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FROM 9-5 HUSTLE TO ENTREPRENEUR BUSTLE (Part 1)


Right from my university days, I knew that I wasn't cut out for a 9-5 job so I made a mental note to start my own business right after graduation.

During lectures, I would often catch myself in class daydreaming about my business empire. I could describe it vividly to anyone who care to hear about what my office looked like, the number of staff working for me and of course, the annual returns in dollars.

In my final year, I moved from daydreaming to visualising and documenting what I saw in my mind's eyes. I was so sure that starting my business would be a piece of fresh baked cake. Oh boy, was I wrong!

My final examinations dragged for so long, I thought the year will never come to an end. Impatiently, I waited for the graduation ceremony. Then there was the compulsory NYSC. It was as if the government and the school authority conspired to delay the start of my business.

Suddenly I finished service and life happened to me. I didn't need a prophet to tell me to get a job or die hungry. After 5 months of fience battle in the labour market, I got employed in a bank. As if working in a 9-5 job wasn't enough nightmare, the hostile experience as a marketer added salt to the injury.

Plus I had to spend excruciating hours in horrible traffic every working day. I would wake up at wee hours in the morning to leave for work by 5am and return home late at night. For two years I didn't know my neighbours and it was impossible to hang out with friends because of the crazy schedule at work.

I didn't understand why anyone will live like that but then again, I needed the money. So the 'armed robber' salary as we called it back then, became a strong motivation to endure the misery. At work, I was compelled to sit in after marketing and do routine work I wasn’t even passionate about. This made me depressed, unhappy and frustrated.

I changed my job three times yet real joy, peace and satisfaction were missing in my life despite the money I was earning. Finally I resigned from my job and revived my dream of owning a business empire. Then I took the bold step and started my business with only passion and little  knowledge about building a business. So it wasn't a surprise when I began to sink like a metal object thrown into the sea.

I struggled to make my business work, sacrificing all I had including my savings but everything crumbled. Just when I was about to give up, I found people who taught me how to climb the robes in business.

To be continued...


By Anita Okanighe-John


Anita helps entrepreneurs and businesses build system and sustainable structure for high performance and growth.

#fromdreamtoreality
#doitafraid
#buildyourbusinessempire
#impossibleisnothing
#startup
#entrepreneurship

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