the boss. I’ll pretend to press the caller bell and call for the secretary, I’ll re-arrange the files on the table, speak to myself as though I was having a meeting with some people, and all sort. So it’s been there all the while. My background and the book just exposed me better.

Is this your first venture?

No. While I was in secondary school, my aunt who was a caterer used to fry meat for me, and we’ll sell them. I also sold cakes for her.

 While I was studying Public Administration at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, I didn’t necessarily sell anything, but I handled some responsibilities that have been very helpful in my business today. I was Administrator at Saxifrage Company, and was in charge of managing over 300 singers. There, I learnt Leadership.

After my Program at RGP and before I gained admission to study English here in U.I, I learnt to make knapsack bags for kids, and I sold many bags. That business was a joint venture and we made some good money.

So what’s up with the bag business?

I stopped the bag business when I got admitted into U.I because of logistic purposes and I ran a pay phone business. The pay phone business didn’t really work out very strongly and I also didn’t feel fulfilled or satisfied with it. So I stopped that one too.

You seem to have done quite much; did you start your current business afterwards?

Well, from then till my second semester, 200 level, I didn’t do anything. Though in 100 level, I did a bit of freelance marketing for Live Way TV and Salve Incorp. We sold magazines.

I held on to the idea of this business by ‘accident’. It was during our exam that semester. I was in a friend’s room at Queens hall to take a nap when a girl was announcing to her friend that she was going to Bodija market to buy some food stuff. Suddenly, on hearing the announcement, so many other ladies rushed out, begging this girl to buy them several things. She became fussy and could only take some.

That scene caught my attention. It immediately dawned on me that this could turn out to be a business opportunity. That was the conception of the idea.

I immediately garnered the money from the bag sales I had made and that I was saving prior that period, and I started ‘Mama Foods’ immediately. I sent out questionnaires to my potential buyers to sample their opinions. I got someone to get fresh farm goods supply from at Bodija Market and at a cheap price and I began to sell them in school, at Bodija Market price.

Wow! So you didn’t basically have any challenges to starting Mama Foods?

No o. There were enough challenges. People started mocking me somehow. They called me several names and saw me as very unserious. I didn’t get a place to put my stuff, but a woman at the basement of the Faculty of Arts helped with a little space. In fact, Mama Foods was a mobile business. I was delivering food to people’s doorsteps at Bodija Market Price, and so I had to sell my Laptop to purchase a bicycle to move around. There were so many challenges from finance to having the right suppliers, etc… I just kept praying and working hard.

Why did you change the name of your business from Mama Foods to Soupah Kitchen, and what’s the difference between both?

I wanted to register the business name at the Corporate Affairs Commission, and I was told that someone had picked Mama Foods so I chose Soupah Kitchen. Soupah Kitchen is not necessarily a mobile business, unlike Mama Foods. I now have a shop (this one) and people come here to buy.

So what’s Soupah Kitchen basically about?

Well, my greater vision for this company is to give a new look to the food industry in open convenience.  I’m basically passionate about providing food to professional women who have less time to cook.

You don’t spend much time cooking when you buy from Soupah Kitchen because our foods are all half cooked, so you save time, energy, and money. Our pepper is ground and parboiled, meats are parboiled too, Vegetables have been chopped and steamed, and then we sell food ingredients too, plus other services. We run a system here, and everything is timed precisely.

As a matter of fact, the name Soupah Kitchen was gotten from home. My siblings would, in a funny way, say Hahh! when they taste my soup. So we developed Soup…ahhh!

For me, I prefer the production line. My plan is not just to be the middle processor or retailer in this business; I actually want to have farms and then produce much healthy food. I plan franchising the business too.

How do you manage this business with studies in a school like this (U.I)?

It’s not been too easy. The major thing is that I understand myself, and I’ve learnt to manage myself in respect to time. It’s been challenging, but it’s been possible too. I don’t do the normal girlish stuffs. I don’t chit chat or do unprofitable things. I believe that there’s nothing that can’t be achieved. I know Medical and Law students who handle bigger businesses than mine.

What’s the worth of your business, currently?

#300,000 plus!

Really? Did all the money come from Mama Foods?

