The Funmi Babington-Ashaye Foundation (FBA) Mentoring Programme successfully hosted its May Mentoring Call on Friday, 29th May 2026, bringing together aspiring and established entrepreneurs for an insightful discussion on one of the most important realities of business growth: the difference between surviving and scaling.

The session, moderated by Esther Oni, featured renowned entrepreneur, award-winning realtor, and business leader, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Adegite, who shared practical strategies for navigating the challenges entrepreneurs face while building sustainable businesses.

A) Understanding Survival Mode in Business

Mrs. Adegite began by highlighting the common struggles many entrepreneurs experience, describing them as the “faces of survival mode.” These challenges often prevent business owners from achieving long-term growth and include:

• The Cash Flow Trap
• The Founder Bottleneck
• The Reactive Spiral
• The Invisible Ceiling
• Quiet Doubt

She explained that while these challenges are common, they are not permanent. Entrepreneurs can move beyond survival mode by becoming intentional about how they build and manage their businesses.

B) Five Moves from Surviving to Scaling

One of the major highlights of the session was Mrs. Adegite’s framework for transitioning from survival to scaling.

1. Know Your Numbers Deeply

Entrepreneurs must understand the financial health of their businesses. Knowing revenue, expenses, profit margins, and cash flow helps business owners make informed decisions and identify opportunities for growth.

2. Build Systems Before Hiring

Rather than hiring immediately to solve operational challenges, business owners should first create systems and processes that can be replicated. Strong systems improve efficiency and make scaling easier.

3. Protect One Day Each Week for Thinking

Many entrepreneurs spend all their time working in their businesses rather than on their businesses. Setting aside dedicated time for planning, reflection, and strategy allows for better decision-making and sustainable growth.

4. Find One Profitable Core

Instead of trying to do everything at once, entrepreneurs should identify the most profitable aspect of their business and focus their energy there. A strong core business creates a foundation for future expansion.

5. Invest in Relationships That Move You Forward

Success is often accelerated through mentorship, networking, and strategic relationships. Mrs. Adegite encouraged participants to surround themselves with people who challenge, inspire, and support their growth journey.

Interactive Question and Answer Session

The mentoring call featured an engaging Q&A session where participants discussed real-life entrepreneurial challenges.

Topics covered included:

When Should You Scale and When Should You Quit

Mrs. Adegite advised entrepreneurs to carefully evaluate market demand, customer feedback, and their level of commitment before abandoning a business idea. She emphasized that many entrepreneurs quit too early without fully testing their concepts.

Can You Start a Business with Zero Capital?

Drawing from her own experience, she explained that aspiring entrepreneurs can begin by learning from established businesses, building expertise, developing relationships, and creating value before investing significant capital.

How Can You Balance Entrepreneurship with a Full-Time Job?

For individuals managing work, school, and business responsibilities, Mrs. Adegite recommended starting small, managing time intentionally, and choosing business models that fit existing schedules. Discipline and consistency, she noted, are critical factors for success.

Key Lessons from the Session

Participants left the mentoring call with several actionable takeaways:

• Growth requires structure and systems.
• Entrepreneurs must understand their business numbers.
• Focus on one profitable area before expanding.
• Build relationships that support growth.
• Protect time for strategic thinking.
• The biggest obstacle to business growth is often self-limiting beliefs.

One particularly powerful reminder from the session was that an entrepreneur’s greatest competitor is often their own mindset. Success begins with making quality decisions consistently and taking action one step at a time. For more information about the topic, click here PRESENTATION SLIDE.pdf