Dear Hopefuls,
Our Hopeful For today is:
Benjamin Teri
Founder and C.E.O
D-guy.Com
Yola, Nigeria.
D-Guy.Com is an online shopping platform based at the American University of Nigeria, delivering service to students.
He shares with us his story and his vision for the coming years.
OurSharedHope: Humble beginnings, how did the "D-guy" idea start?
D-guy: I was chilling at home one evening with my elder brother, that was last summer, I was telling him how people in school come to me for stuff. Then I said "if I charge people for the things I give for free, I would be rich (Laughs) maybe I should start". My brother then said, why not? U then begin to think of problems in school and the business opportunities, from my experience in AUN. I discovered there are a few of them, like always having to go to the campus store or town for little things like bathing soap and toothpaste. Not being able to print on weekends or after business hours, not knowing where to get certain items, especially for new student and similar problems. I figured if I am able to solve these small problems, students in AUN will be really happy. Reason being no one wants to have to spend N1000 or more just to get a pair of slippers in Jimeta, or miss points in class for not being able to print and submit his/her assignment on a Monday morning. This analysis made me take the idea very seriously, later I discovered it was paying off and that's very important you know (Laughs)
OurSharedHope: Exactly, now at the start wasn't it a matter of your ego? I mean having to go "on errands" for students. I mean before the site?
D-guy: The site was up and running before I started the business, and it has nothing to do with my ego. Some may look at it as going on errands for people, I looked at it as solving a problem. When I go to bed every night, I ask myself "what have you done with your time today?" I hate it when I cannot account for what I did with my time. So solving a problem was enough satisfaction for me. Though it isn't the first business I've started, I wanted to be proud of starting an online store from scratch. Trust me, you derive so much satisfaction when you build something beautiful. That is why your appreciation of a painting can never match that or the artist, it's always more than a painting to an artist, it's the person's expression. It was the same thing for me. Being D-guy, that is the plug, you get? (Laughs) That was enough pay off for me. The I realized the economic importance. Trust me ego was far from being an issue (Laughs) I wasn't always necessarily the errand boy, I had a business manager and other staff that deliver for me, cleaners especially, and I paid them. In the evening when they are not around is when I deliver myself. It was my last semester when I started D-guy.com and I would have first semester freshmen ordering stuff. I was always glad to deliver and make them happy.
OurSharedHope: Can you remember your first customer?
D-guy: I think I tweeted it (Chuckles) Akim John and Hassan Abba (Casper) were my first customers I think.
OurSharedHope: Now, economic benefits?
D-guy: I go out of school a lot! Particularly being a Yola native, I always had reasons to be in town and I spent so much on "useme" (That's what we call our executive cabs in AUN) So I thought to myself, even if it is transportation cost this business will save you, it is enough profit. So when I go to get things for my store, I get my personal stuff at wholesale prices, and I don't get to pay for transport myself. It's all on the business (Laughs) Surprisingly at first, I still made profit. The idea initially was not to only sell my items, but that of other entrepreneurs in school too. So I get a cut for every item I sell for sellers on my site. That was pure profit. No investment, no logistics, just publicity and delivery. I got sellers even outside AUN. I sold Patooty's coconut oil in Yola. Patooty's is owned by an AUN alumus, she sells coconut oil nationwide. I was her only guy in Adamawa. (Chuckles)
OurSharedHope: Years on, did you ever see "D-guy" being successful as this?
D-guy: I expected D-guy to be this successful because of the necessity on ground. But the love my people at AUN showed me was overwhelming. So even on "not such a good day", the love and support motivates me to deliver. Many times I delivered at a loss, just to ensure I don't let people down. I deliver even in the middle if the night.Whether I see D-guy becoming more successful than this. I had an expansion plan from Day 1. I see D-guy becoming a household name in Nigeria and Africa eventually. I believe it is Africa's future Amazon (Laughs). If you attend a Nigerian university, I want D-guy to be active in your school. That's the dream. College students' online store. (Laughs) My new business partners are Gramso (OurSharedHope recognizes Gramso - CSG Entertainment, Abuja) and Ijuptil tho. You know I've left AUN, they will be managing D-guy in AUN from next semester
OurSharedHope: Africa's Amazon coming from Africa's Harvard (Laughs - The past AUN-SGA President referred to AUN as Africa's Harvard at the 2017 Commencement Ceremony) Do you have brand Ambassadors?
