Recently on Attain, we interviewed a young and inspiring entrepreneur, Precious Azuonwu, CEO Emperovial Business Enterprise. He started while he was an undergraduate at the University and made his first million at age 21.
1. Tell us about yourself?
My name is Precious Azuonwu and I'm also known as Emperovial. I'm a social entrepreneur, digital marketer and reading culture advocate. I'm third born in the family of 6 and funny enough I'm medium of several things that means I have an elder brother, younger brother as well as elder sister and younger sister and I'm the only one in my family who does. I was born 19th January, 1997 in the city of Port Harcourt. When I was born there was no money, N2000 was borrowed to celebrate my birth. And after my birth, no child ever experienced such. I love researching for information and ravenous reading. I love eating a lot of beans and potatoes. A fresh graduate of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, a course I miraculously finished to take my leverage in information technology.
2. Tell us about your business brand?
My business's brand is known as Emperovial Business Enterprise, name was conceived in April 2017 when I encountered an eureka moment while looking for a business name to cap my business idea . The word 'emperovial' invoke inspirationallly from my pen name, 'emperor' and to me, it means kinging over an empire. And as a 300 level undergraduate student back then, it means a lot to me, fires me of the future and entrust me with the confidence to give my all into what I will do. Emperovial was set up to meet business number one need in marketing.
We help business get access to a large number of their target audience within a shortest period of time and transform their sales result leveraging on digital technology to get optimum results.
3. When and what brought about your business vision?
According to statistics, 4 out of every 5 businesses fail within their 5 years in existence in Nigeria and there are many factors in this but I discovered one of the reasons. According to Brain Tracy in his book, 100 unbreakable laws of business success, a failure in marketing, sales and revenue generation is the number one reason for failure in business. Emperovial brand thus existed to meet business number one goal in marketing and also to keep every business in existence by transforming their presence digitally and pushing their offer to the center of their target audience.
According to statistics, 4 out of every 5 businesses fail within their 5 years in existence in Nigeria and there are many factors in this but I discovered one of the reasons. According to Brain Tracy in his book, 100 unbreakable laws of business success, a failure in marketing, sales and revenue generation is the number one reason for failure in business. Emperovial brand thus existed to meet business number one goal in marketing and also to keep every business in existence by transforming their presence digitally and pushing their offer to the center of their target audience.
4. What were the main challenges you faced early on in your entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome them?
Building a business really rises and falls on vision. As an undergraduate in a Nigeria public university, nursing a vision for a global business rises eye brow. So the first challenges faced was not to conform to my environment and status-quo perception of Nigeria students. You know in Nigeria, we are told 'go to school, get the best grades and work in a high paying job', and here was me defiant to change the narrative. So the scripture in Proverb 18:1 was at work, 'it says through desire a man having separated himself seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom'. I overcame via wisdom.
5. Biggest challenges in your entrepreneur journey?
Emperovial brand was focused using digital marketing to scale up sales results of businesses and since digital technologies was not understood by most business owners, I had to give them in depth education in order for them to make informed decision. This was a while challenge of itself as client would want this for free and it involved a large chunk of my time. Also, some client would want overnight results in their marketing, like they paid you $100 to grow their online presence and the next thing is that they want to see $1000 in their account. The growth doesn't work that . Another biggest challenges I have got is time management. Managing a business, an academic and a social project. Right now, we are three running the business but handling the most sensitive part such as customer care, presentation and strategy building pulls a great deal of time. Since our why, in starting the business is strong, I had to see it as paying the price for our desired future.
Another challenge faced was in building a working team, young people are usually motivated by money and keeping them as team in a growing business was indeed challenging, I had to spend lots of time to inspire them and grow their mind. However, few still left the team looking out for their personal agendas and more inspirations but my greatest joy is to have been able to pull a customer of 100 in one year in business.
6. At what point did you begin to achieve success?
Aliko Dangote said in one of his interviews, tenacity of purpose is supreme. So while the challenges hit hard, I was able to get a good working environment, at the Ken Sari Wiwa Innovation Hub in Port Harcourt which gave me the comfort in pressing hard on my business goals. Making my first million in profit after 18 months in business, I considered that a land mark success, I was 21 and that was a great pull for a youth in Africa. Having given free consultancy to small and medium scale business owners, my passion to see business grow was now seen as I was facilitating digital training and my client base indeed grew. What I considered interesting and most fulfilling for me was when I was listed as top 40 aspiring entrepreneur in Port Harcourt by Facebook Nigeria in conjunction with Fate Foundation and I underwent a 4 weeks entrepreneurial in depth training.
Going forward, the bottom line has remained to meet business number one need in marketing!
7. What would you consider your greatest achievement ever in your entrepreneurial journey?
Supporting the females in tech in Port Harcourt on digital marketing via facilitating a 2 days training in the prestigious Ken Saro Wiwa Innovation Hub, Port Harcourt.
Becoming the top 40 aspiring entrepreneur in 2019 by Facebook Nigeria and Fate Foundation. Facilitating a training funded by the Ford Foundation, organized to help entrepreneurs on latest statistics for their business growth. Facilitating a 2 hour training for the largest church in southern Nigeria, Salvation Ministries on customer care.
8. Who has inspired you the most in your Entrepreneurial Journey?
While I get inspiration from great Africa entrepreneurs like Tony Elemelu, Aliko Dangote, Strive Magayiwa etc. I have been deeply influenced by global entrepreneur, Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, the way they do business and scale. However, I have operated on the 10 core value on Fela Durotoye for nation building.
9. If you could go back in time, what are the changes you would have made in your entrepreneurial journey?
Personally I believe everything happens for a reason and the only changes I believe I would have made was to work on my business model clearly before starting out the business. Thanks to Fate Foundation and Facebook Nigeria, courtesy of the 4 weeks training I had from them, I have been able to operate on this principle.
10. What should we see you doing in the future?
The vision for Emperovial enterprise is global and as I always said, expect Emperovial to launch in silicon valley and cover 5 continents of the world. We want to solve business number one goal in marketing globally.
11. What's your advice to someone just starting out in business/entrepreneurship?
Stay burning on your vision. Invest in knowledge and wisdom. Have a mentor. Be diligent and build lots of goodwill.
12. What are your other interest aside business?
I am passionate about transforming the lives of young people, I am into talent development, reading culture advocacy and inspirational mentoring. It is my most noble passion to invest in the younger generation and help them achieve their noble vision faster. I do this as my corporate social responsibility.
Reach Precious Azuonwu on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/preciousazuonwu Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/preciousazuonwu
Phone: 08164985309
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