She Survived a Knife Attack at 13… Now She Owns Multiple Businesses | Anuoluwa Aimufua –DOSI S1 E4

Show your bully that you could be

better. A bully actually came to one of

my warehouses to apply for a job.

>> Walking through that door and seeing

that bully means a lot to me. I think my

biggest motivation would be leaving a

legacy behind [music] and the legacy is

not just for the fun of it. It's for my

children. I was able to obviously go to

law school and qualified practiced for 7

years and I knew that it wasn't for me.

I love making money. I love making

money. I did have it in me to be a big

business person at that time.

>> Wow.

>> I opened my own salon at home while I

was at uni. [music] And then bullying

was very very pronounced because they

would literally tell you to face that

black monkey go back to your country.

>> Then my first job was when I was 15. I

was working at a school. It looked like

you were never broke at all.

>> We lost two or three of our properties

during co [music] because we couldn't

meet up with the payment. There was just

so many outgoings. Thank you. So you are

7 figure Amazon seller real estate

investor, former legal agent. You have

your own um bakery and load of things.

How did business start for you?

>> I love constant change. No matter how

much I'm making, I want to be in control

as well. I'm very spiritfilled and one

of the biggest thing about me is like I

I try to listen to God.

>> Have you ever failed in business before?

[music]

Diary of Successful Immigrants.

>> Hello there. Thank you so much for your

support thus far uh on this podcast. Uh

please continue to like, continue to

subscribe, continue to comment and also

if you're interested in sharing your

story, please get across to us um just

by using um the contact details you can

see on the screen at the moment. Um this

is diary of successful immigrants and

the aim is to continue to share success

story. It's not about the politics. It's

about the journey to success.

Welcome once again to this um amazing

series and um it's been a journey thus

far. I don't know the number of episodes

I've heard and that you have watched

thus far but trust me it's it's been

like a learning curve for me. And why do

I call it a learning curve is because

I'm missing possibilities, you know, um

things that you feel like they are very

impossible for maybe people going to

other countries. They're just like

things that you start sitting in front

of you. And trust me, today um somebody

that is sitting in front of me is like,

you know, when you kind of have like

your future seated in front of you, it's

it's what I like to describe this lady

as. And um as I was reading your

profile, let me actually just share how

we how it all started. So uh our

neighbor was like, "You need to test

this bread and blah blah blah." I was

like, "What's what's all the bread all

about? [laughter]

What's this noise? I mean, I've eaten a

bread and love bread, but then she gave

it to me. I was like, "Wo, yeah, this is

different." And then my wife that

doesn't give as much comments you get,

she was just, "Yeah, it's fine." She was

like, she texted me while I was at work.

Where did you get that bread from? This

is wo. I was like, yeah, we must buy

more. And meeting you in person and

reading your profile got blown away.

Like, let me just I'll not start from

the usual place like why did you leave

your country? What was your motivation

for doing all this? Like what's because

I'm sure they've read they've seen your

profile already. What's your motivation

for all this?

I think my biggest motivation would be

motivation will be leaving a legacy

behind.

>> Okay.

>> And the legacy is not just for the fun

of it. It's for my children

>> whereby we've gone through a generation

of our parents seeing our parent grind

um either as a nurse or as a 9 to5

um parent. And we are now we are we have

the generation of either running our own

businesses or having a solid 9 to5

>> and we're now building a legacy of

wanting to leave something tangible for

our kids so they don't have to work as

hard as our parent did or as hard as we

have done as well.

>> Um what I would like to think is maybe

you're even giving them a better

platform for them to start. You get what

I mean? So they can go on to become the

likes of Elon Musk and what's he called

now if Warren Buffett and the likes of

those guys nowadays. Yeah. Um let me ask

you so you are seven figure Amazon set

seller re real estate investor former

legal agent you have your own um bakery

and load of things. How did business

start for you? Or wait let's even trace

it back. When did you leave your country

and why did you leave?

[laughter]

>> Well, we are the generation of when our

most parents are no well our parents

decided to relocate here into the UK as

either a nurse. I think we came from the

generation of the nurses,

>> okay,

>> years ago, like I'm talking about 30

over 30 years ago. and they brought us

in really young um

and we had to start our life from as our

childhood from here.

>> So how was childhood 30 years ago in

this country for for a young girl?

>> Interesting. It was hard to fit in

because obviously we had to adapt in

terms of accent in terms of um learning

the culture. There was no internet so we

just have to get going. So during that

time we were heavily bullied. I remember

my dad always going to school and

fighting for me. And one day we got home

he said I know if they touch you you

touch them back.

>> Wow.

>> It was like tit for tat. So [laughter]

we were heavily bullied. Um and then

bullying was very very pronounced

because they would literally tell you to

your face that black monkey go back to

your country.

>> Whoa.

>> Right in the middle of in the middle of

class. So what are you going to do? And

it's not like now that you actually talk

about racism, then racism was something

that they just let it go under the

carpet.

>> But likes of my parent, my dad

especially, he it he take it wouldn't

take any nonsense. And

>> he also has a fighting spirit in him as

a lawyer whereby he understood the the

assignment of what racism was about.

>> And I went through like being attacked

with a knife as a young girl and so many

more. Wait, wait, wait. You can't go

past that. You were attacked with a

knife as a young girl.

>> Yes.

>> How what happened? This

>> I remember that day. I was coming from

high school.

>> At what age, if you can remember?

>> I was 13.

>> Wo.

>> And [clears throat]

these boys just cornered me. Obviously,

they've been bullying me in school. And

>> yeah, I'll come home, I would tell my

dad. I'll come home, I'd literally cry

and I'm upset. I'm angry.

um teachers didn't want to do anything

about it and a group of boys literally

came after me and I remember running

literally running home. We lived on York

Park. I was there for more than 20 years

>> and I got home that day. It was just

like more or less like a near miss.

>> Wow.

>> And the police didn't do anything about

it. We had some organization that were

happy to racial racism organization. I

couldn't forget Andrew. My dad always

said that whenever he sees him in town

now, he will always say, "How's Honey?"

Han must be doing very well now. And

they did try to support, they even gave

me like a panic attack, panic attack um

alarm whereby if you pull the alarm,

everyone around you would hear and they

would come out to your rescue. There was

no internet. There was no Well, we had

phones, but they were like more or less

like those No phones. So, you can't even

WhatsApp your mom. You just literally

have those tiny

phones to call your parent. And the next

thing was the panic attack. It's really

tiny black. You pull it and if it's loud

enough, anyone around will come to your

rescue. Um or either pepper spray. I'm

not allowed to have pepper spray, but I

had my alarm around me. And that was one

of the happiness of growing up as a

black kid in this kid.

>> Yeah. do um I don't want to fogg your

growing up experience so much, but were

were there other black kids around that

you could lean on to um around that

time?

>> I'll tell you mostly were Jamaicans and

who I remember all their names right

now. Jamaicans, mixed race, they've lost

their identity. They think they're

white. They think they're British. So

they are one of the people. One of the

markers I'd see him right now in Chapel

Town is literally

next to nothing. But I remember one day

he was literally throwing a ball at me

and kept on saying, "Oh, Anu, yo, Annie,

what are you doing here?" [laughter]

And he's also black. But because he

thinks that

>> it belongs here, because they gave birth

to him, he thinks he's also English.

