You have been working for five years, in this time you have set out a plan to help you become a Motherland Mogul. The plan is getting into the business. You have gone as far as saving up for a couple of years to finance your to be start-up.
Recently, you have been toying around with various business ideas, the idea that encompasses both your passion and need to make some extra cash on the side wins.
You have looked at the various ways you can implement this business idea and realised you need a partner to do so. This could be because you are a good accountant but for the business to be a success you need a partner who will be the face of the business.
Or you are the sassy lady who is good at communication and drawing in the customers, and a manager is needed to make sure all that money you are raking in is properly managed. So currently the idea and the money are in place the only thing that remains undone is getting a business partner on board.
What are the things that you should consider to ensure you end up with the right person as a partner in your business?
Sharing the Vision of the business.
At the beginning, the business is usually just an idea. If implemented correctly, it could impact your lives and those of your clients tremendously in a positive way.
The person or people you choose to work with as partners in the business must own the vision of the business as much as you do. If your partner does not agree with you on the levels to which you want to take the business. They will always have negative vibes on the job that will result in your business losing money.
A partner is part of management, and if they are pessimistic with regards to the business, the employees will notice and get demoralised. The vision is the business. It’s what positions you strategically against competitors.
It is thus a prerequisite that before you decide to partner with someone on a business, be in sync on where you see the business going to in three months’ time or in five years’ time.
Honesty and Transparency
Honesty is a virtue that is a must-have in business. Individuals who are shrewd and unscrupulous ruin your business. You could have been saving for a really long time to start off this business or you got a loan from your bank to get it running.
Therefore, you cannot afford to lose the money or destroy your business name. It is therefore necessary to vet the person you intend to partner with. Inquire into the person’s character from others who have worked with them prior to you considering to partner with them.
If the feedback is positive you have a partner. If not, find your business train another station to disembark, as this one is a definite NO!
Hard work and Resilience
Start-ups are a mountain to climb on their own. The faint-hearted cannot survive this climb. Setting up a business from scratch is not a walk in the park. A partner will share in the business profits. This means they have to put in the work and the time needed to get the business to the top in your chosen field.
There are qualities that you will compensate for each other but working hard and smart is not one of them. One could be unquestionably talented but if they never take time to create and get their skills or work to the market no one will ever know of their talent.
Moreover, if you partner with a lazy person you will shoulder the whole burden of the business which beats the logic of having a partner in the first place.
Resilience is also key in your partner. Quitters run at the first sight of trouble. With new businesses, you will meet challenges that you never anticipated at the start of your journey. This will not mean that you quit.
Overcoming this challenges is exactly what you will need to do to solidify your position in the market.
I sat down with problem solver Seclot VET co-founder Olasunbo Atekoja to discuss how she is building the footprint of Nigeria through address verification.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Olasunbo Atekoja and I am a co-founder of Seclot VET. I graduated with a degree in business Administration and Management 8 years ago. I have worked as an assistant supervisor with a fast food outlet, cash consultant with a Lagos state hospital and I am currently a country manager at Seclot.
I spend my free time listening to music, going on road trips and spending quality time with my family.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
My biggest achievement is having overcome the fear of moving from paid employment to self employment, makin the leap to from regular income and structured work t the uncertainties of entrepreneurship such as business regulatory acts and stiff competitions.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
My favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur is having the power to dictate how I spend my time, which allows me time to care for my household as well as the vastly available networking opportunities with other businesses and entrepreneurs.
What challenges have you faced first as a founder and then as a female founder?
The first and major challenge I faced as a founder is managing the team, some of the vetters are older men who find it difficult taking orders from a younger female and thus questioned my credibility as a manager, which is frustrating.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
Seclot Vet is building the footprint of Nigerians one step at a time leveraging physical address and identity verification.
We carry out employee verification, guarantor verification, NIN verification, driver’s license verification, Voters card verification, NUBAN verification and BVN verification. We perform physical address verification to confirm the authenticity of the information you’ve received from people you are working with in a seamless and effective manner. After using technological best practices to keep tabs on people we verify for our clients, we also provide after service support for them.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
Considering the state of insecurity in the country, we created a company that could reduce this insecurity by ensuring there is enough data for security outfits. We needed the name of the company to sound reassuring to our clients, hence the name Seclot which literally means Security for the Lot.
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
We have carved a niche for Seclot VET by ensuring we are registered as a security technology company. We do not only verify addresses and identity, we keep a repository of data which can be used to track the footprint of people over a period of time.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
In 5 years time, we have a vision to have built the footprints of over 10 million Nigerians leveraging physical address verification.
What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business?
