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As we grow out of childhood into adulthood, we start trying to decide on our career path. We usually end up not picking what we are good and not what we are passionate about. This was not the case with Bidemi Zakariyau, a brilliant lawyer who left the cloth to make a career of her passion.
Bidemi Zakariyau is the founder and CEO of LSF|PR, a fast-growing PR agency in Nigeria. LSF|PR is a full-service public relations agency with core competencies in corporate communications, consumer and lifestyle brands.
As the CEO, she is actively involved in advising clients on critical communications strategies and issues, including entry strategies into the Nigerian market.
However, Bidemi started out to be a lawyer. This decision was made after college where she did a foundation programme in business, which included law, accounting and economics in college. Ending the programme as one of two best law students, Bidemi applied for and studied law in the university.
In 2011, she returned to Nigeria. As she was not in time to be mobilised for NYSC nor law school, she decided to intern.
Working as an intern let her see where her passions really lie. She saw how the Nigerian business environment worked and how that knowledge dovetailed with her love for the media.
She did not wait for the proverbial perfect time. She instead set up LSF|PR when she joined the law school, working on small-scale projects. After law school, she took it up full-time.
The decision is working out quite well. In 2015, she was recognised as one of the leading female entrepreneurs under 25 in Nigeria by SME100. In 2016, she was awarded The Future Awards Africa Prize for media enterprise. In 2017, she was recognised as one of the 100 most influential women in Nigeria by Leading Ladies Africa.
This year, 2018, she was picked by Forbes Africa as one of its 30 under 30 business leaders and changemakers.
Though a less assured path, following your passion and making a career of it can also be fulfilling.