>> Oh god.

>> And that was like his own privilege. and

gives that gives him the opportunity to

bully another black kid. And my daddy

went to school one day and said, "You

are black, so why are you bullying my

daughter?

>> You I'm not African. I'm Caribbean."

>> Yeah.

>> So, yeah. So, you couldn't really lean

on any other black person around you.

>> So, let's take it up. Um, you finished

high school and stuff. When did business

start for you? How did business start?

What was your first attempt of business?

>> I think it would I'd say from childhood.

>> Oh.

Um, I was little. My dad had a poultry

here at the farm.

>> Okay.

>> And it literally put me in the midst of

those chicken to make sure that they get

sold.

>> Wow. At what age?

>> I was

I was 8, nine

>> in the UK.

>> No, we go back to Nigeria and holiday

and things.

>> Oh, okay. And

I love the fact that we were introduced

to him selling like he had poultry, he

had fishery, he had pigs and the poetry

was my passion then.

>> Okay.

>> And he would station me in one junction

and be like I knew this has to sell

because I'm going to get more.

>> And I remember

>> So you selling it in the market?

>> Yes.

>> Oh.

>> I would never forget. And he said he

said by the time I get there my daughter

will be literally covered in dust from

head to toe and I think that was the

pinnacle state in

>> oh

so you sell state girl.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I obviously I inut

too. I know all those

>> on junction and all those.

>> And then obviously my mom being a nurse

then she would literally be at work but

we had to obviously be around that.

Okay.

>> And just support him.

>> To support him. Wow. So that was your

what what was your first early memory of

entrepreneurship? Like you starting out

your own business or something like

that?

>> This would be when I was seven. And I

remember like I love this coconut candy.

By the time I figure out how to make it,

I'd literally beg my grandma to buy me

those coconut candy, shave it off, add

sugar to it, and then make those little

candy and beg everybody, especially my

uncles, to buy it.

>> Okay.

>> Um, blessed memory of my uncle Yi, which

is my one of my little dad's brother. He

passed on in this country.

>> He would, he calls me Yameto, which

means like the woman that loves to prep

things. And he would literally buy

everything off me. And I love making

money. I love making money and then when

he finish buying it, I'll go back and

make more because I know that it's

coming back the following day to buy

more. And from that moment, I think it's

been in me

>> to go into business.

>> Wow.

>> It's been in me to go into business.

>> Yeah.

>> So, um at that early age, were you

saving the money or you were spending

it? because I as a young guy if I'd made

money trust me I'm going to spend it

either like just go and play football

and all those things with my friends and

then uh life goes on

>> I'll be honest with you every penny I

made there was one type of biscuit then

that biscuit was the most nicest biscuit

>> ok biscuit [laughter]

I spent all my money on ok biscuit

>> I could I could relate [laughter]

>> the square one of the roundro

>> yeah the square one is called Shortcake.

>> Shortcake. That's it.

>> That's it.

>> And the round one is all came. Yeah, I

could I could relate that.

>> I always have to go be the woman next

door to buy your offer.

>> Wow.

>> And that was where all my coconut candy

money went. [laughter]

[clears throat]

>> But actually taking it to the next

level, when did you really like start

stand start out business? Because it

[clears throat] looks more like business

has been quite natural for you. But um

what's your earliest memory of making

like big money? um or how did you start

entrepreneurship in this country?

>> I think my biggest memory would be

>> or your earliest

>> My earliest memory would be when I was

in college.

>> Okay.

>> I set up an eBay account.

I had this connect I'll put it that way

because obviously my first job was when

I was 15. I was working at a school rock

well I'll call the name like a school

wear center whereby they sell clothes

for private school kids.

>> Yeah.

>> And

I made so much money at that age. I

think my take home then was around like

105

>> from walking in

>> just walking. It was on York Road and it

was

>> you work in the school where

>> it was they sell uniform to private

school kids.

>> But how are you making over 1,000 a

month?

>> Okay. Because by the time we're done,

the parents, think about it, it's a

private school.

>> Yeah.

>> The parents are loaded. And that was one

of the reasons why I had it in mind that

when I grow up and when I ser my kids,

my kids are going to go to private

school. And that's exactly what I did.

>> Wow.

>> Once they come in and they buy all this

leads grammar school uniform, they'll

tip us.

>> Oh.

>> So, at the end of the day, it literally

bumped my take home from like maybe 900

and something as a 15 year old.

>> I wasn't on minimum wage. I think they

gave us like a monthly salary.

>> Okay.

>> To over 1,500.

>> Wow.

>> And I think I was working there for like

3 months. And I saved that money. I

remember one day someone said to me that

you know you can buy designer bag and

resell.

What I would do is I'll go to

Selfridges, take pictures. This was

obviously years ago. Take pictures, load

them on eBay and then get people to bid.

Once they start bidding,

>> several people bid on it.

>> Why? I don't know. but they love

bidding. So when I get like three, four

people bidding, the winner then buys the

bag for maybe a,05 or 2,000.

>> Then I'll sell that to the highest

bidder. But then this is the trick. The

next person below did bid 1,09. Then

I'll email that person privately and say

the highest bidder didn't want the bag

again. Do you want it? Then I'll do it

for the next two other people want.

Obviously my margin is always there

because I've already sold to the highest

bidder. then sold to the next ISB then

the third person. So I've made money in

three different even though the profit

margin for the last three people are not

as much as the first person. Then I'll

go back to selfreges and tell the girl

that I want to buy the bags, buy the

bags, package it and ship it.

>> Wow.

>> My dad saw the potential. There was a

time I had 15 grand in my PayPal

account.

>> I was going to college and I went to my

dad. I said I didn't want to go to

school again. [clears throat and snorts]

>> And he said to me, he said, "I know

where the problem is. [laughter] shut

the EB account down.

>> Wow.

>> I remember that they laid on my on the

living room floor and I screamed. I

cried. I was like, "He doesn't love me."

He said, "No, I need to go to school

>> and I need to qualify." I was like, "I

want to do business." I was like, "No,

you need to go back to school."

[clears throat]

>> Before we come into business, do you

think that decision actually was good?

>> It was the best. It was a bit harsh at

that time. Okay. because he did

apologize later on, years later

>> when he saw the potential in me. But

>> I would have preferred him to channel

and he knows I say this to him all the

time to channel my energy into business.

Maybe I'd have gone back to school

>> and studied business

>> and study something business related

because I did have it in me to be a big

business person at that time.

>> Wow. So, um, fast forward, your eBay

account got shut

>> because you were making too much too

much money [laughter] by your dad.

[clears throat] And then, um, and then

I'm sure you went to school and

>> I did qualified as a lawyer.

>> And I'm sure you did business in

[laughter] school.

>> Exactly.

So, my dad always say something like, be

a professional student and he was big on

be a professional student. M

>> um he didn't want us to work because at

the end we had student loan students as

a as an international um as a nom

student you get paid a lot of money by

the government. So we're getting like

maintenance grants.

>> Yeah.

>> Um so what my dad would say send the

money to me and every week it'll

transfer a certain amount to me.

>> Okay.