The most significant thing we did in growing our business was to increase our customer base to 1,600 while also applying to accelerator programs to scale up the business.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
The top 3 skills needed by any entrepreneur are marketing, people management, and bookkeeping. Entrepreneurs should invest their time in these activities (acronym KEN):
Knowledge – research on your industry and best practices;
Exposure – start marketing early and get feedback from potential customers and;
Network – meet with people that are in your field or related field.
What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-toNday busy schedule?
The trick I have discovered is that I have control only over myself and my actions, so I don’t get unnecessarily worked up over other people’s behaviors. Whenever I am feeling overwhelmed, I go to my place of relaxation.
What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community?
The best advice I would love to share is “If you want to go fast, move alone; if you want to go far, move with a crowd”.
Olasunbo is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program preparing Seclot VET to build the footprint of Nigeria.
I sat down with problem solver extraordinaire Amanda Etuk, to get to know her and learn more about Messenger, the delivery business she co-founded.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Amanda Etuk and I’ve always been inspired to solve problems. I consider myself a full Nigerian, my father is from Akwa Ibom and my mother from Kogi State. I was born in Makurdi, Benue State and grew up in Lagos and Abuja.
I am excited by change and being a part of something great and this makes logistics and supply chain a perfect industry for me. During my spare time, I try to create processes that allow me to have maximum time for relaxation. I typically love to stay in bed, watch series and eat a lot of food.
I am a published author with two books so far; one is on personnel management for the delivery business space and the other is so far left; an erotica under a pen name.
Tell us a bit about your background – how did you get to this point?
My background is in Pharmacy from the University of Lagos. After working a few years as a Pharmacist, I went on to get a postgraduate in Global Supply Chain and Logistics managementand then worked at a Supply Chain and Logistics company as the General Manager. After this I co-founded a delivery business with my brother where I manage modern trade supply chain for major household brands. I also work on last mile deliveries focusing on expansion plans for Messenger.
What is your ‘why’ i.e. bottom line, and how do you stay motivated?
My bottom line is to be able to create a great life for myself and my loved ones. I want to create products and services that would serve people and still be very profitable.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
I have a lot of heart warming moments in my life but my biggest achievements are seeing projects that started as ideas come to life.
I am most proud of where Messenger is right now, we are the second largest partner for Jumia Food in Abuja, we have recently ventured into last mile cold chain and have a contract to move COVID samples for Medbury Medicals in Lagos.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
My favorite part of being an entrepreneur is creating work place conditions that I wished for when I was working. It is having the power to make decisions and seeing the immediate outcome on my bottom-line.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
Welcome to Messenger.ng, you can absolutely trust us with your deliveries.
Messenger.ng is a full-service logistics and dispatch company with key operations cutting across package delivery, cold chain solutions, warehousing and haulage.
We provide end-to-end delivery services and serve a wide array of customers including SMEs, corporate organizations and private individuals. Since 2018, we have ensured that clients enjoy smooth, safe and efficient delivery of packages without stress or worry, no matter the volume or location. We are focused on creating value for money and improving the logistics ecosystem in Nigeria.
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
We are doing well in the B2B space for last mile deliveries with dispatch bikes. I would say that we are making a name for ourselves as a reliable 3PL partner.
What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business?
The most significant thing I have done to grow the business was to become unafraid to ask for help, especially when raising funds from angel investors within my network to fund operations and expand to Lagos.
What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community?
As cliché as it sounds; PERSISTENCE. You decide your fate, if you quit, what else is there?
If you were given $1m to invest in Messenger, where would it go?
If I was given $1M to invest in Messenger, I would invest in tech to make it even easier to order deliveries or logistics like you would book a cab and the assets; motorcycles, vehicles etc. Talent would definitely be a part of the budget.
What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule?
Scheduling. I love scheduling all my activities in advance, I am centered through the day and it helps me keep track of my deliverables.
What business-related book has inspired you the most?
I’m currently reading “Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa” by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and I am more inspired to take audacious risks.
Amanda is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program preparing Messenger to grow and keep impacting Nigeria’s delivery industry.
I sat down with Titilope Akinola, the founder of Bakerlicious to talk about how her love for cake inspired her to start a confectionary business Bakerlicious, which makes tasty treats for all of life’s important occasions.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m Titilope Olubukola Akinola, I’m the Lead Baker and Sugar Craft Artist at Bakerlicious, a ProHire & Craft Company. Bakerlicious is a business I run on the side in addition to my full time job at Ventures & Trusts Limited, a Financial Advisory firm where I practice Human Resource Management. At V&T, I’m responsible for Human Resource Management and Administration. I have thirteen years of HR experience as a Generalist.
I am a resourceful, tenacious and passionate person who is crazy about all things craft and beautiful. I enjoy travelling, reading, watching movies, coordinating events, cake baking and decorating, as these are my super powers.