Not at all. While Soupah Kitchen was conceived, I was saving aggressively. I had to do sales for Etisalat during my holiday, I did some text book editing, I applied as an usher at some events, just to raise money.

A major character of an entrepreneur is discipline. While I was saving, I didn’t buy any single thing for luxury. My only belt got cut and I didn’t take from the money to fix it or buy another one. I’m used to changing my tooth brush every 3 months, but through that period, I used a single brush. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to spend from the money, I only nurtured the fear that I may not meet my target if I spent from the money.

Any exciting and embarrassing periods?

Well for me, I’ve discovered that every day here is always exciting. I’m always excited to see students, my colleagues, bring 10 to 15 students to my shop very often. They don't window shop, they always buy, and they admire what I do.

Many people always say that I’m quite old school because I don’t use the Blackberry or trend in the latest fashion, but I’m just sure of one thing: The ‘pingers’ of today will bring their CV’s to my office tomorrow. I'm focused on reaching my goal and adding value to lives and to the economy of this country.

Embarrassing as it may seem my last accident, to me, was just another avenue to become enlarged. I was making pepper for sale when the pipe running through my gas cylinder began to lick. It resulted in a terrible inferno that put all these scars on me and I was admitted at the UCH for a while. 

My business still ran during that period because I have two workers, but I demanded that they stopped afterwards.

My parents and siblings have been very supportive. In fact, they prepared the first set of foods for sale when we re-opened. Now, I’m back, bigger and better.

Any advise for students who intend to go into business like you?

I believe Passion, Poise and Prayer are key if you ever want to venture into anything meaningful. They have been major ingredients to whom I am today, and they will take anyone to any length that they desire to reach. Nothing less.

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Interview with Mr Opeyemi Awoyemi, Co-Founder of Jobberman.

Can you give us a brief insight into who you are and what you love doing?

I am Opeyemi Awoyemi. My Nigerian friends call me Opeawo. I have no Jamaican friends. I am a technology entepreneur and I love creating scalable and commercially viable products (internet or physical).

How did you “find yourself”?
It was not a well thought out process, I must confess, but I’d always wanted to do something beyond just going to school. I tried out many things in the year I left secondary school - movie scriptwriting, music beat making, songwriting (I got a bit successful here - there’s a semipopular mainstream gospel song that has me as the writer), short story writing, then graphics and web designing (which is what led me to what I do today).

So I guess I was just the inquisitive guy who wanted to get skilled at stuff  + do something other than loaf around.

Explain Jobberman as an idea? How did you come about Jobberman?

Jobberman is a solution to the problem of job search. Its an internet business which provides the widest pool of talent available in Nigeria to employers. The whole idea came to me during my 3rd year in OAU (internship placement period). A friend suggested the name and I played around with it for a while. In 2009, it took flight with Deji Adewunmi and Lekan coming on board as co-founders.

Tell us something interesting about Jobberman?

The company is 3 years old. There are 3 co-founders. The 3 co-founders are all under 30 and single :)

What were the difficulties you faced combining with school, in terms of financies, classes etc?

It is not a hard thing as people portray it to be i.e. combining school and business. Its a matter of prioritizing. I dont watch football, movies nor have too many friends. I managed to come out of school (OAU) with businesses and a 2nd class upper.
Caveat: I am clearly above average in terms of raw intelligence. I guess that helped.

What are the risks involved with being an entrepreneur right in school?

You will be seen as unserious and unrealistic by friends, family and lecturers. As such you will need to lay low till you have results to show for all the time you spend on your business venture. You should not expect any support. You are travelling the road less travelled. I think societal pressure is the only issue.

So, why didn't you pick up a regular job?

(Laughs) I never tried. My older cousin who was a constant inspiration was already a millionaire at 23 and I knew that was going to be almost impossible if I picked up a regular job.

What is your ideology on the way life should be lived?

Keep it simple. Be realistic. Set your desired future lifestyle. Be clear on how to achieve it. Don’t settle for less. Ditch rigid 5 year plans. Be flexible. Trust God to make things happen. Help those who sincerely need help. Suffer fools. Do constant objective self-assesments. Enjoy life to stupor and don’t forget heaven.

What’s your take on Student Entrepreneurship?

