In the first edition of studentpreneur, an AAUA Insider beat that highlights and engages students that combine their academics with business, the studentpreneur for this edition that happens to be a lawyer in the making took us on how he started his business, and the challenges he has faced combining business with academics.
Kindly introduce yourself and tell us what you do?
I’m by name SEYIFUNMI FRANCIS ADÉỌṢUN, popularly known as FRANCOFONE. I am a student and an entrepreneur.
Can you please tell us about your family background and education?
I hail from Irun Àkókó, Akoko North West Local Government of Ondo State. I had My elementary school at Iye Nursery and Pry School Irun Àkókó. My junior secondary school was at Ilemopo Comprehensive High school, Irun. I finished my SSCE at St. James College, Okeigbo as the Senior prefect boy!
I hold a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy, from Adekunle Ajasin University, where I graduated as president in 2017. I observed my Youth Service in Kwara State with 2018 batch B. Currently, I am a 200 level student of Law at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State.
What prompted you to start your business and how did you start?
I am always ready to take opportunities as they come and I like doing business because it is my aim and desire never to work under anyone. As such, I always like doing business. I have been into Business for a while now. For some times, I got engaged in other things but in January 2020, I made up my mind to return to it and I started my branch in Akungba (FRANCOFONE FROZEN CHICKEN).
As per how I started, well, it’s not too easy starting a business especially in our society of today where once you start a business everyone see you as a big boy or girl. However, I had to take some risks including using part of my school fees to begin my business
What are your challenges when you started your business?
Major challenge in every business is getting customers. It should be recalled that people would have where they buy what you sell before you came in, so, it requires a lot of skills to convince them to buy from you. More so, familiarity, it takes a firm, strong and focused mind not to fall into this trap when venturing to business. Due to the type of business that I do, light was and is still a major challenge. I buy fuel daily.
Have you ever felt like quitting? If yes, why?
Yes, on many occasions.
There was a time I got fresh chicken, about 50 kilos, there was light around 11pm, till the following morning unfortunately, my freezer wasn’t working, I felt so bad. Immediately, I tried to put on my generating set, unfortunately, it didn’t work too and the chicken was not having any ice again, I almost broke down to pieces. I needed to gather money and buy another generator that day.
Also before the lockdown, I got chicken, 30 kilos, only for lockdown to start…. After a while, I had to share it with neighbours…. I lost close to N50,000 in the process but I didn’t give up
Is your business a passion or what you just have to do to survive?
It’s both.
First, I have passion for entrepreneurship and you must put your ideas into action before you can claim to be an entrepreneur.
Second, the aim of every businessperson is profit making, and what will the profits do if not to survive on. Basically, I think it’s both.
How are you coping with the combination of academics and business?
I’m very versatile young man, permit me to say that, I can handle different things at a time, it’s all about time management. Aside Bussiness and academics, I also involve in active Students Unionism.
What is your advice to students who are entrepreneurs or desire to be an entrepreneur?
First, be prepared! This encompasses all the challenges you can ever face.
There is a quote that I will give at this point, *The key is not the “will” to win, everybody has that. The key is ability to “prepare” to win*.
Before you decide to engage in any skill, make sure understand almost everything about it and be prepared to face the challenges.
That was an insightful and eye-opening session from a studentprenueur, Francophone.
Thank you for following. Stay tuned!
Author
Gorgeous is a young lover of life or nature. She likes making her opinion and ideas about life, relationship and religion known. She also loves other individual views about life. She is a lover of music and Christ.