>> So whereby other parents might leave

their kids to manage your finance. My

dad was very very controlling, which is

a good thing because he wanted to know

exactly how we're spending it and what

we're doing with it. So, you transfer

the whole money to him and he sends it

back. That wasn't enough for me as a

girl.

>> And he didn't want us to work even

though I tried to work and I was

working. But on the side of it, I opened

my own salon at home.

>> Wow. So, in school?

>> Yes. While I was at uni.

>> So, how was the salon? How was it like?

It was good because it was was at I was

at Newcastle side. There was only one

salon that was charging everybody £120

to even have a fix like have their hair

braided or fixed on.

>> Okay.

>> So I thought about it. This is a very

easy thing. If I charge £40, all I need

to do is four five installs.

>> So I printed my business card from this

print and I started giving it out. So if

I see anybody at uni, I do it. I do it.

And before I knew I had a huge

portfolio. So every weekend or every

evening I have like four or five people

I need to fix her for.

>> Oh wow.

>> And it's cash in hand. There's no bank

transfer. People pay your £40.

>> Wow.

>> And Braden charge them £50. They'll pay

a play because they know how much Zenith

then was charging them.

>> Was charging them.

>> They know I al was also doing like home

service whereby I would go around

Middlesbrough then and get people's hair

done and they'll pay more and pay for my

transport as well.

>> Wow. [snorts] So wait, it looks like you

were never broke at any point.

[laughter]

>> Never

like it is more like from one level to

the other. [laughter]

>> From one level from one level of

business to the other. Yeah. Um walk me

through this. You you mentioned

something now. I know it's far away from

business. You said your dad was quite

controlling and it's a good thing. It's

difficult to actually see people say

that. uh was your can you expand on that

a bit and I want people to learn from

the fact that um when your parents are

doing some things there are times that

it's good for you. I'm not I'm not so

much tuned into like domestic they call

it domestic abuse or something around

there. But I got a lot of beaten from my

dad as a young boy [laughter] like in

Nigeria obviously but then I I used to

tell people up to date that if that guy

didn't vlog me as much as he did I'll be

a boss conductor now because I never

wanted to do anything like just play my

life out. So just tell me about the

controlling side what you enjoy why you

feel it's good. Mad is very firm.

>> Yeah.

>> He's very authoritative which is a very

I believe he's very good because I think

I see myself in him whereby he commands

respect. Just just even in talking

>> it commands respect and from that

authority I was able to build my

boldness from it.

>> He's a man of his word and because of

that that shaped me to be who I am

today. M

>> and I believe like he's also a leader

and because I see that in him I realize

that I actually have all those

attributes in myself

>> and talk about beating if you mess up

you get a dirty slap [laughter]

>> even here and he'll tell you that get to

school say something I'll send you back

home and right there I'll tell your

passport so you have to compose yourself

>> he's a man of his word like he'll tell

you this is how I want it to do and once

he calls your name and He says exactly

what he wants, you must adhere to it

because there is a consequences to it.

>> Yeah. I don't know if it's for the dads

of those days, but trust me, one thing I

knew about my dad, if I tell anybody

anything, is that my dad does stick to

his word.

>> Yes.

>> Yes. My dad says he will kill you.

[laughter]

>> You're gone.

>> Don't start telling your friends. I'm

telling you. He won't say we kill you.

But if he uses a word like I'll beat

you, no, you will get the beating. If he

says I'd slap you, you are getting it.

And one funny thing that I used to tell

people is when I was in school, I used

to make like an estimate of what I need

in a year. And I'll tell my dad that

this year I need like maybe 200k and

stuff and they come back from work and

be like, um, I'm going to give you

50,000. So, and the moment he saved that

50,000, I remember one time I didn't

want to go to school

>> because obviously

>> because of what he said, he wasn't

moved. It was like when you when it's

time and I just don't know, maybe it's

their generation, but let's come back to

this generation. So, finishing school

now,

>> how did you now get into the like the

forefront of business? What did you do

next after that? So obviously I was at

uni, came back home

>> um to do my law school here in Leeds at

BBP Law School.

>> Okay.

>> And obviously got married as well. I got

married pretty young as well.

>> Wow.

>> Yes.

>> Why in law school?

>> I like unique. [laughter]

>> Wow. And your dad agreed?

>> No.

>> Wow. I think that was my own way of um

rebelling and just to say that you know

what it was a huge it was a huge war but

I'm glad that I took that decision and

we ended up making friends like being

friends again but

>> because I'm his first daughter

>> okay

>> I'm his first child

>> and he would have loved to have a say

>> in my

in my um

in my decision,

>> but I took that power away from him and

he was a bit heartbroken,

>> which at the end of the day, for a child

that listens all the time, you would

always have that one moment that they

would rebel. And that was my one moment.

>> Okay.

>> Um,

>> but coming back home,

I was able to obviously go to law school

and

elected Dome that this is for me. This

isn't for me. M

>> qualified practiced for 7 years and I

knew that it wasn't for me.

>> So um I you knew it wasn't for you but

say I would think that while you were

practicing you were doing one business

or the other.

>> I was [laughter]

you can't do without business.

>> I was

>> I was I was I was I was baking cake.

>> I had a cake company. Um and during that

time as well I knew that I wanted to

start something relating to food.

>> Then I thought about it. I was like

right I'd love to cook. Then I started

making food. But one of the biggest one

was frying puff puff.

>> Wa.

>> Yes.

>> So [laughter]

>> frying puff puff.

>> But wait, how much do you make from

frying the puff puff?

>> So years ago, I'll say like eight nine

years ago. Even though flour then flour

was really cheap. Oil was cheap. Sugar

was cheap. Not like what we're paying

now. A tray of pop was £25.

>> Okay.

>> And people were happy to pay for it

because it was really good. And I don't

even know why I didn't bring you a trade

today. [snorts] It was really, really

good. [clears throat] And I would put my

mind that okay, that all I need to do is

sell 10 traits today.

>> All I need to sell is five traits today

depending on my mood. But I had my

measurements which was big. You know

what they compare say when we're small?

It was a big rubber rubber bucket. Once

I mix it, I knew that that bucket will

fetch me £250 a day.

>> Yeah. But how much do you make on that?

Like what's the what's the

>> What's the profit margin?

>> Yeah. Profit margin.

>> I'd spend £10 because flour, sugar, oil

was less than

>> Yeah. I spent £10

>> to make 250.

>> I think my highest overhead my highest

overhead cost was my tray and my time.

>> Wow.

>> Standing to fry it.

>> Yeah. But you you would I would assume

that you didn't spend more than 4 hours

frying everything.

>> No, not up to four hours. I was very

fast. Once you start learn once you

learn how to fry pop, you would you

literally turn out like a machine.

>> Yeah. So if you're frying for 3 hours or

4 hours,

>> it's still nothing but nothing. Yeah. I

bring money to my time then.

>> Yeah. That's £15 per hour. That's the

best you get as a fryer. [laughter]

>> 9 years ago, the minimum wage was like

£9.

>> Yeah. So [laughter] a good fryer, a top

scale frier will be collecting £15 which

is £45.

>> Yeah, that's a good one.

>> And then you still that means your

profit margin is still 180.

>> Still good.

>> Wow. But so how did you evolve into now

from um was it from the puff puff thing

that you evolved straight into property

or straight into Amazon selling?

