‘You must be courageous to succeed as an entrepreneur’

Emmanuel Okoro is the founder and CEO of GREY SHADOWS. He is a wall mural artist in Nigeria. In this interview with JONATHAN ADEROJU, he spoke about his inspiration to the Art, his beginning, among others. Excerpts:

May we know a little about your business and your educational background?

My name is Emmanuel Okoro, I am a painter and a wall Mural Artist. I put beautiful Designs on walls. You can also call it Interior decoration. My business name is GREY SHADOWS. I have a B.SC in Microbiology, University of Port Harcourt. I started the business in 2011.

What inspired you to go into the business?

The inspiration came when I actually gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt. I needed to pay my fees, rent and also have a means of fending for myself in school. A friend was about to move into her new apartment then, so I offered to paint it. And that was how painting started for me. However, I have been artistic since I was very little; I never really explored the talent until the chance came in 2011.

What was your initial start-up capital and how were you able to raise the fund?

That’s the very interesting thing about this business; you don’t really need a capital to start. The client provides most times; the items or materials needed for the job, or makes the money available for purchasing of materials.

How would you say the business has grown since you started?

Interestingly, my business has grown very big. I started from painting a self-contained room; I started painting students’ rooms in school. First, I started painting for free or for anything they could offer just to gather experience, and then, after a while I knew I was ready to start charging good money for it. I became a household name in Uniport. Moving forward, I began to paint buildings and much bigger apartments. Now, I even do inter-state jobs.

Has your business in any way helped reduce unemployment?

I will say yes; it has helped to reduce unemployment because I have some people who work with me. I have a team of eight for now. A lady and seen guys. I hope to have more soon because the business is really expanding.

Where do you source your raw materials from?

I actually get most of my paints or produce them with a paint factory called Dove Paints. It is located in Choba Port Harcourt. However, I relocated to Lagos last year January. So, I use any good Satin or Silk paints for my designs which you can get everywhere that a paint depot is located.

What are some of the challenges confronting your business?

One of the major challenges is power which affects the cost of production of the paint and in turn Emma

affects the price of the products. And because of the quality of the jobs I do; I don’t compromise with the quality of paint I use. Customers complain sometimes, but I always try to make them understand. However, they smile after every job.

How can the government address some of these challenges?

The government? Hmmm. The government has so much to do, I can’t list them all. However, I think one of the major problems they need to eradicate is the issue of power. Once that is done, a lot of things and problems will be solved naturally.

Why should anyone want to patronise you and not some other designers?

The services I render are impeccable, durable and the quality is standard. It’s Art and it’s timeless. I’m one of the best at wall designs and anyone willing to give me a shot will be very satisfied. If I know I can’t deliver on time I tell my clients beforehand instead of playing pranks in order to swindle some cash from them. I believe in transparency and that is what is keeping my business.

What are some of your expansion plans?

Like I said, I just relocated to Lagos January 2018, and I’ve been able to get a team of young men and ladies working with me and also trained some too. I plan to have one of the biggest paint production companies in Africa and also one of the biggest interior design establishments in Africa. That’s the vision.

What’s the biggest piece of advice you can give to other start-ups?

I want to encourage them to believe in God and in themselves. The sky is big enough for every bird to fly. Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of courage and one must have a high tolerance for pain. However, just stay focused on your vision and don’t be discouraged. It may not look visible but start anyways.