IT guru makes profits from tech business

Oluyakode Osunsan, the owner of Logix Technical Solutions talks about his business during an interview. Photo by Colleb Mugume

What you need to know:

  • Oluyakode Osunsan, the owner of Logix Technical Solutions, started his career by enrolling for online courses in USA while working. Eronie Kamukama writes about how his company has attracted clients from Non-Governmental Organisations and top corporate companies, earning him some good amount of money in profits.

Creativity starts at any point in time. For the 16-year-old high school student Oluyakode Osunsan, it was never too early to start working his mind to earn some money. He helped other students with simple computer systems and did a bit of programming.

Common practice dictates that one finishes primary, secondary school and physically attends university to attain a degree.
But before this Nigerian born Information Technology (IT) junkie left Uganda where he had lived with his father, a diplomat and settled in United States of America, he had a different opinion. He preferred to pursue his technical career by doing online courses offered at Nebraska State University in USA.
“I did online university because I did not subscribe to this thing of you go to university and some lecturer teaches you history of Computer cience. I did hands-on technical course training like ICPA, MCSs (Microsoft certifications),” he frankly tells me.
For three years, Mr Osunsan studied while working. He got into corporate employment to understand how businesses work.
There, he honed his skills through understanding concepts of supervision, accounts management and how departments work.
The 40-year-old systems engineer believed one has to be a job creator to impact the world. So he came back to Uganda in 2000 and founded E-tech, an IT company that did IT systems report, installations and networks.
In 2001, he returned to USA after landing a job as a technical manager of Armour Group Uganda, an international IT company with branches all over the world. Besides, E-tech had suffered financial setbacks.
Two and a half years later, he returned and revived E-tech. But for a change, he rebranded it as Logix Technical Solutions.
“During the Iraqi war, Armour group was involved globally and I was offered to either go to the United Kingdom office or join whoever they were selling Armour group Uganda to,” he says.
He already had long-term plans of redesigning E-tech, which had remained under the management of his business partner since 2001.
Mr Osunsan believed the company deserved a different touch. However, this was not music to the ears of the company shareholders.
“I said look, I can redesign this company and incorporate security systems, do some specialisation but the board was not interested. So I found other shareholders,” he narrates.

Starting out
In November 2004, Mr Osunsan registered Logix Technical Solutions and officially entered the market in January the following year.
He admits he does not recall the exact amount he invested because it was difficult to get shareholders on board but he literally devoted all his savings.
Luckily, his first client was Armour group following the problems the company was facing in the technical department.
The Kamwokya-based company supported Armour group’s technical team but as a separate entity.
From the onset, providing intelligence security system solutions became Mr Osunsan’s key business objective. These systems were and are still using technology and Information Communication Technology platforms to deliver physical and logical security solutions.
“We were trying to transform the security sector from the usual padlock, guard to electronic and IT devices to complement security operations within the business place,” he explains.

Tips for success
Love people, treat them well because if they make it, you make it too.
Work hard and do something that you love. Make sure righteous principles are implemented in your work.

What makes the IT company unique?

Mr Osunsan cites a number of changes he has incorporated, changes that have enhanced the company’s quality of services.
There is a lot of convergence today implying that most systems have been integrated with various features.
Products under this category include access control that eliminates checking for an identity card and registering in a log book, to biometric finger print locks that records when one comes in.
The company also does Internet-based CCTV system solutions, audio visual system solutions for presentations, video conferencing and sound systems within offices.
He, however, sells solutions alongside products by identifying a client’s problem and designing a solution for them.

Achievements
Mr Osunsan has navigated his entrepreneurial journey through loving what he does.
“I am a fanatic of what I do,” he jokes.
His single most achievement is surviving the first five years of his business. He, however, recognises that it has been “pretty hard.” Despite this, the company made some profits in 2015.
He participated in the Top 100 Mid-sized companies’ competition and emerged 9th.
For the past 12 years, about 20 key Non-Governmental Organisations and top corporate such as Commercial Bank of Africa, Standard Chartered Bank, MTN have been the company’s ‘bread and butter’.
But his biggest challenge emanates from poor human resource that he describes as incompetent.
Some clients have renegotiated contracts, the company has lost some projects and others are opting for cheaper solutions because of budget constraints. Payment schedules have shifted to three months so the company’s cash inflow is contracting. This has required Mr Osunsan to opt for short-term loans. Unfortunately, he notes that the interest rates are “insane.”

People uplifted by Logix Technical Solutions

Mr Oluyakode Osunsan, the owner of Logix Technical Solutions participated in the Top 100 mid-sized companies’ competition and emerged 9th. This is what other people have to say about his business skills.

“He is gifted in this IT work because he has been able to run this business for this time. Business is fluctuating as clients are sometimes scarce,”
Fred Kato, Head Technician Logix Technical Solutions

“He is a good boss in the way he manages business as I have been with him since E-tech. Business is okay because he has managed it well, it is not easy to run a business in Kampala,”
Peter Kanonyi, Systems Technician

“He is a very good businessman. He is involved and informed. This is a challenging market now because when we started out, competition was not as tight,”
Judith Nabirye, Operations manager

Future plans
He plans to remain relevant, innovative and competitive.