>> No.

Once when we started the fourth puff, we

got bigger and obviously people knew me

as Anu's kitchen. If you mention Anu's

kitchen in leads, there's only one.

>> Yeah.

>> And we started doing weddings. And I

remember my first wedding. I turned up

in my little white Range Rover and a

fire because obviously I'm a lawyer, so

professionalism is always inside of me.

And that's why I said my dad's decision

and his toughness on me was the best

because

whatever I learned as a lawyer would

always be in me no matter what.

>> I turn up all professional and

[clears throat] everything must be

documented.

>> So that just made them

want to bet that this person would be

the best person to take over our event.

[clears throat]

>> And I remember charging over 20 grand

for that event.

>> Wo for their wedding.

>> One wedding. What did they eat?

>> It was table service. So I charged per

head.

>> Okay.

>> It was a table of we call it family

service whereby people will sit together

and I went in that wedding um

consultation and I said to them, "This

is it. This is it. This is it. This is

it. And this is what I'll be charging."

They went back and forth. They added

more stuff. I was charging and charging

and charging till we got to our final

bus stop. Wow.

>> But wait, how many people at 20,000? I

think we had like 250 250 guests.

>> Eat 20,000.

>> Yes.

>> Cuz they paid for so many they paid for

um [laughter]

and and what was your profit margin on

that if you'd like to

>> was over 50%. And out of bearing in mind

and out of their money I also paid for

all my because I didn't have anything.

>> Okay. So I still use their money

>> to pay for all the

>> to buy all my

>> material

>> starting equipment which was the bowls

and I still even have those bowls today

at my wedding venue.

>> Wow.

>> Yes.

>> So you had over 50%

>> profit. Yeah.

>> And then where did you move from there?

>> So that day I think after the event I

just sat down living room and I'm like

now I have this money what am I going to

do next? It's my head obviously churning

always thinking about the next thing and

an ad an advert came on on YouTube about

property and I [clears throat] was there

staring at you like property wow

what can I do property obviously my dad

being in this country and my pay mom

they have couple of properties that they

just bought here and there all around

leads and they're using it as normal

standard rent and I learned that you

could use your property as Airbnb you

could use your property as rent to rent

you. I was like, "Wow."

>> Okay.

>> So, I called my husband. I was like,

"I'm going to go for this training." And

we went for a training, one day training

in London. Came back and we decide to go

start with rent to rent. And from there,

we start buying our own property.

>> What is rent to rent?

>> Whereby you'd for example, I'll take my

parents property.

>> Yeah.

>> Rent it off them and then use as Airbnb.

>> Oh,

>> it was easy then.

>> Okay. Obviously, you made your you make

your money as quick as possible because

you're not having a huge overhead of

having to get a mortgage or buy.

>> Um, [clears throat] it was also easy to

do rent to rent because you won't have

to think about deposit for a mortgage.

>> Okay. Yeah.

>> So, manage to get two or three rent to

rent. You can raise your capital for

your next mortgage. So, we're able to do

that to raise a lot of capitals for our

properties that we own now.

>> Is rent to rent still available to date?

is available but very hard to secure.

There are some special tagline you would

have to use for even agent. I because

I've got experience can easily get rent

rent off an agent if you use the right

wordings

>> right um [clears throat]

>> like what

>> wordings so for example you not go and

say I want to rent your house to put on

Airbnb

>> okay

>> you have to come in professional let

them know why you want to rent the

property let them know

>> what you want to use this property for

>> okay

>> yes what do I want to use Airbnb no you

don't say Airbnb you let them know that

maybe potentially you want to have

corporate clients in

Who are your corporate clients? I have

corporate clients. I have doctors all

around the world that want to come and

stay with us. At the moment, we

[clears throat] have an 18bedroom Airbnb

and a 18bedroom Airbnb in Wakefield

>> and our corporate clients currently are

from Czech Republic, a glass company and

they are booking directly with us and we

have 18 bedroom. So, you can do the

numbers.

>> Wait, one month is I don't get it. like

1 month in a twobedroom

>> in a a single shared bedroom.

>> Oh, it's three grand.

>> Yes.

>> And then you have 18 of such

>> and they all coming in from Czech

Republic.

>> All they need to do is to stay, sleep,

bed, change,

and that's it.

>> No, I'm not getting it right. Like, let

me put that. Each person pays 30K.

>> No, not each person. In each room, each

room comes at 30K and you have 18 of

such.

>> Yeah.

>> Fully set up home away from home.

>> Okay.

>> Nice and luxurious for them to stay in.

>> Wow.

>> They rather stay in there because

they're new into the country. They want

to cook,

>> right? They're not from England.

>> So, they're happy to pay for that

comfort rather than going to a hotel

whereby they cannot cook. And

>> it might be cheaper to even stay in a

hotel, but they rather stay as a group.

a group together have like a community.

>> Exactly. [clears throat]

>> The 18 bed you have is it your own or is

rent to rent

>> s let's not get there yet. You you have

two more. Uh so now following the story

line you you kind of went into this

property uh you you went into food and

food to property. Why you start property

with you still running the food thing?

>> Yes. So we have to do a divide and

conquer. That's why sometimes it's great

to have a good supporting partner. One

thing I appreciate my husband for is

he's very supportive of every dream I we

both put down. So he decided that he

will be running the property

>> while I still handle the food business.

>> The food business. Wait, I I just want

to hope the answer to this is yes. Is

you're the same husband that you married

very young, right? Yeah. Thank God.

[laughter]

I was hoping like I would ask I won't

ask what I would have to cut.

[laughter]

So

>> please continue to like, continue to

subscribe, continue to comment and also

if you're interested in sharing your

story, please get across to us um just

by using um the contact details you can

see on the screen at the moment.

Diary of successful immigrants.

>> So walk me through it. How was it like

navigating yourself both of you as young

couples? Um in terms of like you were

young couples, you were running

business, you were in school. I would I

don't know if you was in school or not.

>> No, we both I it was like my final last

month of actually graduating. Okay.

>> When we got married, I was 21 going on

22.

>> Wow. Um he's just he was in the country

as a master student from Nigeria.

>> Okay. And he saw like a pretty lady and

was like no I'm not waiting longer.

[laughter]

>> Quite interesting. Yes. [laughter]

It was like oh yeah 6 months dating and

I was just like right I think that's it.

We're going to go for this.

>> But but how have you managed to stay

married with the whole achievements and

everything? Because one of the things

that is common is when people becomes

high achievers.

>> Yeah.

>> They start growing apart especially when

they start very young. How how have you

kind of kept it together?

>> To be honest, I don't know. One is crazy

and one is calm.

>> Oh, who is crazy?

>> I'm the worst. [laughter]

>> Oh yeah. I guess he knows and he's the

calm person.

>> So the calm one will always calm the

crazy one down.

>> I've got too much energy. So he's always

like potentially the one that just

cancel like don't worry everything will

be fine. I'm always on the move.

>> Okay.

>> Whereas he's like the calm one and he's

always wanting to be very calculative

whereby I'm [clears throat]

>> I'm full of fire.

>> Wait, are you are you resultoriented or

result motivated?

>> Resultori oriented. Um, so what I mean

is like having result on something

motivates you to do more. Am I right?

