I think the idear of selling furniture online is not the best. most people will copy your design pictures and take it to their local carpenter to make.

tribalistseun:
The owner is a very good friend of mine, and he was a very die hard fan of buhari

He is reaping the fruit of his labour. Who get money to buy expensive sofa for this economy.

He should come back to blogging and thank me later.

Only God knows why he abandoned his fluorishing tech blog for this kind of biz.

VNOS:
Now I'm really sad about all this going on in our country. Quite discouraged on a business venture I was thinking of.

Nah nah.Just coz sumbody failed doesn't mean u re doomed 2 fail as well.Guy given it a shot jor.

VNOS:
Now I'm really sad about all this going on in our country. Quite discouraged on a business venture I was thinking of.

Nah nah.Just coz sumbody failed doesn't mean u re doomed 2 fail as well.Guy give it a shot jor.

You want to survive






Then ask your self how long can you endure



??

Reminds me of those days I had a business in Mushin that requires constant electricity, almighty nepa ran me out of business and my resources were gone.

When is the closing down sale happening ? And what would be the discount against original price?

I love this great entrepreneur for being sincere with his write up.......I pray God Will Show You The Way and Shine His Light On Your Path......

The summary of everything is that he is folding up abi?

He should goan work for Linda Ikeji and stop ranting jooooooooooor!

Cuteamigo1:
it's sad but let not make this about Nigeria and understand that the global economy is on meltdown. watched CNN the other day and it reported that big and I mean big manufacturing companies are closing down because of cheap imports from China even in the US OOO. I have mixed feelings about the issue but really China is taking over the world gradually because they export in large scale and sell cheaper than what the price is in the buying country which forces businesses like this to shut down. Nigeria needs to review it's protection policies but again if the government ban imports to promote local manufacturers guess who will complain? NIGERIANS SMH.

only ineffective govts ban foreign products(imports) to prove a point. Boost local production through adequate financing and watch imported commodities decline because of high cost of importation through increased taxing. The present rice scarcity in Nigeria proves the govt is clueless. We don't produce enough to go round yet we ban importation of same rice we need to survive.

Invest in rice production with the right quality and quantity, with time u'll see importation die down. No one will import a commodity dat is cheaper at home.

Sad buh one down ..more to go

Nigerians mostly consider what it costs to start a business, most don't have a long term plan or a good exit strategy. This man could have built the amazon of showrooms but instead he's packing up due to limited vision. The opportunities are out there but don't expect opportunities to translate into success without a maintenance package. A noble thinker dies in the jungle because it lacks the zeal of the tenacious doer. Four questions for all future entrepreneurs:

1: What are my short and long term goals?

2: How much resources do I have to achieve these goals?

3: Are my goals flexible enough to survive in a changing marketplace?

4: What are my exit strategies? Make money and pack up or continue to grow through mergers and acquisitions?

ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS TRUTHFULLY AND DISCOVER WHETHER YOU ARE A TRUE ENTREPRENEUR OR AN OPPORTUNIST.

Pavore9:
He should take out time to re-work his model.

there's nothing to rework, 98% of what he sale are imported furniture. So as long as the dollar remain high people can't import for him to sale. Jumia will soon announce their own obituary soon.

VNOS:
Now I'm really sad about all this going on in our country. Quite discouraged on a business venture I was thinking of.

dont get discouraged.ur paths are different.

Dajugba:



It is not about doing business in Nigeria, even if we know Nigeria present economic is not encouraging, it is about how long you tend to continue, but when you can't go further, it is always advisable to take a break and realize what is not being right. The man sound like all hope is gone! well this may be his time of failing forward. But if he keeps dwelling much in his failure than he sees the victory ahead, he may just pass out , because his fear his defeating him. I'll pray he rise up again after he fall.

Wonder why everything is blamed on Nigeroa or FG? Go to UK or the US and see how businessses that have even clocked close to a century are closing down! 10% of high street shops in London are now vacant. That is a place where you had to wait on the queue to get a small shop. Now there is no wait, because e-commerce is taking good share. Markets change and everyone must be ready.

At any rate, it is in this same Nigeria that Dangote has thrived to become Africa's richest. It is here that a new bank, Sun Trust, has just opened shop. Ask InJoo or Samsung for the kind of success they have here. Linda Ikeji has announced she is setting up new businesses, after she opened a new office.

Yes, indeed things are tough, but there is an opportunity for us to overcome. There is no 'father christmas' country anymore, anywhere. Dont be deceived! The days of automatic shirts or automatic jobs are over. Today, sweat is required, beyond talent!

Back to the write up. The writer sounds to me like a success waiting to happen. And this is my advice - You dont have to put all your focus on the tech segment. Pray for guidance. You actually do communicate well. You engage people pretty fine. Have you heard about Yewande Zachaeus, the lady that left a career in banking to set up the most famous events company in Nigeria?

Pray.

I think you dont have knowledge in your business. Because you are techy guy doesnt mean you can succeed selling furniture online. You could have hired a CEO to operate the business while you handle the tech side of the business. Looking at your website, I have not seen any fantastically appealing site. You need to learn alot to succeed in the online industry e.g. social media marketing, google analytics, google adwords, google webmaster tools, etc.

