TURNING YOUR HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS

In this special edition, we looked at “TURNING YOUR HOBBY INTO A BUSINESS – FUN MONEY and calling in all the way from Rivers State”  is Mr Wale Ibinaiye – The founder of Cad Consulting based in Portharcourt and Mrs  Ola Ekine  CEO of Turning Point Bridals & Events who is in the studio with us.

FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE MANAGING FINANCES TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS

One of the most talked about topics in personal finance has to be financial discipline. If you don’t learn how to account for your money and manage it, nothing else will make sense. So in the spirit of that, we bring you FINANCIAL DISCIPLINE – MANAGING FINANCES TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS” and to help you get started with developing a financially conscious mindset today is Mr Louis Ibok. Mr. Ibok is the General Manager, Investment and Credit funding, Cross River State Micro Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA).

ENTREPRENEURS IN NATION BUILDING

In this episode of the MBMT show, we discussed "Entrepreneurs in Nation Building" and we had Arc John Etim Bassey, he is a business developer and a resource manager, trained as an architect, with over 20years experience in project management design, construction, business development and resource management.



Arc John Etim Bassey currently serves as the Director General, Cross River State Investment promotion Bureau, an agency saddled with the task of developing business opportunities and attracting investors to the state.

BUSINESS WITHOUT BORDERS

Today we discussed “Business Without Borders” and had in the studio with us this morning Mr. Odo Effiong…he is an accomplished professional with over 20 years’ experience in Information and Communications Technology Industry. He recently served as the special adviser, Communication Technology Development to the former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke.

FINANCING MSMEs

In this edition of MBMT show, we discussed ways for “Financing MSMEs – for Business Growth” and we had Mr. John Owan - The Chairman Association of Micro-finance Bank as our guest.

FREE BUSINESS COUNSELLING

         

MONEY LENDING AS A HOBBY – STORY OF GV MULTI-PURPOSE CO-OPERATIVE

                                      Mrs Clara Ereh of GV Multi-Purpose Co-operative

Fixing appointment to have a chat with her is akin to killing a lion, owing to her work and busy schedule. And to many staff of Cross River State University of Technology (CRUTECH), she is their saving grace and a dependable ally that you can count on any time. For this trained banker turned business owner, her greatest joy is providing solutions to different people and meeting their needs. She started a multipurpose co-operative in 2013 with help from her husband who supported her with little seed money. As time passes by, she discovered that there was too much fraud in the business and decided to close shop. She enrolled for CBN SSEDC entrepreneurship program and was shocked to see all the unanswered questions about her business answered during class activity. Mrs. Clara Ereh learnt that her business suffered in the past because she lived beyond her means and used the business money without proper record. She immediately re-opened the business but this time with better management skills and record keeping while at the same time paying herself - this changed the business as it took a new turn and grew rapidly. She recently convinced the management of Cross River State University of Technology to bank with her and in return will allow staff from the institution to access easy loan from her co-operative. She benefited from CBN MSME fund with #500,000 and has started repayment. Recently, she deployed a management software to monitor daily business records and transactions in other to avoid fraud. Presently with 2 marketers in her payroll, she intends to add more as demand for services has greatly increased in recent time. For this lovely mother of four (2 girls and 2 boys), “anyone can overcome any challenges provided you are willing to endure the early beginning and stay focused. The early beginning is usually shaky and troubling, but if you withstand it and remain determined, you will certainly attain success” – Mrs Clara Ereh said.

Entrepreneur's Cradle: SUCCESS STORY OF TUNDAY GOLD FASHION ACADEMY

Entrepreneur's Cradle: SUCCESS STORY OF TUNDAY GOLD FASHION ACADEMY: DESIGNING HIS WAY TO WEALTH – THE FASCINATING STORY OF TUNDAY GOLD FASHION ACADEMY   The saying that “if you don’t dare, you won’t win” a...

SUCCESS STORY OF TUNDAY GOLD FASHION ACADEMY

DESIGNING HIS WAY TO WEALTH – THE FASCINATING STORY OF TUNDAY GOLD FASHION ACADEMY  


The saying that “if you don’t dare, you won’t win” aptly captures the story of Tunde Afolabi. Tunde makes dresses for the high and mighty of the society in the Southern part of the country (especially Calabar and Uyo). He hardly walks into any place today without being recognized or saluted by satisfied clients who are proud to tell their friends that he made their clothes. Listening to Tunde share his vision and his current projects, one will not be left in doubt the passion and joy he derives in what he is doing. His next plan is to acquire a large expanse of land and build a fashion training academy in Calabar, in addition to expanding his capacity to train more apprentices.
A graduate of political science from University of Calabar, Tunde Afolabi hails from Abeokuta North in Ogun State. Growing up in the village, he was always thrilled about colour combinations and enjoyed cutting materials. His Father reluctantly gave him out to a tailor to assist him cut and “patch” clothes. This singular act was the turning point for him as he was satisfied and soon started sewing clothes by picking out left over pieces of clothes that was no more used by his master. With time, he was able to sew complete outfits and that was how he started making boxer short, trousers for his father, siblings and friends who became his first set of customers.
While still studying at University of Calabar, he pleaded with the school authority to allow him make use of a nearby bush and that gave birth to Tunday Gold Fashion Academy. He constructed a make-shift shop with planks and will go to other tailors to collect cloths they couldn’t sew due to workload. He will sew these dress for the tailors for free or sometimes, small charges and in-turn display these cloths at his “make-shift” shop before returning it to the tailors. What kept him going at that difficult time was the passion he had developed for designing and tailoring. Soon enough orders started coming from his classmates and lecturers who were very satisfied with his creativity and attention to details.
This was how Tunde Afolabi paid his school fees and took care of other responsibilities; The mentality of having a ‘good job’ made him abandon his passion and take up a job with an oil firm in Portharcourt after National Youth Service in 2003. While working for the oil company, he would sew his own cloths at night and soon he started receiving orders from his colleagues in large number. But something in him was still not satisfied with the work and he decided to quit and has never looked back since then.

Tunde’s business witnessed a phenomenal growth after he acquired the nitty-gritty of being an effective entrepreneur from South-South Entrepreneurship development Centre. “I was privileged to meet one of my former apprentice one afternoon in 2014 who advised me to enroll for CBN entrepreneurship development program at SSEDC”. My thinking and mind-set was transformed when I took part in a “tower” game during the progam and to God be the glory, the rest is now history” – Tunde recalled with excitement. Today, this father of four lovely children has 6plots of land in choice parts of Ibadan in addition to expanding his shop in Calabar. He has trained about 69 apprentices who have gone on to establish their own tailoring business and are doing very well today. In recognition of his creativity and experience in the business, he recently got an offer to teach Fashion and Designing at Entrepreneurship Development Centre of University of Calabar. Tunday Gold Fashion Academy have a staff strength of 11 permanent and other numerous apprentices. For Tunde, his advice to any desirous entrepreneur out there is not to put money first but to offer unique service and money will come as a reward of this service.