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
I spend my spare time watching movies, hanging out with my family and friends. I also love travelling and reading.
What is your ‘why’ and how do you stay motivated?
In everything I do, I always embrace opportunities that allow me to fully maximize my God given talents, abilities and deploy my expertise. I am motivated by my utmost desire; which is to build a wealthy legacy that will outlive me and generations to come after me.
What was the inspiration behind your business?
Cake baking and decorating was a childhood fantasy (I also wanted to be a lawyer and an actress). I love to eat cake and all kinds of desserts in any shape or form (lol).
Growing up, apart from birthdays or other occasions that involved eating cake, the only time I could have cake was when my sister agreed to bake for the family, provided that I would volunteer to manually cream the batter to a dropping consistency because we didn’t have a mixer. So my sister would measure the ingredients and leave me in the kitchen to struggle with the ladle and the cake batter; picture a skinny little girl seated on the kitchen stool in one corner of the kitchen with a mixing bowl on her lap turning butter and sugar in one direction with all the energy that she could muster.
As much as I love to eat and enjoy the activities involved in making cake, I never did anything to grow and nurture the passion until I volunteered at Awesome Treasures Foundation (ATF), a faith based NGO where I was inspired and my passion to bake was rekindled. In 2015, two years after my first Cake Baking and Decorating Class, I registered a business in 2015 and started baking for family and friends. This is where I got my first paid order as a home based commercial entity fulfilling orders from the kitchen.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer
Bakerlicious (by ProHire & Craft Limited) is a Baked Confection, Sugar Craft, Food and Beverage Company. Our luscious treats include a wide variety of moist, yummy, fluffy and beautifully decorated cakes with a wow effect. We also offer scrumptious butter cookies and nutylicious fruity granola.
We also produce the best homemade thick, lush and creamy yoghurt drink and Greek yoghurt in plain and sweetened with date fruits (no colors, artificial flavors or preservatives).
All our products are homemade from premium quality ingredients sourced from local and international markets.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
When I was naming my business, I wanted a name that speaks for the business without requiring much explaining, and my research for business name ideas led me to Bakerlicious. The name is a combination of two words describing exactly what the business is about (baked goods) and the customers’ experience when they see and taste our luscious treats (deliciousness).
How have you carved a niche for yourself?
We primarily cater to mothers who would give anything and go the extra mile to celebrate moments, birthdays, milestones, festive seasons, landmark occasions etc.. With our luscious boxed treats specially catered to their needs, and made with them, their children, spouses and loved ones in mind, we have positioned ourselves to be their preferred family baker.
Our promise is to stay with them for lifetimes, offering the best luscious treat options for life’s every occasion.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
My favorite thing about being an entrepreneur is the joy and sense of accomplishment I get when an order is fulfilled, knowing that the customer is satisfied and will return with repeat orders and send us referrals because they are truly happy with our products.
I also appreciate the opportunities that unfold with each step taken towards growing my business. Every opportunity unfolds in layers just like when you peel an onion and I love to experience it.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
Starting my business and staying the course is my biggest achievement. There was absolutely nothing that guaranteed that I could come this far. Although I’m not where I would like to be yet, I am proud of how far I’ve come and excited about the journey ahead.
I am also proud of the product categories and variants we are able to serve our customers. We’ll definitely have more products to offer as we evolve.
I am also grateful for the learning and development programs I have been privileged to benefit from like She Leads Africa’s High Growth Coaching Program, which has helped me to streamline a path and equip me with useful knowledge and information for the next phase of my business growth.
What has been a make or break moment in your entrepreneurial Journey?
It was when my newly acquired self igniting mini industrial oven exploded during its second use. As I turned on the oven to bake, I heard a loud bang, at the same time; balls of fire hit my face. But for the mercy of God, I would have been consumed. I was wearing my pair of glasses which instantly became protective gear for my eyes. My eyelashes, hair and the skin on my face, ears and shoulders cracked from the heat. Only pictures can tell.
For two years I baked with camp gas and pots which was very stressful and time consuming. I considered my options at that time and decided to take the experience as part of my learning curve.
The positive feedback I got on the taste of my cakes encouraged me to carry on. It also helped me to identify how to get the best of a gas oven when I get another one.
I carried on till December 2017 when my mother’s carer helped me to overcome my fear of using an oven, she challenged me in a very interesting way reminding me that I am child of faith and should not allow fear to hinder me.
What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to- day busy schedule?
I make use of to productivity tools to plan my schedule. I employ a combination of direct labor and outsourced services, and I make use of ready to use products to cut prep and production time for cake decorating considering I still have my 9 to 5 job. I also shop in bulk which helps to save money.
