Samatha Lazarus is the Founder of The Springsgates Grammar School, a coaching academy focused on helping individuals and businesses improve their spoken and written English language proficiency. She was the winner of our Education category in 2022.

• What does being a young and successful entrepreneur mean to you?

It means making an impact because that is one of the things I stand for. I always try as much as possible to make sure that everyone who comes in contact with me is positively impacted, and I’m grateful to God for achieving that. So, impact is the answer.

• Can you share the inspiration behind your decision to start your own business at a young age?

I have diverse inspirations but the main one is my passion for teaching. Every time I introduce myself as an educator, people look at me funny. So in this world where teachers are not recognised or celebrated much, one thing that keeps me going is the fact that I’m passionate about teaching.

• On work-life balance/harmony, how do you manage your time effectively to run a successful business while also pursuing personal interests?

I always try to create a “me-time”. I do this by dedicating at least two hours a day to doing personal things. For instance, I woke up around 5 a.m. today to work on my book after observing my quiet time. At other times, I watch movies.

So having a me-time has helped me balance my personal life and my professional life.

• As an entrepreneur, what motivates and sustains your drive?

Passion is one of my motivations. The God factor is also another because I’m a Christian. Work can get challenging and overwhelming sometimes, so at times like that, I run back to God and the drawing board he gave me.

• Throughout your entrepreneurial journey, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

Winning the 25under25 Awards was one big achievement. Another is a recent international award I received from the USA.

Also, being a TED-Ed Educator and being considered by them to teach and educate on a  global scale, is a big achievement for me. I’ve seen people do much more than I am and not get the accolades.

The fact that I’m getting the accolades, not just in Nigeria, but on a global scale, is a big achievement.

Lastly, I also have a Facebook community of over 128,000 members called; “Learn English and Write with Samantha”. Having people from different parts of the world being in your community is a big achievement.

• What advice would you give to fellow young entrepreneurs who are just starting their own businesses?

Believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will believe in you. When I started, my family members, though not totally against it, thought that I was wasting my time. My mum would come in and ask why I was wasting my time on the phone. But when the results started coming, especially the money aspect, her perception changed entirely and she started hailing me. So hadn’t I believed in myself,  I don’t know what would have happened. 

When I started teaching on YouTube too, someone told me that I could never make it as an educator. Today, I have thousands of active subscribers on my channel. So, believe in yourself; have big goals that would scare you, dream on, cry if you can, take breaks, but continue, and God will sustain you. 

• Do you have a favorite quote/mantra that resonates with your entrepreneurial spirit?

I have two actually; one is a quote, and the other was adapted from a song. 

The first one is by William Shakespeare, “A coward dies a thousand deaths, but a hero dies but one.”

The other one says “Hold on, you’re almost there.”