Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in technology but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Obi Ibeto, CEO of EPINEC, located in Ejigbo, Lagos, Nigeria.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

EPINEC is a Technology Consulting Company obsessed with delivering value to corporate organizations in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States. We provide Information Technology Solutions across diverse business verticals, and we protect our customers from Cyber threats by leveraging Cloud Security, Endpoint Protection, Disaster Recovery, and Incident Response Management. Our customers include organizations that have between 50 and 10,000 employees across business verticals like financial services, education, retail, manufacturing, Oil & Gas, and Non-Profit.

Tell us about yourself

I am an ambitious young man. I am truly fortunate to have great parents who made sure I had the absolute best education and exposure. I remember when I was about 14 or 15, my dad gave me a book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, and that formed the basis of my foundational knowledge of finance. Coupled with the priceless teachings of the Bible on Business and Character, I knew in my heart that if I remained focused and consistent, the business would grow, and we would expand internationally.

EPINEC NIGERIA LIMITED was originally started by my father in 1994 as a pharmaceutical distribution business, he was extremely successful when we started, but the instability in the military government in the early nineties forced him to cut ties with his foreign partners. Fast forward to 2010, when I finished my NYSC in Lagos State, I started my career teaching Oracle Database 10g Administration at APTECH, Maryland. I had the plan to teach for a while, then transition to Sales then ultimately transform EPINEC into a technology company.

Exactly in 2013, I returned to Lagos to start EPINEC, having worked as an Airtel Corporate Sales Manager selling CUG lines for three years. Those beginnings days were exceedingly difficult and tough, but I persisted until I made my first sale, which was a project to repair a desktop computer, and that was the beginning. Every day I wake up, I really don't think about money or strategy, or sales numbers. I just follow my To-do list for the week, and after I achieve my goals, I tick them out and move on to the next goal for the week.

I have been doing this for over 10 years, and it works for me. No matter how difficult the task is, I will not move on to the next task until I have achieved the one before. I believe in Jesus Christ, and I owe everything to him. He is Faithful, and everything I do is to try to give when I can and help when I can. Live at peace with all men and serve my customers. My goal is to give to the Gospel of Jesus Christ so people all over the world can be saved through the Gospel of Salvation. This motivates me every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

By the grace of the Almighty God, my biggest accomplishment is expanding our business, EPINEC, to the United States and the United Kingdom. Being awarded the prestigious O1A Visa by the United States Government was also a high point in my career because this visa type is awarded to people with extraordinary abilities, people like Noble Prize winners and Grammy award winners. To win this based on the work I did for EPINEC over a 10-year period was an honor, and I am grateful to the United States Government for making me an Icon of hope in my country, Nigeria. I have also made considerable efforts to achieve something extraordinary every other year. For example, I have won the following awards over a thirteen-year period:

  1. Central Bank of Nigeria – NYSC Venture Prize Competition award (2010 Business Plan of the Year)
  2. TREM IT Innovator of the year, 2001.
  3. Microsoft Cloudpreneur of the year, 2015.
  4. Airbus Africa4Future "Startup of the Year" 2020.
  5. Africa House Commercial Partner of the year, 2021.
  6. O-1A Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement. (United States Immigration Services).
  7. FAI Institute Artificial Builders Garage award for 2022 in Africa.

As a passionate academic scholar, I have also published academic papers in International reputable journals around the world, which include:

  1. 5G Mobile Networks and Health Implication published in April 2022 by the International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology.
  2. Analysis of Modern Cybersecurity Threat Techniques and Available Mitigation Methods published in March 2022 by the International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science.
  3. Software Project Planning, People Management, and Effects on Product Quality, published in October 2021 by the American Journal of Computer Science and Information Technology.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

You know, people don't understand the level of demanding work that goes into being a business owner. People that know me when they see me say, Boss! Boss! But they don't know the debt hanging on my neck or the police case I just finished solving or the employee that just resigned without notice, or the number of bills hanging on my neck. I am presently thirty-seven, but I have grey hair on my head and a beard like a 50-year-old.

It is stressful being a business owner, but the hardest thing for me right now is trying to build a new product that aligns with product-market fit in a completely new unexplored market. This is my present headache, and I have to also deal with tax regulations, compliance, and raising funding for the product. Juggling all this while trying to spend time with my family. It's hard. But you know what? I love a good adventure, and if given a chance, I will do it again.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Define your Why (Why are you going into business? You must have a well-defined purpose. If you don't do this, the business won't last long.
  2. Learn how to sell. (Selling is the highest-paid profession on earth, but how many good sellers can you find?).
  3. Live below your means. I have been driving a Toyota Avalon for over 8 years now. I love it, and it's a very functional car. Do I have the resources to buy myself a Mercedes, yes? Will I buy a Mercedes? No... A lot of business owners kill their businesses just by living way above their means. This puts the financial resources of the company at risk. How much do you really need to live a fulfilled life? The reason God rewards you is for you to have to give to his other children, not to fulfill your fantasies...

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://www.epinecng.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/obi.ibeto
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/obiecrack/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/IbetoObi
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/obi-ibeto-39925714/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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