I’ve also made a point to form relationships with vendors who are supportive and will bend over to meet certain demands on short notice.
What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in?
Product Development, Sales and Marketing.
What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community?
You must have the courage of your conviction, and be knowledgeable about the business. You should be hands-on, dedicated and have an unrelenting will to succeed. Your next steps are within your reach so “Just do it”.
What business-related book has inspired you the most?
“Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell
Titi is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program working to grow and scale Bakerlicious to keep on providing sweet baked goods to people.
I sat down with Ukamaka Okolo, the founder of Big Mama Africa Biz concept to discuss how she founded what she hopes will be Enugu’s food market hub.
Tell us a little about yourself
I’m Ukamaka Okolo, the founder of Big Mama Africa Biz concept, a business which is all about farming; production of crops and animal processing and packaging. I am a fearless, energetic, resilient, God fearing woman.
I am a graduate of Applied Biochemistry of the Prestigious Nnamdi Azikiwe University. I have background in banking where l spent nine years and got the award as the Best Supervisor of South East Nigeria. I am a great believer in woman power; yes I believe that women are very powerful.
What is your why i.e. bottom line? and how do you stay motivated?
My why is to live a life that does not conform to stereotypes about women; I am working everyday to be a successful, productive, independent, financially free and Godly woman that other women can look up to and feel motivated to aspire to more than they imagined for their lives. I don’t believe that anyone is here just to get by, exist and to make up population numbers, and my entire life is proof that everyone can live the best life they can possibly have. This hunger to change the status quo and become a pioneer and innovator is what drives me and keeps me motivated.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
The courage to step out of the banking industry to start my entrepreneurial journey is my biggest achievement as taking that risk allowed me the opportunity to truly start living my life fully, meeting people and expanding my network, getting more knowledge, and being exposed to enormous opportunities.
If you had to write a book, what would it be on and why?
If l have to write a book, it would be on the struggles of the average African woman. This is something close to my heart, to bring light on what women suffer through just for being born in Africa. This book would also serve as inspiration to how women can become pillars of society, and support each other towards making Africa a better place for our girl children to be born into.
What or who has been your greatest influence in business and why?
Folorunsho Alakija is definitely my greatest influence in business because she defied the odds and that’s exactly what l am all about; she is a go getter, a fighter, a big achiever, a business mogul and more so a God fearing woman, she is indeed a perfect representation of the kind of woman l aspire to be.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
The ability to see problems as stepping stones to greatness is one of the best things about being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs have the uncanny ability to easily fall in love with problems, which is something I also enjoy about being one.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
I actually find this question very interesting. In 2017 while l was still working as a banker and pregnant with my fifth Child, a colleague (former now) chatted me up for something (l can’t remember exactly what it was but certainly on the job) and called me mama Africa. l thought she was referring to someone else but she insisted she was referring to me and asked, “Are you not mama Africa?”. It was at this point that l got her point; I am pregnant with my fifth child and the fourth l would have in the bank in a space of 6 years. Ordinarily, l was slightly offended but after thinking it over l realized that it was the perfect name for my business business, something I had been struggling with for over 2 years. So I took that, tweaked it a little and Big Mama Africa Biz Concept was official. l am actually currently in the process of modifying it to Mamafrika foods. Indeed l am Mama Africa as l have seven biological children.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
Big Mama Africa Biz Concept is all about food. We farm; we produce crops, animals and fish. We process and package high quality food. Big Mama Africa is also about crop production and reduce the dependence of food from the North. We want to make sure that people are able to get decent food with their hard earned money and we fill this gap by creating quality food at an affordable price.
Our vision is to become the best food hub in Enugu, South Eastern Nigeria and we have already started with the production of garri. At Big Mama Africa, we produce food at a great quality, I like to say we sell what we eat, so if if it’s not good enough for my family, it’s not good enough for our customers. Though we currently produce garri, we intend to have the following products; fresh and dry corn, tomatoes, turkey and model a world class cattle ranch.
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
We have done extensive research in our industry for more than 6 months and have identified that food necessity is a
genuine need and people are willing to pay for our products. We do not undermine quality and we understand the power of good customer service. The combination of these three factors placed us at the forefront within two months of production. Currently, we have 3000 backorders for garri, which is our only live product because we have consistently delivered as promised.
What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business?
Taking part in the nitty gritty of the business at take off has significantly helped to grow my business. I led the customer interviews, l was and is still part of the garri production process, l follow up and ensure orders are delivered as promised.
What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community?
The best advice l have received in business is, “Think big, start small”. This is the force behind our launching out, without this philosophy, we would have waited till everything was perfect before launching, and things don’t really get perfect in life, all we can do as try to perfect them daily by constantly improving.
