Meet Akanni Falilat, a 400-level nursing student known for her versatility. Despite the challenges, she effortlessly engages in various extracurricular activities, highlighting her exceptional ability to make difficult tasks seem easy.
Can you kindly introduce yourself? Tell us who you are and what you do.
My name is Akanni Falilat Oyindamola, and I am a dynamic studentpreneur with a diverse portfolio of businesses. Primarily, I am the founder of a successful fashion brand known as D&R Fashion Hub where we specialise in designing outfits for females. In addition to this venture, I am actively involved in selling a variety of products, including fabrics, hair accessories, fruits, and more. Furthermore, I am a dedicated thrift collector, curating a monthly and weekly collection of thrift to promote financial sustainability.
What inspired you to start a clothing and savings business alongside your nursing studies?
What inspired me to start my clothing and savings business alongside my nursing studies is my passion for creativity and my desire to help others. Recognizing the needs of people and the importance of financial stability, I embarked on this initiative with the aim of making a positive impact. Through my business, I have been able to assist over 70 individuals in achieving their financial goals by offering unique thrift opportunities. Witnessing the positive outcomes and the joy it brings to others has been immensely fulfilling, reaffirming my commitment to both creativity and service.
What challenges do you face balancing nursing and your entrepreneurial venture?
Balancing nursing studies with my entrepreneurial venture presents several challenges. Firstly, managing time effectively between demanding academic commitments and the responsibilities of running a business requires careful planning and prioritization. Additionally, the unpredictable nature of nursing schedules often conflicts with the demands of managing a business, requiring flexibility and adaptability. Despite these obstacles, I have learned valuable time management skills and developed resilience, enabling me to navigate the dual responsibilities with determination and perseverance.
It is well-known on campus that you are actively involved in politics and are currently the Welfare Officer of BAMSSA 2024. How do you manage your time between nursing duties, your business and political activities?
Balancing nursing duties, my business, and political activities requires meticulous time management and prioritization. I utilize tools such as calendars and to-do lists to organize my schedule effectively. Having a supportive network of friends is invaluable in navigating the challenges, their encouragement, assistance, and genuine interest in my journey have been instrumental in my journey. Lastly, I strive to maintain open communication with all stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment of goals across all endeavors. Despite the challenges, the synergy between my diverse roles fuels my passion and drive to make a positive impact in various spheres of influence.
What skills or lessons from entrepreneurship do you find beneficial in nursing?
Firstly, effective communication skills are crucial in both entrepreneurship and nursing. Entrepreneurs must communicate well with their clients to deliver efficiently while nurses communicate with patients, families, and the healthcare team to ensure holistic care is given to the patients.
Furthermore, problem-solving skills are very important. Entrepreneurs encounter unexpected challenges and must devise innovative solutions. Similarly, nurses frequently face complex healthcare issues and must adapt quickly to provide optimal patient care.
Lastly, critical thinking is essential for assessing patients’ needs, interpreting data, and formulating care plans. Likewise, entrepreneurship also requires the ability to analyze situations from various perspectives and make informed decisions.
Can you share an instance where your entrepreneurial mindset helped in politics?
My experience as an entrepreneur undoubtedly provided valuable insights and skills that benefited my role when I was the faculty financial secretary. I leveraged my entrepreneurial background, and I was able to introduce initiatives aimed at empowering students with practical knowledge and skills related to managing business finances and presenting their ventures to potential investors.
How do you stay updated with developments in nursing, fashion, and student politics?
Staying updated with developments in nursing, fashion, and student politics requires a proactive approach to information gathering and engagement. Here’s how I stay informed in each of these areas:
• I leverage online platforms and forums dedicated to nursing professions to stay abreast of current trends, research findings, and best practices in the field.
•In the realm of student politics, I actively engage with students’ government bodies and attend meetings. I stay informed about relevant activities or issues through communication channels established by the union. Lastly, I maintain connections with fellow students involved in students’ politics to exchange information.
•To stay updated on developments in the fashion industry, I follow influential fashion bloggers, designers, and brands on social media such as Instagram and Twitter.
How do you see entrepreneurship influencing healthcare delivery, considering your experience in student politics?
Entrepreneurship has the potential to significantly influence healthcare delivery, especially when combined with insights gained from experiences in student politics. Here’s how:
•In my role as a student leader, I learned the importance of listening to and advocating for the voices of those I represent, a principle that translates well to entrepreneurship in healthcare, where understanding patient needs is paramount.
•Entrepreneurial thinking encourages the development of innovative solutions to address healthcare challenges. By leveraging technology, data analytics, and interdisciplinary collaboration, entrepreneurs can introduce novel approaches to healthcare delivery that improve efficiency, accessibility, and patient outcomes.
How do you envision leveraging your experiences in student politics to enact positive change within the nursing profession or healthcare system in the future?
My experiences in student politics have equipped me with valuable leadership, advocacy, and communication skills that I plan to leverage to enact positive change within the nursing profession and healthcare system. As a future nurse, I envision using my platform to advocate for policies that prioritize patient-centered care, improve healthcare access and affordability, and support nursing education and workforce development.
Between politics and entrepreneurship, if you had to pick one, which would it be and why?
Well, both politics and entrepreneurship offer unique opportunities for making a positive impact. If I had to pick one, I would choose entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship allows me to pursue my passion for innovation, creativity, and problem-solving while empowering me to drive positive change in various sectors, including healthcare. Moreover, entrepreneurship aligns with my long-term goal of fostering innovation and improving healthcare delivery through the development of sustainable, scalable solutions. While I value the importance of political engagement and advocacy, entrepreneurship offers me the autonomy and agency to effect change on a personal and professional level.
Can you tell us your proudest political moment as a nursing student?
I’ve had many proud moments, but one of them was when I hosted the first-ever BAMSSA Business Summit and pitch competition from my office has the financial secretary and it hadn’t been done before. I’m glad I laid some good foundations down. Also, during my manifesto for the post of financial secretary, I didn’t think I could pull it off, but I’m so proud of myself that I gave it all. Special thanks to my flatmates and coursemates for believing in me.
Give a word of advice to nursing students who are also interested in merging both worlds of entrepreneurship and politics
My advice to nursing students interested in merging entrepreneurship and politics is to embrace their passions, seek opportunities for learning and growth, and leverage their unique perspectives to drive positive change. Pursuing entrepreneurship and politics simultaneously requires dedication, resilience, and a willingness to step outside of one’s comfort zone. I encourage nursing students to actively engage with their communities, build meaningful connections, and advocate for causes they believe in. Remember to stay true to your values, remain open to new ideas and perspectives, and never underestimate the power of your voice and actions to make a difference in the world.