Risk & Return Tells The Story Of How Yomi Jemibewon Started a 250 Million Dollar Company in Nigeria

When Yomi Jemibewon stated the target audience for Risk and Return in its introduction, he beautifully summarized who this book was meant for, but that’s just a tip of the iceberg. He says:

It is for anyone who isn’t happy doing what they are doing, or happy with where or how life is unfolding. It is for anyone considering another path and debating whether to take a leap of faith … for anyone of any race, any gender, any age, any nationality, any profession, any educational level and at any phase in their lives, who has woken up one morning and said, ‘Something needs to change’

Risk and Return is the story of Yomi Jemibewon, one of the founding partners of CardinalStone, a leading independent multi-asset investment management firm in Nigeria. It is the story of his return to Nigeria under uncertain circumstances and his entrepreneurial adventure.

When I began reading Risk and Return, I expected it to read like every book in its genre, but it was different. It told a compelling story:

A young man returning home from his great job one early morning; he should be happy, but he realizes he isn’t. A series of event in the similar time frame and a wonderful partner, help him fully realize he wants to seek for something different. He is ready to forgo what he believed to be the ideal career plan; for something that’ll bring him happiness even at the end of a long tedious day when he is walking home at 2 am.

Yomi takes us on a journey of his life over a course of eleven years – the way he writes this story, you feel like you are present with him through this journey – from his return home to Nigeria, his first job back home and then the creation and management of CardinalStone.

He is sincere about how the story truly unfolds – how the idea to begin CardinalStone started, how he met his partners, the plan that started the business and the brainstorming process behind the plans. He even tells of the origin of the name and the mistakes they made starting off and he gives insight on how it made them feel and then in some cases how they resolved or almost resolved it.

I did find one area of inconsistency – in the years mentioned – but the little insertion of a good joke and his strong descriptive ability soon made me forget that I had highlighted that inconsistency.

Yomi Jemibewon in his book isn’t selling a success story – he’s telling the whole of it – the plan, the mistakes, the journey, the success. He’s so intentional in his writing, every name mentioned, every business, every event told – was for a reason.

As you read this book, you can tell just how he sounds when he talks, it reads just like an older brother telling you about life, friendship, family and business.
Click here to get it on OkadaBooks.

Reviewed by Kelia Olughu. She is a licensed Medical doctor, Writer, Freelance developmental editor and
proofreader. She loves reading, collecting books with charming covers, discussing books and
travelling. Kelia can be reached via email: [email protected] and Instagram.