>> Yes.

>> Yeah. Because I I've noticed that if I

don't get enough results, I start kind

of getting tired and like [snorts] I

just I just kind of chill out.

>> I know. And that's when I want to even

fight for more.

>> Oh, serious.

>> So when I'm not getting the results I

want,

>> like for example, I'll use the bakery as

an example. where we are right now is

not very comfortable.

>> And I could have given up because it's

getting harder by the day because the

demand is really high.

>> Yeah.

>> I could have given up. But that's when I

was pushing for more. I was like, we

need a bigger bakery. We need to

literally expand. We need to we need to

we need to until I got the result which

is now having our own bigger bakery in

the center of Leeds. We're finding

places in Bradford, Debury. I kept on

saying no that's not where I want I want

somewhere that people can access people

can come to people can walk in and buy

their bread

>> and I got exactly where I wanted and

which which is was within 1 miles away

from lit centerow

>> around where very accessible on road

>> on um just I wanted to kind of pry into

something and I hope I'm I I get what I

want to get from this conversation

what what was it like um being married

young and just starting out life. Were

you broke at any point in time?

>> Oh yes we were.

>> Yeah.

>> Oh yes we were. [laughter]

I remember my law school [snorts] he had

to work both had to like figure it out

whereby he's he had to work um call

center in leads and because of his

humble nature his quality assurance

manager Ben managed to train train him

to be a business analyst because he

started as a keyway

>> which is a quality assurance person

marking calls and things and then he

realized that there's even some other

people that earn any more money and then

from there he started shadowing his

manager

>> and one day he was like do you want to

be a BA as well which is a business

analyst and that's how he got trained

and he started getting like promoted and

promoted from there he was able to get

his first contracting job

>> and years ago imagine obviously as a

young guy earning like 3 400 a day then

from there yeah

>> then as you know Nigerians it's easy for

them they're very smart easy for them to

have one or two contracts and was able

to obviously hold one or do contract

here and there

>> from there when we go into property he

said I want to resign that's how I gave

up

>> contracting

>> to go into business full time

>> business so let's start going into each

of them now how did you get seven

figures in Amazon like you're seven

figure Amazon seller how did you

>> how did you sell that [laughter]

>> yeah so when did Amazon selling actually

start for you

>> I'll say 2018

my 2017 actually and [clears throat]

today is the 17th. Am I correct?

>> Yes.

>> Marks it actually marks 8 years. I

started Amazon today.

>> Wow.

>> Yes.

>> 8 years today.

>> So what prompted it? How did you learn

about it? And what's the key behind it?

>> So I just had my daughter. She was 2

weeks old. My husband was working in

Glasgow then as um a project manager. I

was at home with two young kids alone in

the house very depressed angry

[clears throat] postnatal blue didn't

know what to do with myself and I saw

that people were selling on Amazon I

wanted to learn there was a fire in me I

just want to get out of this house and I

remember asking few friends about it I

later decided okay I'm going to self

learn few of my friends came to my

rescue they did show me the ropes on how

to do it and I go out there then Amazon

was easy to do you can just go to Aros

buy toys and sell.

>> And the fire was it was close to

Christmas. So I was it was easy for me

to go to AOS, pick up few toys, list it

on Amazon, send it off. I was like,

"Wow, I can get my money back." I saw

the profit. Imagine I went to buy more

toys. Then I'll carry my daughter

[clears throat]

just here in my car seat and I go from

every August. I had time. I'm a

full-time mom at home. Two young kids in

the back of the car. Why not? So go to

August. We'll load the car. we come back

home, send it to Amazon and that's how

Amazon started.

>> So, and then how where where are you

like how did you achieve the seven

figures [clears throat] because you like

the starting point is looking like

you'll be making [snorts] a profit

margin of £500 in a week or something

like that.

>> So, with with Amazon you have to be very

strategic.

>> You either leverage um your product or

other people's product.

>> Okay. So once you learn the your

strategy, everybody has their own

strategies.

>> So my strategy was about building my own

product line

>> and using my product line was either

sourcing for the product from China or

from the UK, bundling it together and

selling. And that was exactly what I

did.

>> So where am I? I'm a giver. I love to

give. I love gifting. I went into I

specialize in the gifting section.

>> Okay.

>> Just packing gifts, creating ampers. I

created ampers. We created ampers over

create ampers Valentine ampers mother's

day ampers father's day a hampers Easter

a hamper Christmas a h ampers think

about any hampers

>> so do you still create

>> dates

>> wow

>> dates

>> wow so you you guys are hearing and I

mean you're listening you can you can

have your own specialization on Amazon

in terms of like what you want to be

selling and before you know it trust me

you're a specialist there Um, so how did

you build it to the level that seven

figures is in millions, you get it? And

we're not talking about millions of

naira. [laughter]

>> Millions of pounds, which which is big

deal. Yeah. Yeah. How did you put it

together that you got to that level of

millions of pounds?

>> So when I talk about strategy, how do

you want to make your money?

>> I w I literally walked myself through

seasons. So we've got four quarters in

the year.

>> Okay. You got Valentine, [clears throat]

you got Mother's Day, you got Easter,

and you've got Christmas.

>> Okay,

>> Father's Day is not part of

>> Father's Day is [laughter]

it's actually not fair. Well is actually

one of our lowest selling months because

people don't really buy Git for daddies.

>> Wow.

>> It's quite sad, Dad.

>> Sorry guys.

>> You're actually the on favorite people.

[snorts]

>> So, we specialize ourselves. Okay. Which

one I which when is our highest making

money making season? Q4. So that starts

from the month of August, September,

October, November, December.

>> Put all my energy into that season.

>> No. Yeah.

>> Within that season, you've already done

like good amount of numbers.

>> And then before you finish Q4, which is

December, you're already preparing for

Valentine. Valentine, the earlier I

prepare for Valentine, you're already

killing it as well by January. And then

you're rounding that up. You're going

straight into Mother's Day because

they're like weeks apart.

>> As you're finishing that, you're going

straight into Easter. Easter comes in

different angle. Either Easter egg or

ampers. There's so many ampers you can

do for Easter. Then you have that little

rest into Father's Day, then back to

reset, summer, and K for again.

>> Yeah. Um what's it called? Uh

I I get it now. like you have like a

time schedule for all these things.

Yeah.

>> And specific products.

>> And specific products.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah. Um you also do something of you

mentioned something about selling um

your what was it called now business and

can you actually explain why?

[clears throat]

>> So once you build your brand

>> Yeah.

>> And as everybody know now we are like

computer age whereby branding is very

important. Okay,

>> for every brand you build, always think

about what's the end goal

>> because people want to buy that

business.

>> Okay,

>> every brand has a value to it. And for a

business that's doing seven figures or

six figures, someone [clears throat]

wants it.

>> So far, you're happy to show that okay,

this brand will genuinely make you

money. There's someone waiting out there

that wants to pay for that brand.

>> Wow. So I would advise any business

owner to consistently or con to always

have it behind their mind that we're

going to brand this. We're going to I'm

going to put an IP which is intellectual

property towards my name.

>> So for example your name now diary of a

successful immigrant. Have you branded

it?

>> Um I would not like to say as much as

[laughter] possible

>> because I could wake up right now

tonight and actually brand it and take

it over from you.

