How I discovered my entrepreneurship spirit- Junior Fidel

The Economic advancement of every country is one of the determinants in identifying a successful country.

Entrepreneurs are considered one of the “movers and shakers” that contribute immensely towards nation-building and economic stability.

Junior Fidel

Iruedo Junior Fidelis popularly known as Fidel is a serial entrepreneur who understands what business entails and has been able to establish streams of successful businesses in his chosen line of business. In this Interview, the Nigerian-American businessman explains how he was able to identify his strength in business and his journey through entrepreneurship.

What inspired you to become an entrepreneur?
I remember when I was 16 or 17 years old I received some gifts from my Dad who lives in the USA, My parents are separated. He sent me a Timberland boat, a designer Jacket, and a few hundred Dollars, Mum might still have the Jacket in her house in Nigeria. I had to sell the Timberland boost as I needed money.

So after selling the boot my Dad got for me and several other personal items this made I realised that I knew how to sell products and that I could sell anything. So as time went on if any of my friends or a friend of friends wanted to sell or buy something they would say to contact Junior Fidel, and that was how I knew that I was going to be an entrepreneur as I want to be my own boss working for myself or be in partnership with groups of companies.

Also, 50 cent is one of my big inspirations, as well as Donald Trump despite the fact people think he is racist to me. I reckon he is just misunderstood, he is a straight talker who doesn’t sugarcoat like the rest of the politicians that we all know and people forget that Donald Trump’s name was always in the mouth of some of the American rappers and a lot of important people I mean all the movers and shakers. They all wanted to get money like Donald Trump, they wanted to be him they spoke highly of him as for me I like Donald Trump, he is a big inspiration and 50 cent is my favourite rappers.

Tell us in detail how you became an investor in Solar Energy?
I moved to Dubai from the UK in 2018,

But before I moved finally to DUBAI I was in Nigeria for a few months just to see how things were over there and it was very stressful I could stay there for too long I decided to move to DUBAI with the intention of working with a Solar Energy Company but after a few research.

I decided not to go ahead with investment in Solar Energy I put it on hold for now as things didn’t go as planned although Renewable Energy is where the World is going. Renewable energy is the way forward. I worked at Al Wadi Al Akdar Delivery and transportation service for over 4 years as a Marketing Manager

I’m currently now a partner/investor at Tamara Commercial Broke buying and selling properties.

I’m launching an NFT project in Nigeria, and as we speak I have a small team working on this project.

Why NFT?
What I want to achieve with this NFT project is to bring forth a new marketplace for all things sold using crypto It’s about creating a platform where buyers and sellers can trade but also create their own assets(tokenization and minting). We’re a marketplace for tokens, cryptocurrency, and NFT and also we would be including products like land in the metaverse by patching with sandbox, decentralized and the metaverse.

Junior Fidel

We’re also like Amazon, but the only products we’re selling are crypto products- NFT, tokens, coins, lands, and other assets at least for now! We are working on building a strong platform that will help serve our customers/clients, partners and all

We recently found a project manager with the right experiment we have also been evaluating some candidates for CTO. We already have a team of artists that we would use to build our own NFT project and it will all be in our collections as we have also created our digital characters.

NFT is the future digital currencies are here to stay, so my aim is to reduce Nigerians’ unemployment rate to a level it has never been before in history, I want to put people in jobs whether in my own company or other companies I may be affiliated with.

The world is evolving everyday so we have to learn to understand it and catch up it is all a learning process for me and I am happy to be alive to introduce my company’s ideas and plans for Nigeria and beyond.

Junior Fidel

This Company has over 14 years of experience in the car rental business I am also releasing my own fragrance & Clothing line soon say within a month or two. The fragrance will come first. I’m just in the middle of choosing a bottle. Less I forget, a month ago, I completed an Acting Workshop for Beginners with Creative Bites here in UAE. Hopefully sometime this year or next year, I will go for a professional course with SAE DUBAI to be a professional Filmmaker and Actor as I’d like to be a filmmaker for movies and a music video producer.

After I finish this professional Film Making and Acting course Fingers crossed At some point I will be flying to the States to continue learning more about filmmaking and Acting.

Tell us more about yourself, your family, and your educational background.
I went to 3 different nursery schools. Alpha Nursery & Primary school, Unit road off Toyin street, Ikeja Morolu Nursery & Primary school, Ikeja, I also attended Shogunle Primary school, Secondary school I attended Opebi Grammar School, Opebi, Ikeja also went to Pre-Campus on Toyin Street, Lagos. Then I proceeded to Norwich City College, Norwich England
and I later got admission to UEA University of East Anglia, Norwich, Norfolk England

Since you became a business owner, what are the lessons you have learned about doing business?
To be Patient. To continue to try and never stop trying different things! Never take no for an answer. Always try to fix things instead of complaining a leader fixes things a leader doesn’t complain about. There are so many lessons from every mistake

Generally, what have been the best and the worst moments of your life so far?
When I got in trouble for helping a friend back in the UK story for another day. I don’t want to talk about it now as I will share it in my forthcoming book or movie

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you and who gave you the advice?
My mum said to me never stop being kind to people and be respectful as it will take you far in life and have also learned to be myself at all times and I am so real I don’t know how fake feels

