I was driven by passion to be my own employer- Olumide Abe, co-founder, Smide Communication

Chibuzo Ihegboro

Olumide Samuel Abe took his lessons from the school of hard knocks. He knew very early that no one ever becomes great by working all his life for someone else. Hence, he started out early looking for his own greatness. By perseverance, foresight and falling back on a side business, he achieved his ambition. Today, he has founded a thriving advertising firm, Smide Communication. In this interaction with The Nigerian Xpress, he looked back at the path he had taken and the lessons learnt along the way.

How did you get to where you are today?

I started in 2002 as an IT employee. I worked for Eleganza. But I was not fulfilled. I’d look at the plant and the equipment, then ask myself: Can I or my parents afford one machine? The answer was ‘No’; but if I put in more effort, I could become the boss and own a company like Eleganza. For that, I decided to leave the job. Afterwards, my mother coopted me into working with her. Our family business was scavenging of aluminium. We buy scraps from companies, sort them out and sell to steel companies. I also did the job for some years then quit. I still did the job by the side for some years. But the main thing was that I left the more glamorous job at Eleganza because I didn’t see a future there.

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Then I went to join Elizade where my salary was N3000 after working for three months. Imagine how I had to survive, I had to squat with my aunt. I asked myself that question again, my answer was still ‘No’. In the fourth month, they wanted to increase my salary, but I left. I joined another company that was into advertising.  Even as I enjoyed the place due to the people I was working with, I still desired to start my own business. My bosses made me feel at home. Then I asked the question again, and this time, the answer was different. I could see hope. Thereafter, I put in my best and I began to have flair for the job. Those bosses I worked with then made me develop interest in advertising.

Did you leave the job?

Yes, because I couldn’t be an employee for life. It is always good to leave when the ovation is loud. That was what I did. I left them as the longest-serving intern. I left at the point I thought was necessary. They moved me and the pay was not encouraging, but when I looked at the future and saw that it was very bright, I decided never to allow myself to be pushed around. I made up my mind that I wanted to face the challenges owners of businesses face. I knew then that if I shy away from it, it will come back to haunt me, so I decided to make hay while the sun was shining.

How did you take off?

I was still working at the company when I set up mine. I ran it with my partner Kola Awusayosi who was also employed at that time.  We didn’t start as an advert company; we started with the organizing of shows. That time we were more about five. The first event we organized, we made N1000 profit, but I was not discouraged. We started from a one-room office. From there we delved into beauty pageants. We were roving because we didn’t specify the aim of the company; we just wanted to have a business of our own. Later we defined our goal and streamlined it to advertising. The first job then was B and D, it was a radio campaign and road show. Though tough, I had made up my mind that I would end my career as an advertiser. We faced several challenges. We borrowed money to stay afloat and I was diverting my salary from my former office into its operation.

Since advert has to do with nightlife, how do you balance nightlife with family?

First, you need to define the two; family and work. The family can take forty per cent, while work and others have sixty per cent.  If you don’t socialize, you don’t eat and the family will hunger. But that does not mean you should socialize at the detriment of your family.  You get information and connection while socializing. If you don’t connect with people, you will just be told the story, but if you have the information first hand, then you can take better advantage of it. In the social circuit, you can get the gist of events that are yet to unfold. There are people who are good at permutation and they are always busy during the day. In other words, if you isolate yourself from them, you will be a loser.

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Assuming you didn’t survive how would you feel?

There was no way I was not going to succeed. The drive not to be an employee drove me to success.

How do you survive difficult seasons?

I work more. I double my efforts and then look for an alternative that does not involve working for somebody. I am a street boy; I use street sense to survive. Sometimes, I go scavenging to get money to boost my business. I told you that selling scraps is my family business. There was a time when I was looking for my part of the capital and I had no option but to turn back to the family business from where I eventually raised the capital.