D-guy: Yes, all African (Chuckles) Yes I do. The entire AUN community, they support D-guy.com so much that I have never thought about having brand ambassadors. Students, faculty and staff all put D-guy stickers on their doors and computers. They are my brand ambassadors. I started this business with two important people. Siddiki Hamadou and Pila Teyim. They are my good friends that started with me. Siddiki provided part of the capital to start, and Pila was my IT guy. Together we worked to start D-guy. So I believe D-guy's story is not complete without mentioning these two great men.
OurSharedHope: What do you believe is OurSharedHope in Nigeria?
D-guy: I believe it is the resilient Nigerian spirit, the undying love for success, and the ingenuity of the Nigerian child. That is what keeps Nigeria going. If it wasn't for these, we couldn't have survived the terrible leadership, heartless looting and betrayal that has happened in this country. No nation can survive what Nigeria has survived and still do this well. We make it against all odds.
OurSharedHope: We appreciate your time and patience. Now we at OurSharedHope can say that we also know D-Guy that our guys know (Chuckles)
D-guy: Sure you can. D-guy is someone everyone should know (Chuckles). Thank you very much for the opportunity to share my Hope.
OurSharedHope recognises: (From left to right)
Mr. Gwaha Madwette - AUN Commencement Class Speaker 2017
Mr. Benjamin Teri - Founder and C.E.O of D-guy.com
Mr. Akim John - Founder of Garbage Wears, Yola
Mr. Abdulmuminu Adam Modu - Vice President, Campus Activities Board AUN (2015-2016)
Be sure to comment, share, ask questions, make corrections and yes, check your mail for you might just be our next hopeful. You can also register to receive mails notifying you of a new post (check the side bar) Or send us a mail at oursharedhope@gmail.com or for a quicker response DM us @mroursharedhope on Twitter.
From us here at OurSharedHope, we say thank you and stay hopeful.
Benjamin Teri
Founder and C.E.O
D-guy.Com
Yola, Nigeria.
D-Guy.Com is an online shopping platform based at the American University of Nigeria, delivering service to students.
He shares with us his story and his vision for the coming years.
OurSharedHope: Humble beginnings, how did the "D-guy" idea start?
D-guy: I was chilling at home one evening with my elder brother, that was last summer, I was telling him how people in school come to me for stuff. Then I said "if I charge people for the things I give for free, I would be rich (Laughs) maybe I should start". My brother then said, why not? U then begin to think of problems in school and the business opportunities, from my experience in AUN. I discovered there are a few of them, like always having to go to the campus store or town for little things like bathing soap and toothpaste. Not being able to print on weekends or after business hours, not knowing where to get certain items, especially for new student and similar problems. I figured if I am able to solve these small problems, students in AUN will be really happy. Reason being no one wants to have to spend N1000 or more just to get a pair of slippers in Jimeta, or miss points in class for not being able to print and submit his/her assignment on a Monday morning. This analysis made me take the idea very seriously, later I discovered it was paying off and that's very important you know (Laughs)
OurSharedHope: Exactly, now at the start wasn't it a matter of your ego? I mean having to go "on errands" for students. I mean before the site?
 |
| BENJAMIN TERI |
D-guy: The site was up and running before I started the business, and it has nothing to do with my ego. Some may look at it as going on errands for people, I looked at it as solving a problem. When I go to bed every night, I ask myself "what have you done with your time today?" I hate it when I cannot account for what I did with my time. So solving a problem was enough satisfaction for me. Though it isn't the first business I've started, I wanted to be proud of starting an online store from scratch. Trust me, you derive so much satisfaction when you build something beautiful. That is why your appreciation of a painting can never match that or the artist, it's always more than a painting to an artist, it's the person's expression. It was the same thing for me. Being D-guy, that is the plug, you get? (Laughs) That was enough pay off for me. The I realized the economic importance. Trust me ego was far from being an issue (Laughs) I wasn't always necessarily the errand boy, I had a business manager and other staff that deliver for me, cleaners especially, and I paid them. In the evening when they are not around is when I deliver myself. It was my last semester when I started D-guy.com and I would have first semester freshmen ordering stuff. I was always glad to deliver and make them happy.
