GREEN LAND. Written by E PLUS The Storyteller.

On this edition of MEET THE GUEST..hosted by E PLUS the Storyteller, an entrepreneur extraordinaire tells us all about her brand and her journey to self discovery. Let's find out more from Our banjo Yetunde Basirat..You don't want to miss this!

E PLUS The Storyteller: You're welcome to this edition of *MEET THE GUEST* hosted by E PLUS the Storyteller.

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Thank you E plus😊

E PLUS The Storyteller: Would it be correct to describe you as  a multifaceted entrepreneur?

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Yes. It will be very correct because, I have actually been involved in series of ventures, though they are all within the food and fashion industry but I'm also delving into other lines, now.😁

E PLUS The Storyteller: How interesting..Please tell us, all about it.🙂

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat😁.

Well...on my own, my first business was during or after my one year industrial training in year 2000..can't remember specifically.

I started selling jewelries, hair accessories and the likes. I'll take it to my bosses at Nigerian Bottling Company Head office in Oyingbo (That's where I had my industrial training)and then I also sold to my colleagues at school. When I returned for my HND.

It was so much fun because sometimes, I sold out at my first point and would head back to Eko Idumota to restock immediately.

My friends usually  call me Yeye Oge (Mother of beautification), because I sold everything you need to look beautiful from head to toe In terms of jewelries and accessories.

Now! I remember again.

I and one of my friends, Tosin Anifowoshe often went to katangwa market in Abule egba to buy fairly but neatly used beautiful, sexy nightwears and other wears. We would wash, iron and spray them with perfume and pack them in nylons for sale.

And we made very good sales then. 😁
Then, after HND, pre- NYSC, I also ran a phone call centre for my mum and I had so many phone.

  That was 2002...when maintaining a phone was still a 'big man thing'. Those days you had to spend 1500 compulsorily monthly😁.

I would target the very early morning hours before my competitors opened...and I will catch all the customers and also wait untill late, at night😁.

I enjoyed it all because I received patronage and was making sales😉

Then it was time for NYSC. I was posted to zamfara state.

My mum would help me buy bags, undies, jewelries etc from China town in Lagos... Do you know China town? They had one in Ikoyi and another by Alapere along the Ogudu expressway.

And I made sales!

I just love selling market.😁

When I was returning to Lagos after NYSC, I came back with Jalabiyyah, from the north for sale at home in the South west. I also continued the business briefly by going to Moshalasi Jimoh in Eko Idumota to restock after I had exhausted the ones I brought from Zamfara. I can't remember how...but I found myself selling Islamic CDs🤣

I think once I find something beneficial and I believe people will like it and I also see that I can buy at a price and sell making some small gain...my head just says..you can sell it😁.

I got employed with a federal government parastatal in 2006 and I remember I sold CDs to my Muslim colleagues at work.

Then in December 2007, order came from above to relocate the head office of my organisation to Abuja and I was among those transferred to Abuja😁.

I arrived in Abuja 1st January 2008. We settled down after some weeks and, I craved my Ijebu Garri. I requested for, and bought various versions of fake Ijebu Garri.

I'm a full blooded Ijebu woman and I have taken Ijebu Garri all my life so I can tell good garri from the looks, the aroma and then the taste.

After all the experiments with fake Ijebu Garri, I told myself as usual🤣,  "I can sell this. I'm sure there are some other people looking for this garri like me too."

 Gba! I travelled to Lagos in December 2008 and headed for my home town, Ijebu Ode. I bought some bags of garri and myself and the bags of garri returned to Abuja together.😁 That was it!

Elubo Amala (Yam flour), honey beans and a host of other things joined the Ijebu garri and today we have Basty Foods.😁

E PLUS The Storyteller: Wow!!!!👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻...This is so amazing!!!! Now, we can put facts and figures to the Story of Basty Foods.

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: 😁 Thank you.

E PLUS The Storyteller: Would you say that passion propels you more than the financial reward or both are at per in the course of pursuing your goals?

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Sincerely, I'll say it's passion o. Financial rewards are secondary. Though the financial rewards may be motivating and encouraging too but sincerely, I just love trading and solving problems.

This passion pushed me to the extent that, last year, with two broken legs, I'll ask the people around me to help arrange my products call delivery agent and use my 'supposed gain' on the sales to pay delivery agent to supply these products to my customers.

I didn't want them to become stranded because of my little challenges.

You can see it's not about the financial gain. But, sincerely, I look forward to seeing this business grow financially  to enable me pay my bills😁.

E PLUS The Storyteller: Hmmm..very profound. With your experience thus far, how can you evaluate the business industry now? Any challenge?

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Hmmm..well...different challenges for different industries at different times.

Introducing a new product in a new place is one, and also getting people to try it...you may need to give some free tasting or samples in some cases.

