How I became ‘queen’ of short lets — Tayo Adejumo

Tayo Adejumo, the CEO, Kimberly’s Apartments and a host of other business concerns outside real estate is a woman of many parts. With degrees in Law, Criminology and Public Administration, she is still not slowing down in any way, as revealed in this interview, wherein she speaks about her journey as an entreprenuer, TV personality, challenges in business, etc. Excerpts:

Tell us about your formative years, what was growing up like?

It was fun and then it was not. It was like suffering because my mum and dad are disciplinarians. So, I’m the kind of child who didn’t have a silver spoon. I walked to school from home and it was not a short journey, it was a 30-minute journey to and from school. After school, I had to help my mother at her shop, she made sure we hawked something, things she didn’t even need. It was strange at the time, but now I appreciate that experience. I was a stubborn child, so they beat me all the time.

You are the ultimate entrepreneur and also a TV personality. However, one of your more popular exploits is your Air B ‘n’ B, Kimberly’s Apartment tell us about that. How did you come up with that idea?

Kimberly’s Apartment was birthed when I lost one of my neighbours. I actually set up his apartment for him then but three months into his rent, he died. His wife and kids were not staying in Nigeria at the time, and no landlord would return the rent obviously. But everything in the apartment was still brand new, so I came up with an idea because I have lived in the U.K and I knew there was an ‘Air BnB’ system. So instead of just locking up the apartment, I decided that we can use it for a short let. I told the family that I would manage it for them and remit what we make. That way, they are not on the losing end on all fronts.

How many years have you been in this business, and how many apartments do you manage now?

We have about 15 apartments now on the Island and we have been in the business for seven years.

Seven years down the lane what would you say is your biggest challenge that you have faced singularly?

The biggest challenge for me has been people. When I say people, I mean the clients, building owners, and staff. Some owners simply want to outsmart you, they claim they want you to manage their property, but what they want to do is learn what you do so they can get you out of the way and do it themselves. Also, we don’t allow parties in our apartments, but customers want to get the apartment to do parties, photoshoots and video shoots. Some even want to shoot pornographic films in the apartment, so we have to stay two or three steps ahead of those people. Those are the reasons behind our three nights minimum stay policy here in Lagos. But in this business, once Kimberly’s Apartment starts something, everybody follows suit. With the three-night minimum stay, that takes out the party folks, takes out the movie people, etc. We really just want residents, people from the diaspora, or people who are having a problem with their house, maybe they need to fumigate or they are renovating; that is what a short let is for. Or for business owners who are expecting an expatriate somewhere to put him in.

Based on your current business scope, you seem like a jack of all trade, which would you say is your forte?

Properties. We now build. I started building out of the anger from developers’ attitude because we once bought a house for a short-let purpose and one-day all the sockets started making noise. That’s because a pipe burst in the wall and all the pipes were leaking water and that destroyed everything. When I rent an apartment for short let, I am not happy with what I see, things like tiny rooms with small wardrobes. So I started preaching to people that if you want me to build for you I will build from an end-user point of view. I am happy because building for me became like clay, which I now have the power to mould to whatever I want, it’s fun for me. I can now say that there should be a socket to each side of the bed and so many other things I noticed as an end-user. I also have a builder’s mart where I sell things that are unique to what goes into the house because I am a very futuristic kind of person and I like to do things ahead of time. When I started Air B’n’ B, I can count how many people we started it with, but now the houses I build are all are carbon footprinted. All the houses that we build have solar or windmill and they are smart houses; from the socket to the bulbs to the cameras, every single thing in the house is smart.

Do you think Nigeria is ready for that?

Yes, because we have unlimited internet available now. In most houses, you see smart televisions today, but all our apartments had smart televisions four years ago, that is how futuristic I am. My eyes are wide open and I am helping people around me to see that there are so many things in this country that actually work that we are not privy to.

What is your advice to women who want to come into real estate or entrepreneurship?

The problem with young women now is that they like easy things, that is a trend I have noticed, they don’t want to work, or they think it should be easy, but life is not easy. They don’t want to pay their dues. Paying your dues does not mean that you have suffered, it means doing things without looking back, and learning. Anything you’re doing just give it your everything. There are times you also lose in business, which is very okay because that is how you grow, but a lot of young people now just want everything to work their way. Be passionate about what you’re doing, give your everything and go to the very end, you don’t have to be bitter when things don’t go your way or when you’re disappointed. As a matter of fact, disappointment is a very good thing that can happen to you as an entrepreneur because that is how you learn, and that’s how you grow.

Many young people today take things for granted. While I was growing, there was nothing like Instagram, neither was it easy to become an influencer. Now, you have all these tools around you but you’re not willing to serve. You have to serve. I can’t count how many places I have squatted in my life, that’s for you to know that the journey was not easy. We don’t look like what we have gone through, so go through it! You can’t be gold without going through fire, that is the truth. So for young people reading this, ignite the fire in you, let it burn, go through it, let them send you on errands, let them rubbish you, for you to be successful.

What beauty secrets would you say are tried and tested?

I am not a fashionista, but I like to be pretty. I wash my face twice a day. Then every morning I must use sunscreen, that is the beauty secret.

How would you describe your style?

Style is anything that makes you look beautiful; you need to understand your shape. I am a plus-size and I know what fits me. From when I was young, I never fancied the idea of revealing clothes, I have always been a classy person and I think that no matter what I wear, it is beautiful because I own it.

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