ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: MAKING IT BIG
Author: FEMI OTEDOLA
Year of Publication: 2025
Category: MEMOIR
WHY THIS MEMOIR STANDS OUT
When Femi Otedola published his memoir Making It Big, he did so at a point in his career where his journey was already widely known, but rarely fully understood.
Rather than releasing the book to celebrate wealth, Otedola presented it as a record of experience, a way to document the decisions, failures, and mindset shifts that shaped his path in business.
From the day the book was released, it stood out not simply because it was written by a billionaire, but because of its purpose.
As Otedola wrote in the book’s preface, “The lessons, setbacks, and triumphs that shaped my path are almost ready for you…” setting the tone for a memoir meant to teach, not just impress.
Making It Big was positioned as a reflection on growth, resilience, and long-term thinking, drawing from Otedola’s early ambitions in Lagos and the difficult choices that eventually led him to become one of Africa’s most influential business figures.
WHY SHOULD YOU READ MAKING IT BIG?
Reading Making It Big, what stood out immediately was how little Femi Otedola tried to impress the reader. He didn’t sugarcoat his journey or frame success as something that came easily. He wrote about starting small, taking wrong turns, accumulating heavy debts, and facing market crashes that could have wiped everything out.
- Failure is not the end of his Journey
At several points in the book, he made it clear that failure was not an interruption to his journey, but part of it. One line that stayed with me was when he reflected that failure was something he had to learn from, not something he could afford to run from. That honesty gives the book its educational strength.
Otedola also captured the book’s core philosophy using this reflection: “You can fall a thousand times, you must rise a thousand and one times.” This mindset, that setbacks are part of success runs through the story.
- Resilience should be backed with Adaptability
It also became clear that resilience alone wasn’t enough, knowing when to change direction mattered just as much. Otedola repeatedly shared how sticking rigidly to one plan can be more dangerous than failure itself. He talked about moments when he had to reassess his decisions, pull back, or move differently, even when it meant starting over.
What this teaches is that adaptability is a skill.
The book challenges the idea that success comes from stubborn persistence, showing instead that progress often comes from staying committed to the goal while adjusting the strategy.
- Diversification, Risk and Long-term thinking
Another strong theme in the book is risk and long-term thinking. Otedola described taking calculated risks in sectors many people avoided, particularly oil and energy, not because they were fashionable choices, but because he understood their future potential.
One recurring principle he shared is that investors shouldn’t be afraid to “spread across different sectors and portfolios”. This is an idea that underscores diversification in wealth building.
- Success takes time
He also made it clear that these decisions didn’t pay off immediately. In fact, some of them took years to show results. Reading this, it became obvious that his success was not driven by luck, but by preparation, patience, and strong relationships. As he noted in the book, most breakthroughs came from decisions others were unwilling to make at the time.
It’s also important to say that Making It Big is not a “how-to” guide. There are no formulas, checklists, or step-by-step instructions on how to build wealth. Instead, the book reads like a collection of lived experiences that reinforce certain principles like resilience, calculated risk, discipline, and adaptability. Some ideas come up repeatedly, but I didn’t see that as a weakness. If anything, it reflects a real-life truth: the lessons that matter most are the ones we have to learn over and over again.
Overall, I would recommend Making It Big to anyone who enjoys success stories that actually educate rather than impress. The book is less about how to become a billionaire and more about how to think when things don’t go according to plan. The courage to take risks, the humility to learn from failure, and the discipline to stay focused are themes that run through the book consistently.
And if you’d like to go deeper into what you can actually take away from the book, I’ve broken down ten (10) money lessons from Making It Big that you can start applying right now.
Conclusion
So, is Making It Big worth reading?
Absolutely.
If you’re looking for a story that combines honesty with real-life perspective, this book delivers. It’s especially valuable for readers who want to learn from someone who built success within a familiar environment, faced real setbacks, and still moved forward.
My verdict in this Making It Big review: it’s not just a memoir, it’s a mindset manual. And if you want to go further with that mindset and translate it into real skills and opportunities, Hydra-Scola is the place to start.
Want to Learn More?
Read: Ten (10) Practical Money & Life Lessons from Making It Big by Femi Otedola
If you’re looking to acquire digital skills, land a job, build a career, or grow a business, Hydra-Scola’s courses and programs give you practical training and guidance that works.
Elsie Udoh is a writer who transformed her love for talking into a career. You can easily tell that she talks a lot by how her paragraphs flow.
She’s big on clarity, connection, and helping people learn something new without getting bored halfway through.
