Didn’t Know I Could Be Self-employed In A Year - Morakinyo Beckley
Morakinyo Beckley

Morakinyo Beckley, founder and Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) of Bringitbay UK Limited, an e-Commerce company, was born in Lagos to Mr. and Mrs. Akinwale Joseph Beckley, 30 years ago, precisely on July 19, 1979, the day preceeding the senatorial elections for the Second Republic. As a child, this earned him the nickname, “Senator.” In this interview, he speaks about his childhood, education and career, among other issues with SEYI GESINDE. Excerpts:

What was growing up like to you?
Growing up was not just fun; it was exciting. However, my sibling and I were brought up in a strict environment where we were taught the fear of God. We were surrounded by books – novels, science textbooks and the like; and we used to struggle with one another to read newspapers. At six years old, I loved to read the cartoons and jokes; my sisters preferred to do the crossword. In other words, we were exposed to a lot while we grew up. We did not lack much and were taught, above all, to respect everybody, no matter whom they were.

What was your childhood aspiration? 
Honestly, I loved mechanical things, and after being taken to inspect a plane by an uncle who is a pilot, I aspired to be a pilot. Eventually, I changed my mind at around age nine and opted be an architect since I overheard that it was expensive to train to be a pilot. I made up a lot of house models from cardboards as a result of this.

Where, then, did your business inspiration come from?
My inspiration has mainly come from the books I have read about successful people around the world. I am most inspired by the owners of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin as well as former CEO of GE (General Electric), Jack Welch. Their styles of leadership and business acumen have driven me over the years. On the domestic scene, I am inspired by the owner of Finicky Restaurants, who, though, is a young Medical Doctor, drives one of the most innovative type of business in his niche.

As an Economics graduate, you started a banking career with the former Chartered Bank (now Stanbic-IBTC) in 2004 and later Guaranty Trust Bank until 2007. Why did you leave your plum job?
It was as a result of the abundant opportunities opened to me as a foreign student, especially in top schools in the United Kingdom and United States of America. That necessitated my exit from GTB. I enjoyed working at Chartered Bank (now Stanbic IBTC), but I was motivated, while I was working with the GTB team structure, to follow my dream to prepare me to become the owner of my own destiny and business in the future. I did not anticipate that I would run my own business within one year. All of this just happened and since I was ready for the opportunity presented, I just jumped right into the business with the help of a dedicated team and today, the rest is history.

What then influenced your choice of Entrepreneurship and Innovation as a graduate course at the University of Essex, UK, before starting your own company?
Some time in January 2003, I had stumbled upon excerpts from a book entitled The Richest Man in Babylon. I got so fired up by the information I got from that book that I immediately began to act upon it. The main thing which fired me was that I was the controller of the destiny which God had put in my hands and that if I was able to manage and then “grow” the opportunities which I had access to, then I could end up being rich at some point in time. I subsequently discussed it with a neighbour who introduced me to another book by Robert Kiyosaki, Rich Dad, Poor Dad. This was the turning point in my financial and entrepreneurial development.

What is Bringintbay UK Limited all about, how do you operate and what are you out to achieve?
Bringitbay Limited is owned by the parent company in the UK, Bringitbay UK Limited. We have set out to bridge the gap for Nigerians, nay, Africans, who wish to shop online but experience challenges as a result of their location which most retail outlets in the western world refuse to ship to. Our website is a platform where people, who want to shop from the best stores in United Kingdom, can fill details of the items they would like to purchase and we will purchase the items on their behalf, using our VISA card registered in a UK bank. This must be after the customer would have deposited the funds needed to purchase the items into our corporate account. At the moment, we get items from UK for customers; we will soon begin to get items from US online stores in the third quarter of 2009.

Do you think an e-Commerce business can be successfully operated and practised in Nigeria, where many are still not computer literate?
Yes, the key to this is awareness. A lot of people, who are even computer literate, are not aware of the abundant opportunities available to them when they have Internet access. The successful operation of Internet based business in Nigeria, on the other hand, is premised on the business model as well as the security measure in place for the customers who are the heart of the business.

From your calculation, your company has been able to record a 250 per cent turnover and profit growth between October and December last year, surpassing your projection and 120 per cent increase in customer acquisition, what is the magic?
The truth, I must confess, is that we simply met a need. A business owner, who can identify and meet a yearning, will make money. It is that simple. Ask Coca Cola why they keep making money (laughs).

How easy or hard was it for you to start up, and what will you say are your gains and pains of leaving a monthly paying job to starting yours alone?
As a result of the training in my business school, starting up was made less stressful as I had become exposed to certain aspects of business start-up routine, as we had done a bit of mock-up businesses to give us an insight into what to expect when we approached that stage of business. With the help of friends, I applied techniques which sifted the reality of the business idea and also raised a reliable team with whom I felt comfortable with in running a new business. The gains are numerous, especially knowing that I contribute to the economy in terms of job creation and payment of taxes. Also, leaving a paid job, though, must happen one day; however, it must be carefully planned such that you are ready to face the rigours of being self employed. It might be tough to start. But always remember that one day, you will have no option but to either retire, resign or be retrenched. These days they call it “restructuring.” (laughs).

Can you talk about your philosophy, what you do at your leisure and who your role models are?
I like to spend time with friends and family during my leisure time and love to listen to music. I like writing too and contribute to a personal blog dedicated to creating wealth online. I have also authored and published a book, Complete Guide to Borrowing, with full rights purchased by top five Nigerian banks, and have about seven unpublished ones. I used to love to cook, however, there’s hardly anytime now for me to do this as I wish. The owners of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, exposed me to the successful Google Economy which propagates giving a service free and building a business making venture around this business model. I’m still working on ideas which I too can replicate this model with.

What is your ultimate goal as an e-Commerce expert?
It is for Nigerian individuals, organisations and goverment to embrace the Internet as an ideal platform for provision and acquisition of services and products which can, then, lead to a reduction in overhead costs of doing business. e-Commerce is my own platform of launching into other bigger things.

Your advice for the youths, especially beginners, parents and the government?
Youth must always be prepared for opportunities. Whatever you do or know how to do, learn how to do it to the best of your knowledge. Become the “go-to” person, the person who people will recommend for a particular service. Parents should also give time to their children and not lose that essence of being there for them; reason being that a lot of parents are getting too busy these days that before they realise it, their kids are grown and gone. Our parents are our first role models and we either mirror them or rebel and do not want to be like them. As a parent, think about this, which would you prefer your children to be? Government should live up to their responsibilities of providing basic infrastructures from the taxes that the masses pay.

Imagine if every governor and government adminstrator in Nigeria were like our amiable governor in Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, the best since the creation of the state. He is a true leader and the ripple effects he has created have been felt even in places outside Nigeria. All government workers should emulate him.