Another exciting entrepreneurship story rings your bell. It’s that of Rhemites Nursery and Primary School. Below is the conversation we had with its proprietress, Olayinka Awokoya…..
Can you introduce yourself to our avid readers?
My name is Mrs Olayinka Awokoya, proprietress of Rhemites Nursery and Primary School popolularly known as Rhema Kids.
Can you tell us a little about your background?
I studied Integrated Science at NCE level and Mathematics Education at Degree level. At both levels, I schooled part-time and was teaching while schooling. When I was in my third year in University, I had already taught for nine years. I wanted to do something on my own and started believing God for one. Then, the idea of creche came into my mind. So, I started a creche in my apartment for toddlers. In August of that year, I had summer classes for all grades. After summer, a parent wanted her child to stay back as a result of the child’s improvement and that was how our grade classes started.
What does your company do?
Basically, we educate children on how to read and write.
What inspired you to start Rhemites Nursery And Primary School?
I just wanted to do something on my own.
Can we meet your team?
I have my husband as the school director, I, as the proprietress, 12 teaching staff and 6 non-teaching staff.
What have been your major achievements?
It is to see that our graduands are excelling even up to college level. Also, our school will be eight by July and we have over 200 students.
What have been your major challenges and how have you been able to overcome them?
Basically, money has been the major challenge. You need money to have a standard school. To overcome this, we have always discounted our school fees which increases the number of children and in turn increases our revenue base. We seek for funds outside the school and also get financial support from friends and family.
How are your services different from that of your competitors?
We are known for our ability to ensure that every child with an academic challenge is sorted out. We look out for academically challenged students and help them improve.
What are your future prospects?
We envision Rhemites Nursery and Primary School attaining increased growth and expansion, having pre-school, elementary and college in different branches all around.
There is a predominant perceived limitation of entrepreneurship as lack of capital, how were you able to raise capital?
I believe you will have capital problems when you want to start big. Teaching is simple to complex and that’s how business should grow. I started with a creche in my apartment with majorly N20,000 and gradually, the business grew with the funds we got from the school.
Share with us your personal philosophy of success
To be successful, you need God. When you have God, everything will work out as long as you are not lazy.
What advice will you give to anyone dreaming of starting their own business?
Go to God for the right business path. A business may be good but not good for you.
So, we hope this entrepreneurship series is inspiring you. Let us know how you feel. Kindly send us an email at financial.literate@yahoo.com
Originally posted on April 23rd 2018 on www.thefinancialliterate.wordpress.com (A previous version of The Financial Literate)
Entrepreneurship Stories That Inspire: Olayinka Awokoya (Proprietress, Rhemites Nursery and Primary School)