If you were given $1m to invest in your business, where would it go?
(Laughs) If l were given $1M, l would invest 50% of it in the farming project; acquire land (maybe a thousand hectares), buy modern machinery that would aid processing and packaging, set up world class cattle ranch and production of high quality cow milk (both fresh and dry). The other 50% will be used to kick start the construction and equipping of a world class hospital where lives will be valued and treated with utmost respect and concern. You would have noticed by now that l always use the word, “world class”, and that’s because l always go for the best.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
In the next five years, this business would have become a household name in Enugu and its environs. We would have at least 50 of our products introduced to the market, having established ourselves as the food hub in Enugu. Our cattle ranch will be up and running. We would have empowered more than 500 women from the business, taking them out of poverty and giving them a better life. We are actually in the process of building a billion dollar company.
Ukamaka is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program working to grow and scale Big Mama Africa Biz Concept to become the best the food hub in Enugu and empower women to create better lives for themselves and their families.
I sat down with the Executive Director of the Centre for Population Health Initiatives (CPHI), Elizabeth Shoyemi to get to know her and the inspiration behind CPHI.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Elizabeth Shoyemi. I am the Executive Director of the Centre for Population Health Initiatives (CPHI), a non-governmental, non-profit organization that caters to the sexual and reproductive health needs of Nigeria’s underserved and marginalized populations.
I am a Public Health Professional; I obtained my Bachelor’s of Science in Microbiology from the University of Calabar, Nigeria, Master’s of Science in Public health from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, and currently studying at Nexford University for a Master’s in Business Administration.
I have over ten years of experience in the non-profit sector. I worked with the Population Council, DeltaWomen NGO, and the Nigeria Youth Aid Programme. I have also volunteered with the Society for Family Health and Youth Empowerment Foundation. At CPHI, I lead a diverse team of health care professionals creating positive impacts in the health sector.
I am from Akwa Ibom state, and I live in Lagos State, Nigeria. I am a mother of two children. I am committed to saving living lives and ensuring that a healthy society is achieved.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
My biggest achievement is the birth of CPHI, and being part of the growth process.
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
In my spare time, enjoy watching movies, particularly drama and travelling to new places.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
My favorite part of being an entrepreneur is creating innovative solutions that enable me to feed my passion of saving people’s lives.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
The Centre for Population Health Initiatives is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that uses multi-dimensional approaches to meet underserved communities’ sexual and reproductive health needs. It was established in 2020 and has reached over 30,000 with sexual and reproductive health interventions.
CPHI provides clinical and community-based services ranging from prevention, screening, and treatment for various sexually transmitted infections, including HIV. In addition, we provide vaccination for Hepatitis B, mental health support, cervical cancer screening and treatment, family planning services, and general wellbeing.
Our clinics are located in Lagos and Rivers states. These clinics also serve as hubs for research, safe spaces for social activities, and capacity-building activities. All our services are provided at no cost to the client; we operate weekend and after-hours services. We also have a web application for appointments.
Where can people find out more about CPHI?
You can learn more about us on our website at https://cphinigeria.org. If you’d like to book an appointment for our services, you can do so through our web application at https://posha24.com/
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
CPHI is known to reach the underserved communities, including sex workers, LGBTQI, people who use drugs, adolescents, hard-to-reach young girls, and women. These populations face daily stigma and discrimination in various forms, and they are usually left out during program design interventions. CPHI acknowledges the sexual and reproductive health issues they face, which poses a public health challenge, hence the need to address them through innovative solutions. Our services are specialized, client-centered, zero cost, and hitch-free.
What has been a make or break moment in your entrepreneurial journey?
Being in the non-profit sector where I solely depend on funding and grants, my make moments are moments I receive a “Yes” to a submitted grant application, and my break moments are the periods I receive a rejection mail. The make moments reassure me of the future, while my break moments remind me to keep pushing and be a better version next time.
What’s been the most significant thing you’ve done to grow your business?
I have expanded the scope of services through partnerships and secured funding to sustain the service provision and the organization for at least two years.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, you must have good communication skills, negotiation skills, and Problem-solving skills.
What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community?
Be open-minded, make learning part of your lifestyle, and focus on how to grow your business, not your competitors. Rather than focusing on your competitors, conduct research and focus on creating your own unique selling point.
What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule?
I have discovered that networking is essential. It’s not enough to gather contacts but to ensure that you have active connections with the contacts. Setting short-term and long-term goals ranging from personal, family, and business to work towards it through daily tasks and to-dos is key for success. The management of the business can be overwhelming; creating time for self-care and learning is vital.
What business-related book has inspired you the most?
