Insights into how she blends her business with Social Good.
Adebimpe Sanusi is the visionary founder of On The Rocks With B (OTRWITHB), Nigeria’s leading mobile cocktail catering company. Since its inception in 2019, Adebimpe has transformed event experiences across the country, combining her entrepreneurial vision, legal expertise, and marketing prowess to build a brand known for innovation. Under her leadership, OTRWITHB has successfully managed over 1,000 events, achieving an impressive 85% customer retention rate. Her efforts have solidified OTRWITHB as a trailblazer in merging business success with social impact.
In a country where 133 million people are considered multidimensionally poor, Adebimpe has designed a business model that tackles these challenges head-on. By employing and empowering young people aged 18-25, especially those at risk of dropping out of school due to financial constraints, she provides them with sustainable income and valuable work experience. Her approach not only combats high dropout rates but also addresses societal issues like youth involvement in illegal activities. This commitment to creating socially responsible businesses makes her a compelling speaker for audiences interested in the transformative potential of well-executed ideas in both business and social change.
Beyond OTRWITHB, Adebimpe Sanusi leads other impactful ventures, including SnackboardsNG and Dressupclothier. Her long-term vision is to become a key employer in Nigeria, with a special focus on the hospitality and lifestyle sectors.
Adebimpe, you’ve been on this journey since 2019 and you’ve successfully built a thriving mobile cocktail catering company, What inspired you to integrate social impact into OTRWITHB’s business model, particularly focusing on empowering young people?
When I started OTRWITHB, my focus was to create memorable experiences through cocktails. However, as I grew the business, I realized it could be much more than that. You see, while at the University, I had to work to augment the funds I received from home and that experience, together with my upbringing in a community where many youths faced financial barriers to education make me keenly aware of the challenges faced by at-risk youths. When I saw an opportunity to use my business as a tool to address some of the issues I had faced or witnessed in the past, it was a no-brainer.
Your business employs mostly youths aged 18-25, especially those at risk of dropping out of school, is there a particular reason why your focus is within this age range?
This age range is a critical period in life, when many young people are trying to figure out their paths. Unfortunately, financial difficulties often force them to abandon their education or delay academic pursuits. We focus on this age group at OTRWITHB because they are at the most vulnerable point in their transition into adulthood, and a little support during this phase can significantly change the trajectory of their lives.
We offer them sustainable income and flexible work schedules that allow them to attend classes, complete assignments, and participate in school activities while gaining valuable work experience. The impact has been profound — many of our employees have been able to complete their education, improve their employability, and avoid turning to short-term, often illegal, means of financial support.
Can you share the story behind your decision to focus on youth empowerment, especially for those at risk of dropping out of school due to financial difficulties?
The decision comes from personal observation. Growing up in Lagos, I saw firsthand how many young people with great potential fell off track due to financial constraints. When I started OTRWITHB, I reflected on how fortunate I was to have support systems that kept me going at critical points in my life. It dawned on me that my business could be a lifeline for others. I wanted to create opportunities for young people to stay in school, earn money legitimately, and gain valuable life skills.
Can you share a specific success story of a young person whose life has been transformed through the employment and mentorship programs of OTRWITHB?
I recently received feedback from a young man who used to work with OTRWITHB. He has graduated from the University, completed his NYSC program, and landed an exciting entry-level role in his chosen field. He shared how the opportunity we provided enabled him to fund his education and support his family during challenging times. Hearing his story was a profound reminder of why I embarked on this path. It reinforced my belief that businesses can be a powerful force for good and deepened my commitment to ensuring that OTRWITHB continues to create opportunities for others like him.
With Nigeria facing significant socio-economic challenges, why do you believe youth empowerment is a critical solution, and how does OTRWITHB contribute to addressing these issues?
Youth empowerment is vital because young people are not just the future—they are the present drivers of growth and innovation. One of the major ways to address socio-economic challenges is by giving our youth the opportunity to work with dignity, knowing that every honest job is valuable. At OTRWITHB, we instill this principle of dignity in labor. Whether they are mixing cocktails, setting up for an event, or interacting with clients, we emphasize the importance of hard work, professionalism, and pride in what they do.
