Naija's Amazon Revealed!...Exclusive Interview with Toyin Kolawole (CEO, Truebranches.com)

Toyin Kolawole (CEO, Truebranches.com)

Toyin Kolawole is the founder and CEO of True Branches, Nigeria’s fastest growing E-Commerce and M-Commerce Intermediary buying Service. She obtained her MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in 2006 where she was awarded the FC Austin scholarship; a prestigious lifetime status awarded annually to 10 select candidates with excellent academic achievement and exceptional leadership qualities. While at Kellogg, Toyin majored in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Management and strategy, Marketing, and Analytical Consulting

Under Toyin’s management, True Branches has grown tremendously as a leading service dedicated to fostering export/import between the United States and Nigeria. With True Branches innovative technology focus, Nigerian Exporters and industries now have unrestricted access to the global market. After her MBA, Toyin joined Bain and Company, one of three foremost global management and strategy consulting firms in the world.  At Bain, Toyin consulted for several fortune 500 companies, offering and implementing highly innovative and practical solutions to complex management problems. Prior to her business education at Kellogg, Toyin worked as a private equity analyst with SME Manager Limited, an African Capital Alliance fund focused on business growth and development in Nigeria. She obtained her bachelor’s in Management and Accounting from Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife. She is also a Nigerian chartered accountant. She is married with two sons and loves to go hiking.

Insight into your products and services for non-techies

Truebranches.com is really about technology and customer service.  We like to think of ourselves as a Naija version of Amazon. We enable site users shop online in the US and Africa. We provide real-time information and access to the best deals available. What we set out to do was provide a solution to tackle the unwillingness and/or inability of US sellers to process, accept payments for, and ship orders originating from Nigeria. True Branches makes it easy to buy stuff.

Despite the growth of mobile and Telecoms industry, the mobile platform still has a low market penetration in Nigeria, how have you coped with this?

A good proportion of our site users access websites from work or home but over the last 3 years, we have seen a steady increase in mobile internet use. It’s exciting to see more Nigerians increasingly use their mobile devices for other things besides talk.

So how have we coped? I think the question is how have we planned? To view current mobile internet penetration as a problem rather than opportunity is a mistake. The scenario is somewhat similar to cell phone penetration in Nigeria pre- and post-GSM. There are several enablers in this space – CBN, M-Commerce licensees, GSM operators, payment processors and content providers. Truebranches recognizes the potential opportunities within this space and is poised to be a leading content provider.

How come about the name, True Branches, as it may bring to mind a Horticultural Organization?

(Laughs)…While at Kellogg, it was disheartening to see case studies, news media and TV shows portray Nigerian 419 scammers as though that’s what we were all about. Some stores like JC Penny will not grant browsing access to West African internet users. The idea behind True Branches as a name is – if you view Nigeria as one huge strong and vibrant tree, sort of like the one in Psalm 1… (Laughs)…well, we view the people we serve as the true Branches, the true ambassadors of Nigeria.

How did it feel starting your own company and what motivated it?

It felt great, scary, exhilarating at the same time but one constant was the conviction in my heart that I was fulfilling destiny and therefore on the right path. Regarding my motivation – it’s The Lord Jesus. My husband, my kids have also been a primary source of motivation. Even as a senior executive,  my husband would roll up his sleeves and help me pack boxes at the beginning when True Branches had just one staff – Me

Half a decade from now, where do you see True Branches?

Where God takes us, everyday he extends our vision, my role as CEO is just to run with it. Our primary focus is to impact lives, create opportunities, and showcase the true branches within Nigeria, within Africa, to the world via our technology platforms. We have just begun.

Moving away from these Tech things (laughs), tell us about your growing-up days.

I grew up in a mid-sized family, like most families, we definitely had our years of hardship which I think instilled some level of tenacity in all of us. My parents and siblings are devoted Christians and we’ve all lived a life of faith and trust that God always has a plan and its always perfect and timely. 

Work-Life Balance, how do you manage these?

It’s always work-in-progress. Just like most mums out there, I always have to prioritize; my sons come first so whenever there’s a conflict in schedule or roles everything else becomes secondary. I believe people find time to do the things that they value.

 

What is your most embarrassing moment?

(Laughs) – Not telling.

Hmm…Okay. When I read your profile, I spent another half of the time staring at the beauty of God's creation, please tell our women out there how you manage to look great, even after 2 kids.

Thanks, you’re sweet! I do the usual stuff, try to eat healthy and work out several times a week.

One quote that has greatly influenced your persona

“I am not deterred by the fear of failure but motivated by the possibility of success” 

Finally a word to our women and youths out there

There’s no such thing as an ordinary person, there’s just ordinary choices. God has thoughts and plans for everyone who follows him and sometimes your logic, your reasoning, your plans, your thoughts requires faith. A person who’s afraid to fail is by default afraid to succeed. 

