Fourteen Nigerian entrepreneurs who overcame rejection, scarcity, self-doubt and uncertainty to build businesses across different sectors have had their experiences documented in a new book aimed at guiding aspiring entrepreneurs.

Titled Courage to Succeed: 14 Nigerian Entrepreneurs Who Braved the Odds to Start Their Own Business, the book was authored by Creative Director, Smartbrands Innovative Media Services, Yinka Padonu.

The book examines the realities of starting and sustaining businesses in Nigeria while drawing practical lessons from the experiences of local entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the launch, Padonu said the book was inspired by the need to expose young Nigerians to relatable entrepreneurial journeys and show that success often involves navigating rejection, scarcity and uncertainty rather than waiting for ideal conditions.

He said the entrepreneurs encountered various obstacles but continued pursuing their ideas despite the challenges.

Padonu said his own experiences and longstanding interest in the journeys of successful business owners influenced his decision to document their stories.

He said he had often drawn inspiration from books about successful entrepreneurs, but wondered how such inspiration could be translated into action.

His experience, he added, convinced him that courage was necessary to move from an idea to the first practical steps of building a business.

Padonu said the entrepreneurs were deliberately selected from different backgrounds and sectors to make their experiences relevant to a broad range of readers.

He cited entrepreneurs who moved from professions such as law and pharmacy into business, saying their journeys demonstrated that professional backgrounds did not have to determine the businesses people eventually built.

Delivering the keynote, Founder of Building the Builders, Ted Iwere, urged entrepreneurs to combine courage with resilience, systems thinking, continuous learning and the right mindset.

He said building a viable business required a long-term approach, adding that the challenges of Nigeria’s operating environment could help entrepreneurs develop the resilience needed to survive and grow.

Chief Executive Officer, Media Careers Network, Lekan Otufodunrin, said the focus on Nigerian entrepreneurs made the stories particularly relatable to aspiring business owners.

He also shared his experience of leaving full-time journalism at different points to establish organisations, saying the journey had exposed him to the challenges of building and sustaining a business.