I would describe Dimeji Ajegbile as a great Spotify playlist. The point when you have figured out the theme, put a solid structure in place, chosen the best songs and enjoy how the symphonies blend. A variety of roles that complement one another make up Dimeji’s career. He attended the Bells University of Technology to study architecture, and he works as an architect in the field of environmental branding.
He currently leads a multi-firm where he combines branding and architecture to create unique spaces for brands and businesses. He is also a brand identity designer and content creator with over 40,000 followers on Instagram. However, Dimeji did not become this beautifully curated playlist overnight. In this interview with Ventures Africa, he recounts his humble beginnings.
Dimeji was a first-year MSC student when he made his first N100k working as a landscaping Architect in 2015.
“The project was a refurbishment of the underbridges in Lagos. We were working to make the underpass in Lagos a little more interesting. We created the artwork and did a landscape in places like under the bridge in Surulere, Stadium, Ojuelegba, etc. I was the lead architect of that project, I did the designs at the time. I was in the first year of my Master’s program. It was weird because I was getting out of the university when I got a contract,”
Dimeji Ajegbile
When the time came for Dimeji to give an invoice for the job, he was nervous and did not know the amount to state because it was his first major project, and the firm was working with the Lagos state government.
Dimeji Ajegbile
“I was thinking, what would I tell these people? Because it was a massive firm and they were working with the Lagos state government, I felt like maybe 100k would be a good price, but then something just told me to say 200k, then I said, and the project director agreed, and we got started. I went ahead and started working on the architectural plans, did the designs and the first presentation, and it was approved,” Dimeji explained.
When the initial payment was made to Dimeji, it was huge and exciting, he quickly decided how to spend his first big paycheck.
Dimeji Ajegbile
“ I was paid 100k in advance, for the first time. I was like, wow! This is huge! The first thing I did was buy a smartphone because I did not have one at the time and saved the rest, by the time I finished the project and we were about to get into execution, the balance was paid. It was the first time I earned anything above 150k. It was interesting.”
After getting his first huge paycheck, Dimeji quickly learned a valuable lesson, money is difficult to earn money but effortless to spend. It was essential for him to learn how to manage his finances.
Dimeji Ajegbile
“One of the things I learned from making that first 200K was that a lot of work goes into making that money, but then spending it is so easy. The money was exhausted in four weeks, except for the little I saved and then the gadget I bought, that was when I realised I needed to buy some other stuff and then I learned the money ratio, I would save 50%, invest 20% and then spend 30% on myself. I practised it and it improved my finances,”
Financial decisions can make or break a standard of living, and bad money decisions can lead to difficulties, such as unsustainable debt and lack. When Dimeji began to gain work experience, he made a strategic career decision that set him up for financial success.
Dimeji Ajegbile
“During my early years working as a designer, I decided to use one year as an investment for myself and my career as a designer. I decided to work for free for this particular year and took on so many projects that I did not get paid. I did this because I wanted to understand more about the business of design and creativity, how to interact with people/clients, master my craft and become a go-to person for most design needs,”
Deciding to invest in gaining experience led Dimeji to the best money decision he ever made.
Dimeji Ajegbile
“The best money decision I made was to start earning in dollars. Following the end of that year, all the people I worked for eventually scattered across the world and my good work with them inspired job recommendations in different countries. I started taking jobs and contracts from clients and organisations in Canada, Italy, the UK, the United States and a few more countries. I got paid in foreign currencies. Learning that this was a reality, I kept my relationships with these clients going and expanded my foreign client base through referrals, recommendations, and doing good work,”
Making smart money decisions early in life determines a stable financial future, Dimeji came to this realisation and applied it to his finances.
Dimeji Ajegbile
“The best money decision young people should make early is to understand the 50-30-20 Budget Rule and apply it diligently,” Dimeji advised.
