From banking to food vendor,31-year-old caterer, shares success story. By Gbenga Dada

A caterer and food vendor, Mrs Bukola Popoola said transitioning to catering from being a banker was one of the best decisions she had ever made.

Sharing her success story in an interview, with the new experience, Popoola said that she became a food vendor after eight years in the banking industry.

“The transition was not an easy one, but God has helped me thus far, and I have so many supportive bosses and colleagues who took it upon themselves to do status adverts for me.

“Though I didn’t leave banking voluntarily, but was among those that were disengaged from the job.

Popoola said she was into part-time catering before she was disengaged after her job contract expired three years ago.

“Being a food vendor, I have been able to take ownership of my life, take decisions on my own and I am also an employer of labour to the glory of God.

“Income from the job also meets my needs adequately,” the banker turned caterer said.

Popoola, 31and mother of two, said it took the help of God to be a successful entrepreneur, and a lot of dedication, commitment, integrity, and most importantly, consistency.

“I started my food business from running market errands and I termed it “market runs”- by helping busy career women to navigate home, office, family, career, business well without having to affect their lives,” she said.

Popoola said her task was to make life easy for her female clients by helping them to source healthy foodstuffs for their kitchens; sometimes helping to do 75 per cent of their cooking by frying or boiling their meat or fish.

The caterer added that she assists her clients in buying their groceries and even go as far as cooking meals that could last her busy female clients for a whole month.

“My being educated has definitely enhanced my business. I run an online food catering business leveraging technology.

“So the level of my education has made me have in-depth knowledge about the internet, thereby making it easy for me to capture my target customers,” she said.

Popoola said she enjoyed the tremendous support of her spouse which had also aided her immeasurably.

“Everyone has an in-built talent, just discover it and zoom into action.

“While waiting for your dream job, please learn a trade you have passion for because you will eventually need it,’’
Popoola advise.
The caterer stressed that youths needed not continue waiting for white-collar jobs, rather they should encourage themselves, be resilient, hardworking, and patient.