Ronke Sokefun is a seasoned legal and business expert with extensive experience across corporate and public sectors. She is on a mission to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools they need to thrive. In a bold move, she has published two professional books —Online Business Success Blueprint and Offline Business Success Blueprint—offering a comprehensive guide to navigating both digital and traditional business landscapes.
Sokefun, in this interview with Josephine Okojie – Okeiyi, discusses the inspiration behind these books, the strategies they offer, and how they align with broader economic and entrepreneurial development efforts. She also shares insights from her extensive career and previews her forthcoming third book, which tackles regulatory approvals for startups in Nigeria.
You just authored two professional books—Online Business Success Blueprint and Offline Business Success Blueprint. Congratulations! Can you provide an overview of both books and their core themes?
My two books, Online Business Success Blueprint and Offline Business Success Blueprint, are practical guides designed to help individuals and small business owners navigate the ever-evolving economic landscape.
Both books empower individuals with actionable strategies to achieve financial ̈independence, whether through online or offline ventures.
Online Business Success Blueprint focuses on leveraging digital opportunities, showing readers how to start and scale online businesses with minimal capital and no prior experience.
It covers essential topics such as e-commerce, digital marketing, freelancing, and passive income strategies, making it a must-read for anyone looking to build a sustainable online income.
On the other hand, Offline Business Success Blueprint provides a roadmap for those who prefer traditional business models. It explores offline business ideas that require little capital and experience, offering insights on market demand, operational strategies, and profitability.
Read also: Beyond tariffs: Unlocking the $20 trillion U.S. market for Nigerian entrepreneurs
Publishing two books simultaneously is a unique approach. Why did you decide to release both at the same time, and how do they complement each other?
Entrepreneurship isn’t one-size-fits-all. Some businesses thrive online, while others succeed offline. Releasing both books together was a strategic decision to present a comprehensive view of the entrepreneurial landscape—one focuses on digital ventures, the other on traditional businesses, many of which can still leverage technology. This way, readers can choose the best path based on their strengths and opportunities.
Additionally, I have a third book nearing completion, which serves as a compendium of regulatory approvals for start-up businesses in Nigeria, further supporting entrepreneurs in navigating the business environment.
How did you approach research, structuring, and the development of these practical guides for entrepreneurs?
Writing these books was a deliberate and structured process. I undertook a 13-week intensive online training, which provided a strong foundation in crafting practical, actionable guides.
Beyond this, I engaged in one-on-one mentorship with an experienced coach, whose insights helped refine the approach and ensure clarity of thought. The writing process was iterative—each section was carefully developed, reviewed, and enhanced under expert guidance.
Additionally, I leveraged the expertise of a professional ‘concierge’ service to fine-tune formatting and ensure the final product was accessible, well-structured, and reader friendly.
Having held leadership roles at institutions like NDIC and serving as D-G Bureau of Lands & Survey, Commissioner for Agriculture and Urban & Physical Planning in Ogun State, you bring a wealth of experience from both corporate and public service. How have these diverse experiences influenced the insights presented in your books?
My career has spanned corporate governance, legal advisory, and public service, each providing unique perspectives that shaped the insights in my books. At NDIC, I gained firsthand experience in financial systems and risk management.
As a partner at Aluko & Oyebode and Chief Legal Officer at Oando PLC, I worked closely with businesses at various growth stages, understanding both legal and operational challenges.
In public service, leading the Bureau of Lands & Survey and serving as Commissioner for Agriculture and Urban & Physical Planning exposed me to the intricacies of policymaking, regulatory frameworks, and economic development strategies.
These experiences gave me a practical understanding of business environments—both structured corporate settings and informal, small-scale enterprises.
The books reflect these insights, offering readers not just theoretical advice but also real-world-tested strategies for navigating business challenges.
Many entrepreneurs and individuals struggle to navigate online and offline business environments. What key strategies do your books provide to help them succeed in both spaces?
Success in business—whether online or offline—requires clarity, adaptability, and execution. My books provide a roadmap for identifying viable business opportunities, assessing market potential, and structuring operations for sustainability. They also highlight practical case studies of businesses that have successfully transitioned across different models.
For online businesses, I emphasise digital tools, automation, and customer engagement strategies that drive profitability. For offline businesses, the books focus on foundational principles such as lean startup methods, efficient supply chain management, and scaling through partnerships. Ultimately, the books serve as practical playbooks that empower individuals to build businesses with long-term viability.
Governments across Africa, including Nigeria, are prioritising entrepreneurship and MSME development as catalysts for economic growth. How does your books align and support these national and regional policy objectives?
Governments globally are recognizing the role of SMEs in job creation and economic resilience. In Nigeria, policies such as the National MSME Policy, the N-Power program, and initiatives by the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) all aim to foster entrepreneurship.
My books complement these efforts by providing practical business ideas that align with these frameworks. Beyond just information, I plan to extend the impact by developing structured training programs based on the books’ content.
These programs will be designed to integrate with government-backed vocational initiatives, ensuring that entrepreneurs receive both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience. This approach bridges the gap between policy and implementation, equipping individuals with the tools to thrive in Nigeria’s evolving economic landscape.
While your books focus on the Nigerian context, what global lessons do you want entrepreneurs and readers in and outside of Africa take away?
The principles of entrepreneurship are universal. While the offline business models I discuss are tailored to Nigeria’s realities, they can be adapted to different markets by considering local economic factors. Online business strategies, on the other hand, transcend borders—digital entrepreneurship operates within a global marketplace.
At its core, the key lesson from my books is that opportunities exist everywhere. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is the ability to recognize, seize, and build on those opportunities. Whether in Lagos or London, New York or Nairobi, the fundamentals of identifying market needs, creating value, and maintaining resilience remain the same.
Read also: Lagos reiterates commitment to support MSMEs, entrepreneurs
Where can readers purchase your books, and are they available in digital and print formats?
The books are available in both digital and print formats to ensure accessibility for a wide audience. Readers can purchase them online through my official book launch page at ronkesoks.systeme.io/booklaunch. They can also place an order directly by reaching out via my Instagram page, @RonkeSokefun.
Do you have plans to extend the reach of these books through structured programs such as workshops, mentorship initiatives, or vocational training partnerships?
Absolutely. My vision goes beyond just publishing books—I want to create an ecosystem where people can apply these insights in real life. Plans are already underway to launch structured online courses, interactive webinars, and group mentoring initiatives.
These will provide practical, hands-on guidance to those looking to build and scale their businesses. Additionally, I am exploring partnerships with government agencies, private sector stakeholders, and vocational institutions to integrate these programs into existing empowerment initiatives.
By doing this, we can ensure that the knowledge from these books translates into real economic impact—helping individuals start and grow businesses that contribute meaningfully to their communities and beyond.
