VOL 1 | NO 7
BUSIN SSI Think. Believe. Become
LIFE
TOKUNBO
ALABI
LIKE YOU'VE NEVER
HEARD HER
EXCLUSIVE: Tokunbo shares her story of how she started her business in her living room
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NOTE The Special Blank Journal
S
ometime ago, I received a gift from one of my mentors. It was a fine leather blue-black Journal by John Maxwell. It wasn't the usual blank pages journal; it's a journal that would help you renew your mind within 40 days. And for every new day, there is a short inspirational note that you will need to meditate on.
hammer so you can shatter it into smaller achievable goals. Attempt one goal at a time. Your mind processes hundreds of information in a minute, but it can only focus on one thing at a time. Focus your energy, time and resource on one goal and don't move to another until you have the result you want.
However, there is a limit to what this journal can help you achieve compare to the special blank journal presented to you at the beginning of this year. Unlike Failure is inevitable if you don't have enough that of Maxwell that will help you renew your mind in information. When you conceive a goal, before 40 days; the journal you have you plan your strategy on been given is blank, 365 pages how to achieve it; get Goal setting is a powerful process abundant information. I use and permits you to dream, for thinking about your ideal visualize and create your future the adjective "abundant" so future and motivating yourself to you will know that you need with each passing day. To make turn your vision of this future into all the vital information you the best use of these 365 days reality. (should be less than that by the can find as regarding what time you are reading this); I will you want to achieve. Thank advise that you set a goal for God for the Internet, so go yourself. online and read wide. If you do this; you will feel a deep sense of achievement even before you set Just what is goal setting? Goal setting is a powerful out to chase your goal. process for thinking about your ideal future and motivating yourself to turn your vision of this future If you think you are immune to failure then you into reality. Goal setting is a very important part of are not a super human. Even Superman will fail in your daily living. In fact, the goals you will achieve the face of kryptonite. So when you fail don't hang will automatically shape your life. But many write your head downward. Go back to the drawing down goals, work at it, but never achieve any. To board to re-plan and re-launch. Failing is the back achieve your goals this year, these few tips will help door to success. So don't give up until you go you. through the back door. Never set unrealistic goal. When a goal becomes too big, it is quite difficult to achieve. Set smaller goals that can gradually lead to that big goal.
I believe these tips will help you manage the unseen and unused days ahead of you. Welcome to the New Year. Welcome to 2015.
Break the big vision (goal) into smaller ones. Except you want to frustrate yourself and effort, it is important that you hit your big goal with a sledge
Alfred Ade-Ijimakinwa 3
THETOKUNBO NEXT
DIGITAL ALABI KING HEARD HER LIKE YOU'VE NEVER
I
BusinessIQ Life: Tell us about your work experience prior to starting Little Tots?
n 2007, she was fully convinced that her passion for taking care of children should be turned into a growing business. So, she wrote a business plan and decided to borrow some money from a very good friend to set up Little Tots Day Care and Preschool.
Tokunbo Alabi: My work experience was taking care of my children. I decided I wasn't going to do anything until my children goes to secondary school. To me, that was a big work to do.
From the very first day she opened the door of her small enterprise, she knew it would be the bedrock for her Nursery and Primary School. And like every true determined dreamer, in 2011, against all odds, she opened Vantage Heights School, giving her growing kids from Little Tots Preschool the opportunity to transit to nursery and primary school in a warm, friendly, beautiful and serene environment.
BusinessIQ Life: Why did you start Little Tots and how did you start? Tokunbo Alabi: From my young age, I've always had the passion for taking care of children. I use to take care of other people's children for free. When the time came for me to start working, I knew that's my calling—to take care and teach children. So I started from my living room, taking care of a child, which was like a voluntary job because I wasn't been paid. I just wanted to sow a positive seed into the child's life. That one child became, two, two became four, four became five. And now, I have over a hundred plus.
In this one-on-one interview, read the story of Tokunbo Alabi, the Founder of Little Tots and Vantage Heights, a woman with an infectious smile and calm demeanor who successfully started her business in her living room. BusinessIQ Life: Who is Tokunbo Alabi?