Its the best training ground. I support it 1 million%. Even if you end up getting a job. It teaches you a lot - business  objectives, customer service, sales/marketing, communication etc. The lack of these skills is the reason why lots are jobless today. And by the way, why would I spend 5+x years in school and leave with just a BSc.?

What do you think our present day graduates lack and how would a young Nigerian be relevant in today’s world?

Knowledge, direction and skills are what we lack. We have degrees but are very ignorant of what it takes to succeed at any thing. A young graduate should always ask “What am I good at?”

What is your take on the Nigerian Campus Enterprise Challenge and what do you hope to share when you come?

I think it’s a wonderful initiative to help train students to learn problem solving and solution creation. I will share with students on the “availability of problems” as well as answer any questions they would like to ask.

Okay, an interesting question. What are the things you do before breakfast?

Very easy. Everything. I can’t remember the last time I had breakfast. First meal is usually around 3pm..

@opeawo

Opeyemi Awoyemi

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Interview with Award-Winning Social Student Entrepreneur Ludwick Marishane

Late last year, 21 year-old Ludwick Marishane of Cape Town, South Africa was named the 2011 Global Student Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2011 GSEA (Global Student Entrepreneur Awards), beating out 1,600 other student nominees from 42 countries. Ludwick won the title for his product Drybath, the only non-water based bath substitute lotion for the whole body.

What is DryBath and what problem does it solve?
LM: DryBath is the world's first and only bath-substituting skin gel...you apply it to your skin, then you don't need to bathe.

I invented it to benefit people from the poorest communities in the world, and also for people in the developed world. For people without water, DryBath provides empowerment as an affordable tool to achieve lifesaving personal hygiene without having to be dependent on stagnant community water infrastructure development. For wealthier communities, it offers a convenient way to save time and decrease their unhealthy practice of unnecessary daily bathing (which is proven to cause continuous drying of the skin), while achieving adequate personal hygiene. In both situations, precious water is saved, which can be put to better use.

How did the idea for DryBath come about?
LM: The idea came to me in the 11th grade in 2007. It was a cold winter's day; I was sunbathing with some friends of mine, when one of my best friends had to go bathe. After we nagged him to hit the shower, he eventually said, "why doesn't someone invent something you can just put on your skin and avoid the need to bathe?"

A light bulb went on as I realized that I would be willing to pay money out of my pocket to buy such a product. Bear in mind that we were in the middle of the rural Limpopo province, with almost non-existent resources. I went home that day and used my web-enabled basic cellphone to research if such a product existed. My research showed that the product didn't seem to exist, and there was a huge market of 2.5 billion people in the world without proper access to water who were in dire need of such a product (that number doesn't include the billion more like my friend, who were lazy to bathe). Coming from a poor background myself, I felt compelled to create the product. It took 6 months and endless time on Google & Wikipedia to do it.

Tell us a bit about your background.

LM: I am the only child of Stanford Malatji and the eldest of 2 sons to Lovemore Marishane. My dad achieved financial freedom and has been able to provide me with great schooling and the ethic of always pushing myself to do more; while my mom is lives on the economic margin of society and has provided me with the emotional development necessary to seek improvement for the poor community I spent half my life growing up in.

My dad ignited my entrepreneurial passion in my first year of high school, and my love of science allowed me to indulge my curiosities of coming up with inventions for different opportunities I saw. In 9th grade, I formulated my own biodiesel fuel, invented a healthy cigarette; and in 10th grade I authored a mobile dictionary and attempted to publish a nationwide security magazine. 

What is the pricing of the product and how many units have you sold to date? 
LM: We're selling DryBath sachets to corporates at around USD1.5 per sachet (1 sachet contains 25ml and replaces one bathe). For each sachet that corporates purchase, we provide a free sachet to our charity partners for distribution through their humanitarian work. We sell DryBath sachets on the retail market in poor communities for USD 0.50 each, with an aim of lowering this price in half when we reach economies of scale. We have sold 162,000 sachets to date.

How did you decide to participate in the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards?
LM: I heard about the competition in 2009 during my first year of university, I entered and lost the South African regional. In 2010, I entered again and made it to the global finals; and in 2011 I gave it one last shot, and I'm glad to have brought it to African soil.

