‘To stay in business, you must continue to meet the needs of people’

 Tolulope Adebukola Ogundokun, founder and chief executive officer, Pawprint Limited, is a graphics artist and entrepreneur. In this interview with JOSEPHINE OKOJIE, she reveals what inspired her to establish her graphics business and what entrepreneurs must do for their business to become sustainable.            

Tell me a about yourself.

My name is Tolulope Adebukola Odudokun,  founder and chief executive officer of Pawprint Limited.  I have bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. I am a graphics artist. My graphics translate into paper print and textile printing, so I am both in the fashion and paper merchandising business. Pawprint Limited now has two subsidiaries: Limestone Limited and Addict By Pawprint.

What inspired you to move into the business?

Making designs is my hobby. It was my passion for designs that led to the establishment of Pawprint Limited in 2008. In my quest to improve my skills in sketching and making designs, I enrolled for free online classes. After my National Youth Service Corps, I worked for eleven months as a retail adviser for Etisalat Nigeria. I started learning designs online and doing printing on papers, calendars and annual reports, but I realised that these were seasonal businesses. So I decided to start designing for textiles because people wear cloths every day and this has brought a lot of cash flow into the business. I got a scholarship to study Entrepreneurial Management in Lagos Business School. The scholarship was from Goldman Sachs. After my scholarship I won the Federal Government Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN). I used the grant to expand my business and buy machines for my limestone company.

How would you say the YOUWIN programme helped your business?

It’s a very good initiative by the government. It helped in the expansion of my business and the modes of payments were perfect.

 What are the challenges you have faced since starting your business?

My biggest challenge is my employees. Most Nigerian artisans are not ready to work but want to make money at all costs, and this is a big problem. When you employ them, they are not ready to learn but want to run away with your ideas. About 90 percent of my staff members are from Benin Republic. I don’t like employing Nigerians because all they want is to frustrate your business. They are very complacent and would take your ideas away. Another challenge I face is getting paid in dollars. I sell my designs online to Nigerians in the Diaspora and even foreigners. They pay in dollars but the banks would credit my account in naira. I need the dollars to buy my fabrics because I import 50 percent of my fabrics and source the other 50 percent locally. Infrastructure is also a major challenge. I need electricity to power my machines, and the issue of poor electricity supply has been frustrating. I spend a lot on fuel and this has increased my production cost. I need electricity to put limestones on textiles.

What was your initial start-up capital?

I started my business with no capital. In printing, when you get a contract, your client pays you upfront so you are able to do the job. I had nothing when I started and now my business has grown tremendously.

How would you say your business has grown since starting and who are your target clients?

My business has grown tremendously since I started and I have even opened other lines of business. I target corporate bodies, ‘asoke’ vendors and anybody who wants my services.

Most SMEs fail 5 years after starting. What has kept you for seven years?

When I started off as a printer, I realised that printing was seasonal. I decided to go into designs for clothes. The business has survived for seven years because I increased my product offerings. I am in same line of business but I keep increasing my products to meet everyone’s need.

What is your advice to other entrepreneurs, especially young ones that want to venture into your kind of business?

If you must continue to stay in business, then you must continue to come out with products that will meet the needs of people.