Ayo Alonge, [email protected]
Ignatius Njoku is the Chief Executive Officer of N2I Collections, a fashion outfit with its head office in Lagos and several outlets in Ghana, US, Canada and London.
For the enterprising businessman, having a passion-driven mindset coupled with hardwork was all needed for him to grow the business and expand it to the shores of Europe and Africa.
In his encounter with Daily Sun, Njoku discussed the crux of the business, his success story, challenges and useful tips for entrepreneurial development.
Background
I have been in this business constantly for five years and it has all been good. If I tell you in details how the whole thing started, you will see how funny it is. I never knew I would go into this. When we were much younger in 1996, we formed a club called Pens Club and I was the one in charge of what we wore as young boys growing up in the village. I chose the colours and did it the way it should be done. When I first came to Lagos, there was much enthusiasm. Along the line, I found myself doing something else. I was doing a different busi-ness and I was also praying to God to show me something new to do. My elder brother in London asked me to come over to stay with him but I had some issues that made me stay back; coupled with the fact that I was already doing buying and selling of clothes and also trying my hands then gradually in this same business in Ghana before I later decided to come back to Nigeria. I had already started making clothes and people always admired my colour combination and the quality of the clothes I was making.
Business development
On my return to Nigeria I started working with a friend at Maryland and we were getting it right even though we made mistakes which helped us to shape the business. Before traveling to Ghana, I was a sub dealer to a telecommunications outfit in Lagos and the clients U farmed then automatically became contacts in my new business. I had a partner then but he didn’t share in my dreams; but I remained focused because I wanted a situation where I would see a good fabric in the market, produce it and have people come to buy. Within some time, customers truly came because if the quality is good, the finishing perfect, those who have the eye would come. At a time, I was paying more than the usual to the persons working for me because of the standard of his works. I stayed with him because I wanted good quality and finishing. I met another guy subsequently who took me to Tinubu Square in Lagos Island and I also had it good there because they seemed to understand my vision for clothing.
However, under my strict supervision. Later, I decided to be on my own, because I wanted to be in total control of my designs and finishing. Those I worked with earlier couldn’t have been able to interpret my designs fully, while also trying to protect my brand. The day I told the guys at Lagos Island I was going back to myself to setup a fashion factory, one of them looked at me and asked if I truly knew what I wanted to delve into because he had been in the business for 17 years and didn’t think it was going to be an easy road. For me, I knew what I wanted to do but I just didn’t know how to go about it.
Funding
I would say I started business with about N20, 000 which was not even mine. I never really had money of my own. Just a few naira which I take to Yaba market, buy fairly used trousers, adjust them and sell, then return to the market again. That was how we started getting some money to the point that we were able to pur-chase some key materials and equipment. I also got a loan from the bank but later, decided not to do it again because of the high interest rate. But we moved on. One day, I was in the house and a friend of mine came in and was putting on a well-made native which looked like an Italian-made wear. He gave me the address of the person that made it and I went to their factory to check out all they do and that was how I got motivated the more to go into mine fully. Gradually I started employing good hands who pioneered our takeoff. Gradually, we were able to put some money together and we were able acquire two more sewing machines to add to our first two machines. That was how we started adding to our equipment.
Challenges
If you are talking about a business, what about the needed fund? Someone gave me some money to give to someone else and I used it to trade and used the N20,000 proceeds to develop my business to the level you’re seeing it now.
Way out
First, you must have passion and self driven. If the drive is not there, it cannot work. For me, it is not just about money. My joy is in customer satisfaction and the number of people I see wearing my clothes in a gathering. The dream is to develop a clothing brand that is sought after by all fashion conscious persons and that I think we have achieved. I belong to a club in Lagos where I instituted making same clothes for everyone during ocasions. We went to a function in Ondo State and the governor of the state, senators and everyone else asked, “who are these people?” That is what gives me joy and not just about the money. Money will come when it will come. First is to work and satisfy the client. When you get there, the money will look for you. I also pride in taking good care of my staff so that they would continue to give their best.
Management
Just as I said, there were not enough resources with which to start. I developed that myself and I had to also engage people to work with me. When we first started, we had about 50 customers but today, our customer base is close to three thousands five hundred. We have customers in the US, Canada and Ghana. In Ghana alone, we have over 2,000 customers. When you take people’s money, you must do the job. That has also built trust for us.
Profitability
I cannot say for real because the cost of running is high. The major challenge has always been power but it has been a bit stable now. I tell you, if we will continue to have stable power this way, I bet that within the next six months, we would move to a bigger place. I can comfortably take away 24-30 more people who are ready to work off the streets. The biggest of my contracts is the one I got from some people in the US. I made one for one of my customers there and when he wore it to a gathering and the president of the club saw it, he was interested and ordered five units. When he got it, he was so satisfied that he assured me the big one was going to come. He said he would give me a contract to make clothes for about 700 people in the US who are members of his club. We have made and sent them all and I can tell you it was a very profitable venture.
Risks
Yes, all time, we are faced with certain losses and risks but that is never a problem to deter us. If we make clothes and they do not fit the cusyomer, it would do for someone else. Before Italians make clothes, they invite you for what is called fitting but here, people won’t even come if you ask them to come for fitting.
What makes us stand out as a company is that we originated our own cuts, unique designs and ensuring customer satisfaction with regulated and agreed delivery times. The finishing of the clothes made in Nigeria was not too good earlier and that was what prompted us to come into the business. My clothes fit well and our cuts are spectacular. I really don’t like making loud styles but I do that if customers want it so. Whenever I make clothes for clients, I make calls to follow up on how they fit. I do that always until I am sure I have got it right.