Lanre Jimoh, the boss of Laredo, an upscale multipurpose entertainment outfit, in this chat, shares his latest exploits with ILORI TITILAYO. Excerpt…
Laredo is known for small chops. What other things are you into?
Yes, Lanre is the brain behind Laredo small chops but we have diversified into other areas of businesses, like property, cart equipment, hiring of earth moving machines, push bearing and road construction. We also have the Corporate Social Responsibility to give back to the community.
You are not doing chapman, why?
You are right but if you look at it, it is human mind that directs a man. I was directed by my mind; the mind is a good thing, except you don’t pay attention. As a young man who started a business at a very tender age; when you are looking for what will sustain you, you must think wide. I have to look for a way to stabilize myself and in the next 30 years, we would remain firm. As a man, you have to think beyond your nose. I registered Laredo in 1996 which will be 20years by June next year. As an employer of labour, I have to add more to my coast by doing some other things.
Tell us about Laredo’s uniqueness.
I will say it’s our uniqueness, Laredo is a man of creativity and what I used to say is that the small chops business has become popular today through Laredo. This was a business I ventured into when I had nothing; when you love what you are doing, you won’t be bored doing it, what makes us different is that we do not see anything as a challenge. Anything that comes as a challenge is an opportunity, our presentation and innovation are second to none.
Why did you go into small chops in the first place?
Well, small chops business was not something I knew about let alone having interest in it. I was committed to food business because I used to hawk food around Okesuna, Lagos Island for my mum when I was in secondary school. That was where I was born and brought up. As at then, I used to cook the food I would sell. That was how I developed the passion for cooking. Luckily, a friend invited me for a job of a waiter and I saw the way things were being done. From there, the passion started developing. Later on, I sat down to think of what I could do to stabilize myself, so I thought of the small chop business. At a point, someone asked me a question of what I was doing, but I couldn’t answer the question. Mistakenly, the person said something that sounded like small chop, so I quickly said it’s called small chops.
At what point did Laredo hit the limelight?
I cannot really say this was my break through, but I know I have been working for every class. As you know, we have the medium class, lower class and so on, so I cannot really tell you this is the particular job that blew up Laredo, and don’t forget that what we do is based on referral, people refer us to family, business associates, friends and so on. Anybody who eats Laredo small chop will always have delicious taste; our job speaks for itself. So I cannot really say this particular job gave me a breakthrough but all I remember is that it is a business I started with nothing. The first money I started with was the one I collected from a client which was 1,600 naira, from that amount, I bought a new stove and added my mum’s stove. Gradually, I graduated to gas which is more economically. I was doing that with the help of my siblings. I am the third in the family of eight and five of my siblings helped me.
Why did you adopt Laredo for the business name?
I got the nickname from my friends, I love football a lot and I am a striker and you know strikers are the entertainers. So when I dribbled my opponents, people would keep calling Laredo, so I adopted the name.
What has fame deprived you of?
That is a wonderful question because I don’t see myself as a celebrity, I know I am famous and I know how to manage fame and if you can manage fame, you will be able to manage your fortune in the scene. You don’t allow what you are doing to get into your head. As a man who is trying to get to his zenith, you must deprive yourself of spending lavishly and you must not be seen in some places. Those things I used to do then, I cannot do them now. I used to trek on the streets of Lagos but I cannot be doing that now.
How do you relax?
I am a serious machine but when I need to relax; I lock myself inside and sleep.
Have you had any embarrassing moment?
The only time I consider as an embarrassing moment was when I was insulted. When I was much younger; our neighbour had a dispute with my mum and I went there to settle the quarrel and the woman insulted me that I was not doing a serious business. That was when I started the business. But as an energetic person, I didn’t allow it to weigh me down. I said to myself that I must not disappoint this lady.
Do you still see her?
Yes, she later apologized for the statement she made and I told her that the statement made me to succeed in the business.
You just moved to your permanent site. What has been the experience?
Lots of things have changed, sometimes, if you have not tried something new, you won’t know what you are missing. It was when we moved into our building that I knew we have been missing a lot. Moving here has earned us our respect and people now take us seriously. It’s been very convenient now, we have the administration and accounts departments. I just thank God for His blessing.
