Starting Out in Life and Business by Dayo Adetiloye Chapter One

Chapter One

My Story

After graduation from the University in 2009, I had to wait for 1 year before I was posted for the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), during which I made some decisions that changed the course of my life forever. The NYSC is a year programme after graduation from a higher institution dedicated to serving the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The first decision I made was to accept that I am now on my own. The Acronym ‘‘OYO” means On Your Own. This is against the backdrop of the fact that If I am successful, I will be the first beneficiary of it; and if I fail, I will also be likewise.

I graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. That year, I volunteered at the GLT Business School, where I got my 1^st access to formal business and entrepreneurship development training. I studied Soil Science at the faculty of Agriculture, but I was exposed to business education here. I volunteered for two editions of the training before I left for NYSC. During this volunteering experience, I was not paid a dime. I was spending my own money and time.

In the year preceding my NYSC, I met my first Mentor, Mr Oludare Mudashiru. I wrote my 1^st business plan for him to invest in a projector renting business on the OAU campus. I did not know that the skill of writing a business plan is what I would build my company on later in life. He did not invest in the business, but I put effort into the business plan. Anything you find your hands doing, do it well.

I also started looking for a book that helps students to combine academics with business. What I saw in the library and bookstores was not detailed enough, and I discovered that I would need to answer that question. In the quest to answer the question, I wrote my first book titled; Unleashing Your Entrepreneurial Potential for African Students. I did a lot of research and read many books to put it together, I also shared my own experience in the book. If you have not read the book, you may want to reach out through the contact details provided later in the book for your copy whether e-copy or physical copy.

The publication of this book later became my major activity during my NYSC, and I will share the story of that soon.

During the one year before NYSC, I stayed alone and did not return home to my parent. Any time I travel at the weekend, I return to my base in Ile-Ife. My parent lives in Igbara-Oke in Ondo State, Nigeria.

The first level of deliverance after schooling required to fulfil life and purpose is to detach from your parents and your entitlement mentality and stay on your own to create a life for yourself. Without this singular decision, you will still be limited in so many ways. Now, if you are still in your parent’s house, you must have the mentality that in this house, I am a producer; I am not a consumer. So, find a way to be productive and start bringing money home and buy food and things needed in the house. You must do it even if your parents are rich. This level of productivity and responsibility makes greatness out of you in life.

NYSC Adventure

I received my call-up letter and was posted to Ogun state Nigeria. I got to NYSC camp, did all 21 days of the parade on the camp, and made new friends. One astonishing thing I did on camp was to help a Senior Corper to sell his book on “How to become a flying Corper”. I read the book within 48 hours and started selling it to my fellow Corp members. I made a lot of money on camp doing this.

As a knowledge facilitator, I also joined the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Group, which is now SDGs Sustainable Development Goals. After 21 days on camp, I was posted to the Ministry of Agriculture and later deployed to a centre in Kotopo, in Abeokuta.

How I published my first book during NYSC

The burden of publishing my book continued, and I started looking for ways to achieve that. I had the privilege to stay in the NCCF (Nigeria Corpers’ Christian Fellowship), where I met two friends, Olorunsola Osasona and Abidoye Olaoluwa. They were the 1^st set of people to review my book and brainstorm on a very good title for it. After all had been done, there was no money to publish.

I saw a book by Pastor Amosun of the Rock Foundation in Abeokuta, and I loved the design and printing. I booked an appointment with him, and he gave me the contact of the printer that worked on it, Heritage books. I met with the printer; he loved my book project and called it an evergreen book. That means, for the century, the book will still be relevant as it helps to build the entrepreneurial capacity of young people, especially students.

At the end of the session series with him, I would need N250,000 to produce the 1000 copies of the book. At this time, my allowance from NYSC was N9,775 or less than N10,000. So, the task of raising money started. I know that my parent will give me this money if they have it. However, at this time, they were both retired as teachers and their pension was not released for years.

