‘I didn’t want to leave my future to chance’
Odunlami Adebayo is an undergraduate student of the University of Lagos and founder of Fast Track Delivery Limited. Adebayo is an entrepreneur with experience in haulage and logistics business. In this interview with JOSEPHINE OKOJIE, he reveals what inspired her to establish his courier business.
When did you start your business?
I started my business on the 1st of July, 2015. My business is ten months old.
What inspired you to move into the business?
Other than the fact that my late mum was a business woman, my love to consciously plan an amazing future for myself as an entrepreneur through self-discovery has always kept me going. I didn’t want to leave my future to chance, and I have never seen myself as the 8am -5pm guy. I saw a business opportunity in moving goods from one place to another, especially agro products, and I decided to start Fast Track Delivery Limited, a company focused on logistics, haulage, courier service, import and export.
What was your initial start-up capital?
I started out with a friend’s bicycle in delivering goods initially. After few months I started investing in couriers and other administrative set-ups, which cost me about N300, 000.
Who are your target clients?
From the large e-market to banks, eateries, boutiques, and anyone who needs the services of a logistic company.
Have you received any financial support from any organisation?
Before being the 2nd runner up at this year’s Global Student Entrepreneur Award (GSEA), I hadn’t received any financial support from any organisation.
Tell me a little about yourself, that is, your educational qualification and work experience.
A realist whose values are backed by optimism, I am Odunlami Adedayo, a Geophysics student of the University of Lagos, who has found love for entrepreneurship. I founded FTD (Fast Track Delivery) Limited after discovering my passion for helping people forget about the worries of on-time, on-schedule service delivery on campus and, today, the business is doing quite well. I am a 22-year old student-entrepreneur with a dream to live up to the promise I made to my late mum. Apart from being an entrepreneur, I work with the university radio station as a sport analyst.
How would you say the business has grown since starting?
I would say my business has grown tremendously. The business has shown steady and progressive growth, from delivering with bicycles to using couriers.
What are the challenges you have faced since starting your business?
My biggest challenge has to do with combining my schooling and work. It has really been very stressful. Another problem is the issue of traffic and bad roads across the country. Traffic makes it impossible to meet delivery times. Major roads in Lagos are always congested on a daily basis.
Do you have employees?
Yes, I have three full-time employees and four part-time employees.
What is your advice to other entrepreneurs, especially the ones that want to venture into your kind of business?
My advice to other entrepreneurs is that you don’t have to be perfect before you know you are doing well. All you need is progress and not perfection. Logistics has its challenges, but also its welcoming returns.