You are currently viewing Never give up on your dreams, God makes no mistakes. If He gave you the dream, He would come through for you – Segun Olalere, Founder, Stone Cafe, Ibadan
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Frontline Ibadan-based entrepreneur, Asiwaju Segun Olalere, spoke to The Podium Magazine’s Ademola Akinbola on his recent business forays and his success story.

Tell us about yourself

I am Asiwaju Segun Olalere. I was born on March 14th in Ibadan. My parents are from Ibadan, Chief Kolawole and Lola Olalere (both deceased). I grew up in Ibadan, and I have fond memories of the ancient city. I lived at several places in Ibadan and interacted with all manner of people, building goodwill in the process. This made me a very sociable person and equally understanding of diverse characters. I am now enjoying networking in my business.

Education & Qualifications

  • Queens of Apostle, Oluyoro, Oke-Offa
  • Bashorun Ojoo High School, Ashi, Ibadan
  • Loyola College, Ibadan
  • The Polytechnic Ibadan (HND Marketing)
  • University of Greenwich (B.A Hons in International Business, and MBA.
  • Diploma in Project Management.  

I also have several certifications. We never really stop learning

What’s the vision behind StoneCafé?

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It’s always been my dream and desire to have something like this; especially something befitting for Ibadan. I have travelled a bit and I have always cringed at the fact that just about anything goes in my beloved City, despite the profits the owners rake from Ibadan. So, from the get-go, we had it in mind to do something that will be a sort of tourist attraction; something people would really wonder if it’s really in Ibadan. To the glory of God, this has been the case.

That’s why we ensured that we added “Ibadan”- (Stone Café Ibadan) as a suffix to our brand name from inception so people would know it’s actually in that same ancient City. Furthermore, we wanted to ensure that people actually get value for money and exceptional service for their patronage, so it won’t just be about a top-notch ambiance.

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To the glory of God, we have been successful at this. Special thanks to the people of Ibadan and beyond for accepting what we came up with, and associating with our brand. We promise to do even much more.

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How has it been since you started?

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We all know how difficult it’s for start-ups in Nigeria. No one wanted to help and it was almost impossible to get credit facilities. I relocated in 2014 from the UK to set up the business here and like we learnt in business school, I knew that location was very pivotal to the business. In fact, it was the most important in my order of importance. I got the property in 2014 and then came through an almost insurmountable mountain. It was hard to get funds to continue. There seemed to be a brick wall everywhere I turned. I quickly became the butt of jokes, and many thought I was mad for holding on to my dreams. First-year become the third year and the project looked very bleak.

But I kept my faith and head up high. Everything I earned went into the project. There were many days I would come here all alone, break down and just pray and cry! God was all I had and my heart I poured out to Him often. I will not hurriedly forget how many friends told me to let go of the dream but I kept moving, even though it was like a crawl. I just wouldn’t let go of my dreams. It took six long years! And that’s why I say to everyone out there to never give up on themselves.

I had many moments of doubt but I held on regardless. To everyone reading this, never give up on your dreams! God makes no mistakes! If He gave you the dream, He would come through for you. And that’s where I got the name from; “the stone the builders rejected, has now become the chief cornerstone”.  Finally, we opened for business on January 3, 2020. Exactly six years after and we have been growing in leaps and bounds.

What’s the unique value you are offering your customers?

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Our promise is kept in every bite and an unequaled service and ambiance. We also encourage productive networking amongst our clientele and this has been very successful.

What are your plans for new products and business expansion?

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I laugh when people say Ibadan is an emerging market. Ibadan has been a major commercial nerve centre for years, but many haven’t taken proper cognizance of this. There is a plethora of multinationals in the city. There is no bank without several branches here (some of them a few meters apart) and you would be amazed at how many highly sociable people in Nigeria have one or more homes here.

From my personal study, I have seen that the “open day” of many businesses in Nigeria rake in more money here than anywhere else. The narrative of Ibadan people only being “Amala-eating people” is long obsolete. So, this is my call to everyone out there looking for a viable place to do business, Ibadan is the in-thing! Ibadan is a seriously untapped goldmine. It would also amaze you the relative peace we enjoy here; the ease of vehicular traffic and the attendant low cost of getting things done. And as a footnote, the entertainment business really has a lot to do with your social currency as an individual.

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It’s imperative to state here that we are soon opening a new branch in Ibadan and we have a partnership with NYSC to start a branch there, so that corp members can enjoy good meals and great service, and also contribute in changing the ugly narratives about camp experiences. We are also starting StoneCafé Lagos x StoneCafé USA x StoneCafé London shortly. Our Club: Stone Cathedral is also in the offing.

Which other businesses do you run?

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Multi Bizworth, a procurement and general services company, and Dropbox Logistics.

What are your core values and life philosophy?

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Those I doubt, I don’t deal with, and those I deal with, I don’t doubt. Life is best when shared, so I’m very big on communal living.

What’s your definition of success?

Success is measured by impact. I measure success by how many lives I have been able to touch meaningfully at the end of the day.

Tell us about your success story. How did you get to the top?

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Can we really say we are at the top yet? Success however can be measured at different stages of our lives. And success to me goes beyond business success. Success includes family, sound health, good and productive relationships, the ability to see and meet the needs of others and many more. I am very accessible to those around me, and the ultimate goal is to see how I can make their journey much easier. Many people become highly productive with just a little push and motivation. And in this, I think I have been successful at different stages of my life, hence you see a lot of young entrepreneurs around me and my business.

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What are your success tips?

Be diligent to know the state of your flock, be cognizant of the running of your business. I never dabble in any business I don’t have adequate knowledge of the intricacies.  I’m known for this; no matter how attractive a business plan is, I want to get full knowledge first.

What are the challenges you have faced in life, and how did you overcome them?

I think I already itemized some of them earlier. But living itself is a challenge. The world is so fast-paced that what is presently useful or important might become obsolete the next minute. So, I have ensured that I stay abreast of the dynamics. I am very involved in the trends, even as I am a trendsetter too. I always avail myself of new ways of doing old things even as I completely embrace the new technology too. This is how I have been on top of my game.

What were you doing before you started Stone Cafe?

The last business was Multi-Bizworth; a company that imported very solid wood doors into Nigeria.

What would be your advice for young entrepreneurs?

No one is you, and that’s your first claim to fame. True success is impacting your world with investments in your personality, and that one thing you have that no other person has is your personality! So, make it so resourceful that people are willing to pay to have you around. Become so invaluable that you naturally become an asset. No time spent on YOU is a waste!

Do you have an important success story, news, or opinion article to share with with us? Get in touch with us at publisher@thepodiummedia.com or ademolaakinbola@gmail.com Whatsapp +1 317 665 2180

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