Silences in NGO Discourse: The role and future of NGOs in Africa by Issa Shivji and The Third sector: Community organizations, NGOs, and non-profit by Meghan Kallman.
Elizabeth is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program to grow herself and prepare CPHI to grow to new heights
I sat down with Omolara Olayinka Lawrence, to get to know her and the Yoghurt manufacturing company that she founded, Disney Foods NG.
My name is Omolara Olayinka Lawrence, the Founder and CEO of Disney Foods NG, a Yoghurt manufacturing company duly incorporated in 2019.
I am a graduate of Economics, an alumnus of the Enterprise Development Centre (Growth Enterprise Program) and the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, a prolific author of seven books and a skill acquisition enthusiast with over 15 years experience across roles and industries.
I have trained at least 4,000 women and youths to become productive in their respective fields within the last 2 years through my NGO, The Faith and Business Initiatives. I am a Providus Bank SME Ambassador and a Coca-Cola Foundation Grant Awardee.
What is your ‘why’ i.e. bottom line, and how do you stay motivated?
My drive is to help people live healthier lives, and to help women and youths become better versions of themselves.
What motivates me is knowing that I am creating value that keep our customers and clients satisfied.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
Starting my business from zero naira and seeing it metamorphose to what it is today. All we had then was suppliers’ credit.
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
I love playing board games such as scrabble, chess, monopoly and so on, because they bring excitement to my family time, and they help to boost our language skills. I also love visiting Nature Parks; they enhance my creativity
If you had to write a book, what would it be on what and why?
I am currently writing another book (my eighth) titled “INFLUENCING YOUR MARKETPLACE.”
The title is pretty self explanatory as to why I am writing this book and speaks directly to my WHY; to clearly explain how my readers, women and youths especially, can discover who they really are, how they can maximize their potentials and influence their respective fields of endeavors positively. Simply put, the book intends to expose how one can become a better version of themselves.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
My favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur centres around these two words: Creativity and Co-ordination.
Creativity speaks to my ability to create products and values that bring satisfaction to my customers; and co-ordination is about my ability to co-ordinate people, procedures and processes in business.
What was the inspiration behind DISNEY FOODS NG?
About 3 years ago, my mum had a craving for a healthy drink, and being diabetic, there weren’t a lot of options available to feed her craving, and the Yoghurt idea was birthed in my mind. I learnt how to make it and began producing it for her and others around me. The positive feedback encouraged me to engage in it as a business solution.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
Disney Foods NG, since inception, has been providing healthy treats to our numerous customers, and we propose to surpass your expectation. We have a unique signature recipe using natural sweeteners, flavors and preservative.
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
We have a wide range of SKUs (18 different flavors) which give our customers so many options to pick from. Each Cup of our Parfait has as much as five or more ‘different’ flavors. The feedback we get from many of our satisfied customers indicate that it is cost effective for them to have over five different flavors (varieties) for the price of one.
What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Customer Service Skill
Adaptability Skill
Emotional Intelligence Skill
What’s the best advice you have received in business that you wish to pass on to our community?
We should shun the Crab’s Mentality; we should desist from running others down. Rather, we should focus on helping one another grow; women supporting women should be our watchword!
What key activities would you recommend entrepreneurs to invest their time in?
Entrepreneurs must invest their time in both personal and business development activities.
If an entrepreneur is not growing personally, they may not be able to drive their business growth strategies. But if the entrepreneur grows as they should, it impacts positively on their business.
What business-related book has inspired you the most?
The Enemy Called Average by John Mason
Omolara is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program to develop herself and her business and position Disney Foods NG for growth.
I sat down with Akpevweoghene Erica Ogodo of Spyce Republic by Erica to talk about how her passion for creating recipes and new spice blends inspired Spyce Republic.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Akpevweoghene Erica Ogodo. I was born and raised in Warri, Delta state. I’m a graduate of English and Literary studies, a mother of two cuties and an avid foodie. I am passionate about creating recipes and new spice blends.
When I’m not busy with Spyce Republic, I host events and engage in creative writing. I’m an introverted extrovert (lol). One minute I’m the bookworm, the other I’m the party girl. I enjoy working in an environment that thrives on individual creativity.
What is your ‘why’ i.e. bottom line, and how do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by the fact that everyday is a new day to do something better and be someone better. I see the rate of food fraud in urban communities and how much the urban population rely on others for their foods and I believe that creating an opportunity to consume healthy, natural foods that are free of adulteration is the best way to go. The fact that we are able to serve consumers through our healthy food brand and also make the rigorous process of preparing African meals easier is all the motivation I need to keep doing more.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
Setting up my business late in 2019 was the biggest decision for me and I consider it my biggest achievement. Since we launched, we have been fortunate to serve lots of households through our products, we have offered free mentorship programs on spice production and how best to set up a food business and we have been able to educate lots of people on the importance of healthy food consumption. Through my business, I have been exposed to mentorship programs, including She Leads Africa’s High Growth Coaching Program, that has helped me understand the concept of entrepreneurship and in the long run, we want our business to be an all woman organization that would create gender equality and empowerment.
