21/08/2020
The Story of Linda Ikeji, Told By Linda Ikeji
“Let me tell you a bit of my own story, and I hope it inspires you to go out there and get yours.
I started my hustle very young, just fresh out of secondary school. I started modelling even before I got into the university.
At the university, I also continued my modelling career and I also started organizing beauty pageants,
I organized Miss University of Lagos for three consecutive years and in 2003, I decided that I want to contest in a beauty pageant.
I contested in Miss Nigeria 2003, and I failed.
I finished university, and I started my own company; a Modelling and Events Company. I hustled a lot back then to keep my company afloat.
When the money wasn’t coming in as I had hoped, I decided to put my hands in other businesses. So I started a magazine. I failed at it.
I started a Marketing and Public Relations Company. I failed at it.
I started a TV Modelling Show. I failed at it.
I attempted to start a Reality TV Modelling Competition. I failed at it.
I did an Annual Fashion Show for 7 years, I didn’t succeed at it. I didn’t make money.
And then I wrote a book, I didn’t sell up to five hundred copies. I failed. I failed so many times.
Infact 13 years after I have started my hustle, I was still broke, I was still struggling, I was still trying to find my way.
Some days I would lay on my bed, and I would cry my eyes out. I would get up, work, fail and then, I would cry some more.
I would ask God why?
I worked so hard since I was young for so many years, why have You refused to bless me?
There were days I would leave my house, very early, very, very early; enter my car, and drive around Lagos, from morning, till evening. I would go from one company to the other, from Ikeja to Mile II, from Yaba to Lagos Island, with proposals in hand, asking for sponsorship, asking for someone to hear me out, begging for someone to believe in me.
99% of the time, I went home empty.
Nobody tried to help,
B
