5 SIMPLE WAYS TO STEP YOUR STYLE UP

as a philanthropist, entrepreneur, investor and mentor, olakunle Churchill is a vibrant example of someone who has little doubt about what motivates him, what he hopes to accomplish, and what sort of example he wants to set for others along the way. his is a character forged by struggle and perseverance shaped by a deep faith that guides him daily as he looks to bring about positive change to his immediate environment. Recently Konye Chelsea Nwabogor chatted with olakunle about his experience as an entrepreneur and his main values, including his belief that philanthropy should be at the core of how construct your life.

Can you give us a quick span of your career up until this point?

My career has been an amazing one. It has constantly expanded ever since it started several years ago, luckily for me I never had a “grass to grace” experience because of the kind of family I was born into (even though I didn’t depend on this). I worked very hard and had a focus. In fact, I started doing business at age 22 so I wasn’t laid back. I thank god almighty for rewarding my hard work with his blessings and enlarging my territory over the years.

your business interest occurs in five basic areas -security, real estate, charity, agriculture, training and consultancy. how did this portfolio come into being?

I would like to first state that they didn’t all come alive at the same time; they came to exist one by one, or two by two. My company is a group of companies with 6 subsidiaries; ICT Security, Real Estate, Charity, Agriculture and Mining, Training and Consultancy as well as Entertainment. The first one to come into existence was the Real Estate Company that I recently renamed after my son; King Andrea Realtors lTD, after which we started the ICT security company due to my love for technology. I’ve always been a programmer and a technical person hence the need to let my passion play out in my work. Subsequently, the rest of the companies followed and it’s been great.

Do you have a private foundation? or do you arrange your giving through other philanthropic vehicles?

yes, I do own a foundation, but at various stages we have had to work hand in hand with some other charity organization. we are mostly an independent foundation; however, where we see good partnership proposals or opportunities we sure do give it a shot.

how does your experience as a successful entrepreneur inform your work as a philanthropist?

well, truth be told giving for me is a lifestyle and fortunately god has helped me with my businesses so I have pledged a fixed 10% of my revenues from all the subsidiaries to Charity. 10% from all the other businesses go into helping people and catering for others, so it’s a long-term pledge for me.

Who or what has been the biggest singular influence on your work?

gOD. He has always been my driving force and I don’t do anything without first speaking to Him about it.

how do you stay focused in the midst of being involved in lots of different projects?

I’ll be honest with you; it isn’t always a jolly ride. There’s always so much to attend to, so much to do but I have got the best team ever. They are always on the move and always ready to make things happen because they share in the dream, hence we stay focused on the right path.

Which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?

Actually, every project has had its own uniqueness so it’s not really an easy pick. It’s always a different experience working on each of the projects and I honestly can’t pick one above the other right now.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned so far as an entrepreneur?

It would be the fact that you can’t always win. you win some and lose some. But even with the losses, lessons are learnt.

What advice would you give to people about generosity, whether with their time or their money? how would you advise them to use their resources?

generosity should not be an option; it should be a lifestyle. The bible says “give and it shall come back to you, good measure; pressed down, shaken together and running over” . you can’t miss it with this.

What are the long-term plans for your charitable giving? is your foundation intended to be perpetual? if so, have you thought about ways to safeguard your intent?

yes we definitely have thought of this and we are actually working on them already and they will be fully implemented soonest. long- term plans are also in place.

Where do you see the big Church group in the next few years?

I see The Big Church group expanding more than eyes have seen and more than minds have imagined. It is already an international brand but I see us taking over several countries in all continents of the world, so help us god.

Generosity should not be an option; it should be a lifestyle. the bible says “Give and it shall come back to you, good measure; pressed down, shaken together and running over” . you can’t miss it with this.