If you had to write a book, what would it be on what and why?
As a matter of fact, I just started the first chapter of my autobiography. A lot of people who know me personally always ask me to write a book about myself. I think my story would be worth reading as it centers on what a lot of women silently go through , the chains of society, developing your voice and breaking free.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
The 5 star part of being an entrepreneur is the fact that I’m doing something I’m very passionate about. A lot of people eat just for satisfaction. For me, when I have a bite, I love to analyse the flavour and spices that went into preparing the delicacy. I love what I do. I’m also ecstatic about the satisfaction I give my customers when they use our products.
Another aspect I love about being an entrepreneur is being able to set the pace and be responsible for my business. It has helped me think in and out of the box and also helped me become a people person.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
At Spyce Republic, we offer consumers top quality indigenous spice blends, food condiments, beverage mix and natural sweeteners in order to promote healthy food consumption. We believe that Nigerian traditional meals can easily and conveniently be prepared no matter how busy our daily lives may be. Our products are crafted to make home cooking easy, enjoyable and stress free.
Our services include customizing our products to suit our customers diversity and demands, sourcing, processing and packaging products for clients and also private labels.
Experience the magic of African flavour today by letting us cater to your taste buds.
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
In my kind of business, consistency is key. We have been able to retain the quality of our products despite economic threats like inflation and this has helped us retain our customers. We also believe in the diversity of our customers. That is why when a customer approaches us and demands a customized spice mix, we happily oblige them. Consistency, diversity and customer satisfaction remain our guiding principles.
If you were given $1m to invest in Spyce Republic, where would it go?
If I’m given a million dollars I’m definitely going to invest 50% of the money in Spyce Republic. Aside from producing African product ranges we plan to eventually branch out into producing what we call healthy snacks made with organic ingredients. Also, I’d invest in setting up a dates palm plantation to promote date farming in the country.
Where do you see your business in the next 5 years?
In the next five years we hope to become a household brand with our products seen in the shelves of top supermarkets within and outside the continent and in the pantries of the majority of Nigerian homes. We also hope to serve Africans in the diaspora to give them the feeling of home away from home.
What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule?
Hmm, I wouldn’t call it a trick exactly but I can say I have learnt to think more critically. I am naturally a liberal and artistic person, but being an entrepreneur has improved my problem solving skills and has helped me view situations from different perspectives.
Are you a reader, what is your favorite book?
My favourite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I’m in love with the classical era of arts and literature.
Erica is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program working to ensure that Spyce Republic becomes a household brand with products in the shelves of top supermarkets within and outside Africa and in the pantries of the majority of Nigerian homes.
She Leads Africa in collaboration with Darling (Godrej Africa) champion young African women across Africa through the year-long “Confidence in Action” campaign starting in August 2021.
The campaign includes exciting initiatives like “Pass Me The Mic”- a dedicated video course series, the “Confidence In Action” virtual summits and “The Moment I” podcast featuring prominent African women and a pilot program to support entrepreneurs.
She Leads Africa is renowned for providing young African women with the tools and resources for success in their personal and professional lives. The campaign takes the vision a step further with Darling, a brand that is equally passionate about the success of African women. Darling helps African women present as their best selves physically and mentally and has committed to supporting partners who share that vision through its products and campaigns.
Ibironke Ugbaja, Regional Head of Marketing at Darling Africa says,
“We are really excited to work with She Leads Africa on the Confidence-In-Action campaign. Darling loves to see African women exude confidence and support them in going for their dreams and winning wherever they find themselves. We will encourage them through this project, and let them know they have it in them to go for it! That’s the goal, to help you ‘Find Your Beautiful.’”
The “Confidence in Action” collaboration aims to inspire young African women to take brave steps in their careers, businesses and personal lives. Through the campaign, young African women get to see themselves and their struggles with self-confidence reflected by African women from different walks of life and get insight on how to overcome these issues.
Another important goal of the campaign is to highlight that status or achievement does not prevent women from experiences issues with confidence. Thus, “The Moment I” video and audio podcast series features notable African women from countries like Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa as they speak about their journey of building self-confidence. Features include veteran Nigerian actress Nse-Ikpe Etim, South African media powerhouse Nomndeni Nonhle Mdakhi and more.
