Jaiyeola Charges Young Entrepreneurs On Hard Work
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Olori Ayo Yemisi Jaiyeola is a serial entrepreneur who has been in business for over three decades.
She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ayo Yemisi Jaiyeola Company, a platform she uses to do her different businesses.
She is a registered product marketing agent a clothe launderer. She is also into house cleaning.
In an interview with Daily Independent, she said that she markets products for many telecoms companies and licence/ virtual top up platforms Get Reward Ltd.
The serial entrepreneur stated that she has been into products network marketing since 1990 and has been washing clothes for families, adding that she is still in laundry business to date.
She said that she also cooks food and supplies in packs.
However, she stated that she has slowed down on her house cleaning business.
On her motivation to become a business person, the serial entrepreneur said: “I was married to an old man who was old as my father and knowing he would not be able to work hard enough to provide for the family when we got married.
He was about sixty years old then. I needed to acquire skills to support the family. His salary always came late, you know the factor in our country.
According to Jaiyeola, she gets commissions on products sold, adding that the commissions come in trickles like 10 percent.
However, she disclosed that she gets get 22 percent commission on telecoms virtual top up license platforms.
She posited that taking to network marketing is the surest way to earn a living in present Nigeria, adding that one will get his or her daily food.
Speaking on the challenges of doing business in Nigeria, Jaiyeola asserted that every business in Nigeria is facing one challenge or the other.
According to her, electricity supply in Nigeria is inadequate and many businesses and households have to buy generators and diesel to power their premises.
She stated that the funds that are spent on generating private power should have been invested in the businesses.
Jaiyeola insisted taxes and tariffs are too high in the country, adding the government should reduce tariffs and taxes so that businesses can have money to spend.
According to her, the income of Nigerians has been eroded and people do not have money to buy goods.
The entrepreneur charged the government to provide adequate infrastructure like roads and others to make it easier for businesses to move their products around.
She posited that the government should ensure that Nigerians earn a living wage. She argued that if the purchasing power of the people is enhanced, they will buy products from entrepreneurs.
She insisted this will benefit government in terms of more revenues in form of tax.
She added that if entrepreneurs thrive, they will employ more people and reduce tension in the country.
She tasked the Nigeria government to make life easy for her citizens, adding that life is difficult for Nigerians.
When asked if she has obtained a loan to expand her business, she said, “I don’t need a loan to expand my business; the business I do is commission-based and I am paid according to the number of products that I am able to market.”
Speaking on the skills that one should possess to thrive as a network marketer, she said one should learn how to introduce products to people who need them.
“Let people know what you do by simply using the hand held machine called Android phones,” she stated.
Speaking to young people who want venture into network marketing, she said: “My advice to Nigerians and younger ones is to embrace network marketing, learn the skills, work from home or be a virtual staff. But you really have to work hard.
On how she balances work and her private life, Jaiyeola who was married to Omooba Venerable Dr Yemisi Jaiyeola, a world popular cardiologist, who lived till 2008, said: “I do not have a private life anymore because I run Widows’ Foundation which requires that I must see widows daily for counseling and prayers.
“I balance life by doing my work before the time to receive widows and get back to work after.”
Olori Jaiyeola is also the Missioner of Serendipity House Widows Foundation and Widow Care Africa, organizations she has used to help and advocate the interest of widows. Over the years, her platforms have empowered thousands of widows in terms of training, funds and counseling.