With your experience so far, kindly tell us your view about the importance of having financial management skills for youths of today, especially those in the showbiz and fashion sector?
Even if you are very talented or gifted, it is very important to understand the business side of whatever you are doing to avoid bad contracts and bad decisions! If you don’t understand the business you will never have a clear judgment of what is going on to avoid big business disputes

What are those things you do to upgrade your knowledge and skills, especially as a Podcast Host?
I watch a lot of motivational podcasts, and motivational quotes and I also watch other Podcasts plus my everyday life helps me learn more about life and things in general. The people we communicate with on a regular basis are our teachers as one would I always learn a thing a two

Do you see yourself as a relationship expert?
I sometimes feel this way and I am looking to do a few coaching courses to enable get more enlightened in this department, so yes I’d like to be able to help people who are in a serious long-term relationship and people who are married and people who are separated

What’s your take on taking back cheating partners?
It’s difficult but I would like to say it depends on his or she’s mindset as some people can take back a cheating partner and some people won’t accept a cheater back into their life’s NEVER! I reckon that I would forgive my partner as there is a reason for everything but then again it depends on my state of mind and where my head at the time of the event

Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I dislike the question where do you see yourself in 5 years or 10 years. To me, It sounds like a limitation and for this reason, my answer is I will be a living Legend hahaha. I feel like putting a timeline on what you would be or could be isn’t for me…I just want to help people in need build hospitals, schools m, Charity foundations a Foodbank where people can get free food daily or a few times a week eradicating hunger I just want to be a good son, a good boyfriend, a husband, and a good leader. I just want to be an all-round good man.

What are those things you will never do for money?
I will never hurt anyone or take another man’s life because of money I can’t even hurt a fly.

As a youth, what message do you have for the government as regards what should be done to make life easier for the younger generation?
The government has to learn to emulate what is going on in foreign countries. I remember over 9 years ago when I was in the UK they had a place called ‘Job Centre’ or Job Seekers at this place you could search for available jobs online at their office or from your own device they have all types of jobs a very long list And that same place was founded by taxpayers money they give unemployed people I think about £150 free money weekly or every 2 weeks I can’t remember I’m 100% sure if it was weekly or monthly but this is a good way to help unemployed people as the money goes a long way! but in Nigeria, it’s a different ball game if you live in Nigeria and you don’t have a job you have nothing, no free money from the government no support of any kind nobody is coming to save you.

The government must create programs that could help the youths learn a trade and create more jobs. As school isn’t for everybody as there are so many very successful men who didn’t go to school although I always advise kids to go to school and stay in school

Our government should invest more in Nigeria’s entertainment business and Sports there should be a budget for this The government should give out grants to help people, Grants to help small and big businesses in Nigeria both new and already existing businesses. The government has to really allow freedom of speech as it seems people could get in trouble or get locked up for expressing themselves! I could go on and on. The government needs to care for its people. This is the difference between Nigerian and foreign countries over there they care about their people, One love keeps us together

So far, when you look back what can you regard as your best decision in life that other young people can emulate?
Being humble! Being nice to people. Respect and good character could take you far in life, so I would say ‘think very well before making any decisions! Follow what your gut is telling you.’ Don’t do things based on your emotions or present situation as no pains or predicament last forever always try to keep a positive mind

A lot of young Nigerians are leaving the country for greener pastures. What would be your candid advice on living abroad?
It is only right that they travel, there is nothing wrong with leaving Nigeria it is a good way to learn life. A very good way to get more exposure that you could bring back to your country to make it a better place, I believe we can build our own and make it nice and beautiful for all of us we can make Nigeria great again so we can attract tourist and all

Tell us about your love life?
I have dates here and there but nothing too serious nothing intense. I’m single not seeing anyone at the moment but I’d like to be in love again, I know my other half is out there somewhere, hopefully, I find her this year hahaha.

Can you describe your ideal woman?
She would most likely be a female version of me. She has to be LOYAL as loyalty is important to me. She has to be kind to people because character matters to me.

What kind of woman can you not date or marry?
A woman with masculine traits and muscling energy, even if she is a boss with a thousand staff can keep all that bossy behavior at work. A woman with a very bad character.

A woman who has no respect for herself and the people around her a woman who is always in competition with her man! But don’t get me wrong women are blessings to us men.

Can you define your fashion style?
My fashion sense is an expression of how I feel. I’d say unique, bold, and powerful, I sometimes feel like I’m 50cent, Kanye, and Jay Z at the same damn time. lol

What are your plans for 2023?
I’m staying laser focused spreading positivity, and opening new business ventures in different parts of the world Nigeria, America, the UK, and other parts of Africa to help cut down/reduce unemployment. I want to be a real-life being philanthropist, helping people in need, looking to open a charity foundation soon.

I believe God will take absolute of everything and big things will happen pretty soon I strongly believe. I pray and hope that in the future I can build a hospital and a school, I’d like to provide jobs to keep our youths out of trouble. I’m planning to feed 300 to 500 kids in one day! I should be in contact with some people in Nigeria who would help me make this a reality as I actually fed about 250 or 300 people last year it felt good to be able to help and what most people don’t know is that
There are a lot of blessings from helping people who don’t even know your name I feel like it is good to document things like this and put the videos and photos out there to motivate others to do the same.