Sourcing for quality foods may be another challenge, considering the different ways people cut corners to make profit and I've not started planting myself. I'm actually talking about the beans in this area. The use of preservatives and sourcing from farmers who do not use preservatives.

Even at my end as a retailer, preservation is an issue. I have run into losses with my beans when they got infested with weevils because my freezer (which I use to preserve it.) got spoilt.

E PLUS The Storyteller: Hmmm.. insightful! So beyond the financial aspect, it's expedient for any business man or woman to understand the dynamics behind the business?

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Yes...very important. Your understanding will determine the degree of falls and mistakes you'll make. It's always good to have a mentor too (if possible). Someone already experienced in the field-who can guide you. 

Though, people see things more, in terms of competition but, with patience and consistency, you'll find guidance.

It's good to ask questions and do your own research. Also, don't be too secretive. Even if you think someone wants to steal your idea, 

Can they steal your implementation strategy? Your marketing style, your customer service deals? You're unique in your own way.

I remember when I wanted to start selling the Garri, the lady I met there asked me where I wanted to sell, I told her Abuja and she gave me a piece of advice that is saving me great losses.

Ijebu garri is in grades. With my supplier, they have 2 grades, No 1 and No 2. Both are good garri but with slight  difference... I think in the processing, No 1 is more expensive than No 2.

Initially, I bought more of No 2 because I believed it will move faster because, it is cheaper.

Then, she advised me to buy more of No 1 and I listened.

Guess what? I sold all the 2 bags of grade 1 garri that I bought while, I  struggled to sell a quarter of the grade 2.

Each time people tastes both, they opted for grade 1.

At a point, I stopped going out with the grade 2 because people were not buying it!

I had to consume that grade 2 myself o! I ate that Garri for 2 years.

And with that experience, I can also tell people that my garri has a shelf life of two years...tested and trusted😉

Also, apart from quality, understanding pricing dynamics is expedient. Being able to source good quality at best prices so you can also sell at competitive price while still making your own profit, is key.

Knowing your costs too, is very important in business. Some people are in business and they do not understand their costs at all. Cost of phone calls, data, even packaging nylon is important. No cost is negligible.

E PLUS The Storyteller: Wow! Basty..you are such a wealth of knowledge and this speak volumes of how you render your services.

Any plan to train people who might have interest in venturing into the same business?

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: No concrete plans on ground now, though I share what I know and have interactions with anyone, who approaches me but, wait! maybe I feel I do not know much yet so I still invest in learning seriously.

However, now that you mentioned it, as usual🤣, I'll be considering it😁.

In the very near future, God willing. I'm so excited about myself and what I see myself doing in the near future.

I learnt 3D animation recently and I've started training people.

I just trained my first batch of students last week and we'll be rounding up the one week follow up session this weekend. It has been fun!

It is fun teaching what I know and it is even more fulfilling seeing your students implement what you've taught them. That is the sweetest part of it.

So, with my knowledge of 3D animation now, I will most likely be delving into creating videos for entreprenuers😁 and also training those who want to learn to do it by themselves.

E PLUS The Storyteller: Awesome👍 It's quite commendable how you are effectively harnessing resources to break all fonts. So tell us all about your products in a nutshell and how you can be reached?

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Thank you for the compliments E plus.😊

Basically, I help women (and men too)😁 spend lesser time for shopping and cooking by providing them with quality, ready to cook foodstuff. I relieve people from the stress of having their families, send foodstuffs to them here, in Abuja for fear of buying poor quality foods.

Amongst our best and unique sellers are: Ijebu Garri, Yam flour, Honey beans. Simply put, you can give us your foodstuff shopping lists and go to sleep.😁

We're based in Abuja but, distance is not a barrier for Basty Foods, when it comes to serving our customers.

We're reachable on whatsapp on 08099281171
Calls or SMS 08140653525, 08116899398.

E PLUS The Storyteller: Basty, it's been such an amazing time with you! Indeed, your business prowess is quite profound. We hope to have you back on another edition.

Oyebanjo Yetunde Basirat: Thank you so much. It was interesting being with you too. Like it shouldn't end😁
I can talk for Africa🙈
No problems. Will be glad to be with you again😁

E PLUS The Storyteller: 😄...indeed! Soonest👍

We have had yet, another insightful time with an industrious entrepreneur, Basty Foods. Now, you know where to go, who to call or chat up when you need all your Food stuffs in one place. Call her a one stop shop for your Food stuffs and, you will be absolutely correct.

Join us, for another thrilling edition on MEET THE GUEST hosted by  E PLUS the Storyteller.

Do you want to be on this Column?
Send a chat on 09075005895.

Remember, inspiration is the bedrock of Creativity... let's tell your story.

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