You just have to find a way of “IT-lizing” whatever it is you are doing or studied in school. Just the other day I saw a young doctor created a Hub where you can actually book other doctors with their various specialty, then I know, the future is TECH and the future is here. Ndukwe Ogechi has also proven that, by transcending from just being an accountant to an accounting tech Entrepreneur, and in his voice, “…an accounting graduate turned internet entrepreneur”.
Join me on this interview with our SME of the month for July 2017, an accounting maestro – a lot to learn from this one.
- Can we meet you?
My name is Ndukwe Ogechi, an accounting graduate turned internet entrepreneur. I love to explore opportunities on the internet and has since leveraged on that to grow my marketing skill by reading stories of how startups owners grow their businesses into a billion dollar empire
- Tell us about your Business, how you started and what inspired you to go in that line of business.
I am always excited to share my startup journey, failures, successes and inspirations. My startup is accountingsoftware.com.ng, a business I started as a blog by sharing tips, advice and expert help on how small businesses in different industries can improve their accounting system, take control of their finance and take quick decisions using figures. After 10 months of content upload, I started receiving calls and inquiries from business owners who are looking for accounting and finance software but do not know where to start from and I said, if my blogs can generate qualified leads, then I can turn it to a full time business considering the fact that accounting is a need in all businesses. I was inspired to start the business when I closed my first deal which was worth more than 3 months salary. Since then we have served more clients in retail, manufacturing, distribution, oil and gas, hospitality, financial service, PR, and so on.
- What were the Initial Challenges you faced when you started your Business?
The initial challenge was office; a lot of clients in Nigeria believe that if you don’t have an office, you are not yet in business. Well, I quite understand that which was why I had to resort to shared office using one of the co-working spaces on the mainland. Capital wasn’t an issue for me because our overhead is low; the marketing aspect is already taken care of as most of clients find us online.
- What is that thing you wish you did differently?
I probably would have combined accounting and software development course because that’s the foundation of my business right now. Though, we are partners with foreign vendors but looking to deploy custom software for SMEs in Nigeria.
- Who or What is your Main Inspiration: Business/Personal?
I am always inspired by Jason Njoku the man behind iRokoTV, I have always studied his exceptional skill in building such empire when no one thought such million naira brands could emerge from Africa.
- What makes you different from your Competitors?
We have an exceptional marketing skill that drives leads to our business every month.
- Would your Business still be around in 5years?? Why do you think so?
Sure! The accounting software industry in Nigeria is huge and only few businesses are solving SME accounting challenges the right way. I have met clients who employed a low-level consultant and had to pay more for the additional problems created because they didn’t understand the real problem. We have millions of SMEs who need to get their accounting system right which is a hungry market we are there to feed.
- What does it take to start a Business like yours?
It takes a good accounting skill and software marketing experience before one can start an accounting software implementation business.
- How has your Business made you a better person?
I have been exposed to all industries in Nigeria and from a standpoint of consulting, I see myself as a problem solver because thats what I do.
- In what ways have you given back or is your business giving back to the Society?
We are currently working on helping accounting graduates become employed faster which is the idea behind BestAccountingForum.com, an online community funded by my business. We share latest accounting jobs from verified employers and also connect our members to clients who are looking for accounting graduates.
- Do you currently have Expansion Plans? Can you share with us?
Yes we do. We are working on establishing our presence in other states. Very soon we will launch financial software for SMEs to augment their accounting needs.
- Favorite Quote you live by:
If you dream it, you can achieve, after all, no one pays tax for thinking big.
*MESSAGE TO ENTREPRENEURS*
- What would you like to tell the person who is scared for one reason or the other to start a Business??
Just start failure is not a crime.
- Message to other Entrepreneurs:
Surround yourself with friends with like minds.
- Message to would-be Entrepreneurs:
The faster way to grow is to learn from those who are successful. There is no day I don’t read business and startup books.
We are located at 14A, Bayo Dejunwo Close, Maryland, Lagos.
Contact us: 08105090001,
[email protected] ,
[email protected] and
www.accountingsoftware.com.ng