Unnecessary politics in boardrooms puts me off –Olatorera Oniru

Olatorera Oniru is the founder and CEO of Dressmeoutlet.com. In this interview with JESUSEGUN ALAGBE, she talks about her outlook on life, career, family and others

In April 2016, Forbes described you as ‘the Nigerian woman who is building the fashion Amazon of Africa.’ How did you get that kind of recognition just two months after you launched Dressmeoutlet.com?
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I would assume a mix of factors was responsible. The market has a ton of opportunities that would interest a wide global audience and as a representative from Google once said to us, there is strong interest/demand for African products, yet there is low supply. The world is largely anticipating the boom of made in Africa products. The team at Forbes might have been impressed with the user interface, user experience or other factors they were able to decipher from Dressmeoutlet.com. To have also been nominated as a Most Promising Entrepreneur in Africa, surely they delved into my background, work experiences, awards and leadership potentials.

You once worked at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Ericsson, the Central Bank of Nigeria and General Electric. Why did you quit regular jobs to launch Dressmeoutlet.com?

I had a career growth plan from my entrepreneurship days and moving from paid employment to entrepreneurship was part of that plan. I worked in paid employment for over a decade across industries and across continents. My career plan was to accumulate solid education plus solid work experiences and then launch a series of notable businesses across Africa. Dressmeoutlet.com is the starting point for my post-employment business development goals.

On the day you quit your last job to start your own company, what thoughts ran through your mind?

I was relatively happy and this was probably because I was confident that the work experiences I had garnered were strong enough to propel me as an entrepreneur and I had saved up precisely well for the startup phase of the business. On the other hand, I knew I would miss the perks and comfort of the employed world — from frequent travels, to fixed salaries, to health care, pensions and more. All those perks could not hold me back much, if at all, because I was ready to create them and much more for myself and thousands of employees. This is why I continue to work tirelessly to grow the company and other businesses we are associated with. Within one year, Dressmeoutlet.com has grown to employ over 30 employees and we are not ready to slow down anytime soon. We want to continue sourcing and retailing the very best made in Africa fashion, beauty and home products to the world.

How did working on Wall Street affect your outlook on life?

Working on Wall Street was amazing — you get to feel and enjoy the real hustle and bustle of life. You also get to learn a whole lot. I took several free classes at the Merrill Lynch University and I networked with a lot of gurus in the industry.

Sum up your experience in 2016 in three words.

Start-up. Growth. Results.

Were there times men intimidated you because of your success in the marketplace, especially as a woman, and tell us how you handled the intimidations?

No intimidations here. We all have goals and missions in life. Everyone should be pushing their dreams and no one should be intimidated by another’s success or attempt to intimidate another based on their success. We must all push our dreams and support each other. Africa more than ever before needs much less competition and much more collaborations. Work together, push dreams and be great, individually and collectively. As many more citizens become great and greater, the entire nation will continue to grow into greatness.

What’s the first thought that comes to your mind when you wake up?

Appreciation for my beautiful family. My family means the world to me and I’m always glad and grateful to have them as we push our dreams together, smile together, laugh together and work hard together.

Who is your favourite foreign artiste?

I’m not sure I have a favourite, but over the years, I’ve enjoyed the music of Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.

Who is your favourite Nigerian artiste?

I do not have a favourite, but I’ve liked certain songs produced by Mavin Records. Recently, I haven’t had as much time as I’d love to get to know the artistes behind the songs.

As an entrepreneur and during your working years, you must have travelled to so many countries. Which is your favourite country so far?

Nigeria remains my favourite and then the United States of America and then Turkey. All three are amazing countries, with Nigeria topping the list, as everything that makes me happy stems from within Nigeria — from my family, to investments, to friends, to career plans, and to growth potentials. The other two are second and third homes to me as I always have a great time when I go there and I lived in both for extended periods of time.

If you could meet a legend, dead or alive, who would it be?

If I could meet a legend, I’d say Sam Walton, the late founder of Walmart USA. Then maybe Jesus, regarded by Christians as the saviour of the world. Additionally, Coco Chanel, Mother Theresa and Oprah Winfrey.

Who are the people who influence you in the business world?

My father and my husband.

What is your favourite business movie of all time?

Honestly, I very rarely watch movies and if I do or ever have, I won’t remember the title. I only remember ‘Sound of Music’ and that’s about it.

What is the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever heard?

“Yes, we can” by Barack Obama.

What keeps you awake at night while you should be sleeping?

Work. I enjoy working, especially when I derive and exceed expected results. When my family goes to bed, I pull out my laptop and complete pending tasks and then create new tasks. It’s a non-stop cycle that I enjoy.

What makes you angry?

Anything unethical, wicked and unfair. I do not support wicked, unethical and unfair greed, also known as corruption — when certain men who forced themselves politically into leadership positions fail to create opportunities and developments yet harbour stolen wealth for themselves and the citizens who labour hard suffer in silence.

If you were to give young women some pieces of advice to succeed in the marketplace, what would they be?

Please, push your dreams. Don’t let anything stop you from doing anything great for the world. Be your very best in all your undertakings, love yourself and be the change you want to see in other leaders.

Tell us how you met your husband?

I met him during a business meeting we scheduled half a decade ago. We were discussing some business development plans and ended up loving each other’s company so much that we became a couple and then a family.

What is your business philosophy?

Work hard and innovate more. Do things because the impact is great — you are either able to change lives or make the world a better place. Money or personal wealth should not be the driving factors of greatness or success.

What are your passions apart from business?

Family, friends, dancing and having a great time. I love to have fun. I also still like travelling a bit. But lately, work doesn’t let me stay out of the country for more than 48 hours thereabout.

What are the things that put you off in the boardroom?

Lack of preparedness and unnecessary politics. Or being overly judgemental for personal reasons. Everyone should have equal rights to voice their opinions and contribute to discussions and developments.

What qualities are essential for business success?

Strength, vigour, versatility, love and care.

What book are you reading now?

Not reading one at the moment, but writing one.

Looking back, tell us one singular decision you took that made you who you are today.

Working on Wall Street was one of the best career decisions I made. I had other lucrative job offers after graduation and I’m very glad I went with the Wall Street offer. I learnt an ample lot, developed my financial acumen and grew significantly during my hustle and bustle years on Wall Street. I also made amazing friends that are still a significant part of my life today.

As a leader, what does leadership mean to you?

Leadership means having the means, resources and capabilities to do whatever it takes to make other people happy. Leaders are the driving forces of what they are leading. You are either driving a community, business, nation or family. Whatever you are driving, leaders must be great at what they do, they must have the knowledge and experience to succeed and they must have the love and passion for excellence and for making other people happy.

Which business leader — Nigerian or foreign — has impacted your life most?

I really enjoyed Barack Obama’s pre-presidency campaign and I also enjoyed his eight-year reign as president of one of the world’s greatest countries. His common quote “Yes we can” resonated very well with me throughout my university days and beyond.

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