I had been doing business since I was 9 with my dad while in Russia, he and I would package jewellery and he would take it to Nigeria! While my bro played football. That was a way he kept me and him busy out of the streets from "bad" influence and connected to him. He would always give me my share of the partnership. He would send me on tasks to the Asian market which gave me negotiation skills and he will teach me how to face people head on, so generally he was busy with his kids.
My dad had a special skill in coaching his kids to understand what survival is. My first experience was when he thought me the art of negotiating. He put me through 3 exercises without me even realising it at start. He gave me a list of groceries to purchase and an exact amount that could buy them, with words "bring me back my change”. At the time we were living in Uzbekistan in the City of Tashkent where I was born, a former USSR state. The nature of life in Uzbekistan was all about trade, and most times you have to bargain for goods. The natives of the Asian state love to bargain and love a good bargainer because it’s the way they connect mentally. Communication may be daunting for the average person who wants to get things off the shelf but in the Asian and African environment bargaining shows your level of intelligence. Here is a 13year old going round the market and trying hard to convince the traders that she needs what she was told to bring back home and she cant pay what the asking price was. I was so brutally honest that some of the traders proceeded to teach me the art of negotiating. Eventually I came home with 1cent left out of 10cents given. I did succeed; my dad let me have the change. I was happy so I always looked forward to the next trip to the market.
On my second trip my dad said I should go to a different market and again with the instruction to bring back his change. I happily said to myself "this time I will make more savings and I did". On bringing the savings, and proudly showing him thinking he will pat me on the back, he took it all, and left with no comments. I was in shock and feeling stupid that I kept nothing for myself. I told myself next time I will give him only what he asked for.
On my third trip coming back and this time making more savings, because I didn’t buy one item on the list, I saved 3 cents, I studied the menu of the dish he asked me to buy ingredients for and said well today we wouldn’t cook with this spice. I learnt to be naughty, which is actually a skill to good creativity in entrepreneurship. When I came home he laughed because he saw the naughty grin on my face when I gave him just one cent. Later when I was 21 we discussed this experience which allowed me to be more courageous about achieving goals
its very important for kids to have experiences of such.
I was 18 years of age when I came to Nigeria with an equivalent of HND level in IT. I couldn't find a job at the time not just because I didn't have a BS.c, but IT was also unheard of in the state i lived in Nigeria at the time. Most employers had no need for computers because the infrastructure "power" was as we still know it! Africa hasnt harnessed the physiological level of development let alone IT, this was in 98.
Coming in as a kid and my parents being away for 15 years meant they had lost all connection to Nigeria and their friends were scattered all over the world and country, so there was no real avenue to say you have who to connect to.
While in search I put my skills and talent into work which allowed me to make connections. I embroider with hand, silk on silk, a hobby I took up while at school during home economics classes while in Russia, this gave me a few sales and thought me some business skills I enjoyed in connecting with people.
While I started planning on StartUpSity while searching for a job to sustain it I developed concepts for sale and would give those who were interested research and findings and make some money! I did work for 3 organisations such as Peugeot Nigeria dealership, Strabag Construction Company during the Benin bypass project and OpenLink Software Nigeria a well known company in the US when they came to open a branch in Nigeria. In this combination of works I picked up the skills in PM, Sales, and Enhanced my IT skills which aided my drive to be independent as well as I rebelled against tactless management tactics we employ within the work process, often having to deal with sexual harassment and office politics. all this happening before the age of 22 and of course youthful exuberance, but today I believe I did make the right principled judgement even if I should have been softer about it. But all those principles and mistakes allowed me to be a much better employer. Patient to the mistakes young people make and respecting their values and aspirations. After this events I had my first child at 23 and due to his condition couldn't join the work force and this made me reopen the business files I left aside. Apart from the fact that the Nigerian business environment is Trade based and I am not a transactional type of person, I prefer services and complexities of management which many run away from, so I am in demand.
So my reasons are a combination of events happening in my life and the environment I lived in and people who were in my life!
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