>> Okay.

>> Then let's fight in court.

>> Wow. But obviously won't do that.

>> But one thing I'll say as my own golden

nugget, put your brand and trademark to

this.

>> Okay?

>> Because next in the next few years, you

might become one of the biggest podcast

owner and you might want to sell it on.

>> You're worth millions because you have

value. You're bringing people on to this

show. You've got brands that will be

obviously coming towards you very soon.

Anywhere I'll be on this table as well

sponsoring

the episode. Yeah. Obviously,

we and new era would going to do

something together for season 2. Um, now

talking about selling your brand, what's

the highest you've made from selling a

brand?

>> I say quarter of a million.

>> Quarter of a million. What? Just selling

a business name?

>> A business. Not just a business name.

It's a thriving brand.

>> Okay.

>> In the US, obviously, we're selling some

of our products in the US.

>> Okay. Yeah.

>> And when it was harder to move into the

US, all I needed to do was to put that

brand for sale.

>> Oh, okay. So, you also sell in the US.

Is it via eBay or via Amazon?

>> Amazon.

>> So, some of your listings here were kind

of going into the US.

>> Yes, it's the US.

>> Wow. I I think your strategy needs to

actually be studied.

>> No, [laughter]

stay away.

>> The thing is, have you ever thought

about writing a book?

>> Um,

>> maybe when [laughter]

Maybe when I find the right person to

support me to do that.

>> Yeah. Because I feel that some of the

strategies you we are kind of like just

talking about now they are like

highlevel like business guru kind of

strategy that you you just kind of click

on it and before you know you you're up

onto the next thing. Um I want to stay

pry into your property life.

>> Okay.

>> A bit more. Uh what um beyond the rent

to rent, how were you able to kind of

now acquire much property? You said you

have a property now of 18 rooms in your

field. I know you have more than that.

You

>> how were you able to accumulate as much

as that?

>> I go through a strategy called buy,

refish, refinance, and you just rinse,

repeat, rinse, repeat. It sounds easy,

but that's exactly what it is. M

>> you get a property, you do it up because

we our model is Airbnb.

>> Okay.

>> Um if you have a good strategy for the

Airbnb, we obviously specialized in big

party group. As you can tell, all our

properties are not just one bed, two

bed, they are big bedding. I call them

big beders whereby for group of people.

>> So we work with corporate companies like

the council, like NHS whereby when they

pay they pay big. They don't just pay in

pennies.

>> So that kind of bulk money they're good

to

>> use for

>> new investment.

>> New investment. So for example when the

COS um doctors were coming into the

country our property was one of the and

it's very close to the Perfield

hospital.

>> Okay. and just reached out to us and say

we'd like you to host a couple of

doctors and we did. Majority of the

doctors are still like really good

closenate friends with my husband

because they've that literally bought

their own houses and they're reaching

out to my husband now or

>> can you guide me on this can you guide

me on that because we were able to

support the NHS and they were paying in

big bulk pay like funds. Just to put

context into this, are you the owner of

that doctor's lodge that the Pinda Feed

Hospital uses is a bit is I've dropped a

doctor there before is some like 2 3

minutes or 5 minutes drive from there.

>> Ours is ours could be I'm trying to see

how far. No, ours is like close to 8

minutes drive, but it's definitely not

called Doctor's Lodge.

>> So, no, I just know that new doctors.

>> It might be because obviously my husband

handles all the property.

>> All I see is the earnings.

>> Okay. [laughter]

before like you're coming from Wakefield

is before you get to the hospital the

Pinderfield one I know

>> is very close to the Trinity Stadium

>> Trinity I I I don't know but I know this

place because one of the doctors was

stay like

>> oh no doctor's lodge would have been

actually owned by the NHS if I'm correct

>> okay

>> yeah [snorts] doctor's because that

would be something that NHS then but

it's not that much property there

>> no yeah so and doctor's lodges would

obviously be temporary

Yeah. How many properties do you have

now?

>> I don't want to I would not want to

mention but yeah [laughter]

>> like but let's let's see how many rooms

can you can you say?

>> I say close to 60 if I'm correct.

>> 60 or more.

>> Wow.

>> And this is obviously just overhearing

what my husband was saying the other

day. Yeah.

>> This episode is proudly sponsored by

Kofa Juice. Rooted in culture, brewed in

honor.

>> Diary of successful immigrants.

>> Um, how did you find yourself into

bread? Like what brought about bread?

You already making money. Why stress

with bread again? [snorts]

>> To be honest with you,

[clears throat]

I love constant change.

>> Okay.

>> And earlier this year, I had so much

that was going on in the space of my

business and I just wanted a change.

>> Yeah. And I think one of the biggest

thing about Amazon is the fact that

there's one big god called Jeff Bezos,

wherever he is, that controls your

earnings.

>> And they [clears throat] make this he he

makes the decision. So think about it.

You're selling on this platform.

It's taking 30 close to 30% of whatever

you're making

>> of your profit

>> of your profit. And

it's for me as much no matter how much

I'm making I want to be in control as

well.

>> So I decided to obviously go back to my

own higher authority which was God and I

said I wanted I want to change and

during that time I had very clearly go

back to your pinnacle. I'm very

spiritfilled and one of the biggest

thing about me is like I I try to listen

to God

>> and I remember seeking his face for so

many days and I heard go back to your

pinnacle. Go back going back to my

pinnacle means going back to my

beginning which is obviously Anna's

kitchen but I don't want to cook anymore

>> and I heard the word bread.

>> I didn't know anything about bread.

I didn't know what to do. I just had to

start. I just had to follow that word

bread. And from the moment I had the

word bread, I took that vision and I ran

with it.

>> From not knowing how to bake, from not

knowing how to how to formulate baker's

percentage.

>> I just had to trust the process which

was God. I asked so many people for

help. I asked so many people for

support. But they had to let me down

>> because God needed to show that he was

in the journey. And through that

journey, it proved to me that it was an

instruction from him. And even up to the

name New Era, I wasn't able to name that

bread new era. I was just praying one

day and God said, "Go to this person,

ask her for the name." And this, she's

my evangelism partner and

[clears throat] she looked at me and

said, "No era."

>> Yeah. We I want you to share this story.

You said that um we we [clears throat]

had this conversation off camera before

and you mentioned about the fact about

the time that God woke you up and I want

you to share that because it's kind of a

bit profound

>> from the moment I heard the word bread.

>> Mhm.

>> I remember help asking for some someone

that already works in the bakery to give

me recipe and help me out. This person

let me down on so many occasions. drove

all the way to Manchester for this,

still letting me down. And I remember

coming home and I prayed, I cried that

night. I said to God, I said, "God, I

need you to show me exactly that you are

the one that gave this vision." That

same evening,

my evangelistic partner was on the phone

and I said to I said, "I can hear what

God is saying." He thought it was a

joke. I took my pen and paper and I was

writing. I have a book that I wrote so

many recipe that failed. But on this

occasion, this recipe did not fail

because all I said to God was that it

needs to work.

>> And as I was, it was going through each

failed recipe and God would say, "That

one, that one, that one." I could hear

the Holy Spirit. We're joking. She was

talking, I was mixing. Immediately, I

put the bread in the oven. Bread came

out. It was exactly what we wanted. It

was soft. It was fluffy. It was

beautiful.