BusinessIQ Life: How did you raise the start-up capital?
Tokunbo Alabi: Tokunbo Alabi is a woman, married to Kayode Alabi with two adult children, running a school where she caters for children from age 0 to 11.
Tokunbo Alabi: Like the woman in the Bible that the prophet Elisha said to go and borrow pots from her neighbors, I had to borrow [my startup capital] from a very good friend. My husband assisted as well. He also wrote the business plan to channel the direction of the school. So I made up one of my sitting rooms. I made the smaller sitting room for my children so I wouldn't deprive them of their space completely. And I turned the bigger one into my school, which metamorphosed into what we have today. BusinessIQ Life: How did you get the parents of the children to start paying? Tokunbo Alabi: Like I said, with the first child, I wasn't collecting any payment. But with the second child I was collecting something minimal to take care of the child. So it was with the third and fourth child. When it was the turn of the fifth child, I knew my husband and children needed their space; so I had to move. I moved and rented a duplex and had to set up a proper teaching and payment structure. BusinessIQ Life: What were the challenges you had to cope with when you started Little Tots and how did you manage or overcome them? 6
Tokunbo Alabi: The major challenge was trying to convince people. When you start something new, most people don't believe in you. They believe you don't know what you are doing. They believe you just want to go into it for the monetary returns. But I knew my passion; I knew what I wanted to do. I had people saying to me that it will not work; but I knew what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. So I went out to train for it. I didn't study education; I actually have two degrees; public administration and political science. But I knew I wanted to do education; so I went out to do courses on education. Also, I had the challenge of parents saying it's a new school and that am I sure it won't close down after a while. Some parents want to see good teachers. To overcome this, I really went all the way to get some good teachers from very good schools. They were the ones that started with me. I learnt from the teachers and they learnt from me as well. I sent them for trainings. I went for trainings too. And sometimes, we had to go for trainings together. They are still here with me after 7 years. BusinessIQ Life: Tell us about Little Tots in a nutshell?
Tokunbo Alabi: Little Tots is the cradle of a confident future. I believe that children of this generation are all very intelligent; they all have their strength like they also have their weaknesses. So if you build a child’s confidence from the cradle, the child is good to grow up with the right foundation. Little Tots is a warm conducive environment for such foundation. Everyone who has been to Little Tots knows that it is home away from home; it is a family school. Every child is important; from the crèche, to the playgroup, to the reception. We nurture them, we teach them, and bring out the best in them from young age before we send them to the Nursery School called Vantage Heights. BusinessIQ Life: From inception, how many children had gone through Little Tots? Tokunbo Alabi: We have over 200 children who had gone through Little Tots. We have children leaving for other schools. I always get referrals from some big schools like St Savior. They don't have a preschool, so they refer parents to bring their children to Little Tots for preschool. And once they are done here, I send them back to St Saviors. So, plus or minus, I must have had like 200 children. BusinessIQ Life: What does it take to enroll a child in
Little Tots; what is the required procedure? Tokunbo Alabi: First and foremost, I will advise you to come and look at the school. Come and see what we have to offer. Speak to the teachers and the management of the school. Take a general look at the school and make up your mind what you want for your child. We will make sure we take you round to see what we have to offer you. Once we do that, we will ask you to pick up the enrollment form. The form will ask you several questions about yourself because we want to know you as a parent of a child; we want to be sure that you are someone we can work with. It is not just our job to teach and take care of your child; it is for both the parents and the handlers. So we make sure we really know the parents. You will also give us the child's information as well; allergies, immunization records, birth certificate etcetera. Even if the child is adopted, we want to know. We sincerely want to know all these so that if there is an issue we will know how to handle it. Then we will meet with the parents and have a one on one chat and then the child can be enrolled if you are comfortable with the school. BusinessIQ Life: You also set-up Vantage Heights; Tell us what led to it and how did you start? Tokunbo Alabi: After three years of running Little Tots, we had parents coming in because they've had the best of times and they knew their kids were getting the best of education. Even though it isn't a very big school; the standard is there. They just felt why take your child to another school if you can have them in the same environment where the child can continue his or her learning. After series of prayers; I heard God saying “go forth and start”. So I started Vantage Heights. It started with Nursery 1, 2 and Primary 1. BusinessIQ Life: Setting up a primary school is a greater task compare to crèche; what were the challenges you faced when you started Vantage Heights? Tokunbo Alabi: First and foremost, I needed somewhere close to Little Tots because of the parents that have children in the preschool. I don't want a situation where you have a child in the preschool and you will have to travel a hundred miles to pick up the other child from the Nursery or Primary school. So the location was an issue, but we were quite lucky; we got one adjacent to Little 10
