#BN2024Epilogues: With Faith and Innovation, Kehinde Ajose Turned His Slow 2024 Start Into a Year of Milestones

If any words encapsulate the spirit of my 2024, it would be this powerful statement by Bishop T.D. Jakes: A setback is a setup for a comeback. The year began in uncertainty, with trepidation lurking at every corner. As a PR and media strategist, the prevailing economic hardship in Nigeria made January painstakingly slow; business opportunities seemed elusive. Yet, in the face of these challenges, the year unfolded as a transformative journey—one marked by faith, resilience, and unexpected productivity.

These past twelve months have taught me the power of perseverance and the beauty of seeking out light in the darkest moments. Reflecting on 2024 brings to life not only the battles I faced but also the heights I conquered. Let’s explore this remarkable epilogue of a year that turned setbacks into comebacks and scarcity into abundance.

A Slow Beginning

2024 tiptoed in, tentative and sluggish. My PR and media relations agency, Visibility Solutions Media, started the year battling a lack of patronage. Projects from old clients dried up, and potential new partnerships seemed lost in the haze of Nigeria’s struggling economy. As many entrepreneurs often learn, the unpredictability of running a business can sometimes feel like trying to carry water in your hands.

A client threatened legal action due to a perceived misunderstanding of the contract. This threat, combined with a limited client pipeline, raises concerns about our ability to succeed this year.

Rather than surrender to despair, I turned to innovation. “There is always room for reinvention,” I reminded myself during those quiet moments of prayer and reflection. Faced with a weakened economy and dwindling resources, my team and I brainstormed creative strategies to attract clients while offering immense value despite tightened budgets.

Social media became a haven of visibility, and I embraced new forms of storytelling to connect with potential clients. I revived my podcast, Conversations with Kenni, launching a sub-show tailored for entrepreneurs called Get Visible with Kenni. After a six-month hiatus, the decision to restart wasn’t easy, but every conversation proved to be a new bridge to the world, highlighting my wisdom, connections, and passion.

I concentrated on strengthening relationships with our retained clients by prioritising delivery excellence. With each successful campaign, word started to spread: our agency became the preferred choice for strong, creative PR and media relations. Gradually, the sense of scarcity diminished, replaced by a series of incremental successes.

The High Points: Celebrating Victory

Though 2024 had a slow beginning, it crescendoed into moments of triumph that I could only have dreamed about. One milestone came when I won an award at the prestigious Global Education Awards for contributions to education through effective public relations campaigns. The recognition validated years of diligence and reaffirmed my commitment to using media to make a tangible impact.

One of the year’s highlights included an unexpected invitation. I was among a select few media personalities invited to attend a luxurious boat cruise with Nigerian superstar D’banj. The celebration marked the release of D’banj’s much-anticipated album, “The Entertainer D’Sequel.” For me, the cruise wasn’t just about glamour. It was a reminder that my work as a publicist and media personality mattered in the wider world of entertainment.

The year also brought features on international platforms like Tech Bullion, a London-based fintech news platform. My ideas about the intersection of PR, entrepreneurship, and innovation reached a global audience, expanding Visibility Solutions Media beyond Nigeria’s borders.

Despite the 2024 challenges, my impact within the Nigerian entertainment landscape grew notably as my agency expertly managed media relations for high-profile events. These included the premieres of What About Us and Anathema: The White Garment Experience, a thought-provoking docu-film. Additionally, we ensured our clients gained visibility through features on major television and news platforms. These efforts underscored my ability to bridge the divide between mainstream media and the arts, leveraging strategic campaigns to amplify voices and showcase creativity across influential channels.

A Balancing Act of Challenges

Amid these remarkable achievements lay moments of humbling difficulty. A fragile economic climate in Nigeria forced my team and me to pivot constantly, tailoring our services to align with tighter client budgets.

It wasn’t just external challenges that tested my resolve. Internally, doubts occasionally crept in. What if the setbacks lingered longer? What if new opportunities didn’t arise? Each time, I reminded myself of T.D. Jakes’ words: setbacks are merely setups for comebacks. My spiritual foundation became the anchor of my persistence.

The Spirit of Innovation: Lessons Learned

My biggest takeaway from 2024 was the undeniable power of innovation. It wasn’t just about navigating external obstacles but reinventing oneself from within. I embraced technology, used data to design campaigns, and introduced fresh strategies to ensure that our agency remained competitive.

Entrepreneurship, I realised, is as much about survival as it is about scaling new heights. Each challenge had the potential to either break me or inspire new levels of creativity. In my case, the latter prevailed.

Rewriting Stories

As I reflect on 2024, what stands out most to me is how deeply connected every high and low point was to my story’s theme: turning scarcity into productivity. Whether it was relaunching Conversations with Kenni, creating breakthroughs with new clients, or receiving the education award, the year became an evolving tapestry of perseverance.

With faith at the centre, I anchored my efforts not only on professional aspirations but also on a more personal hope: to inspire those who witnessed my journey. My resilience became a quiet rallying cry for young Nigerian entrepreneurs facing challenges of their own.

As 2024 transitions into memory, I look toward 2025 with optimism that can only emerge from having navigated turbulent waters. “The goal isn’t just to survive anymore; it’s to thrive in ways I never thought possible,” I muse.

As the pages of 2024 close, my journey offers an inspiring blueprint for finding triumph in adversity. In my own words, “2024 didn’t break me; it built me. Scarcity taught me discipline, challenges sharpened my creativity, and every moment demanded that I show up as my best self. I wouldn’t trade these lessons for anything.”

From the quiet beginnings of the year to its breathtaking crescendo of awards, media appearances, and meaningful campaigns, my story reminds us all that the valleys of scarcity are often the crucibles where productivity is born. This epilogue is both a celebration of the year gone by and a clarion call to face the next chapter with unshakeable hope.

As I move into 2025, I am armed with the faith that greater things lie ahead. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)