As Kofo Adebiyi, VP Content at She Leads Africa says,
“Young African women are incredibly ambitious, skilled and have a great deal to offer the world. Despite how awesome we are, we all struggle with moments of self-doubt. “Confidence in Action” is a unique year-long project to support women through these moments. We’re honoured to have a committed partner like Darling with us through the process. For me, Confidence in Action has been about making bold asks and constantly challenging what I think the limits are. I hope that through this project, women across Africa learn what Confidence in Action looks like for them and make bold moves at work, school and wherever they find themselves across the world.”
From August 2021, information about the campaign courses, podcast episodes and the summits will be shared via the She Leads Africa website, Instagram page and newsletter.
To learn more about the She Leads Africa x Darling campaign, please visit www.confidentdarling.com.
More about Darling
Darling is a global hair brand dedicated to providing African women with the trendiest styles and highest quality of hair at the best possible price. Darling is a subsidiary of Godrej Consumer Products.
More about She Leads Africa
She Leads African is a global media company that connects smart African women to resources, tools and advice to help them live their best personal and professional lives.SLA reaches more than 800,000 women across 35+ countries and 5 continents and has been featured in the Financial Times, Forbes, BBC, CNN, CNBC Africa, Black Enterprise and Huffington Post.
For more information about She Leads Africa, join the online community at https://sheleadsafrica.org/community/ and follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
I sat down with Anita Dafeta, the founder and creative director of Origho Lagos to get to know her and how how her love for the different stories that emanate from ancient folklore inspired her to create homeware rooted in African heritage.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am the founder and Creative Director of ÓRÌGHÒ Lagos, a brand that aims to connect Africa to the world through contemporary homeware rooted in African heritage.
After completing my secondary schooling at Loyola Jesuit College Abuja, I obtained an International Diploma in Business from Oxbridge Tutorial College and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Sheffield UK. After my time at University, I worked briefly in London as an Accounting and Finance intern for a media company and later returned to Nigeria in 2015.
I have worked with renowned brands in various disciplines such as Tiffany Amber Nigeria, Capital Club Lagos and Ermenegildo Zegna. After returning to Nigeria from the UK I realised that there was a huge gap in the creative artisan sector in Nigeria and began liaising with artisans in areas such as woodwork, weaving, pottery and beading; thus the foundation for what has become ÓRÌGHÒ Lagos was forged.
I am a resilient and dedicated founder who is committed to immortalising our African heritage. I currently live in Lagos, Nigeria with my family.
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
I love art and music so generally I visit galleries, art exhibitions and listen to music from artists like H.E.R, Snoh Aalegra and Brent Fayaz. I’m a lover of 90’s music as well and I believe that great food is also a great time.
If you had to write a book, it would be on what and why?
It would be a heartfelt, emotional but sometimes hilarious biography of my life thus far. Like how I got my fortune told at the Cirque Le Soir in London on Ganton Street…, still waiting for that to manifest by the way. But it will also have real, raw moments of hard work, tears and everything in between.
What do you feel are your biggest achievements?
I think my greatest achievement is starting a business and sticking with it through thick and thin, especially in this part of the world.
What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Turning my radical ideas into reality.
Introduce your company the way you would to a potential customer.
We produce artisan made interior décor and home goods products that are rooted in African folklore, design and craftsmanship with the aim of connecting the world to our continent and immortalising our heritage in the home.
The business is inspired by our African heritage and craftsmanship. I have always loved the different stories that emanate from ancient folklore and I thought it would be wonderful to integrate that in an authentic but new way through homeware.
How did you come up with the name for your company?
The name ÓRÌGHÒ Lagos is derived from my Itsekiri name Orighomisan which means “My head is good” in the native dialect.
How have you carved a niche for yourself in your industry?
I believe there are individuals who want to own unique pieces of interior décor from Africa. Our craftsmanship is very well sought after all over the world. However, I believe we are still in the trial phase where we really need to get our brand out there and see what works.
What is your ‘why’ i.e., bottom line, and how do you stay motivated?
True motivation is generally hard to come by these days especially because we live in a hyper visible era with most people posting about their ‘apparent’ successes but not showing the true hard work that goes on behind the scenes. To keep myself motivated I try to ignore the vanity metrics and re-enforce my personal ideology that great things take time to build. I understand that I have a purpose bigger than just me and it has to be fulfilled.
If you were given $1m to invest in your business, where would it go?
I think the virtual art/NFT (Non-Fungible Token) space is a new but interesting sector to invest in.
What entrepreneurial tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule?
I don’t have a lot of tricks up my sleeve (wink) but I believe in listening to your body and recharging when you need to. I also think you should always reflect on the end goal to remind yourself ‘why’.
Anita is currently on the High Growth Coaching Program scaling up Origho Lagos to keep on immortalising African heritage in people’s homes.