Tots. The second challenge was the issue of registering with the Ministry of Education. We had to do a lot of registrations and name search. We had suggestion from the Ministry of Education that we should also name the Nursery and Primary School Little Tots to make it easier. But I had to explain to them that Little Tots means little babies; but once you get into Primary School, a child is no longer a baby, so I can't have the name Little Tots for the Primary School. And that was why the registration of the name Vantage Heights for the Nursery and Primary School took quite some time, but we eventually succeed. Also the Ministry of Education wanted us to have a permanent site for the school, which was not available at that moment. But we were able to scale through because we had most of the facilities that the Ministry of Education wanted. And then coming to staffing, I had to get good teachers from other good schools because I knew setting the right standard is very key. I got a consultant from one of the very big school in Lagos. She has been a head teacher for more than 18 years. She did our curriculum to meet the standard of the Ministry of Education and also trained the teachers. BusinessIQ Life: So what stands Vantage Heights out? Tokunbo Alabi: It's the ambience of Vantage
Heights. Once you come into Vantage Heights you have this feeling like this is where my child should be. It is warm, welcoming and beautiful and we don't have too many children in a class. We have few children in a class with one teacher and a supervisor. Again, it depends on what you are looking for. I have some parents who want a big school with a big name. Some want an old school with traditions, but I always advise them to try a smaller school, like Vantage Heights, where they can have one-on-one experience with their children and the school management. You can always come in to meet the proprietress (that is me), the people in charge of the administration or the teachers and you can follow-up with the progressive educational growth of your child. Another thing that makes Vantage Heights special is the method of teaching, which is one-on-one. We don't generally teach; we make sure we bring or work with a child according to his or her pace. We teach with lots of visuals. We believe education should be very interesting. It not like during our days when we were taught with a rod (locally called cane). These days, what education means is different. You must make a child curious to learn, you must make the child see what he or she perceived to be difficult to understand from a different perspective. We teach the children with visuals; it is a play-and-learn-method. These days, at home, they watch TV; they become so engrossed watching all kinds of TV programs. So, we
teach them with the same method and it has been working for us. We have and we are still nurturing very intelligent kids in Vantage Heights. BusinessIQ Life: Research shows that 70% of businesses start and close down within 3 to 5 years because they lack sustainability plan. You've being in this business for 7 years, what has been your sustainability plan? Tokunbo Alabi: I think men propose, but God dispose. If you say what is the sustainability plan; that is man's way of thinking. God is the ultimate. Anything I do; I put God first. I always make sure I speak with Him; He is my father. I talk to Him before I start anything. However, it is also important that you put so many other things in place. So, I have an Educational Consultant who deals with the school progressive issues. I have another who is a Financial Consultant that deals with the school Accounts and money issues. They tell me to slow down if I'm moving too fast because I love to move very fast. They forecast what the economy of the country could be in the next 2 years. They let me know if we need to cut down on overhead or increase it. So, for the sustainability plan; they are on top of it. But above all, my sustainability is God. BusinessIQ Life: What is your greatest fulfillment when it comes to Little Tots and Vantage Heights? Tokunbo Alabi: I started from my living room with one child that was not paying and right now, I have over a hundred children and they are all growing into very intelligent children. I have some that started from crèche and right now, they are in Primary Four. Each passing day, I see them growing into fine young boys and girls. I know each one of them by their names. Even those that are no longer here, I still communicate with them and their parents. It is not just about the child being here; I want to know how the child is doing in another school. If I hear a case of a child who cannot read well; I go out of my way by sending them somebody that is very good that can help. I am happy about it; I am greatly fulfilled. I am following my passion; doing what I love to do. Nothing can be more fulfilling than this. BusinessIQ Life: Every business has its share of challenges, what are the challenges yours is presently facing? Tokunbo Alabi: Yea, finance. I know the economy
