We spoke with Femi Ogundeji, who runs a hotel business that also includes a lounge, bar, restaurant, and swimming pool. With a background in IT and experience hosting guests in the UK, Femi sees technology as an essential part of running a business. He uses Loyverse to record sales, review performance across different parts of the operation, and reduce his reliance on paperwork. In this interview, he shares his approach to hospitality, the features he finds most useful, and his advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Could you briefly introduce your business and explain why you chose Loyverse?

My business is a hotel with a lounge, bar, restaurant, and swimming pool. I wanted a way to automate sales recording and check what was happening online, wherever I was.

Before that, I was using paper records and Excel spreadsheets. I wanted to stop writing down sales manually and use a digital system that would make the work easier. That is why I chose Loyverse.

What motivated you to start a hotel business, and how has the journey been?

I used to host guests through Airbnb and Booking.com in the UK, alongside my work in IT. During that time, I installed smart locks on the rooms and discovered that I could check guests in remotely without being there in person.

That experience showed me how technology could help me operate a hospitality business. It encouraged me to start a hotel and use digital tools to make the day-to-day work easier.

I am also working with AI to help operate the hotel. My aim is to develop an approach that works well for my own business. If it proves successful, I would like to offer the solution to other hotel owners.

How easy was it to start using Loyverse?

I found it very easy to use. My IT background helps me understand new interfaces, so I was comfortable getting started.

I did not need formal training. I used the user guide, and that was enough to get me up and running.

Which Loyverse features are most useful in your daily operations?

The sales reports are particularly useful. We sell food, drinks, rooms, and swimming pool services, so I need to organize sales into categories and see how each part of the business is performing.

For example, the kitchen and the bar report how much they have sold. I can compare those figures with the sales recorded in Loyverse to check that they match. This helps me keep track of the business and maintain accountability.

I also like the discount feature. It allows me to apply discounts for particular customers or food items, which is useful in our daily operations.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a business?

First, have a business plan. Understand your market, research your competitors, and identify what you can do better. You also need to make sure you have the capital required for the type of business you want to start.

I would strongly recommend introducing technology into your business. It can help you keep track of operations without needing to be physically present all the time.

At the beginning, you may need to be closely involved in the daily work so that you understand the business and make sure everything runs smoothly. But as the business becomes established, you should be able to hire someone, such as a manager, to take on those responsibilities.

For a hotel owner, that also means having systems in place to monitor activity. Smart locks, for example, can provide records of guests checking in and out, while security cameras can help you oversee the property. Alongside sales records, these tools give you a clearer picture of what is happening.

The goal is to build a business that can operate well with a team and systems in place, while you continue to monitor it wherever you are.