By Adegboyega Adeleye
Businessman and philanthropist Tony Elumelu has shared a picture of his old business card from his early days as a photocopier salesman, recalling the lessons that shaped his approach to business and made him resilient.
Elumelu shared the photograph on his X handle on Thursday, saying he stumbled upon the card and was reminded of his days as a “young, hungry sales rep.”
The old card identifies Elumelu as a Sales Executive with Precissa Sales Limited, with the company’s address listed as Bode Thomas Street, Surulere, Lagos.
Reflecting on the period, Elumelu said the experience taught him “the fundamentals of resilience, negotiation, and grit,” lessons he said have continued to influence how he approaches business and engages with customers.
He wrote: “It’s also a reminder that who you become tomorrow is often shaped by the foundation you lay today; the discipline, hard work, and consistency you put in when no one is watching.”
Elumelu urged people, particularly those building their careers and businesses, to remain consistent and committed to learning.
“Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep executing,” he said.
He ended the post with a light-hearted reference to the details on the old card, saying: “As for the phone number and address on the card? Long gone ”
Stumbled upon my old business card from my early days as a photocopier salesperson.
— Tony O. Elumelu, CFR (@TonyOElumelu) September 10, 2026
It brought back memories of being a young, hungry sales rep, learning the fundamentals of resilience, negotiation, and grit. Those lessons have stayed with me over the years and continue to shape… pic.twitter.com/H6FWr6uEEH
Elumelu has previously spoken about starting his career as a copier salesman before moving into banking and eventually building a business empire spanning several sectors.
Vanguard reported in 2019 that he described himself as a young, hungry and hardworking copier salesman and attributed his eventual success to a combination of hard work, resilience, vision and luck.
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