admin The author of the book “What Makes the Great Great,” Dennis P. Kimbro, said the inner voice plays a significant role in an individual’s success. He suggests that successful individuals are those who have learned to tap into their inner voice and use it as a guide to make decisions, overcome obstacles, and stay focused on their goals, using it as a source of intuition, creativity and innovation.
In other words, God can have His way to ensure that an individual follows the pathway of his or her destiny through divine inspiration, leading to success in one’s ordained career or business ventures.
The above scenario fits the evolution of B&B Ties, an events decoration and planning company based in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. How does one explain the journey of a microbiology graduate who left the terrain of medical sciences and ventured into a business requiring artistic creativity, an area where she had no formal education nor training on?
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of B&B Ties, Ololade Babalola in an exclusive interview with Crude Reports magazine disclosed that everything that led to the formation, growth, and expansion of the company is anchored on the inspiration of God.
“The name, B&B Ties was actually inspired. It means being oneself, not copying anybody.” Just being real, just being yourself. The Ties, means putting things together to bring about something beautiful. So it is not neck ties.”
She explained that the vision of B&B Ties is also hinged on creativity out of virtually nothing. “It is all about creativity and bringing out the beauty and the best out of everything I lay my hands on and that is how I got inspired about decorations.”
Though she was very good in the Fine Arts subject while in secondary school, her late father insisted she must offer a science course at the university education level, and she ended up studying microbiology at the University of Ibadan.
However, by a touch of divine inspiration, she knew while at the 300 level at the University of Ibadan that she would not use her certificate to work under anybody, and that was what happened.
Everything that is big in life has its share of small beginnings. Before the formation of B&B Ties, Ololade Babalola as a young graduate living with her parents then at Iyana Church area in Ibadan after her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in 1994, started her business under the name CASCADE STORES. Not feeling ashamed, she started selling ice water. “When this idea of selling water came, I decided to make it unique by using a special nylon different from what others were using and before long most people in Iyana Church area of Ibadan started patronising what they called “Omi graduate” (meaning graduate water). All I had then was a new deep freezer and a free shop given to me by my parents. I later added gari (a staple food made from cassava tubers) and the sale of groundnuts to complete the roll call.
How did she start handling decoration jobs for people?
Ololade Babalola said a lady by name Dele was getting married and she approached her to see if she could handle her decorations, which she obliged. According to her. “I did the decoration for her reception hall free, and people liked it and started talking about it. Before I knew it, God was bringing people, which later led to jobs from groups and corporate bodies.”.
At a stage she settled down at Bodija, got a shop at Christy Plaza, and two other shops making three in the same complex, and that marked the beginning of explosion for events decoration and planning leading her to register the company, B&B Ties in 1995.
From then on, there was no stopping the fame brought upon the business. For example, the company handled the decoration for King Sunny Ade’s 62nd birthday held at Platinum One in Lagos through another event planner that contracted the high-profile job to them.
Also, the company handled the decoration of the lying in state for the late Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige at the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan through a woman who recommended her to the Ige family. In her words, “All these high-profile jobs were coming in at a time when if there were five major social events in Ibadan at the weekend, it is certainly sure that B&B Ties will be handling the decorations and planning for three of such. That was the level of grace of God upon the company and we are grateful for this.”
How is standard maintained was another question to which the CEO B&B Ties was quick in giving response to. “In our company, all the staff members know that I won’t take anything below the standard from them, so everyone is on their toes. It’s either we do it better than what has been done before or nothing less. We don’t compromise standards and quality. We believe the customer deserves the best if we have been paid what was charged.”
Crude Reports magazine asked her about the big picture the company is looking at. In her words, “B&B Ties is looking at becoming a big supplier for event decoration and rental needs. A one-stop place where anyone having a social event can have all things needed, for decoration materials, ornaments, fabrics, chairs, tables, and everything needed to make such an event lively and worthwhile. We also plan to catch the young minds early, those naturally gifted children in Arts, help them nurture their talents so that they can become a blessing to themselves and their generation.”
The interview rounded off with her advice for the upcoming young people planning to venture into event decoration and planning. “We have a training class for people like that, and my first question to such people is: Are you passionate about this business? if yes, go for it, but if not, don’t come near it because it is your passion that will fuel the engine of the business, help you overcome challenges, and keep you moving on. They also have to study and have their knowledge updated on things pertaining to the industry, thereby polishing their talents, and they must also have integrity with their customers.”
Report by Tunde Olaore
