Startup Story
Adérójú Ope-Ajayi is the Founder and Lead Instructor at Dolphin Swim School and Dolphin Aquatic Center in Nigeria. She is also a Sports Development Advocate with a passion for fostering positive change in the sports industry in Africa. Her mission is to help develop the sports industry in Nigeria by partnering with the right stakeholders, helping to build sustainable sports businesses, and providing knowledge to new entrants in the industry. She founded her business in 2017 and has over 15 team members. She brings over 17 years’ experience in sales and business development expertise gained in the corporate world to the business.
In addition, Adérójú is Vice Chairman and Board Member at Lagos State Swimming Association, and an Advisory Board Member of the International Swim Schools Association. She is also a member of the United States Swim Schools Association.
She is a certified Water Safety Instructor and Trainer; certified Lifeguard and she is equally certified to administer First Aid, CPR and AED. She has received multiple awards that are a testament to her skill and tenacity in breaking new grounds.
LoA spoke to Adérójú Ope-Ajayi to learn more about her mission and vision, and what drives her to think about realizing even bigger goals in the future.
“Our business is special in the fact that we cater to a specific niche and we are the first of its kind in Nigeria.”
What does your company do?
We are a professional swim school that believes every woman and child should be water safer. At the Dolphin Aquatic Centre and Dolphin Swim School, which are both exclusively for women and children, participants swim with certified female instructors in a safe and secure environment. Dolphin Swim School also offers various swimming programs from beginners’ classes to advanced (competitive training) for both women and children. This is to directly impact and reduce the rates of deaths by drowning by a significant percentage and also to equip generations with essential life skills and water safety information.
What inspired you to start your company?
According to the WHO; Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for 7% of all injury-related deaths. There are an estimated 236 000 annual drowning deaths worldwide. Global estimates may significantly underestimate the actual public health problem related to drowning. These stats made me rethink how I can use my passion and gift of swimming and teaching swimming to impact these numbers. In my research I realized, however, that there weren't any swim schools that could boast of international standards in the quality of the teaching, coaches, and equipment. I also realized that there were very few female instructors that can cater to the students that would prefer a female due to religious and cultural preferences. As a result, I then decided to set up an aquatic business that would include providing swimming lessons to women and children only, and this would directly impact the demographic that are more susceptible to drownings, thereby reducing these preventable deaths.
“We are a specialized team of female instructors that are in the business of teaching women and children how to be water safer.”
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Our business is special in the fact that we cater to a specific niche and we are the first of its kind in Nigeria. We are a specialized team of female instructors that are in the business of teaching women and children how to be water safer. We also use a specialized swim lesson curriculum specific for teaching women and children. This also differentiates us in the market among other male-led swimming schools. Our affiliations with international swim associations also gave us a winning edge.
Tell us a little about your team
We are a very special group of swim instructors and administrators as we are all female, with just one male among us. The team is headed by Ms. Sopulu who is our Head of School and Business Manager. She is ably supported by Ms. Racheal and her team of Administrators. The Instructors are managed by the Lead Instructor and these instructors consist of Certified Instructors and Trainee Instructors. The Trainee Instructors are ladies who have an interest in being water safety instructors and are being trained for free and who in turn work with the company for 3 years. This has enabled us to pass on the skills more efficiently and train more female instructors quickly.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
My entrepreneurial journey started as a means to an end really. I had resigned from my job as Head Of Sales in a Telco and while waiting for another job, I decided to start this business, after so much pressure from family and friends who wanted to learn how to swim ONLY from a female instructor. I haven't looked back since then.
I didn't come from an entrepreneurial background at all, I was a fully corporate focused lady and wanted to grow in my career as a Sales, Business Strategy & Development expert.
“Our dreams and aspirations are to be a globally recognized swim school providing top notch water safety lessons to women and children. We also aspire to have first of its kind aquatic centre in Lagos Nigeria.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
The sky is the stepping stone for us. Our dreams and aspirations are to be a globally recognized swim school providing top notch water safety lessons to women and children. We also aspire to have first of its kind aquatic centre in Lagos Nigeria. This would be a lifestyle and recreation centre for all things aquatics in Lagos to begin with, followed by other various locations as well.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I derive most of my satisfaction from seeing the faces of our students when they overcome their fear of water, or when they realize they can do a particular skill effortlessly. It brings me so much joy and satisfaction knowing that we are equipping people with essential life skills and helping them become water safe.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
The biggest piece of advice would be: GO FOR IT! Yes. Do it Afraid, Do it Nervous... Do It However, Just Do it. I find that once you take a step to start achieving your business dreams and goals, everything begins to align for you. Stop overthinking and start now.
Contact or follow Dolphin Swim School
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL info@dolphinaquaticcenter.com
Why LoA loves it…
Sometimes, life creates an opportunity for you to do something different, to change your life and career direction, and in turn, it allows you to realize long-held dreams and aspirations. For Adérójú Ope-Ajayi, that means providing a much needed service to women and children that will both empower them and save lives. Her swim school and water safety instruction business allows her to make a positive impact in people’s lives, and fulfill her own desire to contribute to the future development of her country’s sports industry. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa