184 Emeka Onwudiwe

7 Jul

In this inspiring episode, we dive deep into the entrepreneurial journey of a pharmacy student who built a successful record label while pursuing his degree. This conversation is packed with invaluable lessons for any student considering starting their own business or side hustle.

Emeka Onwudiwe shares the raw, unfiltered story of how OT Records began during COVID lockdowns as three friends on FaceTime calls, initially called ITM (International Talent Management). What started as beat-making sessions and music conversations evolved into a legitimate business managing artists and hosting freestyle platforms. The journey wasn't smooth - they went from managing 18 artists down to a focused roster of 4, learning crucial lessons about scalability and quality over quantity along the way.

Key Advice for Students:

The most powerful lesson shared is about embracing the student mindset: "You have to have that humbleness because you can't go straight to the top. It's impossible. Anyone that owns a business would have had to learn from someone else. They have to be a student for a set period." This mindset applies whether you're building a business or developing professionally - every expert was once a beginner who had to learn from others.

For students wanting to start their own ventures, the episode reveals practical strategies like using Instagram strategically. Instead of doom-scrolling, they systematically went through rap blog comments, analysed artists' profiles, and identified emerging talent with potential rather than finished products. This approach of finding people to grow with, rather than established names, proved crucial to their success.

The conversation highlights how entrepreneurial skills are incredibly transferable to professional life. Managing artists, conducting meetings, building rapport, and handling multiple stakeholders directly translated to pharmacy work, BPSA involvement, and professional networking. The ability to reset between meetings, find common ground with diverse people, and maintain relationships became invaluable skills in both worlds.

On Balancing Education and Business:

Rather than seeing his degree and business as competing priorities, he views them as complementary forces. The timing of his pharmacy studies aligned perfectly with his record label's growth, each informing and strengthening the other. His advice to students is clear: don't abandon your education for entrepreneurship, but don't let fear of failure stop you from pursuing your passions alongside your studies.

The episode also touches on the importance of building the right team and maintaining long-term relationships. After five years, the core team of three friends remains intact, demonstrating that successful businesses are built on strong foundations of trust, shared vision, and mutual respect.

Looking Forward:

As he prepares to enter his foundation year in a completely new location (Dorset), Emeka embraces change and sees it as essential for growth. His philosophy that "if there's a will, there's a way" resonates throughout the conversation, showing how determination and adaptability can overcome seemingly impossible odds.

This episode is essential listening for any student who has ever wondered if they can pursue their entrepreneurial dreams while completing their education. It proves that with the right mindset, strategic thinking, and willingness to learn, you can build something meaningful without sacrificing your professional development.

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Linkedin: Emeka Onwudiwe

184 Emeka Onwudiwe

183 Emeka Onwudiwe