From struggle to success: Alex Udeze’s entrepreneural journey in real estate

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Growing up in Enugu, Alex Udeze learned the value of self-reliance at an early age. As a teenager, he ventured into entrepreneurship to meet his needs, starting with a video rental shop at just 16 years old. This early foray into business was driven by the fear of financial hardship and a sense of responsibility as an older sibling in a large family.

Today, Alex is the co-founder of Distress Property Market Ltd (DPM), a thriving player in the real estate industry. His journey into entrepreneurship was born out of necessity and inspired by the dream of financial independence.

The idea behind DPM and its Distress Capital Investment instrument was a combination of two passions: property ownership and financial independence. These are often considered the ultimate goals for individuals. Alex and his partner, Lyris, aimed to create a brand that would help people achieve these dreams.

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However, the path to success was not without its challenges. In a new field with no formal education in real estate or track record, trust issues were a significant hurdle. The real estate world’s “near-success” syndrome, where deals could fall through at the last moment, was another obstacle. Despite reaching the verge of closing deals, clients sometimes had a change of heart, making it a discouraging journey.

To overcome these challenges, Alex and his team developed a structured approach that prioritized trust and integrity in every transaction. They learned that good intentions alone were insufficient in the real estate business.

Building the right team was another vital aspect of the journey. Alex had to adapt his leadership style to be both approachable and firm. This balancing act was necessary to navigate the complexities of managing people and nurturing a dream team.

The turning point in Alex’s entrepreneurial career came when he closed his first deal, a distress sale that was purchased for 120 million naira and resold for 160 million naira in less than a month in Lekki. This marked the company’s transformation, leading to team expansion and the establishment of key performance indicators and deliverables.

For aspiring entrepreneurs entering a competitive market, Alex emphasizes that consistency, intentionality, integrity, and time are essential. Even in crowded niches, there is room to dominate with passion and effort.

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As for the future of Distress Property Market Ltd, it is expanding rapidly, becoming a go-to destination for property buyers looking for below-market value deals in Lagos. Plans are underway to establish an Abuja branch and expand to other African countries, including Egypt, South Africa, Liberia, and Kenya.

With new products like the distress capital investment instrument and partnerships with major Nigerian banks, the company’s future looks promising. The journey from a small video rental shop in front of his father’s house to a prominent name in the real estate sector showcases the remarkable entrepreneurial success of Alex Udeze and Distress Property Market Ltd.

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sanya-onayoade

Sanya Onayoade

Continental Editor, North America

SANYA ONAYOADE is a graduate of Mass Communication and a Master of Communication Arts degree holder from the University of Ibadan. He has attended local and international courses on Media, Branding, Public Relations and Corporate Governance in many institutions including the University of Pittsburgh; Reuters Foundation of Rhodes University, South Africa and Lagos Business School. He has worked in many newspaper houses including The Guardian and The Punch. He was the pioneer Corporate Affairs Manager of Odua Telecoms Ltd, and later Head of Business Development and Marketing of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO Plc).

He has led business teams to several countries in the US, Asia and Europe; and was part of an Aviation investment drive in West Africa. He has also driven media and brand consultancy for a few organizations such as the British Council, Industrial Training Fund, PKF Audit/Accounting Firm and Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme. He is a Fellow of Freedom House, Washington DC, and also Fellow of Institute of Brand Management of Nigeria. Sanya is a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Project Management Institute (PMI). He is a 1998 Commonwealth Media Awards winner and the Author of A Decade Of Democracy.
Morak Babajide-Alabi

Morak Babajide-Alabi

Continental Editor, Europe

Morak Babajide-Alabi is a graduate of Mass Communication with a Master of Arts Degree in Journalism from Napier University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He is an experienced Social Media practitioner with a strong passion for connecting with customers of brands.

Morak works as part of a team currently building an e-commerce project for the Volkswagen Group UK. Before this, he worked on the social media accounts of SKODA, Audi, SEAT, CUPRA, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. In this job, he brought his vast experience in journalism, marketing, and search engine optimisation to play to make sure the brands are well represented on social media. He monitored the performance of marketing campaigns and data analysis of all volumes of social media interaction for the brands.

In his private capacity, Morak is the Chief Operating Officer of Syllable Media Limited, an England-based marketing agency with head office in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The agency handles briefs such as creative writing, ghostwriting, website designs, and print and broadcast productions, with an emphasis on search engine optimisation. Syllable Media analyses, reviews, and works alongside clients to maximise returns on their businesses.

Morak is a writer, blogger, journalist, and social media “enthusiast”. He has several publications and projects to his credit with over 20 years of experience writing and editing for print and online media in Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Morak is a dependable team player who succeeds in a high-pressure environment. He started his professional career with the flagship of Nigerian journalism – The Guardian Newspapers in 1992 where he honed his writing and editing skills before joining TELL Magazine. He has edited, reported for, and produced newspapers and magazines in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Morak is involved in the development of information management tools for the healthcare sector in Africa. He is on the board of DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited, a company with branches in London, Lagos, and Abuja, to make healthcare information available at the fingertips of professionals. DeMiTAG HealthConcepts Limited achieved this by collaborating with notable informatics companies. It had partnered in the past with Avia Informatics Plc and i2i TeleSolutions Pvt.

Out of work, Morak loves walking and also volunteers on the board of a few UK Charity Organisations. He can be reached via http://www.syllablemedia.com
Ademola-Akinbola

Ademola Akinbola

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Brief Profile of Ademola Akinbola

Ademola AKINBOLA is an author, publisher, trainer, digital marketing strategist, and a brand development specialist with nearly three decades of experience in the areas of branding, communication, corporate reputation management, business development, organizational change management, and digital marketing.

He is the Founder and Head Steward at BrandStewards Limited, a brand and reputation management consultancy. He is also the Publisher of The Podium International Magazine, Ile-Oluji Times, and Who’s Who in Ile-Oluji.

He had a successful media practice at The Guardian, Punch and This Day.

He started his brand management career at Owena Bank as Media Relations Manager before joining Prudent Bank (now Polaris Bank) as the pioneer Head of Corporate Affairs.

The British Council appointed him as Head of Communication and Marketing to co-ordinate branding and reputation management activities at its Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt offices.

In 2007, he was recruited as the Head of Corporate Planning and Strategy for the Nigerian Aviation Handling company. He led on the branding, strategic planning and stakeholder management support function.

His job was later expanded and redesigned as Head of Corporate Communication and Business Development with the mandate to continue to execute the Board’s vision in the areas of Corporate Planning and Strategy, Branding and New Businesses.

In 2010, he voluntarily resigned from nacho aviance to focus on managing BrandStewards, a reputation and brand management firm he established in 2003. BrandStewards has successfully executed branding, re-branding and marketing communication projects for clients in the private and public sectors.

Ademola obtained a M.Sc. Degree in Digital Marketing & Web Analytics from Dublin Institute of Technology in 2016, and the Master of Communication Arts degree of the University of Ibadan in 1997. He had previously obtained a Higher National Diploma (with Upper Credit) in Mass Communication from Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta.

He has published several articles and authored five management books.

He has benefitted from several domestic and international training programmes on Brand Management, Corporate Communications, Change Management and Organizational Strategy.
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