I HAVE FOUND JOY, FULFILLMENT AND SATISFACTION IN WHAT I DO - ABIMBOLA OGUNDIMU-ADEBAJO
They can be seen in the field of medicine, entertainment, science, education etc. In the field of fashion, Abimbola Olapeju Ogundimu-Adebajo is proving herself a worthy ambassador of this great nation in far away United States of America.
She is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Bimbo Beads International, a beaded jewellery-making and training outfit based in New York. In a recent chat with Vanguard, Ogundimu-Adebajo, an accountant and business manager by training, said that business people who are passionate about their businesses will always succeed. Excerpts:
On completion of her Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accountancy at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo, she proceeded to Delta State University, Abraka for post-graduate diploma (PGD) and MBA in Business Management.
After the compulsory one year service to fatherland in Ibadan under the National Youth Service Corp scheme, she went back to Lagos and got a job with HFP Engineering where she worked for sometime before proceeding to Multichoice Nigeria. On leaving Multichoice Nigeria, she decided it was time to follow her passion. And so Bimbo Beads International was born in 2004.
According to Bimbo, as she is fondly called, her love and passion for beads started at an early age while at her grandfather's house at Idoluwo Street, Isale-Eko Lagos. She picked interest in beaded jewellery-making while interacting with the Igbo traders there.
'After I left Multichoice, I started Bimbo Beads International. I had a vision for myself to work only for ten years in my life and as I spoke it, so did it come to pass. As the word of God says:
'For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:3).'
I consulted with God on the next step for my life and He took me back to my childhood passion which is creating beaded jewellery,' she said.
Not satisfied with just making beaded jewellery and making people beautiful outside, she sought to do more and so this native of Lagos State enrolled at the Daystar Leadership Academy of the Daystar Christian Centre Lagos, for the Basic and Advanced Leadership Certificate courses which she said transformed her life as it helped her re-align to God's purpose for her life.
Thereafter, she attended many leadership, business, jewellery and management courses in and outside Nigeria.
Said Bimbo who enjoys her work very much: 'Finding and fulfilling your purpose in life gives you joy, satisfaction and fulfillment. I have found joy, fulfillment, happiness and satisfaction in what I do, I love it sincerely. It is all about fashion, creativity, expression and trying to bring out what God has placed in your heart.'
Speaking on the challenges she has faced in the course of running her business, Bimbo named materials, time and self as the three challenges facing her the most. Asked if the business is lucrative, she said: 'You are the definition of the word 'lucrative.' If you love what you do, people will buy what you sell.'
Bimbo who recently started a programme to become a counselor, said that God has blessed her with the gift of insight and she expresses part of her God-given talent through 'spirit-lifting Bimbo beads, Creative Hands and The Beautiful Women and Men project.
'The Beautiful Women and Men project is the vision of Bimbo Beads International, birthed out of the need to expose our women and men to various aspects of life and business and our young generation to the concept of 'Dignity in Labour.''
On the number of people employed by the outfit, the Bimbo Beads International boss said: 'My own definition of staff strength is the equivalent of the number of lives that you have changed and empowered to start a business like you,' adding that her vision for the outfit in the next five - ten years is to see Bimbo Beads in every home in the world. 'If you can see it, you can be it,' she concluded.