>> Wow. And I showed her, I remember

kneeling down in my kitchen and I sang

the song, all the glory must be unto God

because he was the one that gave me that

recipe. Nobody stood by me apart from

Holy Spirit that walked with me that

night.

>> Wow.

>> And when I finished, I heard the word

and say that God of God saying, "Take

this bread to two stores."

>> As I got to those stores, the owner of

the stores did not choose the bread. It

was the customers that walked in and

said they wanted to buy the bread. And I

remember both owners saying they are

samples, but just because they wanted to

fuel your righteousness, they allowed

the customers to pay for it

>> and they took the bread away. And that

was the sign. And God said to me, he

said, "That is a sign to show you that

this bread is going to be a global

demand."

>> And right there, I was I was like, "So

what we going to call this bread?" And I

heard the word, "Go and meet this

person. She will tell you the name." I

drove all the way from Wakefield to

Dubsbury to ask for the name of my

bread.

>> And that was how New Era came through.

And during that journey, God said, I'm

going to take you through through the

journey to the new era.

>> Wow. When talk me about technology. Uh

what's also you also into technology?

What what's up with technology? What are

you also doing there?

>> Um I love AI artificial intelligence and

I'm currently doing my doctorate degree

in

artificial intelligence. W

>> at the University of York and one of the

biggest thing for me is we are moving

very fast. Speed of light

>> we need to understand that everything AI

is coming to take over

>> and it's only people that pivot that

would work with it. So during that the

time of my my waiting season, I started

learning how to use to build agents,

chat agents that can run our businesses

because we have a wedding venue. And one

of the first agents we built, myself and

my husband, was an agent that can

actually speak to customers without we

being in there

>> that can take bookings and actually

complete a booking

>> process

>> process without human in loop.

>> Wow.

>> And we successfully did that.

>> Wow. and any organization would need

that. So what I'll do is I'll go to

maybe a dentist and say right I can

build you an agent.

>> I've had to put you on hold now because

of the bakery but it's something that

will be taking on board again from next

year.

>> Um yeah I I'll start rounding off now

but I wanted to say so you started

business let's assume you start business

officially after uni. Now, how many

years is that?

>> I'll say that's 15 15 16 years ago. 16

years ago.

>> 16 years ago.

>> And if you want to kind of mention your

business net worth now in the orders of

how many millions? Tens of millions or

hundreds of millions?

>> No.

No. I don't know. Maybe we need to get

my my accountants to do the valuation.

But

>> about saying the orders of tens of

millions.

>> I don't know. [laughter] I understand my

network.

>> You would not want to confirm.

>> Wait, it's not even tens of millions.

I'll be talking about hundreds of

millions.

>> Oh, yeah. We'll get there. We'll get

there.

>> Yeah, because we're talking about 60

rooms and all these things and

>> but then there's their numbers.

>> No, no, no. I'm just saying like when

people say Tesla is worth or what's it

called? Um, Elon Mus is worth this

amount. You get what I mean? People are

talking about Tesla and all those

things, but then it's not just here.

>> We'll take that off camera. [laughter]

>> Yeah, we'll take that off camera.

>> We take that from my village people are

calling me.

>> Yeah. [laughter and clears throat] But

what why I'm trying to just put numbers

perspective to that is I want to tell

our viewers and I want to show to our

viewers what you can achieve. You get

what I mean? So, you know, there are

people that set a target of I want to

make my million within the next 20

years. You get what I mean? first

million pounds blah blah blah you get

what I mean and all those things but

while I was putting a bit of context to

that is to show them that within a 15

year time space you get

>> it's achievable

>> it's achievable what's your biggest

downfall because it looks like it's all

been rosy you just pop up with this new

idea it passed the next idea it passed

you ever failed in business before

>> I failed very well I failed

professionally I failed excellently.

>> Wow. Can you share one or two?

>> Investing in the wrong product.

>> Okay.

>> So remember in 2022 when um World Cup

was ongoing that year. Prior to that we

had a very fantastic summer because it

was the coronation year where the queen

had her 70th coronation. Okay.

>> Um, we sold a lot of merchandise and I

did so excellently and I'm not talking

about in tunes of thousands. I did

hundreds of thousands. So excellently.

One line did over 150,000.

>> Wow.

>> And I was confident that because I did

so well that summer

>> I can actually replicate that for World

Cup. World Cup was in Qatar

>> between November and December.

>> And at the same time it's Christmas.

They've stopped English people from

drinking. So automatically people that

were going there to watch the football

didn't even bother. So we've already

invested in a lot of merchandise. We've

ordered a lot from China, from suppliers

ready to push it out in hundreds of

thousands bang when it was time. I think

I only sold 10k worth of product.

>> Wo.

>> So the rest did not move.

>> So what did you do to the rest?

>> We had to bring in a container. We're

paying story J. It was it was a lot but

do you know what you lose you win some

you fail some you lose some and that was

my own biggest loss

>> biggest was tell me another law story

that you have actually in business I

want

>> property during co

>> okay

>> um we actually obviously lose we lost

two or three of our properties during

COVID because we couldn't meet up with

the payment there was just so many

outgoings Airbnb was down because our

Airbnb was our bread and butter then

>> and we couldn't host any party guest.

Bearing in mind that we have big houses,

five bedrooms, six bedrooms that would

host party guests. So, we specialize to

that's why I said in business always

have a strategy.

>> What is your strategy?

>> Our strategy was we wanted party guests.

People that will come into leads, rent

our property, stay for the weekend, and

pay us a grand. So, you have 10

property, you're already making 10 grand

that week. Mhm.

>> So because our strategy was party guests

and they are huge properties, we

couldn't host party guests. Those

properties were shut down during

lockdown.

>> So few of them that we had to return we

had to return the keys back to the bank.

>> Yeah.

>> Wow. That is

that is a deed of the law in terms of

like losing. So if I want to ask you how

many business do you have running

concurrently at the moment?

I say five. [clears throat]

>> Whoa.

[laughter]

Whoa.

>> Yeah. Um, what's your biggest advice to

anybody that is actually trying to start

a business?

>> Never give up.

>> Never give up.

>> Yeah.

>> As in never give up.

>> Um, I think my producer is already

looking at me that I need to kind

[laughter] of this episode now. Yeah. So

let me let's let's kind of wrap this up

with some quick fire question. Uh

um I would start with what was the first

breakthrough moment that made you

believe that greatness was possible in

business?

>> I [clears throat] think it was it was

our Airbnb business.

>> Oh okay.

>> Yeah. I think the first time we made our

first 10K I was like wow this is good.

We can do this.

>> Wow. Thank you. Within

>> in a week.

>> One weekend.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah.

>> So, you say

>> we can do this. We can replicate this.

We can do more.

>> Wait. How does it feel when you kind of

make a lot of money?

>> It feels good. [laughter] It feels good.

>> You just lie down there. You're just

like, "Right, what next?"