In a society where certain jobs are often undervalued, we help our people see that every role, no matter how seemingly small, contributes to the bigger picture. Our young employees are empowered not just through the income they earn, but also through the confidence and self-worth that comes from being part of something meaningful. When they take pride in their work, it has a ripple effect. They become positive contributors to their families and communities, breaking cycles of complacency, and creating a more self-reliant, productive generation. Empowering youth through dignified employment is not just about tackling unemployment; it’s about restoring pride, purpose, and potential within our society.
In what ways do you think empowering youth through your business can have a ripple effect on the wider community and contribute to addressing broader societal issues?
It is important for OTRWITHB to remain profitable. However, profitability is not our sole objective. One of our goals is to create lasting societal change by addressing both immediate needs and the deeper structural and cultural issues that contribute to educational and employment challenges for at-risk youth in Nigeria. By offering immediate employment to these youths, we provide them with a stable income that allows them to fund their education and meet basic needs, directly tackling the financial barriers that prevent many from continuing their studies. But it goes beyond just providing jobs. Our approach is designed to combat the pattern of youth dropping out of school by offering flexible work schedules that accommodate their education.
In doing so, we are also disrupting traditional employment structures. Our model creates a symbiotic relationship between work and education, bridging the gap between unskilled youth and job opportunities, and addressing the systemic lack of employment options for this demographic. Ultimately, by providing both employment and educational support simultaneously, we are helping to level the playing field for youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. This not only breaks the cycle of poverty but also reduces the economic disparities that often lead to social inequities, contributing to broader societal change.
Our approach is about showing young people that there are legitimate ways to achieve financial independence and success. Additionally, by creating a supportive community where they can grow professionally and personally, we help shift mindsets away from quick, unethical gains and toward long-term, sustainable success.
Beyond employment, what other forms of support or mentorship do you offer to young people?
In addition to employment, we offer personal development programs that focus on leadership, soft skills like communication and teamwork. We also help them set goals and create career paths, whether they want to stay in the hospitality industry or pursue other dreams. We provide guidance on balancing work and education and, in some cases, offer financial aid to cover tuition fees. Our goal is to help them grow both professionally and personally, giving them the tools they need to succeed beyond just their job at OTRWITHB.
What challenges have you faced in implementing some of your social initiatives, and how have you overcome them to ensure the positive impact on youth remains strong?
One of the major challenges we have encountered is the cultural and societal perceptions surrounding certain types of jobs, especially in the service industry. Many young people or their families tend to undervalue roles like bartending or event catering, seeing them as low-status jobs. To overcome this, we emphasize the dignity in labor at OTRWITHB, helping our team understand that every role is valuable and contributes to a larger purpose. By instilling pride in their work and showing them their career growth potential, we gradually shift this mindset.
Sustaining long-term engagement can also be difficult. Young people often juggle school, family responsibilities, and personal goals, which sometimes leads to inconsistent participation. We’ve worked on making our roles more flexible, offering part-time roles to cater to unique situations, while maintaining clear expectations about commitment.
Lastly, balancing business and social impact goals is a continuous challenge. As a business, we need to remain profitable, but at the same time, we are committed to making a meaningful social impact. We’ve learned to strike this balance by integrating our social initiatives into our business model. Instead of viewing them as separate efforts, we treat them as complementary. The social impact drives the company’s purpose, and in turn, our business success helps us sustain and expand our initiatives.
What advice would you give to others looking to create businesses that not only thrive but also uplift their communities?
Start with a clear purpose that goes beyond profit. Identify a social issue you’re passionate about and think of ways your business can address it in a sustainable way. For me, it was youth empowerment and education. Also, recognize that impact-driven business models take time to grow—they require patience and dedication. Surround yourself with like-minded individuals, and don’t be afraid to start small. Changing the trajectory of even just one person’s life is a huge deal that can affect the larger society in a tremendous way.
Looking ahead, what upcoming initiatives are you most excited about and what goals do you have for the next phase of your career?
Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans for scaling and expanding the impact of OTRWITHB. While I can’t reveal all the details just yet, I can share that in the near future, we are prioritizing diversifying our product offerings to create more job opportunities for the youth within our community.’
