At the 30th African Organisation for Standardization (ARSO) General Assembly, I had the privilege of engaging directly with small business owners operating in key sectors such as fashion...
Hi,
I am Charles.O.Odii
a visionary leader and serial entrepreneur with a deep commitment to empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the globe.
Hi, I am
Charles.O.Odii
a visionary leader and serial entrepreneur with a deep commitment to empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the globe.
Hi,
I am Charles.O.Odii
a visionary leader and serial entrepreneur with a deep commitment
to empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the globe.
to empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the globe.
I CREATE
FROM THE
GROUND UP
I have been driven by a desire to create meaningful change. My early ventures were characterized by a keen understanding of market needs and a forward-thinking approach that set me apart in the competitive business world. My success as an entrepreneur is not just measured by the businesses I have built but by the impact it has had on those around me.
My journey is also marked by my dedication to mentorship and support for young entrepreneurs. I understand the challenges that come with starting and scaling a business, especially in an environment that can often seem daunting. This understanding has fueled my work with SMEDAN, where I play a pivotal role in creating initiatives that provide the resources, training, and opportunities that young entrepreneurs need to succeed.
"Every purchase from a Nigerian small business is a seed for a greater Nigeria."
-CHARLES.O.ODII
THE INITIATIVES I STARTED
100CLUB
I founded the 100 Club to equip children with entrepreneurial skills, teaching them to innovate, lead, and succeed in business from a young age.
100WOMEN
to empower female entrepreneurs by bringing together successful women who are innovative game-changers in their respective industries.
25UNDER25 AWARDS
shares stories of amazing youth entrepreneurs below 25 years of age who are working hard and making a positive impact in their communities.
NSBS
The NSBS is an annual summit uniting leaders, innovators, and game changers across sectors to discuss policy impacts on Nigeria’s small and medium businesses.
100CLUB
I founded the 100 Club to equip children with entrepreneurial skills, teaching them to innovate, lead, and succeed in business from a young age.
100WOMEN
to empower female entrepreneurs by bringing together successful women who are innovative game-changers in their respective industries.
25UNDER25 AWARDS
shares stories of amazing youth entrepreneurs below 25 years of age who are working hard and making a positive impact in their communities.
NSBS
The NSBS is an annual summit uniting leaders, innovators, and game changers across sectors to discuss policy impacts on Nigeria’s small and medium businesses.
FEATURED ARTICLE
SMEDAN Partners with GIZ to Drive SME Growth and Digital
Yesterday marked a significant milestone for SMEDAN as we officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), reinforcing our shared commitment...
Strengthening Partnerships for MSME Growth and Sustainable Development in Nigeria
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting with Elsie Attafuah, the new UNDP Resident Representative in Nigeria, to explore ways our partnership can drive progress toward the 17...
GET MY BOOK
This book is written from my extensive experience gained over a decade of starting and running a business in Africa, international travel and engagement with thousands of entrepreneurs (who have sat with me and sent me emails to ask critical questions from ‘how to structure businesses, to how to develop marketing strategies that support their products in niche markets and more’).
The book also contains questions from my online series “Ask Charles”. The questions are extensive and aim to provide information on how to be a successful entrepreneur.
One of the most rewarding career paths is entrepreneurship: following your passion, being your own boss, getting to be a leader, disrupting markets, and making tons of money. It’s true, that’s what most literature about entrepreneurship tells you: entrepreneurship is awesome. “What they don’t always mention though, is that nine out of 10 start-ups fail. The leading cause of failure: incompetence and lack of knowledge and experience. Most entrepreneurs spend half their career learning from their mistakes,”
This book is aimed at helping you idetify the potential pitfalls, and navigate your way around them as an enterpreneur.