>> What? Uh, you just like,

>> what does it feel like? Have you

actually lived on check to check from

one check to the other as well? So what

was difference between both is for

somebody maybe like just out there still

living on check to check and he's

thinking should I go into business

should I not blah blah blah and all

those things

>> my biggest advice to such person is

think about it what have you got to lose

currently you're living on check to

check why don't you take a gamble on

yourself to go into your own hustle

that's if the person has it in them

either you upskill or you go into your

own hustle to get you to make more

money.

>> More money.

>> You've got nothing to lose.

>> Yeah. Back to our quick fire question.

Was there someone that believed in you

um even more than you believed in

yourself for business?

>> I would say my biggest supporter is my

husband.

>> Okay.

>> He believes in ME SO MUCH. SOMETIMES I'M

ALWAYS WORRIED FOR HIM. [laughter]

>> WAIT. What's the What's the craziest

idea you've given to your husband that

you want to do as business?

>> Move to Saudi Arabia.

Seriously?

>> Yeah. To start a business there.

[laughter]

And what did he say? [laughter]

>> You're crazy. But guess what? He brought

his laptop out and he was looking for

the was looking for our next flight to

Saudi.

>> Wow. Wow.

>> But as myself, I'd carry myself to God

and started praying.

>> Shall I? Because the Bible says David

inquired and said, "Shall I shall I

not?" And I did. Exactly. I didn't hear

from God. And one thing my spiritual

father would say is I do not take God

silence as an authority to move further.

>> So that silence was don't go and I had

to stay back.

>> Yeah. Um turning talking about um like

your growing up in this country. How did

you turn cultural differences into

strength you know like all those

bullying and everything that you went

through. How did you turn it into

strength?

>> We had two option. either I become one

of those

mentally depressed messed up child or

>> show your bully that you could be

better.

>> I think that was my strength.

>> And I think one of the biggest part of

it is a bully actually came to one of my

warehouses to apply for job.

>> Whoa.

>> Walking through that door and seeing

that bully means a lot to me.

>> Wow. Did the person recognize you?

>> He did.

>> He did.

>> He did.

>> Wow.

>> Obviously, I interviewed him. I wasn't

going to hire him.

>> No, I would have.

>> No, I wasn't going to hire him.

>> I would hire him. [laughter]

>> Should I?

>> I wasn't going to hire him.

[laughter]

>> Do you know what? Such people will have

a resentment because you're now doing

better than them.

>> No, but but then let's just let's let me

just wear my Nigerian cap for a

[laughter] moment. I said I could hire

him at five after two months.

>> Well, the truth is the legal part the

legal brain in me would not want any

litigation.

>> So, I'd rather not even start a battle

that I cannot finish. So,

>> I didn't I didn't I didn't I didn't

progress with it.

>> Yeah. No problem. So, um at the moment,

what what legacy are you building for

the future?

A

>> legacy?

>> Yeah.

>> Of sustainability.

a legacy that my children don't have to

work like a platform that they don't

have to work hard. They don't have to

work crazy to be able to push things

further.

>> Yeah.

>> A legacy of

self-sufficienc

just just to say enough at this time.

>> Nothing. There's there's no amount of

money we make. That would be enough.

>> Wow.

>> Maybe if I win a lottery, I'll give up

and just say I'll go and rest.

>> But wait, how much lottery do you want

to win? That would be bigger than what

you have at the moment.

>> Maybe maybe if I win lottery

>> 1 billion pounds

>> maybe. Yeah. I'll then go to an island

and but I won't even stop working

because if I stop then I'm sick.

>> Wow. [laughter]

>> I have to keep going.

>> Um

I don't know.

So uh what's what's next for you? What

business idea is kind of [snorts]

kind of playing around your mind at the

moment now?

>> No, at the moment we're just at the

moment we're working actively.

>> I know new era is what you're working at

actively and it's kind of gradually

getting it forward but I I I feel there

would already be something in your head

saying

>> this might be looking like the next

thing.

>> Yes, there is actually.

>> Yeah. What is it? Don't worry nobody

will do it. [laughter]

>> I think there is um

there is a shortage of and nobody would

do it definitely.

>> Yeah.

>> But there's a high demand of our African

food in the country

>> high demand.

So as a business owner you be thinking

what's next? Do you realize that there's

a like there are planes that are going

to be shortly from

a route to London?

>> Wow.

>> Every two days.

>> Every two days.

>> So think about it.

>> Wow.

>> Are you are we going to sit on the

sideline or are we going to invest in

it?

>> So that's the next line.

>> As you were saying that, what I even

thought you wanted to say is you want to

start growing some of our African food.

Yeah.

>> That's part of it to London. So

[laughter]

that's fine.

>> I've already got my numbers.

>> Yeah.

>> Um I've already got the statistics of

what food would grow, what food would

would mature within weeks

>> such as chili pepper, hydroponics.

>> Yeah, hydroponics. That's what I was

thinking.

>> Hydroponics. We're actively working on

it.

>> And then you get set up a greenhouse and

all these

>> hydroponics

farmland and things which

>> these things which the government

supports a lot.

>> Yes. and I have poetry that has

obviously opened our mind to that. So

that's obviously has enabled us to move

further into the farming world.

>> Yeah. Two two things before we go. Can

can you can can we get some of our

viewers um especially in this country?

Yeah.

>> That trying to break into the business

what is it called now? Business

um space in this country. Can you mentor

them for a month?

>> I'd love to.

>> Yeah. So giving back

>> I would I I can make sure I organize 10

and then you give them one hour one hour

sessions you get what I mean for like

four weeks we can organize the time. So,

if you're watching this, you get what I

mean. And um if you if you want if you

just kind of want to be mentored into

doing proper business, I'd say that

like, share, subscribe, share it as much

as you want on thread, on Twitter,

sorry, on X, on uh Facebook, Instagram,

comment on what's it called? On YouTube,

let us notice you that you want it. Now,

as much as you want it, that that's what

you would get. So just go on our page,

keep saying I want it everywhere you can

and interact with it and trust me you

you would obviously get your chance in

terms of like meeting with her in person

and getting the she would give you

organic not all those textbook things

that would not work. You get what I

Yeah. She would give you organic and now

you can break into the market. Yeah.

Thank you very very much. Now, if your

your life is or your story is to be a

headline, what would it say

>> about it?

>> Yeah. What would your kind of story say

in terms of it if it's meant to be a

headline? What would you what would you

convert it? What would you like it to

say?

>> The girl that never gives up.

>> All right, that's it. [laughter]

All right. Thank you so so much. Um I

know that there's still a bit of

philanthropy that you do in terms of

like um um what's it called ladies and

mentoring women. I was checking your

proper yeah am I right? you have a women

group and other things like that um that

we have not explored as much but um in

our upcoming season or the season

afterward I would like to like you to

kind of walk me around because I want to

do an outdoor recording in summer such

that we walk around and see put pictures

and perspective to some of this business

and then so I think I'm going to record

you and your husband [laughter]

and then she would put a better a better

perspectives to some of the things you

said. Once again, thank you so much.

>> Thank you for having me.

>> Yeah, thank you so much, guys. Um, it's

been it's been a lovely episode speaking

to Anu. I mean, she's she's she's she's

business. Let me just put it that way.

She's business by herself. She just

thinks about it every second, every day,

and every hour. And um um catch you on

the next one. This is Diary of

Successful Immigrants. Bye. [music]

>> [music]

>> Hey,

hey,