Looking at your social media accounts, you dont have any post that will invite visitors to your website. Example how can you even reach large potential customers with only 1,723 Fans on facebook and 113 Twitter followers. You have failed to explore the opportunities out there in the ecommerce industries.

Do you even have business plan. I always advice any new business to have a proper business plan. Business plans are crucial especially in hard times of the business. Business plan is the road map of any business.

You business also lack every ingredient needed for success in the online industry. E.g. you dont have strong brand management, you dont even have good marketing strategies. Dont ask me how I know. Looking at your website and your social media channels, I can tell if your business is ready for success or not.

So, he's folding up abi? Anyway farming season is here. He can go into cassava.

That is the danger of luxury business; it is the first thing to crash in an economic downturn. For now, I'll just focus on essential business which people need, rain or sunshine. If you sell a product which people must buy even when broke, then you are golden.

Vikings007:
Well written.

Boss, I dropped you a mail.

Kinginvahala

tribalistseun:
The owner is a very good friend of mine, and he was a very die hard fan of buhari

Eiyaah...

tribalistseun:
The owner is a very good friend of mine, and he was a very die hard fan of buhari

Send my regards

I wish him quick rebound. Meanwhile, I hope he would learn from his own mistake as he preached it here. The causes of his failure (faliure is not a sign of ignorance rather its an act towards perfection) are three folds:

- He failed to choose his team wisely. This point can never be over emphasized, once you can get the right team, you are as good as a successful competitor next door.

- He was self-conceited either intentionally unintentionally. Nothing kills a business faster than one person assuming both the role of a CEO and COO at the same time. Only a few people can escape from the brutality such a mistake do bring to business. This is more like merging both legislative and judiciary arms of government with the executive arm.

- He did not have a firmed philosophical principle on which he operated his business. Yes, it's good to be a voracious reader, yet when one started to believe all s/he read, it means a time has come to stop reading. Knowledge will always remains superior to information.

Dee60:


Wonder why everything is blamed on Nigeroa or FG? Go to UK or the US and see how businessses that have even clocked close to a century are closing down! 10% of high street shops in London are now vacant. That is a place where you had to wait on the queue to get a small shop. Now there is no wait, because e-commerce is taking good share. Markets change and everyone must be ready.

At any rate, it is in this same Nigeria that Dangote has thrived to become Africa's richest. It is here that a new bank, Sun Trust, has just opened shop. Ask InJoo or Samsung for the kind of success they have here. Linda Ikeji has announced she is setting up new businesses, after she opened a new office.

Yes, indeed things are tough, but there is an opportunity for us to overcome. There is no 'father christmas' country anymore, anywhere. Dont be deceived! The days of automatic shirts or automatic jobs are over. Today, sweat is required, beyond talent!

Back to the write up. The writer sounds to me like a success waiting to happen. And this is my advice - You dont have to put all your focus on the tech segment. Pray for guidance. You actually do communicate well. You engage people pretty fine. Have you heard about Yewande Zachaeus, the lady that left a career in banking to set up the most famous events company in Nigeria?

Pray.

No I don't. just getting informed by you now, but I'd like to know more or little about her? Thanks.

This is why I always tell people, stop listening to motivational speakers. Talk to CEOs that have build successful business.

Although, Sheriff Shittu lacked knowledge on digital marketing and its technical know-how.

He has proven to be a goal getter but a feeble. Two years is too small to throw in the towel, in a nation where tech is young. Even Americans needs more than two years to scale a business.

y u shut down kwan,u no sabi weda az u shut down na im. one contract come no see.or na next year u go blow. I OBSERVE PEOPLE QUIT AT THE VERGE OF THEIR SUCCESS AND BFRE THEY REALIZE IT BECOMES LATE.

Buy off the company.

Not even 5 years. I wish to work for that company, and he will see a turnaround.

Truth234:
This is why I always tell people, stop listening to motivational speakers. Talk to CEOs that have build successful business.

Although, Sheriff Shittu lacked knowledge on digital marketing and its technical know-how.

He has proven to be a goal getter but a feeble. Two years is too small to throw in the towel, in a nation where tech is young. Even Americans needs more than two years to scale a business.

I have tried over two dozen tech startups.. gave up on all but one. And might just give up on that one too as it is working but not making enough.. They say get a real job but just one more try i always say...

Am sure all tech startups went through some hurdles,.. google, facebook etc

So bro I feel the pain..

The story of a quiter

BillBlogger:
Not even 5 years. I wish I could lay my hands on that company and he will see a turn around. Hard times is even great to get stronger. Some Nigerians have been blogging many years without penny or doing their whatever online business and they never give up.

I think it has a lot to do with the people he surround himself with. From his article, he seems to blame everything on his "not knowing enough" or his team not knowing enough about how to scale a business. My question is, do we ever get to that point of knowing enough.

I was watching Reddit Ceo, Steve Huffman, interview on Bloomberg yesterday. They scale by working with what they have and bringing in people that can complement those things. That is something I don't think Sheriff implemented, he heads the team and remain so even when it wasn't working due to his lack of know-how.