right now is quite tough. If we say it is not; then we are not being honest. It is quite difficult to do business in Nigeria because the banks are not willing to help growing businesses. It is extremely difficult to get loans from banks; so you have to improvise. There are so many other things that I would love to do in the schools. I would love to have electronic interactive boards in all the classes because they are interactive; but are very expensive. We presently substitute that with projectors. They are serving almost the same purpose; but the electronic interactive boards are better. If you put into consideration some of these things; it's a lot of money. So how do I make back the money so I can pay my staff or run the schools efficiently if I am not getting any financial help from anywhere? Another challenge is electricity. In a week, we spend nothing less than thirty-two thousand Naira for diesel in the two schools. Also, we have the challenge of how much can the school fees be in this environment? How much can the parents afford to pay? We need to put all these into consideration. It is quite challenging, but I know we will get there. The school is 7 years. I gave myself 10 years plan to start getting returns on investment. Right now, we are yet to 13
breakeven as such. Another challenge we are dealing with is managing people. We have parents coming from different backgrounds; you must know how to tolerant and manage people. I have learnt to be very patient in this business. Also, I believe there is no perfect person out there. This philosophy helps me to keep my staff happy. I still have those who started with me in my sitting room and they are still with me after all these years. Like I always say to them, you don't come to look for a job here, but a career. Except there is an expansion, my staff don't leave because I have learnt to tolerate and live with people. I have learnt to understand everyone that comes to work with me because they are from different backgrounds. I called them my team mate and they don't call me boss. If you come into the school and you don't know me, you will think I am a staff because I am working as they are working. That way, we rub minds together; they learn from me and I also learn from them.
once there is an opening or expansion, I look into my database and look at your application. I look at the way you presented your CV and application letter and then minute on it. Then I will call you in for an interview. I have a board that is in charge of the interviews. They consist of principals of schools, teachers who had taught for 15 years and educationists. If you come for interview in any of my school, you should be ready to spend at least 5 hours. We give applicants written, oral and classroom test. After the written and oral test, we will set up a typical classroom and you will need to teach the class under supervision. The purpose of setting up the classroom test is because some people can teach adult, but cannot teach children. Once you scale through these stages, then you will come back for another interview and you will meet with the administrative team (that includes me). We will ask you what you have to offer us. It is not just about paying you; but what you have upstairs and would want to add to the school. If you have a good idea; we will buy into it. Afterwards, we will determine if you can work with us or not.
BusinessIQ Life: Staffing is an integral part of every business; what is your recruitment strategy? Tokunbo Alabi: Yes, I have a recruitment strategy. I keep a database. Although we registered with one of these organizations that would send you the kind of staff you want; that has not really worked for me. If you tell me you are looking for a job and you bring your CV, I will keep it even if I don't need you. But
BusinessIQ Life: Every business requires publicity, what is your major publicity channel? Tokunbo Alabi: Most of the times, we do flyers. I don't really think that is quite effective; but you can't completely ignore it. I employ outsiders to 14
distribute the flyers. I go out to Malls and other places where mothers go to. My teachers also go for marketing. Also, we've been on Radio and Television. We've been in Newspapers. But I think the most prominent strategy is referrals. I've had so many children coming through referrals. So what I do here is give discount to parents when they refer us to a friend. So if you bring ten to twenty children to the school through referral; you will probably be paying nothing for your own child's school fee. It's a form of network marketing, but this has turned the school into a family school because one person knows that family and that family knows another family. That way, we are able to learn and live like one big family.