Thanks so much for your time on 'mikesfrequency' and I look forward to the audio interview. God bless!

Thanks

Also available is the AUDIO INTERVIEW...

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College Dropout to Corporate Sell-out - The Steve Harris Exclusive!

This month's feature is an exclusive interview with Steve Harris, a Management Consultant who has recently launched a new book that tells the story of his journey from being a Drop-out to a sought-after Corporate Consultant. Its an inspiring and interesting book as revealed in the Sneak Preview that held me spell-bound till I read the last dot.

I'm proud to present you this close-up interview on Steve's new book.
always @ moi frequency...*wink*

Being a Management Consultant, how has that been for you so far?

• It’s been an exciting journey, filled with great opportunities to identify potential problems and then turn them around for the better. I wouldn’t be in business if there weren’t any problems and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

I particularly fell in love with the cover page of your new book, tell us about it.

• Well the concept for my book, “From College Dropout To Corporate Sellout” puts into perspective, the 2 parts of my personality; one’s the guy who dropped out of college twice and didn’t believe in himself because very few people did and the Corporate Sellout is the guy who’s got it all together, pretty much a corporate success. 

I’d never have been this guy without the ‘dropout’ in me. He motivates me to prove to myself and the world that I’m not the person they mistook me for. There’s a ‘sellout’ in every dropout’. Go get the book and get the full details.

What can you recall as your highlights and major challenges in the course of writing the book.

• I actually didn’t start out with the intention of writing this book. I had another book that I was writing, and I got a case of ‘writer’s block’, so my editor (‘Seun Salami) advised me to write my biography. I was a little skeptical to begin with, because I thought I needed to be someone really noteworthy to write my biography and also I’d be thought to be a little arrogant to believe that people would wanna read my story, but I acquiesced and here it is. I started writing in February 2011 and it was finished in April 2011.

I guess the major highlights would be to know for a certainty that so many people would be blessed and inspired to overcome their own perceived limitations after reading this book.

My second highlight was when a friend of mine read the manuscript and was so blown away that she wrote me a cheque for a =N=100, 000 to ensure that I got it published. That was humbling.

And most importantly, was reading the foreword of one of my most special mentors, Mr. Tonye Cole (MD, Sahara Energy). It literally brought tears to my eyes.

My first encounter with you was at a conference in 2007 where you spoke a bit on your story alongside Fela Durotoye; how would you rate FD's impact on you?

• I must say that next to Jesus Christ and my parents, FD’s been the most important influence in my life. He took a chance on a college dropout and boosted my confidence, taught me so much and today, here I am! He’s a truly great leader.

Steve & Fela Durotoye (Right)

Okay, drifting a bit from the book, who would you regard as the most influential person in your life?

• Fela Durotoye, Paul Adefarasin and Tonye Cole

Pst. Paul Adefarasin (House On The Rock)

College Drop-out to Corporate Sell-out; tell us a bit about the Corporate Sell-out aspect.

It's just how I've turned my perceived disabilities into great opportunities. Would you believe i get paid to tell people how i dropped out of school and how today, I'm living the life of my dreams? That's weird!

What's your typical work-day like?

* Saying my Prayers, Speaking to clients, having meetings, listening to soothing music and coming up with products.

I mean...it must be hectic for a celebrity like you, how do you cool-off?

* I wouldn't consider myself a celebrity, I still walk on the street and nobody knows me, I can still buy Agege bread or pull over and buy corn for my wife... (laughs) and escape unnoticed.

Well, I love watching movies (really enjoyed Fast Five), listening to music and just being with my family, watching cartoons with my chic. I don't party; I like to keep it simple.

A lot of Nigerian youths are out there with crazy ideas but lack the necessary support, how possible is it to make an impact with so little at their disposal?

* Dream Big, Start small, Grow fast! And get a mentor!!!

Who's your business icon and why?

* Right now, it would be Tony Robbins.
He's proliferated his products and conferences around the world and has been an adviser to Presidents, Fortune 500 CEO's and still connects to the 'Regular Joe and soccer mom" out there. That's my dream.


Where and when can we purchase your books?

* Well, from June, they should be in any good bookstore, so keep your eyes open!

Book Samples

In a piece, what would you like to tell our youths out there?

It's not what you don't have that limits you; it's what you have but don't know how to use! 

Identify your gifts and spend your life being the best at what you're naturally good at!

You can download the Sneak Preview here: Steve's Book  | Cover Page

This June 6, nominations will begin for the Nigerian Blog Awards. Don't forget to vote mikesfrequency o! I'm counting on you all.

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