How much prize money did you win and what will you be using those funds for?
LM: I won USD 10,000 in cash, and more in in-kind prizes. I will be using the funds to finance my global marketing endeavor to secure contracts with armies, airlines (to put DryBath on long-distance flights), hotel groups (to save water), and to other travel industry services. These corporate markets will increase economies of scale to make the product cheaper on the retail market and allow DryBath to be a cheap commodity product democratically consumed by both poor & rich. It will save lives, time, and water.

Why do you think you won?
LM: Mine was more than just a business & a product...it was a story about the journey of one kid who is in pursuit of changing the world and has committed 4 years to it thus far.

What do you think are the most important factors that will make DryBath a success? 
LM: Great marketing, and sharing the common global dream of the impact that DryBath hopes to achieve with society.

What words of advice would you give to other student entrepreneurs?
LM: Find what you love doing, and exert all your effort on pursuing it. Do as much as you can on your own, and always ask for help when you need it.

Embrace failure, because you will only ever experience it if you give up, not if you try & fail to succeed. I plan to use the title of Best Student entrepreneur in the World to start the world's first entrepreneurship league, and to roll this out globally over the next 5 years. I am dedicating my life to enabling the world's youth to follow their dreams, and I urge other entrepreneurs to do the same...by first following their dreams!

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8 questions for emerging entrepreneurs

    

Having started, run and lead various companies since I was 15 years old, I’ve learned a few things about being an entrepreneur – often the hard way. I’ve had successes, failures and massive failures, but each taught me something valuable.While a lot has been written previously about the key qualities of successful entrepreneurs, I’ve always thought there were a few items that were missing. Sure, things like passion, creativity, self-confidence and coordination skills are helpful, but those just scratch the surface. If you’re an emerging entrepreneur looking to succeed faster, just ask yourself the following questions…

Are you persistent? – There is no “instant gratification” when you’re running your own business. There’s no monthly pay check and you may work very hard for little reward.

If you don’t fully believe in yourself and your business, you’ll find the temptation to quit can be overwhelming. When you make mistakes, it’s important to get past the ego blow and learn the lesson – then use the experience to move forward.

Are you financially responsible? – When you’re your own boss, you’re a CEO, accountant and finance manager wrapped in one. When you start making profits, you’ll need to know how to manage it wisely. Successful entrepreneurs know how to actively manage their P&L balance sheet; especially their cash position.

Do you have the required health and physical condition? – Being the founder of a startup means that you’ll have to put most – if not all – of your time and energy into your new venture. Only founders whose health is able to take the physical punishment of the long hours will make it to the finish. Your best bet? Become your own health coach and build up a regular exercise schedule, practice meditation and make sure to develop an ongoing health & well-being program for yourself.

Can you become the king or queen of sleep? – This sort of goes hand-in-hand with your physical condition. Adequate sleep is often the first thing sacrificed in startups – but that can ultimately have a negative impact. Find a way to sleep a consistent number of hours – and try to compensate with power naps to revive yourself.

Also, as odd as it sounds: Practice daydreaming. Letting your mind wander, especially in the early morning, can help you solve tough problems that may seem impossible when you focus too hard later in the day.

Do you have enough supportive friends & family? – Being an entrepreneur often means having to deal with tough personal, financial and emotional challenges. People around you may doubt your plans, vision and growth strategy.

It can be depressing, which is why it’s important to have a support system – to console you or kick your ass when necessary.

Are you self-motivated? – Without self-motivation, you’re doomed as an entrepreneur, since there’s no one to egg you on or watch over your shoulder. If you’re not, the way to mitigate this risk is pretty simple: Get a business partner.

What’s your personal mission statement in life? – The second of Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” advises, “Begin with the end in mind”. He recommends formulating a “personal vision statement” to document your perception of your vision in life. It’s good advice. By knowing your own mission and having a view of the big picture, you can help your company grow.

Are you hungry for success? – If you want to be an entrepreneur, you have to think and act as a leader. Business isn’t a hobby you can take lightly. Try that approach and you’ll never achieve true success. Above all else – don’t allow personal affairs interfere with your business.

(Editor’s note: Patrick Driessen is the CEO of Seed Accelerator, an Asian-Pacific technology startup & business accelerator.)

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