Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, has charged young entrepreneurs to imbibe the virtues of persistence, self-confidence, creativity, hard work and a great deal of listening skills, If they intend to succeed in business.
Afolabi disclosed this while receiving the season 4 winner of The Next Titan entrepreneurship reality TV show, Mr. Kennedy Iyeh and the show’s organisers at the SIFAX Group’s head office in Lagos. SIFAX Group has been a sponsor of the show for all of its four editions.
Afolabi frowned at the levity at which young people lead their lives, adding that success is a product of planning, strategy and sacrifice, among others.
He said: “To succeed in Nigeria’s daunting business terrain you must possess certain qualities that will drive you to the lofty heights you have imagined. These qualities include persistence, self confidence, creativity, hardwork and a great deal of listening skills.
“As the entrepreneur, you are always at the centre of the business and remains one of the key factors of success for such venture. As the driver of the vision, a whole lot rests on your shoulders and you must possess certain qualities, without which, success, can either be limited or non-existent.
“Persistence is one of the most important traits for a successful entrepreneur. The reason that you need this trait is because all entrepreneurs fail, and persistence is what let us get back up. Ask anyone with cold calling experience… You mark your progress by how many “nos” you get, not by how many “yes”. Being an entrepreneur often requires a similar mindset.”
“On the other hand, self-confidence is the implicit belief you have in your ability, drive and competence in the face of mounting hurdles. If nobody else does, you must believe in yourself. You must have the capacity to pre-empt challenges and devise workable solutions to address such. Asides this, creativity must also be extended to the way you conduct your business,” Afolabi said.
Using himself as a case study, Afolabi noted that hard work is a successful key every entrepreneur must gird themselves with. He said: “Hard work is a factor that can’t be over-emphasized in entrepreneurship. As a young entrepreneur, I picked this trait from both my late mother and uncle, a workaholic man who resumed early and worked late into the night in order to ensure that no task that should be done was left till the following day. There is no way an entrepreneur who is desirous of success can escape being hard working. At times, a lot of people wonder how I successfully manage all the companies in the group and combine this with other equally tasking and time-consuming activities I engaged in. Hard work is the key. I also urge you to listen very well, listen to everybody even when they don’t make any sense. Go back and digest all that you have heard and make informed decisions.”
Earlier, the show’s Producer, Mr. Mide Kunle- Akinlaja and Kennedy Iyeh had lauded SIFAX Group for its financial support for the show, adding that there were plans to make the season 5 a lot more entertaining and impactful.
