We love when young people think out of the box and do the extra odrinary and this young Man, Iyauoluwa Pedro is one of such!
CEO of Hipeefoods, Iyanuoluwa Pedro is a 19-year-old student of Yaba college of technology.
In this exclusive interview with Kemi Filani News, Iyanuoluwa gives insight on how he started his company, HipeeFoods, his inspiration and how he is able to combine his school work with business work.
He further reveals how he manages distractions from female folks and his greatest achievement so far in the entrepreneurial world.
Enjoy this expository interview with Iyanuoluwa Pedro…
Can we meet you
I’m Iyanuoluwa Pedro. I’m a 19-year-old student of Yaba college of technology, I’m in my 2nd year and I’m the CEO/ senior chef of Hipeefoods company. It’s a food company that deals with fast food and other dishes, for parties and events. We also make deliveries to individuals who order on our delivery days.
How did you come about the name of your company?
This such a nice question! Hipee happens to be my nickname in secondary school, and most of the foods I prepare are formulated by me. So I decided to use my name.
What inspired you to start Hipeefoods?
I saw the need for providing affordable foods for students around campus and the inspiration came in my first year while in school. I also saw the need for creating job opportunities for students with financial problems. It was also necessary to have a Mobile food company for people working.
How did you start up the business considering you are just a student?
I started by selling toast bread in my department.
How are you able to combine this with your academics?
I must confess it’s not easy, one has to know his priority. I try balancing the two by giving them separate time not making one affect the other. For example, toast bread serves as breakfast, so I prepare it in the morning and get to school early before lectures commence. During exams, I suspend anything business and by nature, I spend my night reading. So, both business and school have their separate time. Once something is your passion you won’t find problem doing it.
What has been your greatest challenge so far?
Number 1 issue is light, which is a major issue in the country, but we have an alternative which costs a little more. Number 2, yearly we organize a food festival one of our major problems is getting sponsors. The goal of the food festival is creating awareness about the importance of our native food. We need people in the other industry to combine food with work and to know the importance of eating good food, and also teach them about eating balanced diet.
So what alternative have you put in place to address the first problem?
We make use of a generator, and we also subscribe to the manual/ traditional way of cooking. Which is preferable by some people because it is believed that smoked or roasted food tastes better than those done with advanced technology.
How do you manage distractions from female folks?
To live peacefully in life, one has to understand principles or create his own principles. Once you have your principle/ standard you will be able to manage distractions from female folks.
So tell us, Do you have partners or sponsors?
Yes, we have partners. Number one are my family members my dad mom and my brother (Pedrosolution). I also have friends who are partners with us some are Kesh’s gadgets, Tpumpy gadgets and I’m looking forward to having more sponsors.
How many awards have you won?
One at the moment as the most enterprising student
What has been your greatest achievement so far in the entrepreneurial world?
I have been able to influence people to start up a business which they did and they are doing great
Who has been your greatest inspiration so far?
My number one source of inspiration is God, then my dad and mom and also some few friends.
What is your greatest fear as an entrepreneur, and how do you manage it?
My greatest fear is failing in the world of entrepreneurship. I manage it by working hard and applying different formula to make my business grow and expand.
What’s your definition of success
My definition of success is making a positive impact in people’s life And creating a legacy for the next generation to follow.
What piece of advice would you give to college undergraduates who aspire to become entrepreneurs?
Putting all your eggs in one basket is not advisable because if you lose that basket you will have nothing left. Education is fundamental and important, getting a trade to do is also important. In the sense that when you are out of school and you are awaiting a job, the trade you did while in school can earn you a living. It’s possible your trade gives you more fortune than your job. And also there are limited jobs but there are unlimited business ideas. Be wise!
Where do you see Hipeefoods in the next 5 years?
I see Hipeefoods as one of the biggest mobile food company in Nigeria and some other counties of the world.