How Dare You?
Gegeun.
When you’re at the receiving end of this question, just know you’ve really really messed up.
In Yoruba movies, this question is usually followed closely by the statement - “o mà l’áyà oo” (translates: you really have the effrontery; the audacity; the 'chest’). In a Lagos street fight, it is followed by "Do you know who I am?". Of which the fuming opponent would often respond, “Who are you? Do your worst!”. An educated dad would probably say, “such insolence” after a retort.
But when I asked myself the question earlier this week, I had no comeback.
Let me share something with you
It’s a testimony of God’s goodness. I run a business I absolutely enjoy every moment of running. You see, I never thought of myself as an entrepreneur or a business owner. Ask the people who knew me through my undergrad days. Toyin and business? Nah. It was more like 'Toyin and books’. I had always thought entrepreneurship was hard and stressful and just generally too much headache, and for someone who tries her possible best to avoid anything that will stress her in this life, it was a no-no.
Anyhoo, when the vision for ShopToyinFaleke (STF) came, I had such an unusual fire in my bones to birth it to life. The fire propelled me to action before my smart-ass started to overthink it. It felt like the perfect fit for me. Toyin 🤝 book business. Solved!
I immediately started creating the notepad designs. I had a launch strategy set (created an entire deck for this one). I thought of the best packaging method and designed the stickers and cards and everything else. I reached out to who would design the logo. I opened the Instagram account. I thought about customer experience and what I would love to offer. I started sourcing the best and most affordable printing option, the delivery companies to use, the eco-packaging company to order from, and started to count the cost of what launching this business would take. I did not have the money (what is better known as 'capital’) to kick start, but one thing was sure, this was a vision bigger than I am. It was inspired by the Spirit of God Himself. I didn’t know how it was going to eventually happen but I was crazy enough to trust because God said He would.
Stay with me…
The starting capital was running to almost ₦120,000, and all the money in my account was about ₦12k, but I didn’t mind. Again, I didn’t have the money physically. But oh, I had it in my spirit. I saw the business. I saw the notepads. I would stare at the designs I made (and spent most of my midnights working on) and imagine the notepads in my hands and in the hands of people. Was I scared? Yes, just like everyone else starting something outside their comfort zone, and having the uncertainty of how it would be received. I got asked if people would be interested in buying 'things like these’. I always answered 'yes. They would buy’. It was beyond the money or profit for me, it felt like a gift I was going to give the world — the gift of writing and journaling, and God’s fire kept me going.
Guess what?
Shortly after all the plans came together and truly all that was left was the money to disburse, God miraculously provided the money plus waaay more. It’s a long story, but I mean, dash money. Free money. Awoof, like they say. Stressless. I was in awe. Just got an alert of ₦200,000 from someone. Argh. I’m a terrible dancer o, but I danced that day. God came through in the nick of time. Oh, did the business not start off? It did. My starting capital ran into almost ₦150,000 eventually but I was completely covered. (Ahem, I may or may not have bought one or two shoes out of the rest 😌).
But that’s not even the crux of the matter.
I had lately been thinking of how to further expand this business, launch newer products and product designs, and increase my distribution network. We currently have distributors in Lagos, Abeokuta and Ile-Ife (more details below). But I made the mistake of thinking from the angle of capital first. My first thoughts were “Omo, I need money to do this and this and this”. As I progressed in my thoughts, God stopped me. He asked me how the business started in the first place. I had completely forgotten how God came through and was focusing on how I didn’t have the means to go bigger. Chai, I was so embarrassed at myself. Where did all that fire go? I didn’t know when I blurted out to myself:
“Oluwatoyin, how dare you think God is too small to fund your dreams?”
I said it to myself and yet, ó wolé mehn.
How dare you think God is too incapable to attend to your needs? How dare you forget how He has pulled through for you in the past? How dare you think the same God that gave you these visions cannot bring it to life? How dare you shrink those dreams and think it’s too impossible for Him to do? O mà l’áyà o. Do you know who He is?
Let me show you something in Ephesians 3:20 (KJV):
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Read again. This time, slowly.
You’ve always read this as ‘exceedingly abundantly’. While the NKJV says this and is equally correct, pay attention again. KJV says 'exceeding abundantly’. Meaning, beyond abundantly. Far above abundantly. There is abundance, then there is to exceed that abundance. Oh glory to God!
If He has told you to move, don’t overthink it, just do. Start what He told you to. Make those plans because money is the least of your worries (it should be). Because it’s a vision already fully-funded and sponsored by God. So, set things in motion. Reach out to those people. Take steps of faith. Get off your ass and get things done.
Remember the story I shared earlier? It was easy to get things done when the money eventually came. In fact, I launched the business barely two weeks after (in November 2019). Why? Because everything else was in place. If I had waited for the money to come before even beginning on anything, I most likely would have channelled it to something else or spent it on buying things and filling other needs.
God is beyond enough. He really is. I don’t know how else to say this.
As you conclude reading this, try this exercise. Tell yourself:
How dare you, (insert your name), think that God is too small to (insert whatever project or thing you have had doubts about)?
How did that feel?
Don’t use your man-sized capacity to fuel your God-sized visions.
Oore-ọ̀fẹ́ ati àlàáfíà (Grace and peace ❤)
If you would like to get a notepad or memo pad from the store, find locations below:
- Lagos: If you’re closer to Ikeja, check out @pagebookstore. If you’re closer to Surulere, check @rovingheights. If you’re closer to Alimosho, directly reach out to @shoptoyinfaleke.
- Abeokuta: @dolce_ce is your plug.
- Ile-Ife: Kindly message @_ifeoluwayimikaa.
- Other locations in and out of Nigeria, @shoptoyinfaleke would work something out for you.
If you would like to partner with our move to expand in one form or another, I’m happy to hear all about it. You can send me a direct message here.
Grace and peace, again.