BusinessIQ Life: What is your perception to running businesses in Nigeria? Tokunbo Alabi: If you cannot stand; you will run [quit]. It is difficult to run a business in Nigeria. Nigerians find it difficult differentiating between friendship and business. I say to people that you can't say everybody is a friend, but if you talk and relate with someone; we conclude that is friendship in Nigeria. However, it is important to differentiate between friendship and business otherwise you will run down your business. In England or America, if I'm running this business, you'll pay before you start or enroll your child. But Nigerians, we have this perception that this person is my friend and should understand. If I say “okay, I understand� to you and twenty other people, my business will crumble. I try as much as possible to explain to my friends, in quote, that I'm running a business, but you are my friend. These are two different things. If this business falls today, you will move on. So please try and do what you are supposed to do. You will have friends in quote owing you. You will tell them their children cannot come to school, they will tell you, you are my friend, and I will send the child to your house if you don't allow the child to come to school. But I try to make them understand that I need money to run the school. I need money to keep my staff, which is very important because they are the ones doing the work. If you don't pay these workers, there is someone next door who is ready to pay them and they will leave because they have to take care of their own families as well. So if you don't pay me so that I can pay these
BusinessIQ Life: You've been running this business for 7 years, what would you say is your greatest business mistake? Tokunbo Alabi: I can't really say I've made a major mistake. Sometimes you have so many children coming in and sometimes you have so many children moving out. I try to find out why they are leaving. If it is a mistake from our side; we would love to correct it. But I've not had any negative statement from any of the parents. Usually it is because the older ones are in another school and they want the younger ones to be closer so they can easily pick them up. For some, it might be that they are moving out of Lagos. Or they moved out of Surulere to Ikoyi or Lekki. So, we've not had a negative reaction that I can call a major mistake on our part . 15
people, how do you want me to survive? Another challenge is getting banks to help you. If you are starting a business, banks are not ready to help you until your business blossoms. If you start a fresh business, they don't want to take the risk; so they won't help you. If I have started and I had gone through a bank, it would have been a lot easier. BusinessIQ Life: Where do you see your schools in the next twenty years? Tokunbo Alabi: I see different branches. I see Little Tots and Vantage Heights in every State in Nigeria. I see them in Europe. That's my lifelong dream. BusinessIQ Life: Do you plan to retire someday or move on to something else? Tokunbo Alabi: My passion is giving children the right education and taking care of them. But I have an architectural flair too. Everybody around me say I should also go into interior decoration. When you come to my schools and you see how beautiful they are, you will think I employed people to do it, but I did everything myself. I love making everything around me look beautiful and warm. People say retire into interior decoration; but I think I will retire as a teacher. BusinessIQ Life: Tell us about your life outside work?
Tokunbo Alabi: Unfortunately, my life is programmed. For each day, I know what I am going to do. When I wake up in the morning, I pray and have my bath. My kids are grown and are out of the country so I don't stress about taking care of them. When my husband is around, I make breakfast for him. Most times, we come to the office together. Fortunately, this is not the only business I have now. I'm an entrepreneur; I also have a sachet water factory. So, every morning, I go to the factory to check supplies and stocks. Then I come to the school. After work, I go for my exercise because I want to live long. So, once it is 6 o’clock, I close for the day and go to the gym. After that, I go back home, have a good shower, eat something small and retire to my room, which is always very lonely sometimes. I would watch a nice movie and then pray and go to bed. I do that every day, except Saturdays. Saturdays are called my day. I do all my house chores and prepare for the week. If you invite me to a wedding, I might not attend except I really have to. Sundays are called my second day. On Sundays, I go to church in the morning. After church, I sleep all through except I have an evening service. If you come to visit me on a Sunday, it is likely my door will not be open. Unfortunately, I am not a social person and my life is programmed. BusinessIQ Life: On a final note, what will be your advice to would-be entrepreneurs?