So, I knew going home to raise the money was not an option. I also looked at my siblings, and it was obvious that everybody was still trying to get their footing in life. I kept my vision of publishing the book during NYSC, and the breakthrough came. NYSC increased our allowance by N10,000, and our take-home was now N19,800. We will also be paid for 4 months. That was it!

My N40,000 would be the first capital, and I needed an additional N210,000. So, I approached my fellow Corpers and talked to nearly 15 of them to loan me their N40,000. Olorunshola Osasona first dropped his money, and a few others did. The money was completed, and the book was published.

I did a book launch and invited people, including those who donated to the project, and I was able to pay back all the borrowed money. The skills I used to raise money can be termed crowded funding because the money came from many people. I don’t know what business you want to start now. You need to have a plan and a startup budget. Find a creative way to fund your project or business. If you can think, there is always a way to raise funds.

During my NYSC days in 2010, I met some of my mentors. I had the opportunity to connect to Seyi Awobadejo of the Wisdom Training Centre. His contribution to my book was great. I used his centre for my book project, and the centre donated to the book project.

I also met my billionaire mentor, Dr Abib Olamitoye the founder of 100/10 Academy a human resource outfit established with a vision of creating 100 billionaires every 10 years among its members. My first day at the 100/10 Academy was a very inspiring day for me. I went to the seminar, and after Dr Abib finished his session, I went straight to the book stand and bought many books. Since that day, and throughout my NYSC days, I don’t miss the monthly free seminars. My business and financial acumen became great by following Dr Abib Olamitoye. For 11 years and counting, I still don’t miss this monthly seminar. It now takes place in Ibadan, Abeokuta and Lagos.

I remember how I caught my billionaire mentor’s attention. After publishing my book as a Corper, I went to the Academy to donate up to 20 copies of the book to the 1^st 20 people who attended one of the seminars. He was impressed and later ordered copies of the books to continue the project.

I also did a Community Development Project on the book during my NYSC days. I donated copies to the selected public secondary school library and did the ceremony at the Abeokuta grammar school. The project got the attention of the Commissioner for Information, and he sent his TV crew to cover the event. On the event of that day, people said I appeared in the news. And that was how my book project became the stepping stone to my greatness. I was just 25 years old at that time.

When I left the NCCF family house after my NYSC, I noticed a lady who looked special, and my heart told me, “This is your wife”. I proposed to her, and that was it. We are married today with two children. I will talk more about marriage in the subsequent chapter.

Before I finished my NYSC, I applied for a Master’s Programme at Obafemi Awolowo University, where I studied Business Administration. I tell young people that you might not have control over your 1st degree, but you must control your 2^nd degree. I was not interested in studying soil science at the Master’s level, so I followed my passion.

Today, I have started my Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA). You must be deliberate about your choices because your choices may make or mar you. Take a step that aligns with your purpose and calling. Everything counts in the Journey to greatness.

My MBA Days and The Launch of YOUWiN

I got admitted to study MBA immediately after NYSC, and I decided to organise 18 seminars on campus since I will spend 18 months as a student. At the end of the MBA programme, I organised 33 free seminars to empower young people on campus. Then, I had the vision to raise 100 millionaires in 5 years.

I drew that inspiration from my billionaire mentor at 100/10 Academy. He is raising 100 billionaires every 10 years. My MBA period was the foundation of my launch-out because I was able to combine the programme with many things that made me who I am today.

Let me tell the story of how I raised over 100 millionaires through the YOUWIN Programme. The YOUWIN is a programme organized by the Federal Government of Nigeria under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan. It was a grant between N1 million to N10 million. It started when I was serving in 2010. I applied with a waste disposal idea, but the idea was not selected. However, my friend who applied as an existing business, SAB Mat, a retail outlet, was selected and I helped him work on his financials.

Looking at that experience, the programme was done the 2^nd time and focused on women. I started training and coaching women, and that was how I raised over 100 millionaires in less than 5 years projection I had.

