When I was a young child, I marveled at large buildings. Staring out the back windows of our family car, I gaped in awe as we drove through the city. It amazed me that people could erect such large structures, and I told myself that someday I would build something that would make others wonder at human ingenuity. In middle school, I took technical drawing, which introduced me to the T-square, triangles, protractors, and compasses. At home, I drew the buildings I admired. They weren’t pretty, but my lines were straight, and my curves were on point. That excited me to no end. After high school, I left my home in Lagos, Nigeria. I came to LA, where I enrolled in the Los Angeles Trade Technical College to study architectural drafting. I drafted everything by hand rather than through a CAD program. That made assignments daunting but also rewarding. After receiving my AA, I enrolled at the American College for the Applied Arts to study interior design.

I began my career in real estate as an investor, which was profitable but not fulfilling. After the crash of 2008, I returned to my first love: creating new buildings. I gathered the team that became SBH. I think I’ve always had an eye for good design, but I know also how important it is to surround yourself with talented people who live for the bliss of creating well-designed and well-built homes for others. SBH wouldn’t be half as successful as it is without my team. I try always to design elegant yet functional homes, and when I start working on a design,I put myself in the shoes of the owners. Are the light switches in the right places? Are there enough outlets in each room? Are there soap niches in all the showers? Attending to details helps me give buyers peace of mind, and that gives me peace of mind.