Cyprian Orakpo: Building Resilience in Businesses

Cyprian Orakpo, a seasoned businessman, reflects on his 60th birthday, contemplating what will remain when his business career ends. Orakpo, who has accumulated numerous awards and accolades throughout his multifaceted career, recognizes that success changes at different life stages. For him, success at 60 involves reflecting on relationships, impact, and legacy.

Orakpo's journey began with economics and statistics at the University of Benin, but his education extended to real-world experiences in Alaba International Market, where he learned the importance of relationships in business. He believes that big businesses are built on credit, and credibility is key to accessing that credit.

A strong work ethic and ethical behavior, demonstrated by Orakpo's actions as an apprentice, laid the foundation for his reputation. This reputation helped him transition from trading to manufacturing, as he learned that his credibility would be essential when he started his own manufacturing operation, Transerve Disc Technologies.

Despite facing challenges when audio and video tapes were replaced by CDs, Orakpo used his reputation to secure a bank loan, ultimately founding a major optical media manufacturing operation. This success further cemented the idea that reputation can be a valuable asset in business.

Orakpo's innovative approach to tackling industry problems, such as developing a job alert management system to address piracy concerns, showcases his ability to adapt and innovate in an ever-changing landscape. As technology continued to evolve, even his successful manufacturing enterprise faced challenges, demonstrating the transient nature of success in business.