When you set out on a vision, you don’t know the opportunity on the way waiting for you to achieve your dream. As you are starting out, you must have a big vision, one that will help humanity. Don’t play small at all. Make sure you project as far as your eyes can see. God will do it for you, No matter your background.

During my MBA, I started the Youth Empowerment Summit in my hometown, Igbara-Oke. I leveraged the network I created during my MBA days; people like my MBA president, Afolabi Babatunde aka Boazizi, Akintan Akinyemi, who have consistently been major speakers at the event till today. I started this empowerment summit at the age of 26. This 2022, we will be celebrating our 11th Anniversary.

The youth empowerment summit has now become an international summit. Due to the coronavirus, the last edition was done virtually, which attracted attendance from Ghana, the UK, Switzerland, Nigeria and other countries.

Any idea God gives to you, go and start it. Start at your level, don’t wait till you have everything set and perfect, there is nothing like that. Start with what you have and desire to learn fast and grow big. Launch your ideas, projects etc. by taking swift action. Action is the bloodline of every vision. The best time to plan a tree was 20 years ago, the next best time to plant it is now. The best time to start your business was 20 years ago, the next best time to start it is now.

The Youth Empowerment Summit has impacted directly and indirectly over 25,000 young people and adults. So many people have gained admission and graduated, many have started their businesses and they have employed people. Let me say this, I formally registered Dayo Adetiloye Empowerment and Development Initiative as an NGO after 7 years of starting this event. Some of you are still waiting to get your NGO registered before you start creating impact. It does not work like that. There is no perfect time to start anything.

How I Met My Online Mentor to Build My Online Empire

It was during one of the 33 free seminars I conducted during my MBA days that I met my online Mentor, Mr Adekunle Kazeem. After the seminar that day, he approached me and shared his contact expressing his interest in my book and offering some advice on how I could take it online. I’ve always had a dream of having a website in my name www.dayoadetiloye.com but I didn’t know how to go about it and what the content will be. He was the one that setup my blog and I posted the chapters of my book as the first level of content. Today, the platform has impacted over 5 million people all over the world. My online Mentor is unassuming and you might not want to pay attention to him at that time. The lesson here is that don’t overlook or underestimate people. The Angel God will send to help you might not dress like one so learn to treat people with respect and honour people. 7 years later he has become my online consultant, partner, and mentor at the same time. I have built other online platforms apart from that major platform. My major strength today is my online presence. Most likely where you got to know me or accessed this book was online.

As you are starting out, online is the easiest way to start, especially if you are a creative person. Find an online platform to showcase your work. Many people are making a living online today.

If I Google your name now, what am I going to find? You have the sole responsibility to build your personal brand and corporate brand online. What are you called to do? Start doing it online, your business must have an online presence.

My online presence has brought me immense benefits and opportunities that I am leveraging today. It also attracted people that matter to my destiny.

So, let’s look at basic ways to start and practical things to do.

On your social media account and profile, create visibility for yourself by posting valuable content.
Be relevant on the social media where your audience is e.g., Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.
Setup a website for yourself or your business, in case you don’t have enough money to do that, set up an about me page or disha page. Just go to the website and follow the instructions.
If you like videos, you can open a YouTube channel and start shooting videos.
You can do studio podcasting too.

Your smartphone is the major technology tool to start with.

Board Membership Role

As a result of my activities, an NGO, The Oluwatuyi Foundation, approached me to be part of their board member. It just dawned on me that I have begun to position myself for corporate Governance.

My journey as a development consultant

I have been working in the entrepreneurship development space for 7 years before I got my 1^st corporate work with GIZ, a German Development Organization to do a project in Ogun State, Nigeria.

Since that time in 2018, I have been the go-to person in business development and the development of the entrepreneurship Ecosystem as far as Ogun State, Nigeria is concerned. For me, it is a great shift in my career working with the German Cooperation implementing entrepreneurship projects.

As I round up this chapter, I will encourage you to be focused on any career path you choose. Consistently create value that will make you relevant and visible. Volunteer for projects that can create visibility for you. As a young person, be service-oriented and the money will follow.