Someone was making an enquiry about one of the services I now provide. As we spoke, she paused and said:
“Oh, you’re doing everything.”
I smiled and replied:
“Yes.”
The funny thing is that when I first started my business, I already had a picture of where I wanted it to go.
I knew I didn’t want to build something that stayed in one place forever. I wanted to build something that could grow, evolve and create opportunities as I learned more.
That is why I always encourage people to write down their vision and understand their why.
When you know where you are going, it becomes easier to recognise opportunities that can help you get there.
Think about it this way.
If you’re travelling from Telford to Aberystwyth and one route takes five hours by road while another takes two hours by train, why would you insist on taking the longer route?
Business can be like that.
As you grow, you will discover opportunities that were not part of the original plan. Not every opportunity should be taken, but some will align perfectly with your vision and help you move forward faster.
When that happens, don’t be afraid to pivot.
Don’t be afraid to expand.
Don’t be afraid to grow.
When I started my small chops business, we started with meat pies.
Just meat pies.
Over time, we expanded beyond the pie.
We added more products, more experiences and more ways to serve our customers.
I remember worrying that people would think I was doing too much.
I remember wondering whether people would look at me and think I needed to calm down and focus on one thing.
But here’s what I have learned.
People often see the expansion before they see the vision.
They see the extra work before they see the destination.
They see the effort before they see the results.
And because of that, they sometimes assume you’re doing too much.
What they don’t see are the dreams that keep you awake at night.
They don’t see the goals you’ve written down.
They don’t see where you’re trying to go.
One day, when they see the finished product, they’ll call it success.
They’ll say it happened quickly.
They’ll say you were lucky.
But they won’t see all the years it took to get there.
So if somebody tells you that you’re doing the most, just smile and say:
“Yes, I am.”
You don’t need to explain your ambition to everyone.
I learned this lesson long before I started my own business.
My mum studied Animal Science and spent years working in agriculture.
Alongside her career, she built poultry farms, fish farms, cassava farms and various agricultural ventures.
Eventually, she invested in a large poultry operation and realised something.
She was already producing at scale.
She already understood the industry.
So why couldn’t she also have a shop?
There was already someone in town selling similar products.
Many people would have looked at that and decided there wasn’t room for another business.
My mum didn’t.
She opened her shop anyway.
And people came.
Not because there was no competition.
But because there was room.
In fact, the person who had been established for years eventually moved their business closer to hers.
That story taught me something I have never forgotten.
The market is often bigger than we think.
There is room for more than one person to succeed.
There is room for more than one business to grow.
And there is room for you too.
I see this even now.
There is someone in my church who provides similar products to mine.
When she is unavailable, she recommends customers to me.
When I am unavailable, I recommend customers to her.
Neither of us sees the other as competition.
We simply understand that there is enough work for both of us.
Your biggest competition is not another business owner.
It is fear.
It is playing small.
It is convincing yourself that there is no space for you when there absolutely is.
So this Business Wednesday, my message is simple:
Dare to dream.
Dream beyond what feels comfortable.
Dream beyond what other people expect from you.
Dream beyond the limitations others place on you.
If you have the capacity, grow.
If you have the vision, pursue it.
If you have the opportunity, explore it.
And if people say you’re doing too much?
Smile.
And keep building anyway.
My beautiful bestie 😜, Abii
With Love,
Ayo
⸻
If this post resonated with you, share it with one person stepping into something new this month. We have a 10k goal. Let’s make it happen.
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