OurSharedHope: Can you remember your first customer?
D-guy: I think I tweeted it (Chuckles) Akim John and Hassan Abba (Casper) were my first customers I think.
 |
| SIDDIKI HAMADOU |
D-guy: I go out of school a lot! Particularly being a Yola native, I always had reasons to be in town and I spent so much on "useme" (That's what we call our executive cabs in AUN) So I thought to myself, even if it is transportation cost this business will save you, it is enough profit. So when I go to get things for my store, I get my personal stuff at wholesale prices, and I don't get to pay for transport myself. It's all on the business (Laughs) Surprisingly at first, I still made profit. The idea initially was not to only sell my items, but that of other entrepreneurs in school too. So I get a cut for every item I sell for sellers on my site. That was pure profit. No investment, no logistics, just publicity and delivery. I got sellers even outside AUN. I sold Patooty's coconut oil in Yola. Patooty's is owned by an AUN alumus, she sells coconut oil nationwide. I was her only guy in Adamawa. (Chuckles)
OurSharedHope: Years on, did you ever see "D-guy" being successful as this?
D-guy: I expected D-guy to be this successful because of the necessity on ground. But the love my people at AUN showed me was overwhelming. So even on "not such a good day", the love and support motivates me to deliver. Many times I delivered at a loss, just to ensure I don't let people down. I deliver even in the middle if the night.Whether I see D-guy becoming more successful than this. I had an expansion plan from Day 1. I see D-guy becoming a household name in Nigeria and Africa eventually. I believe it is Africa's future Amazon (Laughs). If you attend a Nigerian university, I want D-guy to be active in your school. That's the dream. College students' online store. (Laughs) My new business partners are Gramso (OurSharedHope recognizes Gramso - CSG Entertainment, Abuja) and Ijuptil tho. You know I've left AUN, they will be managing D-guy in AUN from next semester
OurSharedHope: Africa's Amazon coming from Africa's Harvard (Laughs - The past AUN-SGA President referred to AUN as Africa's Harvard at the 2017 Commencement Ceremony) Do you have brand Ambassadors?
 |
| PILA TEYIM |
OurSharedHope: What do you believe is OurSharedHope in Nigeria?
D-guy: I believe it is the resilient Nigerian spirit, the undying love for success, and the ingenuity of the Nigerian child. That is what keeps Nigeria going. If it wasn't for these, we couldn't have survived the terrible leadership, heartless looting and betrayal that has happened in this country. No nation can survive what Nigeria has survived and still do this well. We make it against all odds.
OurSharedHope: We appreciate your time and patience. Now we at OurSharedHope can say that we also know D-Guy that our guys know (Chuckles)
D-guy: Sure you can. D-guy is someone everyone should know (Chuckles). Thank you very much for the opportunity to share my Hope.
 |
| THE D-guy TEAM |
OurSharedHope recognises: (From left to right)
Mr. Gwaha Madwette - AUN Commencement Class Speaker 2017
Mr. Benjamin Teri - Founder and C.E.O of D-guy.com
Mr. Akim John - Founder of Garbage Wears, Yola
Mr. Abdulmuminu Adam Modu - Vice President, Campus Activities Board AUN (2015-2016)
Be sure to comment, share, ask questions, make corrections and yes, check your mail for you might just be our next hopeful. You can also register to receive mails notifying you of a new post (check the side bar) Or send us a mail at oursharedhope@gmail.com or for a quicker response DM us @mroursharedhope on Twitter.
From us here at OurSharedHope, we say thank you and stay hopeful.
No comments:
Post a Comment